Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2023 were confirmed as correct.

In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution we have agreed to appoint the Planning Performance Review Sub-Committee for 2024 with a membership made up of the Chair and Deputy Chair together with Councillors Cormack, Spoor and Zamee.

The Sub-Committee, which will meet during April on a date to be confirmed, will consider and report back on a random sample of delegated planning decisions taken to assess that the relevant planning policies and criteria were correctly applied in each case as well as review planning appeal performance and scrutinise overturned decisions.

The Senior Development Management Officer (SDMO), Be First, introduced a report on an application from Major Commercial Property Ltd seeking approval for minor material amendments under Section 73 of the Town & Country Planning Act (1990) in respect of a mixed-use development, at the site known as Bryson House, 131 Church Elm Lane, Dagenham RM10 9RR, which was granted planning permission in June 2023 (19/00865/FUL).

The proposed amendments comprised variations of the following conditions:  Condition 2 (approved plans), Condition 3 (contamination), Condition 4 (CEMP and SWMP), Condition 5 (Construction Logistics Plan), Condition 6 (Air Quality), Condition 7 (Acoustic Protection), Condition 8 (Plant), Condition 9 (hours of use), Condition 10 (Lighting and CCTV), Condition 11 (Piling),  Condition 12 (Flood Risk Assessment), Condition 13 (Materials), Condition  14 (landscaping), Condition 15 (Travel Plan), Condition 16 (Waste), Condition 17 (Car Parking Design and Management Plan), Condition 18 (Cycle Parking), Condition 19 (Delivery and Servicing Plan), Condition 20 (Energy), Condition 21 (Accessible dwellings), Condition 23 (Water efficiency), Condition 24 (Non-residential units), Condition 25 (Fire) and Condition 26 (balustrades, screening and boundary treatments) attached to planning consent 19/00865/FUL (as amended by non-material amendment 23/01795/NONMAT, dated 17.12.2023) dated 10/01/2020 to allow for minor material amendments, including an amended number of units, amended affordable housing provision, amendment from flexible B1/D1 uses at ground floor to 2no. Class E and 1no. Class F2 units, a reconfigured site and internal layout changes; redesigned play space and landscaping; the relocation of balconies; the provision of one additional core; changes to materiality; and internal alterations on upper floors. 

A total of 413 notification letters were sent to neighbouring and nearby properties from which four representations were received, of which two objected to the development, the material planning considerations and issues of which were addressed by the SDMO in their planning assessment of the application.

In addition to the published papers, a supplementary report was presented which contained details of a further public representation. At the request of the objector the wording of the objection was read out in full for the Committee’s consideration which centred on the proximity of some of the balconies and overlooking windows to the rear gardens of existing adjoining properties, and in that respect the loss of privacy and a reduction in the market value of their property. The SDMO in addressing the points concluded that overall the objection had already been addressed in the report and did not materially alter the officer’s recommendation on the application. Impacts on property values were not a material planning consideration.

The supplementary report also contained details of TfL Spatial Planning response which came in after the publication of the main report, and which, other than a proposed minor amendment to the wording of Condition 18 (Cycle Parking), was also considered to have no material impact on the SDMO assessment and/or recommendations as presented. Finally, reference was made to a minor drafting error in the report indicating that there would be an additional six and not four affordable units as set out in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.