Agenda item

Proposal: Hybrid Planning application seeking permission for:

1)    Outline component comprising demolition of existing buildings and creation of new mixed-use development including residential (Use Class C3), commercial, business & service (Use Class E), leisure (Use Class E), community uses (Use Class F1/F2), and Sui Generis uses together with creation of new public square, park & associated access, parking, and public realm works with matters of layout, scale, appearance, landscaping, and access within the site reserved for subsequent approval; and

2)    Detailed component comprising Plot A including demolition of existing buildings and creation of new residential floorspace (Use Class C3) together with landscaping, parking, and other associated works.

Recommendation: GRANT

Conditions to follow.

The Chair noted that a number of late objections and late information had been received in relation to this application and was set out in the Addendum to the report which had been published online and was available at the meeting.

The Assistant Director of Planning, Building Standards & Sustainability noted that there was a significant quantity of late information and it had not been possible to consider all of the information in advance of the meeting. It was explained that the Council had obtained legal advice regarding the late objections. Officers had been advised that there was a need to ensure the Council addressed the points raised in the late objections and that the Committee had time to give proper consideration to those points and officer advice before taking its decision regarding this agenda item. It was added that it was an important principle that objections received by the Council were given proper consideration as part of the decision making process to ensure fairness, which was not possible with the number of late objections and late information. As a result, it was highlighted that the officer recommendation was amended to recommend that the decision was deferred to allow full consideration of the late information.

The Chair noted that, due to these exceptional circumstances, she would like to propose that consideration of the application was deferred to June 2022 so that there could be proper consideration of the late and new information submitted in relation to the application. The motion was seconded by Cllr Barbara Blake.

Cllr Cawley-Harrison enquired whether a deferral would be necessary and expressed concern that a deferral in these circumstances would create a precedent for future applications. It was explained that officers were now recommending deferral as they wanted to ensure that they could fully address the late applications and that the Committee had all the information required to make a fully informed decision. The Chair added that this was an exceptional situation and that it would not be commonplace for items to be deferred solely where there was late information.

With 9 votes for, 0 votes against, and 2 abstentions, it was

RESOLVED

To defer the application to June 2022 so that there could be proper consideration of the late and new information submitted in relation to the application.

At 7.10pm, the Committee agreed a brief adjournment to allow attendees to leave if they wished. The meeting resumed at 7.20pm.