Agenda and minutes

The meeting was Chaired by the Vice Chair, Councillor Salman Akbar who welcomed the Committee members, officers and public speakers to the virtual Planning Committee meeting being held via Microsoft Teams.  The Chair explained that the meeting was being live streamed on the Council’s YouTube channel to enable members of the public to observe the committee.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Gemma Monaco. 

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and / or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that

The Minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 24^th February 2021  be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

To note Update Reports (if any) for the Planning Applications to be considered at the meeting (circulated prior to the commencement of the meeting)

There was no update report for the meeting.

Rear ground floor extension and first floor extension above existing garage

Officers outlined the application and took Members through the slides in the presentation pack. The ground floor element of the extension was located at the rear and would create an extended kitchen/family area.  The first floor extension was above the garage, and as shown on the plan on page 17 of the presentations pack, this would enable configuration of the existing rooms into a larger bathroom and a larger third bedroom.  There would be no overall increase in the number of bedrooms.

The application complied with the relevant policies and as a three bedroomed dwelling, there were no objections from County Highways to the parking provision.

Officers clarified that the comments of Councillor Monaco, appearing on page 6 of the main agenda, had been made to officers as part of a separate process regarding use of delegated powers and had not been submitted for inclusion in the report.

Officers were recommending that the application be approved.

At the invitation of the Chair the following speakers were invited to address the Committee under the Council’s Public Speaking Rules: -

·       Mrs Diane Hunt (local resident) – in objection

·       Mr Najinder Dhasi (Applicant) and Mr Jeetendar Thukral (Planning Agent) – in support

Officers responded to questions from Members regarding the size of the rear ground floor element and land ownership issues as regards the relationship between the rear element and the garage of the adjoining property.

In debating the application, the Members noted the scale of the proposed works, the fact that there was no increase in number of bedrooms and the position regarding parking provision including the absence of objection from County Highways.

RESOLVED that

Having regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations, that planning permission be GRANTED subject to the conditions set out on page 10 of the main agenda.

Internal works to facilitate a new mezzanine level in the storage and distribution building approved under the reserved matter consent 19/00619/REM (Bromsgrove) and 19/01545/REM (Stratford-on-Avon)

Officers explained that Redditch Planning Committee was being asked to give a consultation response on this proposal, the deciding authorities for which would be Bromsgrove District Council and Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

As shown on the slide at page 25 of the presentation pack, the district council boundary between Redditch and Stratford-on-Avon crossed the site, with the majority of the warehouse building that was subject of the application being located in the administrative area of Bromsgrove.

The aim of the addition of the mezzanine floor was to improve the internal functioning of the warehouse and it would be used for B8 use (storage and distribution).  The addition of the mezzanine level would have no impact on the external appearance of the building. 

Members were referred to the Officer Appraisal on pages 14 and 15 of the agenda. It was noted that the Transport Statement submitted with the application stated that there would be no unacceptable transport impacts.

Having taken into consideration all the relevant planning policies and the NPPF, officers were recommending that no objection be raised to the application.

RESOLVED that

The recommendation set out on page 15 of the agenda be approved and that officers be delegated to respond to planning applications 19/00619/REM (Bromsgrove) and 19/01545/REM (Stratford-on-Avon) raising no objection on behalf of Redditch Borough Council.