Agenda item

Further to minute 115 of the North and East Plans Panel meeting held on 8^th January 2015, where Panel received a pre-application presentation on proposals for a two storey medical centre with associated car parking and public pharmacy, to consider the formal application

(report attached)

  At this point, Councillor Cohen withdrew from the meeting and sat in the public gallery

  Further to minute 115 of the North and East Plans Panel meeting held on 8^th January 2015, where Panel received a pre-application presentation on proposals for a new medical centre with associated car parking and pharmacy, Members considered a further report of the Chief Planning Officer, setting out the formal application

  By way of updates to the submitted report, the Panel was informed that colleagues in Contaminated Land Section had no objections to the proposals, subject to appropriate conditions being in place.  In terms of greenspace, colleagues in Planning Policy had erroneously commented on the application.  Members were informed there was a surplus of amenity space in the area but a lack of outdoor sports provision land, however the site would not be suitable for this use

  On the issue of the provision of a footpath from the bus stop, if minded to approve the recommendation, this would be resolved as part of the delegated approval, in consultation with Ward Members.  Additional conditions were also proposed in respect of details of landscaping to be submitted and a scheme of lighting to be submitted

  It was noted that Members had been largely supportive of the proposals at the pre-application stage and that further revisions to the scheme in terms of increased disabled car parking provision; access arrangements; design of the building; provision of acoustic screening; provision of trees had been made by the applicant.  Members were informed that the proposals would not set a precedent and that the concerns raised about the provision of a flat roof to the building had been considered, it was felt not to be practical to put a pitched roof on the building and that there were examples of flat roofed buildings in the area

  The Panel’s Lead Officer referred to the recommendation and stated that reference should to made to Section 111 of the Local Government Act 1990

  Members discussed the application and commented on the following matters:

·  dispersal of surface water on the site in view of the amount of hardstanding being provided and the need for condition 12 to be worded to provide assurances that the development would not exacerbate flooding.  The Panel’s Lead Officer stated that the list of conditions set out in the submitted report were merely the headlines and that fully worded conditions would be drawn up.  The Chair agreed that the wording in respect of this condition would be tightened to address the concerns raised

·  highways safety and pedestrian access

·  the public transport contribution and what this would be used for.  A discussion took place on this, with the importance of involving Ward Members in the decisions taken about the use of public transport contributions being stressed

·  the importance of selecting the appropriate tree species for the site and that in view of concerns raised about surface water, Weeping Willows represented a suitable choice as they soaked up water.  The Chair supported this view and advised Officers this should be considered

RESOLVED -  To defer and delegate approval to the Chief

Planning Officer as set out in the recommendation within the submitted report, subject to including reference to Section 111 of the Local Government Act 1990; additional conditions relating to provision of landscaping details; submission of a lighting scheme; the provision of a footpath from the bus stop and the spending of the public transport contribution to be in consultation with Ward Members; the amendment of condition 12 to be worded to meet the full requirements of Flood Risk Management and for consideration to be given to the provision of Weeping Willows as the tree species to be provided on site

  Following consideration of this matter, Councillor Cohen resumed his seat in the meeting