Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Flavell, Rahman, I.Choudary and Mason.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10thJune 2014 were agreed and signed by the Chair.

Councillor Ford asked it be noted that in line with is declaration he was only absent from the meeting for items 9a and 9b.

RESOLVED: That under the following items the members of the public listed be granted leave to address the Committee.

·         N/2013/1143 – 24 York Road

   Rod Kilsby (Agent)

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The Head of Planning submitted a List of Current Appeals and Inquiries.

The Development Management Team Leader introduced the written report and elaborated thereon.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted

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The applications were withdrawn and the Committee were no longer required to consider them.

The Planning Development Manager outlined the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda and the addendum. The Committee was asked to note that the application was for an increase in occupancy to 10 persons, not 10 bedrooms. The recommendation was for refusal for the reasons set as set out in the report.

The Chair invited Rod Kilsby, Agent for the applicant to address the Committee. Mr Kilsby explained that the application had been developed in conjunction with the Private Sector Housing Officer. He added that given that some rooms were designed to be shared by couples, it was unreasonable to assume that there would be one car per resident. Even allowing for the assumption there were two nearby car parks and there was an oversupply of parking in the town centre.

In response to questions from the Committee Mr Kilsby supplied the following information:

·         When he visited the site he had always been able to park in nearby St Edmunds Road.

·         There were no figures available regarding the number of vehicles owned by those who lived in Houses In Multiple Occupation.

In response to questions from the Committee the Planning Development Manager supplied the following information:

·         The Highways Authority had also objected to the previous application.

·         The existence or otherwise of a resident parking permit scheme was not a planning issue.

·         The application was not conditioned as to the type/area of employment residents would be work in.

The Committee discussed the application.

Upon a proposal from Councillor Lane, seconded by Councillor Ford the Committee RESOLVED:

That the application be REFUSED on the grounds that:

The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the proposal would have satisfactory parking arrangements to cater for the 10 occupiers leading to increased parking pressure on nearby streets to the detriment of highway safety contrary to the aims of Paragraph 32 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The vote on the resolution being - For: 6 Against: 1

The Planning Development Manager outlined the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda. The recommendation was for approval of the application subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report and the addendum.

The Planning Development Manager outlined the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda and the addendum. The recommendation was for approval of the application subject to the conditions as set out in the report and the addendum.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report and the addendum.

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