Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 6 February 2019.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2019 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment:

Item 52 (2) – 18/02930/HOUSE – Purley Lodge Cottage, Purley on Thames – final paragraph of the debate:

The Chairman invited the Committee to vote on the proposal which at the vote was carried with one abstention from Councillor Tim Metcalfe.

Councillor Graham Bridgman commented on the need for consistent recording of the resolutions for planning applications. The resolution need only state the decision of the Committee, there was no need to record whether a decision was taken unanimously or not. Abstentions should only be recorded if this was requested by the Member or Members concerned.

To remind Members of the need to record the existence and nature of any personal, disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interests in items on the agenda, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Councillors Tim Metcalfe, Graham Pask and Quentin Webb declared an interest in Agenda Item 4(1), but reported that, as their interest was a personal or an other registrable interest, but not a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

(Councillor Tim Metcalfe declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that he knew the Plank family from his work as a farmer. He also knew one of the supporters, Mr Yann Le Du, very well for the same reason. As his interest was personal and not prejudicial or a disclosable pecuniary interest, he determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

(Councillors Graham Pask and Quentin Webb declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that they knew many of the members of the public who would be addressing the Committee. As their interest was personal and not prejudicial or a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 18/01470/FULD in respect of the retention of an existing timber lodge as farm worker accommodation as supported by new and additional evidence from the applicant. This would constitute non-compliance with condition 12 of approved 13/03014/FUL.

Masie Masiiwa, Senior Planning Officer, introduced the report. He started by drawing Members’ attention to errors contained in the committee report. The covering page of the committee report incorrectly stated that the application was called-in by Councillor Pask, but it was in fact called-in by Councillor Webb. He gave apologies for this error.

There was also a printing error on page 76 of the agenda pack, this page had been provided within the update report.

Mr Masiiwa then referred to paragraph 1.2 of the update report. This provided a response to the Member query at the site visit as to whether temporary permission could be granted for the lodge. The update report advised that the lodge had already been granted temporary permission in 2008 for a period of three years and this temporary permission was renewed for an additional three year period in 2011. As indicated in the committee report, a permanent rural worker’s dwelling had been approved for the farm enterprise and this had been completed. As such this application sought the retention of the temporary lodge building as a second permanent rural worker’s dwelling. Officers therefore recommended that Members consider the application before them and not a further temporary permission.

Mr Masiiwa then described the information provided by the applicant which highlighted that the application was based on the essential need of providing permanent and affordable accommodation on site for the shepherdess. The applicant argued that this requirement could not be met locally in alternative premises near enough to be effective to perform the role.

Mr Masiiwa explained that the requirement for the shepherdess to reside on site was accepted, but it was the officer view that this need for the shepherdess could be met within the main dwelling and there was no additional need to retain the timber lodge for a second worker. This was a view shared by the Planning Inspector at the appeal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.(1)

A date of 13 March 2019 at 9.30am was agreed for site visits if necessary. This was in advance of the next Eastern Area Planning Committee scheduled for 20 March 2019.