Regulatory Appeals Committee Minutes

16. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations received at this stage.

17. TREE PRESERVATION ORDER 2003/13 - LAND AT PARK ROAD COWES

The Chairman welcomed those present to the meeting and introduced the members of the Committee. He then outlined the procedure that the meeting would follow.

Following a request by the Senior Planning Officer, a new TPO was made on the site on 17 June 2003, which covered five individual trees and a group of trees at land at 153 Park Road, Cowes. The site was the subject of a planning application for residential development and the trees on site were considered to be potentially under threat. The grounds for making the order were that the trees were of high present and future amenity value and were visible from Park Road and Parklands Avenue. The Committee was advised of the planning history of the site.

A letter of objection had been received from the landowner. The grounds for the objection included that that the trees were in close proximity to the building and were not accurately identified on the plan. Following a second site visit, modifications were made to the Order. Two trees (T4 and T5) were deleted as they were considered to be too close to the property and not accurately identified on the plan and the Group of trees (G1) were also deleted as they would be affected by a existing planning consent. The landowner was advised of the modifications but no withdrawal of the objections was received.

Members of the Committee asked a number of questions of the Senior Countryside Officer. The landowner was unable to attend the meeting but his architect presented his case on his behalf and highlighted the reasons for objecting to the Order. The Committee had the opportunity to ask questions to the architect. The Committee was informed that the local member had written in support of the landowner.

The Committee then adjourned into private session in order to take legal advice and to consider their decision. Before announcing their decision, the Committee reconvened in public to ask a further question relating to T1. Upon reconvening in public for the second time, the Committee announced their decision.

The Committee studied the report and supporting papers and heard the submissions of the Senior Countryside Officer and the landowner’s architect. The tress T1, T2 and T3 were of high amenity to the public being visible from adjacent roads and contributed to the landscape. This amenity was balanced against the inconvenience to the landowner by the making the Tree Preservation Order

RESOLVED :

THAT TPO 2003/13 be confirmed with the modifications as set out in the report, namely Group G1, T4 and T5 be deleted from the Order

CHAIRMAN