Agenda and minutes

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The Chair referred to the notice of filming at meetings, this information was noted.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Worrell.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business.  (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with under item 9 below).

There were no items of urgent business.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution

There were no deputations.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee meetings held on 27 May 2021, 31 January 2022, and 23 May 2022as a correct record.

RESOLVED

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee meetings held on 27 May 2021, 31 January 2022, and 23 May 2022 as a correct record.

To note and consider the North London Waste Plan and provide any comments to Cabinet and Full Council.

The Chair introduced the item. She informed the committee that Councillor Carlin, Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters, and Planning, wanted to make a comment on the item, as the plan came under her portfolio.

The Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters, and Planning said that the plan before the committee had a long genesis. It had gone through substantial amendments following extensive consultation with residents and interested groups. The plan had also been reviewed by a Planning Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State who had judged the plans to be sound. The primary changes were the redrawn site for Pinkham Way and the need for biodiversity on the sites. The plan had recycling at its core, which was a priority for the council.

The Chair invited the Assistant Director of Planning, Building Standards, and Sustainability and the Interim Head of Planning, Policy, Transport, and Infrastructure to introduce the report.

The Interim Head of Planning, Policy, Transport, and Infrastructure highlighted that the item concerned the adoption of the North London Waste Plan (NLWP), the committee were asked to recommend it to cabinet with any comments. The following was outlined from the plan:

-       The NLWP was a plan that:

o   Covered seven boroughs;

o   Planned for waste for the next 15 years;

o   Identifies areas for potential waste management use; and

o   Sets out policies for waste planning applications.

-       The differences between the NLWP and the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) were demarcated. The central difference being that the latter was an authority, with its own governance structures. The NLWP was not an authority, it was a badge for a joint project across seven London boroughs.

-       Timescales and community engagement:

o   2012 original NLWP deemed unsound;

o   February 2012 cabinet agree new NLWP;

o   2013-14 community engagement;

o   July 2015 cabinet approves the plan after formal consultation;

o   January 2019 approved by cabinet and full council;

o   November 2019 examination hearings;

o   Modifications in response to community input;

o   October – December 2020 community consultation on modifications;

o   October 2021 Planning Inspector found the plan to be legally compliant, considering it to be sound;

o   Seven councils to adopt plan, four already have done so;

o   The plan currently at the final stage;

-       Area allocations:

o   Pinkham Way/ Friern Barnet Sewage Works. Significant modifications had been made to this site after community consultation. The Planning Inspector had found the plan to be sound; and

o   Brantwood Road and North-East Tottenham. Both sites were designated as Strategic Industrial Locations. Therefore, they were already suitable for waste disposal.

o   None of the above areas had been identified as suitable to contain integrated resource recovery facilities, such as an incinerator;

-       The importance of the NLWP

o   Ensure the sustainable and self-sufficient management of waste;

o   An opportunity to apply environmental controls, while avoiding speculative applications

o   Would support the production of the new local plan, providing a baseline for waste planning uses over the next 15  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To consider a report on the work of the Planning Service for Quarter 4.

The Chair invited officers to introduce the item.

The Assistant Director of Planning, Building Standards, and Sustainability highlighted that the report was split into the following areas: Development Management; Planning Policy; and Building Control. Each officer would introduce their area, taking questions at the end of each section.

The Planning Services update on Development Management was introduced by the Head of Development Management. The following was highlighted:

-       Key Performance Indicators for development management remained stable; the expectation was that the service would remain in the top quartile in all categories.

-       There were challenges for the service as two key staff members had left. This had caused an increase in officer case load from 50 to 73. Two new officers had been recruited.

-       The Planning Authority remains in excess of government thresholds of application performance.

-       In 2021-22, there had been 15 major applications, a decrease from 2020-21 where there had been 20. The average time to process these applications had decreased.

-       The average time to validate an application had decreased from seven to four days.

-       Pre-application meetings had increased meaning that revenue had decreased, as there were fewer larger site applications.

-       Planning Performance Agreements had generated over double the amount of revenue than in the previous year.

-       Revenue had also increased through the introduction of new services such as express householder written advice and a fast-track certificate of lawfulness services.

-       Two recent appeal losses for 2019-21 had taken the Planning Authority over the designation threshold. These two appeals were 300-306 West Green Road and Guildens, Courtenay Avenue. The former was refused by the Planning Sub-Committee with a recommendation for approval. The latter was allowed following a legal challenge to the original inspector’s decision to dismiss the appeal in May 2021. There is one further appeal pending regarding the refusal of the THFC Goods Yard application. The decision would fall within the 2020-22 period.

-       The time taken to register enforcement complaints has increased  due to staff shortages in the customer services team; this was slowly changing as department had recently recruited staff.

-       Officers secured a confiscation order of just over £100,000 against a landlord who had deliberately refused to comply with the requirements of two enforcement notices at two of his properties.

In response to councillor questions, the following answers were provided:

-       Over the lockdown period the service had received a record amount of planning applications. This created an overload that was augmented through some staff departures. The overload of applications was now decreasing, particularly through generating high levels of income which meant that the team would be well resourced.

-       Complaints were to be acknowledged within a day, a visit made within 21 days, and a decision should be made within eight weeks. This month the performance of meeting these targets was at 100%.

-       On applications at a certain threshold the mayor becomes involved in the stage one process. The mayor can also call in a decision  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

There were no items of urgent business.

To note the dates of future meetings:

22 October 2022

To note the dates of future meetings:

Thursday, 20 October 2022

Monday, 20 February 2023