Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Howard.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 16 December 2020 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor Hughes advised that although he sat on the Economic Transport and Environment Committee and the Regulatory Committee as a Hampshire County Councillor, he did not consider that this precluded him from taking part in the debate and vote on Application APP/21/01244.

The legal advisor to the Committee, advised that, based on the information provided, Councillor Hughes’s role as a County Councillor should not  preclude him from taking part in the vote or debate on this application.

Proposal:      Variation of condition No's 4 (Operational Management Plan), 9 (Livery/Branding), 10 (Traffic Monitoring) and 28 (Employment and Skills Plan) of planning permission APP/21/00200 and the introduction of a new Community Liaison Strategy Condition.

Additional Information

Proposal:      Variation of condition No's 4 (Operational Management Plan), 9 (Livery/Branding), 10 (Traffic Monitoring) and 28 (Employment and Skills Plan) of planning permission APP/21/00200 and the introduction of a new Community Liaison Strategy Condition.

The Committee considered the written report and recommendation from the Head of Planning to grant permission.

The Committee received supplementary information, circulated prior to the meeting which:

(1)        included written deputations received from Mr Comlay, on behalf of the Havant Civic Society and the New Lane Residents,  Ms Saunders, Fellows Planning on behalf of the applicants, and Ms Brooks, on behalf of Havant Friends of the Earth and Havant Climate Alliance;

(2)        gave responses to the written deputations referred to in (1) above;

(3)        summarised additional representations received since the agenda was published; and

(4)        revised section 7 of the submitted report and the wording of recommended condition 2.

In view of the public interest shown in this application, the Chairman, in accordance with the Committee’s adopted deputation procedure, agreed to an extension of the time allowed for deputations as follows:

• 5 minutes for the objector

• 5 minutes for those speaking in support

The Committee was addressed by

(i)         Mr Comlay, Havant Civic Society and the New Lane Residents, who reiterated the issues raised in his written deputation and emphasised that:

            (a)        the Council and Hampshire County Council had not received sufficient detail to address concerns raised by him and others and was therefore vulnerable to legal challenge;

            (b)        no attention had been paid to the geographical context within which the proposal would operate;

          (c)        the identity of the operator was relevant and should be taken into account when considering this application; and

          (d)        conditions 4, 9 and 10 were imposed on the understanding that the vehicles would be branded.

          (Mr Comlay failed to complete his verbal address within the allotted time)

            In response to questions from members of the Committee, the deputee:

·                     Advised that his deputation had been confirmed by Havant Civic Society and local residents.

·                     Challenged the traffic level numbers submitted with the original application: the numbers did not show movements of staff when the shifts changed.

·                     acknowledged that the shift hours had been amended but the late shifts changed when public transport was not available

·                     advised that he understood that Hampshire County Council had traffic data for commercial uses, which was requested in the conditions.

·                     Advised that the statement in the submitted documents that branded vehicles would have no relevance to the solution was nonsensical

            (During the question and answer session, the Chairman reminded members and the deputee that the purpose of this session was to clarify matters of fact and not to extend the deputation)

            At the conclusion of his deputation and question and answer session the Chairman:

            (A)       commented on the authenticity of the evidence supporting Mr Comlay’s deputation,

            (B)       raised concerns about the comments made relating to officers and Councillors, and

            (C)       advised that the Committee was required to determine each application on its own merits.

(ii)        Mr  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.