Agenda and minutes

(Team Manager - Corporate Communications) This virtual meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded of the need to unmute before speaking.

The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this virtual meeting will be broadcast live to the internet (or filmed) and will be capable of repeated viewing (or another use by such third parties). Therefore by participating in this virtual meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes. If members of the public do not wish to have their image captured they should ensure that their video setting throughout the virtual meeting is turned off and set to audio only.

Please also be aware that if technical difficulties interrupt the meeting that cannot be overcome, I may need to adjourn the meeting.”

On behalf of the Chairman, the Team Manager for Democratic & Electoral Services reminded everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the internet and would be capable of repeated viewing, which could infringe their human and data protection rights.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) General advice for those persons attending the meeting of the Committee is attached as an Appendix to this agenda.

The Chairman welcomed members of the public to the meeting and outlined the procedures adopted by the Council to enable members of the public to address the Committee. The Committee noted the advice provided for the public and speakers in attendance at meetings of the Council’s planning committees.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Committee was advised that the following substitute members had been appointed for the meeting:

(a)         Councillor C P Pond for Councillor C Roberts.

(Monitoring Officer) To declare interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made by members of the Committee, pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) The minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 21 December 2020 will be available for agreement at the Committee’s next meeting.

The Team Manager for Democratic & Electoral Services reported that, due to the Christmas break, there had been insufficient time to get the minutes of the last meeting held on 21 December 2020 published in time for this meeting. The Committee was reassured that the minutes had now been drafted and would be agreed at the next meeting.

(Service Manager – Development Management) A Planning Policy Briefing Note (March 2018) has been produced by the Planning Policy Team to ensure that a consistent approach is taken to the provision of planning policy advice for the District, particularly in relation to the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version, which was published on 18 December 2017.

The primary purpose of the Planning Policy Briefing Note is to inform the development management process and to provide assistance for Development Management Officers, Councillors, applicants and planning agents. The Planning Policy Briefing Note is available at:

http://www.efdclocalplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Planning-Policy-Briefing-Note_Mar-2018.pdf

The Service Manager for Development Management reminded the Committee that a briefing note had been prepared to ensure that a consistent approach was taken to the provision of planning policy advice, following the publication of the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version on 18 December 2017. Members were advised that the primary purpose of the briefing note was to inform development management activities and to provide assistance for Councillors, Officers, Applicants, Planning Agents and other persons involved in the development management process.

Resolved:

(1)          That the Planning Policy Briefing Note for the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version, be noted.

(Service Manager – Development Management) To consider the attached report for a rear first floor infill to extend the existing bedroom.

The Service Manager for Development Management, A Marx, presented a report for a proposed rear first floor infill to extend the existing bedroom. This application had previously been considered by Area Plans Sub-Committee East on 25 November 2020 with a recommendation to grant planning permission. The application was granted permission by the Sub-Committee but was then referred to this Committee for a final decision by way of a minority reference under Article 10 of the Constitution.

A Marx stated that the application site consisted of a semi-detached dwelling, located within the built-up area of Theydon Bois. The building was not listed and the site was not in either the Metropolitan Green Belt or a Conservation Area. The proposal was for a rear first floor infill to extend an existing bedroom.

Planning Officers had concluded that the proposed development would not result in a material impact on the neighbour that would make their living conditions unbearable, as the loss of light to the window highlighted by the neighbour was in fact a bathroom, and therefore a non-habitable room. In addition, there were no flank windows proposed so there would be no material loss of privacy. Therefore, Officers had recommended that planning permission be granted.

The Committee noted the summary of representations that had been received for this application, which consisted of an objection from the neighbour on the basis of loss of light and overlooking, and an objection from the Parish Council citing similar reasons. The Committee heard from the Applicant before proceeding to debate the application.

The ward member for the site, Cllr J Philip, explained to the Committee that when the application was considered at Area Plans Sub-Committee East, it was not clear what the use of the room next door was. However, the Councillor believed that the situation was now a lot clearer and that the room was a bathroom. Consequently, Cllr Philip supported the Officer’s recommendation to grant planning permission.

Resolved:

(1)        That permission for planning application EPF/2007/20 at Highbury Cottage in Coppice Row, Theydon Bois be granted, subject to the following conditions:

1…The development hereby permitted must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this notice. Reason: To comply with the requirements of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

2…The development hereby permitted will be completed and retained strictly in accordance with the approved drawings numbers: 100/001. 100/002, 100/003, 100/004, 100/005, 100/200 and 100/201. Reason: To ensure the proposal is built in accordance with the approved drawings.

3…Materials to be used for the external finishes of the proposed development shall match those of the existing building, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Reason: To safeguard the visual amenities of the locality, in accordance with policy DBE10 of the adopted Local Plan and Alterations 1998 & 2006, policy DM9 of the Local Plan Submission Version 2017, and the NPPF 2019.

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 requires that the permission of the Chairman be obtained, after prior notice to the Chief Executive, before urgent business not specified in the agenda (including a supplementary agenda of which the statutory period of notice has been given) may be transacted.

It was noted that there was no other urgent business for consideration by the Committee.

Exclusion

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Background Papers

(Team Manager – Democratic & Electoral Services) Article 17 (Access to Information) of the Constitution defines background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)        disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

The Council will make available for public inspection one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers for four years after the date of the meeting. Inspection of background papers can be arranged by contacting either the Responsible Officer or the Democratic Services Officer for the particular item.

The Committee noted that there was no business which necessitated the exclusion of the public and press from the meeting.