Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability.]

This report seeks approval for the making of the new Article 4 directions for Noel Park, Peabody Cottages, Rookfield Estate and Tower Gardens.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability introduced this report which sought approval for the making of the new Article 4 directions for Noel Park, Peabody Cottages, Rookfield Estate and Tower Gardens.

The Cabinet Member noted that the Council currently restricted permitted development rights in four Conservation Areas via Article 4 directions. The proposed revision of the Article 4 directions would make them easier to understand and operate and help ensure that the Council’s planning objectives for the borough were achieved by giving it greater ability to control development.

The Cabinet Member closed by informing that the report had been approved by the Regulatory Committee.

RESOLVED

1. To note that following the clarifications set out in Section 12, the proposals were endorsed by Regulatory Committee for approval by Cabinet without any changes for consideration;

2. To note the regulatory requirements for the cancellation of existing Article 4 directions and the making of new Article 4 directions, as prescribed by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015;

3. To approve the making of the new Article 4 directions for Noel Park, Peabody Cottages, Rookfield Estate and Tower Gardens outlined below on a non-immediate basis to withdraw permitted development rights in the respective Conservation Areas and to expand the geographical scope of the directions for Noel Park, Tower Gardens and Rookfield Estate as set out in Appendix A;

4. To authorise the Director for Housing, Regeneration & Planning to approve the cancellation of the existing Article 4 directions for Noel Park, Peabody Cottages, Rookfield Estate and Tower Gardens at the same time as their replacements are confirmed; and,

5. To authorise the Director for Housing, Regeneration & Planning to carry out the necessary publicity, notification, consultation and subsequent decision on whether to confirm the directions, as prescribed by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, in that respect.

Reasons for decision

The cancellation of the existing Article 4 directions for Noel Park, Peabody Cottages, Rookfield Estate and Tower Gardens and their replacement with four new Article 4 directions will result in the following benefits:

• the Article 4 directions will be updated to accord with the relevant legislation currently in force;
• additional forms of development which have the potential to harm local amenity or the well-being of the area will be controlled;
• additional properties within the Conservation Areas that were not covered by the existing Article 4 directions will be covered by the new directions and thereby protected from those same potential harms; and,
• Better clarity for residents and Council officers with regards to what forms of development require planning permission.

Alternative Options Considered

The alternative options available to the Council are: to cancel the current Article 4 directions and not replace them; to leave the existing Article 4 directions in place (i.e. the ‘do nothing’ option); or, to replace the existing Article 4 directions with immediate Article 4 directions.

The Council’s evidence indicates that the existing Article 4 directions have, and continue to be, important tools for protecting the special  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12