Agenda and draft minutes

Please note this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method.  Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting.  Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on.  By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual, or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

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

The Planning Committee abides by the Council’s Planning Protocol 2017.  A factsheet covering some of the key points within the protocol as well as some of the context for Haringey’s planning process is provided alongside the agenda pack available to the public at each meeting as well as on the Haringey Planning Committee webpage.

The planning system manages the use and development of land and buildings.  The overall aim of the system is to ensure a balance between enabling development to take place and conserving and protecting the environment and local amenities.  Planning can also help tackle climate change and overall seeks to create better public places for people to live, work and play.  It is important that the public understand that the committee makes planning decisions in this context.  These decisions are rarely simple and often involve balancing competing priorities.  Councillors and officers have a duty to ensure that the public are consulted, involved and where possible, understand the decisions being made.

Neither the number of objectors or supporters nor the extent of their opposition or support are of themselves material planning considerations.

The Planning Committee is held as a meeting in public and not a public meeting.  The right to speak from the floor is agreed beforehand in consultation with officers and the Chair.  Any interruptions from the public may mean that the Chamber needs to be cleared.

The Chair referred to the planning protocol and this information was noted.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Emery and Cllr Bevan.

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 at item 13 below.

There were no items of urgent business.

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct

Cllr Rice stated a declaration of interest regarding item 8, he was a councillor for the ward. He would be viewing the item with an open mind.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Planning Sub Committee held on 15^th January as a correct record.

RESOLVED

To approve the minutes of the Planning Sub Committee held on the 15^th January as a correct record.

There was a petition received on Chestnuts Park application in December and the issues contained within the petition were raised by objectors at the December committee and were covered in the officer’s report. There was also a separate petition on the heights of blocks at the Clarendon Development that has been considered  by the Planning Service and permission had been approved in line with the Committees resolution.

In accordance with the Sub Committee’s protocol for hearing representations; when the recommendation is to grant planning permission, two objectors may be given up to 6 minutes (divided between them) to make representations. Where the recommendation is to refuse planning permission, the applicant and supporters will be allowed to address the Committee. For items considered previously by the Committee and deferred, where the recommendation is to grant permission, one objector may be given up to 3 minutes to make representations.

The Chair referred to the note on planning applications and this information was noted.

Proposal: Planning application for Phases 2a and 3 of the Down Lane Park Improvement Programme: demolition of former Park Pavilion and Park Depot Buildings (and associated structures), and basketball court to allow for construction of a new Community Hub Building and Community Garden, new basketball and netball courts, new children’s play area, access routes, entrances and associated soft and hard landscaping.

Planning Officer Zara Zeelig introduced the report. This was planning application for Phases 2a and 3 of the Down Lane Park Improvement Programme: demolition of former Park Pavilion and Park Depot Buildings (and associated structures), and basketball court to allow for construction of a new Community Hub Building and Community Garden, new basketball and netball courts, new children’s play area, access routes, entrances and associated soft and hard landscaping.

The following was noted in response to questions from the committee:

• Officers sought to retain and reuse as much of the existing external railings as possible. There would be additional planting along the railings so that if necessary in the future they could potentially be removed; railings could only be removed where planting was well established and would have sufficient boundary cover.
• Regarding the removal of the Welbourne site, there was no reprovision for use. The community facility would be flexible and various uses could be accommodated.
• Harris Academy was subject to a community use plan. This plan was to provide their facilities for discounted rates for community groups. It has come to light that this hasn’t come to fruition, colleagues were pursuing this and would follow up to see what had happened since.
• The scheme was reviewed twice, one of the reviews was by the Urban Design London panel which was a condition of the funding that came from GLA. One member of the Haringey QRP was included in that panel meeting. After all of the amendments requested by that panel had been implemented, it was reviewed by the QRP and in that second review, the panel supported the proposal for improvements. The project team was to be commended for the extensive design process and the amount of work completed since the Urban Design London review supported the masterplan approach.
• The current mounds are in the Southern end of the park outside of the red line boundary. This part of the park is in the Blue Line area of works  being carried out through permitted development, which did not require planning permission. The intention was to broadly level that area to make it more accessible and make it more connected to the surrounding residential areas. There would be new mounds in the Northern part of the park where it's currently flattened and featureless.
• In terms of the objections, points of concern raised were the separation of the two playgrounds, additional exits and entrances, removal of the nursery, removal of the railings and the impact on women's safety. Some residents felt the boundary hedging should be in addition to the railings which should remain, concerns were also raised about how the planting would be pruned and managed and there not being adequate replacement for trees any removed. The Met Police support this proposal and felt it was an improvement in terms of safety and there had been a lot of community engagement that had gone into the design in terms of the layout and the play parks.
• 42 new trees  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The following items are pre-application presentations to the Planning Sub-Committee and discussion of proposals.

Notwithstanding that this is a formal meeting of the Sub-Committee, no decision will be taken on the following items and any subsequent applications will be the subject of a report to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee in accordance with standard procedures.

The provisions of the Localism Act 2011 specifically provide that a Councillor should not be regarded as having a closed mind simply because they previously did or said something that, directly or indirectly, indicated what view they might take in relation to any particular matter.  Pre-application briefings provide the opportunity for Members to raise queries and identify any concerns about proposals.

The Members’ Code of Conduct and the Planning Protocol 2016 continue to apply for pre-application meeting proposals even though Members will not be exercising the statutory function of determining an application.  Members should nevertheless ensure that they are not seen to pre-determine or close their mind to any such proposal otherwise they will be precluded from participating in determining the application or leave any decision in which they have subsequently participated open to challenge.

The Chair referred to the note on pre-application briefings and this information was noted.

Proposal:The proposal seeks permission for the construction of a five-storey new building to host the Construction and Engineering Centre of the College.

Planning OfficerJohn Kaimakamis introduced the report for the proposal seeks permission for the construction of a five-storey new building to host the Construction and Engineering Centre of the College.

The following was noted in response to questions from the committee:

• In the local character area of assessment, the centenary building was identified as a building of good quality. Officers would propose to use brick similar to the rest of the buildings within that area.
• Feedback from the consultation provided concerns around sustainability, noise from construction and access to the future disposal plot and site itself. The access to the site would retain the current service access. The actual pedestrian, staff and student routes would be through the current route through campus.
• There was a lot of wasted circulation space, workshops were designed and laid out in a way which lacked flexibility. The other aspect was the original building was not a purpose-built construction centre, the site was very dense. The spaces currently were not wide enough or fit for purpose. This would be a 15-month build, the applicant was looking to appoint contractors. The aim would be to start work in the summer and then the building would be complete by December 2025.

To advise of major proposals in the pipeline including those awaiting the issue of the decision notice following a committee resolution and subsequent signature of the section 106 agreement; applications submitted and awaiting determination; and proposals being discussed at the pre-application stage.

There were no queries on the report. The Chair noted that any queries could be directed to the Head of Development Management.

RESOLVED

To note the report.

To advise the Planning Committee of decisions on planning applications taken under delegated powers for the period 1/01/2024 – 19/01/2024.

There were no queries on the report. The Chair noted that any queries could be directed to the Head of Development Management.

RESOLVED

To note the report.

There were no new items of urgent business.

To note the date of the next meeting as xxx.

It was noted that the date of the next meeting was 7^th March.