Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

60.

Emergency evacuation procedure

The Chair will ask the Committee Administrator to draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out under Note 6

Minutes:

The Senior Democratic Services Officer read out the procedure

61.

Election of Vice Chair (if desired)

Minutes:

A Vice Chair was not required

62.

Apologies for absence and Substitutions

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Lisa Brett and Neil Butters and their respective Substitutes were Councillors Dine Romero and Jeremy Sparks.

63.

Declarations of Interest

Members who have an interest to declare are asked to state:

 

(a) the Item No and site in which they have an interest; (b) the nature of the interest; and (c) whether the interest is personal or personal and prejudicial.

 

Any Member who is unsure about the above should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer prior to the meeting in order to expedite matters at the meeting itself.

Minutes:

Councillor Liz Hardman informed the meeting that she was present when Paulton Parish Council had considered the planning application at the Closed Polestar Purnell site, Paulton (Item 3, Report 10 of this Agenda) but that she did not participate. She therefore had no interest to declare on this Item and would speak and vote when it was considered.

64.

To Announce any Urgent Business Agreed by the Chair

Minutes:

There were no items of Urgent Business

65.

Items from the Public - To receive Deputations, Statements, Petitions or Questions

(1) At the time of publication, no items had been submitted.

 

(2) To note that, regarding planning applications to be considered, members of the public who have given the requisite notice to the Committee Administrator will be able to make a statement to the Committee immediately before their respective applications are considered. There will be a time limit of 3 minutes for each proposal, ie 3 minutes for the Parish and Town Councils, 3 minutes for the objectors to the proposal and 3 minutes for the applicant, agent and supporters. This allows a maximum of 9 minutes per proposal.

Minutes:

The Senior Democratic Services Officer informed the meeting that there were speakers wishing to make a statement on the Enforcement Item on The Old Orchard, The Shrubbery, Lansdown, Bath (Report 11) and that they would be able to do so for up to 3 minutes each when reaching that Item. There were also members of the public wishing to make statements on planning applications in Report 10 and they would be able to do so when reaching their respective Items in that Report.

66.

Items from Councillors and Co-opted Members

To deal with any petitions or questions from Councillors and where appropriate Co-opted Members

Minutes:

There were no items from Councillors

67.

Minutes: Wednesday 28th September 2011 pdf icon PDF 44 KB

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 28th September 2011

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 28th September 2011 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

68.

Major Developments

The Senior Professional – Major Developments to provide an oral update

Minutes:

The Development Manager informed the Members that, if they had any queries on major developments, they should contact the Senior Professional – Major Developments direct.

69.

Main Plans List - Applications for Planning Permission Etc for Determination by the Committee pdf icon PDF 574 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered

 

·  A report by the Development Manager on various planning applications

 

·  An Update Report by the Development Manager on Items Nos. 2, 3, 5 and 6, a copy of which is attached to these Minutes as Appendix 1

 

·  Oral statements by members of the public etc. on Item Nos. 1 – 4 and 6, the Public Speakers List being attached to these Minutes as Appendix 2

 

RESOLVED that, in accordance with their delegated powers, the applications be determined as set out in the Decisions List attached to these Minutes as Appendix 3.

 

Items 1&2 Kingsmead House, James Street West, Bath – 1) Demolition of Kingsmead House (Ref 10/04868/CA); and 2) Erection of a 177 bed hotel incorporating conference facilities, restaurant, café/bar and associated facilities, servicing and works following demolition of Kingsmead House (Ref 10/04867/FUL) – The Historic Environment Team Leader reported on the application for consent to demolish Kingsmead House. He stated that the wording of Condition 2 of the Recommendation to permit would need to be amended as more precise wording was required.

 

The Senior Planning Officer reported on the application to erect a 177 bed hotel etc. on the site of Kingsmead House. He referred to the Update Report which contained the Officer’s comments on further representations received from the Council’s Development and Regeneration Team and the Bath Preservation Trust.

 

The public speakers made their statements on these applications. The Ward Councillor Andy Furse then made a statement commenting on various aspects of the proposals.

 

Members asked questions for clarification purposes on the application for consent to demolish (Ref 10/04868/CA) to which Officers responded. Councillor Bryan Organ moved that consent be granted for demolition which was seconded by Councillor Martin Veal. During the debate on the motion, it was considered that a timescale should be included in Condition 2, namely, that a landscaping scheme be implemented if work for redevelopment of the site had not commenced within 6 months. Also, the applicant be required to recycle materials from the demolition of the building. The mover and seconder agreed to these amendments. The motion was put to the vote and was carried unanimously.

 

The application for the hotel (Ref 10/04867/FUL) was then considered. Members asked questions about access to the upper floors of the proposed hotel, the arrangements for patrons arriving by car and coach, whether solar panels had been included etc. Some Members made reference to the tourism aspect of the proposal with too many hotels in the area and car parking at full capacity. There was no Master Plan or a Supplementary Planning Document. A Visitor Accommodation Study had been adopted which should have some impact. The Officers responded to these queries. Councillor Eleanor Jackson considered that provision for conferences was a useful benefit to the scheme. She had some concern about the design which didn’t look like a hotel although it did link in with the style of some of the adjoining buildings. She moved the Officer recommendation – which was seconded  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

70.

Enforcement Report - The Old Orchard, The Shrubbery, Lansdown pdf icon PDF 55 KB

To consider a recommendation to take enforcement action regarding 1) the unauthorised orange coloured stone used in cladding the new dwelling; and 2) gates to the parking area onto the footpath and surface treatment not built according to approved plans.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered (1) a report by the Development Manager requesting Members to authorise enforcement action regarding (i) the unauthorised orange coloured stone used in cladding the new dwelling; and (ii) gates to the parking area onto the footpath and surface treatment not built according to approved plans; and (2) oral statements by a representative of St James’ Park Residents Association speaking in favour of enforcement action and from the owner of the property speaking against enforcement action.

 

The Team Leader – Development Management reported on the issues by means of a power point presentation. He informed the Members that he was unable to find any drawing to indicate that the gates on the parking space adjacent to St James’ Park had been approved.

 

Councillor Eleanor Jackson considered that the photographs shown by the Officer and the sample materials used by the applicant as visual aids in her statement were confusing and clarification was required before enforcement action could be considered. She therefore moved that the matter be deferred for a Site Visit which was seconded by Councillor Martin Veal.

 

RESOLVED (1) to defer consideration for a Site Visit; and (2) a report be submitted to the next meeting when the public speakers would have a further opportunity to make statements on the matter.

71.

New Planning Appeals Lodged, Decisions Received and Dates of Forthcoming Hearings/Inquiries pdf icon PDF 50 KB

To note the report

Minutes:

The report was noted