Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all parties to the Committee meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Harriet Bradley (Olly Mead substituting), Councillor Fabian Breckels (Tom Brook substituting) and Councillor Kevin Quartley (Steve Jones substituting).

To note any interests relevant to the consideration of items on the agenda.

Any declarations of interest made at the meeting which are not on the register of interests should be notified to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion.

Councillor Carla Denyer declared an interest in Planning Application Number 17/01920/F – Land South of Morris Road as a former member of the Bristol Community Land Trust and indicated that she would not participate or vote on this item.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on Wednesday 30^th August 2017 as a correct record.

Resolved – that the minutes of the above meeting be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair subject to the following amendments:

Point 5 on Page 8 to read “9 units, with no affordable housing”

Page 10 – In the sentence concerning Councillor Donald Alexander’s motion, the reference to be amended to be removed

Point 4 Page 13 – To be deleted

Point 11 Page 13 – To be re-written as two separate points

(11) – as existing ie “There was another window at ground floor on the bottom left of the site (when looking at the side elevation) which served as a living room

(12) Whilst officers had some concerns about the upstairs rear elevation skylights since they preferred windows which were openable and at an angle, these were the ones which had been proposed and minimal harm would be caused by them. Officers did not believe it would be reasonable to refuse an application on these grounds

To note appeals lodged, imminent public inquiries and appeals awaiting decision.

As the item Planning Application Number 17/02413/F – Old Bristol Royal Infirmary Building, Marlborough Street (South Side), City Centre, Bristol had been withdrawn from the Agenda, officers provided a verbal update on the appeal situation at this stage of the Committee meeting.

Following the withdrawal of the appeal, only the appeal against the Committee’s decision to refuse permission for the part conversion part new build scheme (Item 29) only the appeal against non-determination remained. However, the situation had changed significantly on Monday 25^th September when all parties were notified that Historic England had decided to list the chapel on the site (Grade II). At the Appeal pre-inquiry meeting on 26^th September, the appellants’ legal representative had requested that the appeal process be delayed in order to allow for a challenge to the listing decision. The appellants had 28 days to submit such a challenge and they had been advised that the review process could take up to 6 months. As a result, the Inspector had agreed to delay the opening of the Public Inquiry and hold the appeal in abeyance.

A provisional period of up to 1^st July 2018 had been set for this (following the Committee meeting the Planning Inspectorate confirmed that the appeal was in abeyance until the end of March 2018). It was noted that a revised report would come back to Committee at an appropriate time.

In response to members’ questions, officers confirmed that, if the challenge to the listing was unsuccessful, it was possible for the developers to submit an application for listed building consent to demolish the chapel in order to support the current planning application, although a very convincing justification would have to be submitted for this in the new circumstances. The developers would also have the option to make a further application that retained the chapel, and it was added that the listing of the chapel had now probably givne the other buildings on the site the status of curtilage listed buildings which might require their retention and conversion as part of any new scheme.

It was acknowledged that the situation was very complicated and that Members would be kept updated by officers.

To note enforcement notices.

It was noted that, whilst there were no enforcement actions to report, it was anticipated that there would be at the next Committee.

Any member of the public or councillor may participate in public forum. The detailed arrangements for so doing are set out in the Public Information Sheet at the back of this agenda. Please note that the following deadlines will apply in relation to this meeting:

Questions:

Written questions must be received three clear working days prior to the meeting. For this meeting, this means that your question(s) must be received at the latest by 5pm on Thursday 21^st September 2017.

Petitions and statements:

Petitions and statements must be received by noon on the working day prior to the meeting. For this meeting, this means that your submission must be received at the latest by 12pm on Tuesday 26^th September 2017.

The statement should be addressed to the Service Director, Legal Services, c/o The Democratic Services Team, City Hall, 3^rd Floor Deanery Wing, College Green,

P O Box 3176, Bristol, BS3 9FS or email - democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk

Members of the Committee received Public Forum statements in advance of the hearing.

It was noted that, subject to the Committee agreeing that the item on Agenda Item 8a (Planning Application 17/02413/F – Old Bristol Royal Infirmary Building, Marlborough Street (South Side), City Centre, Bristol should be withdrawn, the 2 Public Forum Statements in respect of this item would not be heard.

The statements were taken fully into consideration by the Committee prior to reaching a decision. (A copy of the Public Forum statements are held on public record in the Minute Book).

To consider the following applications for Development Control Committee B -

The following items were considered:

As previously explained by officers (see Minute 38 – Appeals), it was noted that, with the agreement of Spokespersons, this item had been withdrawn from the Committee

Following her previous declaration of Interest (see Minute Number 36), Councillor Carla Denyer withdrew from the meeting during this item and took no part in the discussion or voting.

The representatives of the Service Director – Planning and Development made the following points:

(1)   The site and the application was described to the Committee

(2)   Access had been raised by objectors as the main area of concern – the proposed entrance had been widened and arranged to improve visibility. However, it was noted that it was a comparatively narrow road and that there was an issue with off street parking

(3)   It was noted that there had been concerns as to whether or not traffic flow can be accommodated. A scheme of parking bays was proposed to mitigate this and to help alleviate the issues of increased traffic. It was proposed that there would be 64 parking spaces and 5 spaces for electric vehicles

(4)   Sound insulation was to be provided to proposed housing in line with recommendation in the noise assessment

(5)   Proposed drainage arrangements were satisfactory

(6)   The scheme had been assessed as being environmentally sustainable.

(7)   The impact on ecology and trees had been assessed and found to be acceptable on the basis of proposed mitigation to include new planting and bird and bat boxes

In response to Councillors’ questions, officers made the following points:

(8)   Details of the arrangements for the parking bays and the traffic restrictions were indicated. It was intended to take on street parking “off street” to improve the traffic flow, with work to be undertaken by the developer

(9)   In relation to a question concerning access for emergency vehicles, this could not be guaranteed but the situation would be improved

(10)                       Officers confirmed that this application was too small to trigger the need for a Health Impact Assessment and there was no policy basis to require one on one cumulative grounds

(11)                       Whilst concerns about appropriate protection for general biodiversity (including insects and invertebrates) was noted, bats and reptiles had been particularly identified as these were protected species

(12)                       Drainage engineers had considered the proposed sustainable drainage scheme and were satisfied with the arrangements.

(13)                       There were existing bus routes for this site by Muller Road (Bus Number 24 to the Centre) and Bus Number 17 (East Bristol and Southmead). Wider transport proposals were being considered as part of a wider set of proposals for Lockleaze

(14)                       Pollution control were happy with the proposals from a noise perspective

(15)                       Officers confirmed that the narrow road estates fund had been used in the past for parts of the city but, if not previously used for a particular area, was now no longer available

(16)                       The footprint of the scheme would not be so much greater than the 35 in the site allocation as nine of the additional units were flats.

Members of the Committee noted arrangements for community housing and the proposed affordable housing with this scheme.

It was further noted that issues  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

The next meeting is scheduled for 6pm on Wednesday 8^th November 2017.

It was noted that the next meeting was scheduled to be held at 6pm on Wednesday 8^th November 2017.