Minutes:
The Panel reconvened the meeting in public. Members confirmed that the applications would be determined as submitted, having regard to the Policy and the 3200 cap as set by Executive Board.
Members considered first whether they agreed with the assessment of those applications recommended for refusal. There was general support for the assessment of the Ingram Row site to be re-considered at this point in the proceedings. Members were aware that by permitting this application in addition to the others recommended for approval the cap of 3200 would be exceeded by 243 car parking spaces; and therefore one scheme mooted for approval may need to be reconsidered.
The Panel received legal advice on the assessment process undertaken by officers for each application and the need for Members to make a final decision on the comparative merits of each of the 16 applications taking into account the officer assessments and all material considerations.
Members noted the support for the reconsideration of the Ingram Row application and considered the fairest approach would be to take a view of the assessments of those applications which had scored slightly higher. Members supported the assessments of Ingram Street and Midland Mills but noted the comments made regarding Globe Road (C) which had a low score against the “safety” criteria. The Panel discussed the merits of this scheme in detail, after which general support remained for this application
For clarity the Head of Planning Services suggested that the number of spaces per site should be included within the conditions for each permission granted to prevent block parking and over use of the site
The Panel then moved to consider the recommendations for each application in turn and
RESOLVED – That the contents of the report and its appendices be noted and be taken into account during consideration of the individual applications and
a) That the following applications be determined as follows:
b) That the following applications be approved as per the recommendations and conditions set out in the submitted reports and subject to any necessary amendments to conditions identified by officers at the Panel meeting:
c) 11/05239/FU Ingram Row – that the officer recommendation to refuse the application be not agreed. Members noted the officer recommendation had been made having regard to the policy and cap on spaces however felt that the proposals for this car park had merit, but would provide 225 spaces above the cap. Members therefore agreed with the suggestion to defer determination of this application in order to allow time to seek the comments of the Highways Agency and the Council’s transport policy section on the impact of exceeding the cap and the implications for the assessment process and request a further report on this application be presented to the April or May Panel meeting
d) That the following applications be refused for the reasons set out in the submitted reports:
e) That one additional condition to limit the number of car parking spaces on site (in the interests of highways safety and to prevent block parking) be included on those applications granted permission in a) and b) above