MINUTES OF THE PLANNING AND GENE

MINUTES OF THE PLANNING AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

HELD AT EPPING HALL ON TUESDAY 9^TH OCTOBER 2007

PRESENT Councillors: K. Avey (Chairman); Miss O D Dunseath (Vice Chairman); Miss M Starling; J.A. Smith; N. Hines (Town Mayor) and B.D. Murphy (Deputy Town Mayor)

OFFICER Bob Whittome (Town Clerk)

198. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr. Macrae.

199. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 25^th September 2007, were confirmed.

200. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

No Member declared an interest in any item of this agenda.

201. REPORTS AND INFORMATION NOT REQUIRING A DECISION OF COMMITTEE

The Clerk read a letter from Mr. Gillespie regarding the Black Lion Public House to Members. The letter expressed concern at the possible alterations to this listed building. However, Members recognised that most of the items raised were outside the Planning remit.

The Clerk advised Members that the construction works on the market area build-outs had now commenced. The Clerk also advised Members of the probable cost implications of the construction works and the disruption to the market. Members reiterated their concern over the lack of proper consultation and co-operation from the district and county councils.

202. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

Eight applications for planning permission were considered and the plans inspected.

EPF/1749/07	73 Lower Swaines Mr & Mrs Brown	Single storey front extension for disabled bathroom
Committee had no objection to this application
EPF/1836/07	69 Hemnall Street A & S Smith	Incorporate highway land into residential curtilage and erection of new fence adjacent to footpath.
Committee had no objection to this application
EPF/2021/07	45 Tower Road Ivor Fisch	Retention of safety railing to rear balcony.
Committee had no objection to this application
EPF/2052/07	3 Griffins Wood Cottages High Road Mr & Mrs L. Joes	Two storey/single storey rear extension.
Committee had no objection to this application
EPF/2058/07	2 Bell Farm Cottages Mr & Mrs Peck	Demolition of existing house and outbuildings and erection of new 4 bed dwelling and outbuildings.
Committee object to this application and consider it to be unacceptable in the street scene within the Bell Common conservation area. Committee was concerned that, although there may be a need for a new build, nevertheless such a build should fit in with the existing line of terraced cottages which form a pleasing unit within the conservation area.
LB/ EPF/2059/07	2 Bell Farm Cottages Mr & Mrs Peck	Conservation area consent for the demolition of existing house and outbuildings and erection of a new 4 bed dwelling and outbuildings.
Committee object to this application and consider it to be unacceptable in the street scene within the Bell Common conservation area. Committee was concerned that, although there may be a need for a new build, nevertheless such a build should fit in with the existing line of terraced cottages which form a pleasing unit within the conservation area.
EPF/2073/07	78 High Street Reserve Forces & Cadets Association	Single storey side extension and various external alterations to provide classroom and storage space.
Committee had no objection to this application.
EPF/2078/07	11 Sunnyside Road Avrum Forest	Erection of replacement dwelling and residential development to rear to create a total of 5 no. dwellings.
Committee object to this application. Due to the elevated position of much of this site. The proposals would represent a loss of amenity to neighbouring properties creating noise to neighbours from parking arrangements. Committee also expressed concern at the very limited access onto this busy road. Overall, Committee considered this to be an overdevelopment of the site and would prefer to see proposals of a more limited nature.

203. EXPANSION OF INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE SPRING 2007 PUBLIC CONSULTATION STANSTED GENERATION 2 AIRPORT ACCESS FROM M11 & A120 & M11 JUNCTION 6-8 IMPROVEMENTS

Following a brief discussion by Members and in view of the deadline for comments being 5^th November 2007, Committee RESOLVED to defer further consideration of this item. Committee requested the Clerk to consider the comments made by Members in relation to the asymmetric widening and to put forward a briefing note for Members consideration to the next meeting of Committee.

204 EPPING NIGHT LIFE – LICENSING ISSUES – CONTROL OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Members briefly discussed this issue and the general problems encountered in the town from licensed premises and late night activities. The Clerk was requested to find out more detail of the areas actually licensed within the town to try to determine, if possible, whether licenses covered external areas which currently were the focus of night time noise and nuisance. The Clerk was also requested to try to obtain figures in respect of incidents occurring in Epping over the last few weeks to enable Committee to gain some idea of the scale of problems from such premises. Having issued these instructions to the Clerk, Committee deferred further consideration of this item and requested the Clerk place an item on the agenda when further information was available.

205 CONSULTATION – LICENSING ACT 2003 – LICENSING POLICY

Members NOTED the four objectives of licensing procedures: the preventions of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. The Clerk advised Members that, within the definitions of licensing laws, the Town Council is neither a responsible authority nor an interested party in the licensing arrangements. This affected Council’s ability to interact with licensing arrangements locally. However, the Clerk did advise Members that where Council had a service or a premises adjacent to a licensed premises Council may be an interested party in relation to that particular licensed premise. Committee welcomed the policy’s content in respect of saturation and accumulative impact of licensed premises within an area. Committee also welcomed the policy stated under the sub-heading ‘licensing hours’ of imposing stricter conditions with regard to noise control in the case of premises situated in largely residential areas. In view of the fact that Epping is largely a residential area and all the licensed premises are in close proximity to residential areas, Committee felt this provision was helpful.

Accumulative Impact. The last paragraph states that the district council recognise that “licensing law is not a mechanism for the general control of anti-social behaviour by individuals once they are away from the premises and beyond the direct control of the license holder.” However, Committee were concerned that this is too strong a statement. Surely licensing cannot be excluded as one method of control of anti-social behaviour emanating from licensed premises, even if the anti-social behaviour takes place a little way away from these premises. This would particularly be the case where an accumulative effect is evident. Committee accepted that in general it may not be appropriate to use licensing law in many circumstances. To have a policy that rules out any consideration of licensing law being useful in such circumstances does not appear sensible and Committee would prefer a slightly softer statement that might allow the consideration of using licensing law as an option should it become desirable.

206 EFDC PLANNING DECISIONS

Committee NOTED the decisions of Epping Forest District Council Area Planning Sub-Committee East.

GRANTED:

EPF/1723/07

EPF/1548/07

LB/EPF/1720/07

REFUSED:

None