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Lewes and Eastbourne
Councils

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Court Room at Eastbourne Town Hall, Grove Road, BN21 4UG

Contact: Committee Services on 01323 410000 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Introductions

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A short period of silence was held in memory of Barry Taylor, former councillor, who suddenly passed away on Saturday, 10 June 2023.

 

Members of the Committee and Officers introduced themselves to all those who were present during the meeting. 

 

2.

Apologies for absence and notification of substitute members

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3.

Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPIs) by members as required under Section 31 of the Localism Act and of other interests as required by the Code of Conduct.

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No declarations of interest were made at the meeting. 

 

4.

Minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2023 pdf icon PDF 130 KB

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5.

Urgent items of business.

The Chairman to notify the Committee of any items of urgent business to be added to the agenda.

 

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6.

Officer Update pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Where additional information has been received by Planning Officers subsequent to the publication of the agenda, a supplementary report will be added to this item and published on the Council’s website the day before the meeting to update the main reports with any late information.

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An officer addendum was circulated to the Committee prior to the start of the meeting, updating the report on the agenda with any late information (a copy of which was published on the Council’s website).

 

7.

13 Gorringe Road. ID: 220961 pdf icon PDF 219 KB

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13 Gorringe Road.  ID: 220961

 

Change of Use from Residential Care Home (C2 use) to 11 bedroom HMO (Sui Generis use) with associated bin and cycle storage area UPPERTON.

 

The Development Management Lead  presented the report and advised the Committee of two additional conditions to be added to the conditions listed in the officer’s report. These were: 1) To restrict and control the use as an HMO’s within the Sui Generis Use Class, and 2) To restrict number of occupants to 11.  Reason:  to ensure rooms are single occupancy and not double occupancy and a minimum stay of 3 months by all individuals living within the building.

 

The Committee was advised by way of an Addendum that there were no further updates.

 

Dr Yusaf Samiullah OBE spoke on behalf of local residents in objection to the application. Sarah Collins, Agent, spoke in favour of the application. Councillor Maxted, Ward Councillor, addressed the Committee in relation to the application.

 

The Committee sought clarification on various points: enforcement of conditions, implications of advertisement of the site on Airbnb, access to bins and noise, parking, egress from property, tenancy requirements and display of management team’s contact details.

 

Officers confirmed the retrospective application would be assessed on its own merits and neither this nor any current unauthorised use of the site (such as for  Airbnb) were material and not valid reasons for refusal.  Proposed conditions for a maximum of 11 occupants and minimum stay 3 of months would address these concerns and could be enforceable if the application was approved.  Refuse collections/noise would be controlled by a condition and fire safety and means of escape would fall under Building Control.   East Sussex County Council (ESCC), Highways, had considered there would no significant increase in street parking above the current use class.  Officers were not aware of an interview process for HMO residents.  Contact details for the building management company would be made available in the building and on the internet. 

 

Councillor Morris put forward a proposal against the officer’s recommendation to refuse the application for the reason of over intensive use of the site. This was seconded by Councillor di Cara and put to a vote and carried. 

 

RESOLVED: (by 7 votes to 0 against, and 1 abstention) that the application be refused subject to the following reason:  The level of occupancy is considered to be an over intensive use of the property and likely to result in a material loss of residential amenity, contrary to policy B2 of the Eastbourne Core Strategy 2013, saved policy HO20 of the Eastbourne Borough Plan 2003 and National Planning Policy Framework (para. 174).

 

8.

Lion Works, Sidley Road. ID: 220339 pdf icon PDF 197 KB

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Demolition of the existing building and erection of 5no. 2 x bedroom dwellings– DEVONSHIRE.

 

The Development Management Lead presented the report. 

 

The Committee was advised by way of an Addendum that there were no further updates.

 

Mr Keith Morris spoke on behalf of local residents in objection to the application. Patrick Griffin, Agent, spoke in favour of the application. Councillor Ewbank, Ward Councillor, addressed the Committee on behalf of residents and her fellow ward Councillors Holt and Bannister in relation to the application.

 

The Committee raised concerns regarding vehicular access, noise disturbance, storage, sewage/drainage/flooding and lack of outside space. Members also felt that the site provided a good development opportunity, offering much needed housing on a brown field site with access to public transport.

 

Officers confirmed that there was no emergency vehicular access to the site and parking was the responsibility of East Sussex County Council, Highways. Impacts of construction, vehicles, demolition and access would be controlled by a management plan condition.  Sewage was for the statutory undertakers to agree and some attenuation measures, i.e. the provision of a green roof, were covered by a landscaping condition.  Flood risk was dealt with by the Environment Agency and was considered to be acceptable and the floor space met the required standards. The Council had a duty to use land to deliver housing. 

 

Councillor Morris put forward a proposal to approve the application in line with the officer’s recommendation and the additional conditions set out in the officer’s presentation.  This was seconded by Councillor Dehdashty and was carried. 

 

RESOLVED: (Unanimously) planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the officer’s report and presentation.

 

9.

24 Hurst Road. ID: 230202 pdf icon PDF 171 KB

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Variation of a condition 2 (Approved Plans) following grant of planning permission 26/10/2022(ref 220566) to include additional bedrooms to form 3no four-bedroom dwellings - UPPERTON

 

The application had been withdrawn by the applicant and was not considered by the Committee.

 

10.

Date of next meeting

To note the next meeting of the Planning Committee is scheduled to be held on Monday, 17 July 2023.

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