Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meetings of the Sub-Committee held on 11^th and 25^th September 2008.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the meetings of the Sub-Committee

held on Thursday 11 September 2008 and Thursday 25 September 2008 be approved as correct records and be signed by the Chair.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Sub-Committee’s remit can do so. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Wednesday 5 November 2008 at 5pm.

It was reported that nobody had registered to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme, on general issues within the remit of the Sub-Committee.

To determine the following planning application related to the East Area.

Members considered a schedule of reports of the Assistant Director (Planning and Sustainable Development), relating to the following planning applications, outlining the proposals and relevant policy considerations and setting out the views and advice of consultees and officers.

Erection of 3no. three storey and 1 no. two storey flat roof dwellings and 1 no. detached flat roof dwelling with attached double garage, with associated parking, landscaping and access road after demolition of 279 Huntington Road, on land to the rear of 277 to 281 Huntington Road (resubmission).[Huntington & New Earswick Ward]

Members considered an application for the erection of 3no. three store and 1 no. detached flat roof dwelling with attached double garage, with associated parking, landscaping and access road after demolition of 279 Huntington Road, on land to the rear of 277 to 281 Huntington Road (resubmission).

Officers updated that should the application be approved, the informative in relation to bats would be amended to state that any outbuildings should be demolished at times not in conflict with any wildlife in the area.

Representations in objection to the application were heard from a neighbour. She raised concerns regarding the access road to the application site, she felt that as Huntington Road already had numerous side roads leading onto it, the creation of another road would add to existing highway problems. Concerns regarding the storage of bins, car crime and the electric gates to the development were raised.

Members discussed the potential problems in relation to the security gates, including the provision for dustbin collection and the potential for traffic build up on the access road. The applicants agent, who was in attendance at the meeting to answer questions, confirmed that the code for the gate would be provided to the refuse collectors and a storage area for bins would be provided.

Some Members raised concerns over the design and considered it incompatible with the traditional housing in the area. They also felt that due to the position of the development site, the area in their opinion, would appear overdeveloped and therefore could not support the application.

Councillor Taylor moved refusal and this was seconded by Councillor Moore.

Other Members were happy with the design supported the application, stating that had the application site been on Huntington Road there would have been more reason to refuse the application on the basis of design. As the Highways Officers had no problem with the creation of the new access road and as the potential problems in relation to the storage of bins were speculative, there was no planning reason why the application should be refused and supported the Officers recommendation of approval.

RESOLVED:             That the application be approved subject to the conditions listed in the report and the following amended informative:¹

                                    Informative: If bats are discovered during the course of

the work, then work should cease and Natural England consulted before continuing. It is recommended that the existing outbuildings are demolished at a time that minimises conflict with wildlife.

REASON:                  In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposal, subject to the conditions, would not cause undue harm to interests of acknowledged importance with particular reference to:

                                    -impact on living conditions of adjacent occupiers

                                    -impact on streetscene

                                    -impact on visual amenity

                                    -quality of accommodation

                                    -parking and highway safety

                                    -sustainability

                                    -drainage and flood risk

                                    -wildlife and landscaping

                                    -development potential of adjoining land

                                    -security

As such the proposal complies with Policies GP1, GP4a, GP7, GP9, GP10,

GP15a, NE2, NE1, NE7, H4a, H5a of the City of York Local Plan Deposit

Draft.