To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 13 July 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2023 were approved as a true and correct record, subject to the second vote on Planning Application 22/01672/FUL: Thurrock Football Club Ship Lane, Aveley, RM19 1YN be amendment on page 7:

For: (3) Tom Kelly (Chair), Georgette Polley (Vice-Chair) and Adam Carter.

Against: (3) Councillors Paul Arnold, Sue Shinnick and Lee Watson

Abstained: (0)

To receive additional items that the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no items of urgent business, however the Chair of the Committee advised that Planning Application 22/01370/FUL: Land adjacent Watts Wood including Mardyke Farm, Ship Lane and Broomhill, Arterial Road, Purfleet-on-Thames, Essex was to be deferred following legal advice.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Interim Director of Place presented the report to Members.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted. 

The report was presented by the Senior Planning Officer, who advised the report was being reported back to Members having been deferred from the  Planning Committee in July following Member’s rejection of the officer recommendation to approve the application.  The update report considered the reasons put forward in July by Members and summarised the application as follows:

• This was redevelopment a previously developed site to provide new homes

·       National planning policies required a presumption in favour of housing development where there was no 5 year housing supply

·       The proposal met policies in terms of the design and layout

·       There was no unacceptable impacts to any neighbouring properties

·       With mitigation, there were no unacceptable impacts in terms of Highways

Members heard that the application had been independently assessed on its viability twice and had been found unviable with respect to providing any affordable housing or s106 contributions. Nonetheless, the applicant had agreed the following contributions: Education (Nursery and Secondary levels only) £32,895.64, Healthcare contribution of £19,600 and Transport contribution of £40,000 for car club and related matters. Which was a total contribution of £92,495.64.

During Members’ discussions the following was considered:

• The Committee were mindful of the 38 proposed units which could equate for a possible 60+ vehicles on the site. Officers advised that there had been no objections from Highways relating to parking on the site with 32 places being approved and a Car Club scheme to mitigate parking concerns. Members asked further as to where in Thurrock the Car Club had been successfully introduced. Members heard that the application was in line with the latest local and national Highway policy and officers commented that, while a Car Club had not yet been implemented in Thurrock, other forms of transport had to be encouraged, and the implementation of a Car Club needed to start somewhere in the Borough.
• Members heard that the Applicant had engaged with planning department at pre-application stage twice and had worked with the Urban Design Team, the original application had been submitted with a proposed 60 dwellings. This had been amended following advice from officers and lead to the Applicant submitting an applicant with less units. The proposal is a bespoke design for the site, designed solely for the site and location.

• Members asked further regarding s106 matters and asked for further clarification as to why there was no scope for affordable housing to be provided on the site.  Officers reiterated that based upon the two independent viability appraisals undertaken demonstrated there would not be any meaningful manner in which affordable housing could be reasonably provided as part of the development. The Committee acknowledged the Health contribution had been increased by £4,000, which was due to the difference in the time periods between the previous NHS consultation response and the one carried out following the July Planning Committee.

At the debate, Members remarked they had not changed their minds on the application since the previous committee. The Chair thanked Members for their comments and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

This application was deferred following the Chair and Vice-Chair receiving legal advice.