Skip to main content

Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: This will be a Virtual Meeting

Contact: Georgina Wills, Committee and Governance Officer  Email:  gwills@westminster.gov.uk; Tel: 07870 548348

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Membership

To report any changes to the membership.

Minutes:

1.1       There were no changes to the Membership.

2.

Declarations Of Interests

To receive and record declarations of interest.

Minutes:

2.1       There were no declarations of interests.

3.

Minutes And Matters Arising from the Minutes pdf icon PDF 178 KB

To sign the minutes of the last meeting as a correct record of proceedings.

 

Matters Arising from the Minutes.

Minutes:

 

3.1       Agreed that the minutes of the Planning and City Development Committee     meeting held on 30 March 22 be approved.

 

3.2       Matters Arising from the Minutes

 

3.2.1    Minutes 3.2 - Minutes 3.2.1 Draft Early Community Engagement Guidance

 

Members were advised that there has been a positive response to the Early Community Engagement guidance amongst the developer community and all interested parties including officers were adapting to the new ways of working regarding pre-application and application engagement. The Guidance is still in its infancy and to date there have been no planning schemes which have fully tested the new engagement process.

 

3.2.2    The Committee will be provided with further updates on the pilot phase and          how earlier engagement has influenced schemes. The committee report         template for the Planning Applications Sub-Committees now includes an             expanded section identifying the community engagement that has occurred.             Officers continue to explore options for how best to introduce a community   planning advice or ‘Community Champion’ service which could provide support to interested parties during the planning engagement.

 

3.2.3    Minutes 3.2 - 4 National Policy & Planning Reform Update. 4.4 Design and         Heritage Supplementary Planning Documents

 

Members were advised that Design and Heritage Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) would be considered through revisions that need to be made to the Council’s Local Development Scheme. The Local Development Scheme sets out the planning policy work programme over a 3 year period and includes information on what SPDs we intend to produce. The previous timetable for producing Design and Heritage SPDs will be impacted by new work streams. Members noted that a Design and Heritage SPD would give ‘weight to Conservation Area Audits regarding in determining applications.

 

3.2.4    Minutes 3.2 - 4 National Policy & Planning Reform Update. 4.4 Article 4 Direction

           

Members were advised that proposals regarding Article 4 Direction for the Central Activities Zone (CAZ) to remove permitted development rights from Class E commercial floorspace to residential have been modified by Central Government and have now been brought into force. The Sub-Committee were reminded that a large area of the CAZ was originally proposed by the council, but Central Government have reduced this, boundary of what area is covered. The areas covered do, however, include the main commercial areas and Policy designated areas in the City Plan such as ‘Opportunity Areas’, Special Policy Areas, the West End, and CAZ clusters. Members were advised that policies regarding the smaller centres outside the CAZ would be implemented in December 2022 as it can only be brought into force 12 months after this modification was initially consulted on.   

 

            Members were reminded that permitted development rights enabled   commercial units to be converted into residential units without the need of            planning permission. These developments would not be subject to the             Council’s Planning Policies including The City Plan, London Plan, and   Neighbourhood Plans.  The Article 4 Direction removes these rights and        enables designated areas within the Borough to be subject to the Council’s             Planning Policies. 

 

 

3.2.5    Minutes 3.2 - 4 National Policy & Planning Reform Update. 4.4  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Annual Update on Planning Applications and Appeals Performance - 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 737 KB

Minutes:

4.1       The Committee received a report which provided an update on the      performance of the Town Planning Service in terms of the timeliness and      quality of its planning application decision making and the success rate of         planning appeals. The performance of the department over the period        between April 2021 and March 2022 continues to exceed the required             performance thresholds set by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and             Communities (DLUHC).

 

4.2       Members were advised that the Council was one of the largest planning authorities in the country and this status added unique pressures in relation with dealing with the volume of applications and ensuring that they are dealt with speedily, whilst ensuring that the quality of decision making is maintained. The volume of planning applications was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; however, these numbers have begun to increase and this trend will be monitored. The Committee were reminded that introduction of Pavement Licences and greater permitted development rights during the pandemic have contributed to a small proportion of the overall reduction in application numbers. Members were informed that, in addition to applications, officers also provided pre-application advice to members of the public, businesses, and developers to enhance application success rates and ensure development proposals are consistent with the development plan.

 

4.3       For major applications, the DLUHC sets a threshold of at least 60% of all decisions being made within 13 weeks or within an alternative timeframe agreed with the applicant. For non-major development, the DLUHC threshold is 70%. For 2021/22 the Council exceeded the DLUHC performance thresholds for major applications by 28.5% and by 7.7% for non-major applications.

 

4.4       The DLUHC measures the quality of decision making by Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) by monitoring their success rate at appeal. For both major and non-major development, the DLUHC sets a threshold of not more than 10% of the total number of decisions made by an LPA being subsequently overturned at appeal. The Council continues to operate significantly below these figures for major and non-major development. Whilst there was a fluctuation in the yearly statistics, this is a result of appeals being determined by the Planning Inspectorate rather than the Council. It was noted there was an increase in the number of advertisement appeals allowed. Members were advised that there have been no significant trends that have emerged as a result of the new policies within the City Plan 2019-2040, which was adopted in April 2021.

 

4.5       Members held a discussion and noted the following: -

 

·       That there was one major application which had been appealed since September 2020. To date there have been no other appeals lodged regarding major scale developments. Members were advised that major applications and large schemes were normally widely consulted on and that developers were more likely to amend applications of this scale to overcome possible grounds for refusal. Members were advised that data on appeals were available on the Council’s Website and were in the process of being updated so that they are fully up to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Discussion of the Future Format and Terms of Reference of the Planning & City Development Committee pdf icon PDF 368 KB

Minutes:

5.1       The Committee received a report which provided an overview of the current   format and terms of reference of the Planning and City Development Committee. The Committee, which they then discussed.

 

5.2       The Planning & City Development Committee comprises 15 members of the             Council, consisting: of 10 Majority Party members and 5 Minority Party           members. These members must be members of the Planning          Applications Sub-Committees. Attendance of 3 members constitutes a             quorum. Planning & City Development Committee meetings are held in a     hybrid format, and, unlike Planning Applications Sub-Committee meetings, members of the Committee are able to join the meetings remotely along with             those observing the meeting. The Committee currently meets three times a      year’.

 

5.3       The Committee considers proposed local plan policies (and supplementary       planning documents) at appropriate stages of the statutory process for their          preparation and adoption and makes recommendations to the relevant             Cabinet Member, has oversight of the practices and procedures of the         Planning Applications Sub-Committees, and considers and recommends a            training programme for members of the Planning Applications Sub-            Committees. The Committee has developed and assisted officers with the             introduction of recordings of virtual Planning Applications Sub-Committees.

 

5.4       Councillor Geoff Barraclough, Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic             Development, addressed the Committee and advised that his portfolio included planning policies. Councillor Barraclough advised that planning was   split into two components, namely the adjudication and decision of planning             applications and planning policy. The Committee were advised that there was        a drive for economic development and ensuring that the benefits of working    and residing in the city are widely spread. Councillor Barraclough’s portfolio           also includes the Smart Cities Initiative which aims to review how technology             can be used to manage the city and make it more habitable

 

5.5       Councillor Matt Noble, Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Regeneration and             Renters, addressed the Committee and advised that he would be working in collaboration with Councillor Barraclough on the Environmental SPD.   Councillor Noble advised that current mechanisms would be used to           maximise affordable housing and work is continuing to produce an Affordable            Housing SPD. The Council will also be reviewing the climate impact of its own         schemes to ensure that the net zero carbon emission target is met across the             city by 2040.

 

5.6       Councillor James Small-Edwards, Deputy Cabinet Member for Planning and     Economic Development, addressed the Committee and commented that he     would be supporting Councillor Barraclough and will take lead on in certain             topics. Councillor Small Edwards advised that he was currently working with             officers on the introduction of a Design Review Panel (DRP), work on which was at an early stage’

 

5.7       The Chair hoped that members of the Committee would use their experience          of Planning Application Sub-Committee sittings to identify key points and            trends in the applications that come before them in order to inform Cabinet            Members’ work on developing policy. She also hoped they would share their       experiences with each other. The Committee noted that Members would be     able to identify trends in the applications that come before them at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Summary of Member Training during 2022 pdf icon PDF 156 KB

Minutes:

6.1       The Committee received a report which provided an overview of the training that Members have undertaken during 2022. Members were advised that they       could put forward topics on which they wish to receive training. The    Committee will continue to receive legal updates and there will be ongoing             training regarding sustainability. Officers advised that the training work            programme would be bespoke to ensure the training needs of the       Committee      are fully met.

             

6.2       The Chair requested that Members fully engage with their training       programme and provide officers with feedback about sessions, and this           should include views on contents, format, frequency, facilitators, and possible use of external training resources. The training sessions are open to all          Ward Councillors. Members agreed that Ward Councillors should be             encouraged to attend these sessions and noted that they would be beneficial    when dealing with planning enquiries from constituents.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.         Members noted the contents of the report

 

2.         That the Committee provide officers with training topics which they wish to be included in their training work programme and give feedback about the format         of training sessions, in particular, subject contents, frequency, course             facilitators and the use of external providers.

 

3.         That the planning training work programme be published and that all Ward             Councillors be encouraged to attend sessions.

7.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS URGENT

Minutes:

7.1       The Committee were requested to remind colleagues that representations         regarding planning applications should be based on planning policy grounds.         The Chair advised that Ward Councillors are expected to attend the Planning          Applications Sub-Committee when making representations.  Any Councillor             substituting for the Ward Councillor who originally made a representation but who is unable to attend the Sub-Committee meeting should similarly attend            the meeting in person, if at all possible.

8.

Date Of Next Meeting

·       26 October 2022

·       29 March 2023

Minutes:

·       Wednesday 26 October 2022

 

·       Wednesday 29 March 2023