Hart Borough Council Development Management Committee Meeting

Councillor Oliver was proposed to be Vice-Chairman by Councillor Cockarill and this was seconded by Councillor Makepeace-Browne.

Councillor Forster proposed Councillor Southern to be Vice-Chairman and this was seconded by Councillor Butcher.

A recorded vote was undertaken, and the results were:

Oliver as Vice-Chairman: Blewett, Cockarill, Oliver, Makepeace-Browne and Quarterman.

Southern as Vice-Chairman: Butcher and Forster.

Councillor Worlock could not vote as she was attending virtually.

Councillor Oliver was elected to be Vice-Chairman of Planning Committee for the municipal year 2023/24.  

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2023 were confirmed and signed as a correct record. The minutes were proposed by Councillor Quarterman and seconded by Councillor Cockarill.

The Executive Director – Place highlighted that an appendix to the 19 April minutes regarding a decision made by the Planning (Action) Sub-Committee on 6 April 2023 on 52 Church Road (22/02764/FUL), was not published in the June meeting agenda pack. This was noted and will be attached to the signed minutes.  

Apologies had been received from Councillors Kennett, Radley, Southern and Wildsmith. Councillor Forster was a substitute for Councillor Kennett.

Councillor Worlock was attending virtual via TEAMS.  

Councillor Forster declared a non-prejudicial interest in selecting the members of the Queen Elizabeth Barracks (QEB) Transport Steering Group as he is also a Hampshire Country Councillor involved in transport matters.

The Chairman announced more new members of staff in the Development Management Team, including three Team Leaders. Two Team Leaders had joined the Council already and the third will be joining in July.

The Chairman’s second announcement highlighted that there were no Ward Members on Planning Committee this year from Fleet West ward, but two from Fleet Central ward. This was confirmed by the Chairman as acceptable as it is not a constitutional requirement.

The two Ward Members from Fleet Central, Councillors Butcher and Oliver agreed to equally also cover Fleet West.

A member questioned whether a change to the constitution could be made to require one Ward Member from each ward sits on Planning Committee each year. The Executive Director – Place said the arrangement this year will be monitored but he did not anticipate any issues.

Councillors Blewett, Kennett, Makepeace-Browne, Oliver and Southern, were appointed as members of the Planning (Enforcement) Sub-Committee.

Councillors Butcher, Cockarill, Radley and Worlock were appointed as members of the Planning (Major Sites) Sub-Committee.

Councillors Oliver, Makepeace-Browne and Radley were appointed as Hart District Council Members of the Queen Elizabeth Barracks (QEB) Transport Steering Group.

The Executive Director – Place highlighted that Councillor Oliver’s Portfolio Holder title had changed from Environment and Technical Services to Community Safety and Development Management. 

The Committee discussed what the Planning Committee Working Party’s role was, and it was confirmed it pre-dated the Development Management service Peer Review (2019) and Action Plan (2020).

It was agreed that as and when a Planning Committee Working Party was required then any Member of the Planning Committee could sit on it.

The Executive Director – Place explained that this verbal update item had been bought to Planning Committee following a request from Councillors Bailey and Cockarill. Members noted that there has been a long discussion relating to viability matters including an off-site financial contribution in lieu to secure off-site affordable homes. An update on progress had been requested solely on the viability issue. 

The application seeks permission to demolish the Village Service Station, and the erection of a building to accommodate 1 commercial unit and 20 sheltered apartments, and the erection of a single storey rear extension to Gayton House and change of use to 2 sheltered apartments. 

The Council’s Housing Strategy & Development team accepted that the provision of on-site affordable homes was impractical and recommended a financial contribution to enable the provision of the equivalent of 40% affordable homes off-site. The Housing Strategy & Development team calculated that the full equivalent financial contribution would be £664,000. The applicant considered that this was not viable.

Policy H2 of the Hart Local Plan (Strategy & Sites) 2032 states that 'only when fully justified, will the Council grant planning permission for schemes that fail to provide 40% affordable housing .... Any such proposals must be supported by evidence in the form of an open book viability assessment, demonstrating why the target cannot be met … The Council will then negotiate with the applicant to secure the optimum quantity and mix of affordable housing that is viable and meets the identified housing need.’

During the determination process there have been detailed discussions relating to several of the elements which feed into the viability assessment, these include: 

·       Gross Development Value (the value of the scheme when built) 

·       Existing Use Value / Benchmark Land Value 

·       Construction costs 

·       SANG costs 

·       External works costs 

·       Professional fees 

·       Marketing costs and sales agent fees 

·       Finance costs 

Officers and the applicant have now concluded the viability discussions and agreed the following: 

·       the viable financial contribution towards the provision of off-site affordable homes at £229,836, this will be index-linked, and 

·       the?trigger for the payment of the financial contribution being prior to the sale or occupation of the 12th unit. 

The application will now be progressed for determination under delegated powers, following completion of the section 106 legal agreement to secure the above and payment of the SAMM payment.

Members questioned: 

·       What percentage of affordable housing is £229,836 and how this figure was determined. 

·       Will there be opportunities to request further contributions towards the affordable housing from the applicant in terms of future viability reviews.? 

·       Inflation and how this may affect viability assessments going forward.

·       What will happen to the £229,836 for affordable housing.

·       Whether the Council would be subsidising rental properties.

·       Whether the decision on this application could be ‘called in’ if Members were not satisfied. It was confirmed that it could be, if necessary, however a delegated decision was expected.

Details of the application and final viability assessments will be made publicly available on the Council’s website. Members requested details of the final viability assessments to be circulated to the Planning Committee five working days prior to the decision being issued.

The Development Management & Building Control (DM & BC) Manager confirmed that the Council is satisfied that the financial contribution towards the provision of off-site affordable homes being offered in this application is the optimal quantity and mix of affordable housing, in line with Policy H2 of the Local Plan.

A Member queried if an update on the current Rye Logistics Park application was available, and the DM & BC Manager confirmed she would update Members within seven days.  

The DM & BC Manager explained that several members of the Committee had attended a site visit to Bramshill House, Bramshill Park on 14 June. 

She summarised that the entire Bramshill site, including a former Jacobean Mansion, had been bought by a single investor, who planned to use it as a single residential property. 

A change of use application for single C3 residential use and ancillary use of the Hazeley Lodges is expected imminently. It is anticipated to be handled under officers delegated powers. Members advised that due to the importance of the site, they would prefer the matter to be brought to Planning Committee.

An application for work requiring Listed Building Consent is also expected to be submitted around September to the council and could also be handled under delegated powers unless Members wished to review the application. Members advised that due to the importance of the site, they would prefer the matter to be brought to Planning Committee.      

The Committee were shown images and photographs of the house, estate, and gardens.  

Members questioned:

·       What would happen to the buildings on the estate surrounding the Mansion, the 1960s lodges, Foxley Hall and the grounds.

·       The condition of the trees on the estate and how the Council can ensure these are protected going forwards.

·       The importance of keeping the public and residents updated on the estate.

·       Whether future applications regarding the site (including the application for change of use) should be bought to Planning Committee or not. 

·       Who now owns the property - this is currently not known.

The DM & BC Manager confirmed that any additional applications for work would be circulated to the Committee.