Development Control Sub Committee Minutes

Members of the Development Control Sub Committee were told of the tragic death of Mark Grantham, who worked as a Planning Officer at the Seaclose offices in Newport. The Committee expressed their condolences to his family.

12. MINUTES

RESOLVED :

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 June 2006 be confirmed.

13. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Interests were declared in the following matters:

Cllrs Barbara Foster, Muriel Miller and Margaret Webster – declared a personal interest in Minutes 14 (2) - Venture Quays/Trinity House Depot and Wharf/former North Works/land to west of Sylvan Avenue, Red Funnel Marshalling Yards/Public Conveniences/Well Road Car Park/located in vicinity of Castle Street, East Cowes as they knew the objectors.

Cllrs Barbara Foster, Muriel Miller and Margaret Webster – declared a personal interest in Minutes 14 (3) - Land bounded by Kingston Farm Lane/Cadets Walk/Kingslea Park/Beatrice Avenue, East Cowes power station/agricultural land/south of East Cowes Vics football ground inc land off Whippingham Road, East Cowes as they knew the objectors.

Cllrs Henry Adams, Barbara Foster, Muriel Miller and Margaret Webster – declared a personal interest in Minutes 14 (3) - Land bounded by Kingston Farm Lane/Cadets Walk/Kingslea Park/Beatrice Avenue, East Cowes power station/agricultural land/south of East Cowes Vics football ground inc land off Whippingham Road, East Cowes as they knew the person speaking on behalf of the applicant.

14. REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENT SERVICES

Planning Applications and Related Matters

Consideration was given to items 1 - 3 of the report of the Strategic Director of Environment Services.

RESOLVED :

THAT the applications be determined as detailed below :

The reasons for the resolutions made in accordance with Officer recommendation were given in the Planning report. Where resolutions are made contrary to Officer recommendation the reasons for doing so are contained in the minutes.

A schedule of additional representations received after the printing of the report were submitted at the beginning of the meeting and were drawn to the attention of Members when considering the application. A note is made to that effect in the minutes.

Details:	Members were given a strategic overview regarding the two major planning applications for East Cowes that had been submitted by SEEDA and English Partnerships and Barratt (Southampton) Limited.
	(Item 1)
Application:	TCP/27465
Details:	Venture Quays/Trinity House Depot and Wharf/former North Works/land to west of Sylvan Avenue, Red Funnel Marshalling Yards/Public Conveniences/Well Road Car Park/located in vicinity of Castle Street, East Cowes Demolition of Venture Quays, Trinity House Depot, Red Funnel ticket office, Public Conveniences and Camelia; outline for a mix of uses including employment, retail, health facility, community facilities, marine heritage experience, events space, hotels, residential and ferry marshalling facilities, together with associated highway and junction improvements to include new road from Church Path to Old Road; public transport interchange, car parking and servicing, open space and landscaping, flood defence measures and site remediation works; full permission for land reclamation works to the west of Venture Quays (plots 7A, 7C & 8B part)
Site Visit:	The site was visited by Members of the Development Control Sub Committee on Monday, 10 July 2006
Public Participants:	Mr Hooper (Objector) Mrs Burdett on behalf of the Isle of Wight Society (Objector) Mr Knight (Objector) Mr Peter Adams (Objector) Mr Tom Docherty(Objector) Mr Jeff Davies (East Cowes Town Council) Mr Philip Robin (Agent)
Additional Representations:	English Heritage’s Inspector of Ancient Monuments confirmed that they had approved provision for Stage II and II archaeological evaluation across the Venture Quays site. English Nature confirmed that the proposed highway options would not adversely affect the wider conservation interests and had no objection to those proposals. A number of observations from the East Cowes Group of the Isle of Wight Society had been received. Detailed comments on the proposals had been provided by East Cowes Town Council. St James Church has expressed strong concerns regarding the proposal to use Church Path to access the new development. A letter has been received from the residents of Church Path. Four additional letters had been received from residents. South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) had confirmed that on the information provided it considered that the proposals did not materially conflict or prejudice the implementation of the current regional spatial strategy (RPG9 and any of its alterations). SEERA requested that it is also be consulted on reserved matter stages of the proposed development. A letter had been received by the Chairman of Development Control Sub Committee and copied to other Members from Red Funnel in response to determination of the marshalling yard proposals as a full permission element of the planning application.
Comment:	The Local Member, Councillor Margaret Webster, spoke on this item. The adjoining member, Councillor Charlie Hancock, spoke on this item.
Decision:	The Committee had taken into consideration and agreed with the reasons for the recommendation as set out under paragraph entitled Justification for Recommendation of the report and resolved: THAT the application be approved subject to details concerning the phasing, design element, design statement and details being brought back to the Development Control Sub Committee for consideration. The application also be referred to GOSE and subject to the applicant entering into a S278 Agreement with the Local Highway Authority and subject to the completion of a S106 Agreement covering the following : (i) Provision of 305 affordable housing (60% social rented and 40% shared ownership) (ii) Education contribution : £2,145 per private residential unit of 2+ bedrooms. (iii) Ecological open space management and maintenance plans. (iv) Public realm enhancements and Public Art : A Design Code will be funded up to £50,000. (v) Transport enhancements to the value of £100,000. (vi) Flood defences – detailed design, construction, long term maintenance and renewal. Failure on the part of the applicant to sign a S106 Obligation within three months of the date of the first draft being sent out will render the application liable to being reconsidered by the Local Planning Authority based on a refusal of the applicant to enter into this Legal Agreement.
Conditions:	A draft Decision Notice be agreed with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Local Members before being issued. As per report (Item 2)
Application:	TCP/18291/D
Details:	Land bounded by Kingston Farm Lane/Cadets Walk/Kingslea Park/Beatrice Avenue, East Cowes power station/agricultural land/south of East Cowes Vics football ground inc land off Whippingham Road, East Cowes. Outline consent for 9.9 hectares of residential development; 9.9 hectares of employment development; managed woodland; nature conservation areas; proposed access road junction with Whippingham Road and Beatrice Avenue; network of public footpaths/cycleways; public transport link only to Kingston Road.
Site Visit:	The site was visited by Members of the Development Control Sub Committee on Monday, 10 July 2006
Public Participants:	Mr David Burdett (Objector) Mr Phillip Robin (Objector) Mrs Burdett on behalf of the Isle of Wight Society (Objector) Mrs Margaret Prior (East Cowes Town Council) Mr Paul Airey (Agent)
Additional Representations:	Agents for Barratt had submitted an additional comment concerning the overview report which suggested both the Kingston scheme and the Cowes regeneration scheme would provide only 40% of the Island’s housing need to 2011. On the basis that both schemes together may provide no more than 500 houses by the end of 2011 taking into account the further work required that percentage was greatly reduced. The agent suggested that 500 units could be achieved by 2011 equating to just 18% of the Island’s housing need. Barratt had confirmed that maintenance of the open space would be via the employment of a management company to maintain it in perpetuity. Section 106 contributions were also proposed to include a public art contribution of £35,000 and environmental mitigation payment of £10,000. Barratt’s agents had also pointed out that the possible generation of jobs created by the Kingston scheme could be higher than the 400-600 indicated in paragraph 2.5.10 of the report. Taking into account research for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 2004 the 50,000 m² buildings proposed could generate between 1,000 and 1,400 jobs. SEEDA withdrew their objection to the proposal.
Comment:	The Local Member, Councillor Charlie Hancock, spoke on this item. The adjoining member, Councillor Margaret Webster, spoke on this item.
Decision:	The application was refused contrary to officer recommendation as members believed there was over development of the site, lack of infrastructure to support the development and alternative brownfield sites were available within the area. In compliance with the Council’s Constitution a named vote was taken as the decision was contrary to officer recommendation. The voting was as follows : For (6) Cllrs William Burt, George Cameron, Barbara Foster, Muriel Miller, Brian Mosdell, Susan Scoccia. Against (5) Cllrs Henry Adams, Ivan Bulwer, Mike Cunningham, Lady Pigot, Arthur Taylor
Reasons:	1. The proposals would represent an over-development of the site at an excessive density, in an area that was not close to local facilities and would be out of character with the prevailing pattern of development of the surrounding area and was contrary to Policy H6 (High density residential development) of the Isle of Wight Unitary Development Plan. 2. The site was a Greenfield location in an area that had alternative brownfield opportunities and would create a development that was not adequately linked to or integrated with the adjacent urban area and encouraged reliance upon the car to access facilities and as such was contrary to guidance provided by Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 1 – Delivering Sustainable Development and PPS 7 – Development in the Countryside and was contrary to Policies S1 (Development to be concentrated within existing urban areas), S2 (Development to be encouraged on brownfield sites) and S11 (Reduction of the impact and reliance on the car) of the Isle of Wight Unitary Development Plan. (Item 3)

CHAIRMAN