Decisions

To authorise the approval of the reserved matters application (Appearance, Landscaping, Scale) following outline approval granted 08/11/2019 for outline planning permission (Access and Layout) for demolition of the existing house and the construction of a new building housing 17 one and two bedroom apartments, with associated access and parking (Appeal - APP/T1410/W/19/3229465) and subject to the conditions (as set out at the end of the Officer’s report).

To authorise the approval of reserved matters for 6 dwellings approved by outline permission 181206 appeal reference APP/T1410/W/19/3229204 requesting consideration of access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale and subject to the conditions (as set out at the end of the Officer’s report).       

As the applicant has advised that it is their intention to resubmit their application (WD/2019/1994/MAO) into Wealden District Council in the coming weeks to establish if they could overcome/mitigate their reasons for refusal:

1. To delegate to the Head of Planning to refuse the  Outline Planning permission (Matter for approval: Access) for proposed new access from Pennine Way to serve development of Land at Friday Street Farm, for up to 250 residential dwellings (35% affordable), with associated car parking, together with the introduction of new access point from Pennine Way, and creation of a network of roads, footways, and cycleways throughout the site; and the provision of 1.6ha of public open space, further children's play areas, allotments, sustainable urban drainage systems, and landscape buffers on the site, for the reasons outlined in the officer’s report (and also set out below), unless a revised application is received by Wealden District Council within 4 weeks.

      Reasons for Refusal:

The proposed access provides vehicular and pedestrian access to an existing farm, and in and of itself would appear to be an overly engineered access for farm use. Notwithstanding this planning permission for the development of the fields to the north has been refused and therefore the impacts and mitigation of the access in particular and the wider application in general cannot be assessed.

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2.    If such an application is received then the Head of Planning will defer issuing the refusal notice and bring the case back to Planning Committee with the update of the Wealden District Council consideration of the revised application.

To authorise the grant of planning permission for demolition of existing dwelling and proposed block of 11no.flats with associated parking to rear, subject to:

·           Confirmation of acceptable drainage arrangements, as detailed within the body of the report;

·           The conditions (as set out at the end of the Officer’s report); and

·           A Section 184 Licence with East Sussex Highways, for the provision of a new vehicular access.

To authorise the grant of planning permission for the erection of 16 dwellings together with parking for 22 vehicles and access subject to conditions as set out at the end of the Officer’s report and in the addendum to the report, and to a Section 106 Legal Agreement to cover:

·         Local Labour Agreement;

·         Affordable housing contribution;

·         Traffic Regulation Order costs (£5000);

·         Highway works to the junction of Sandpiper Walk and Kingfisher Drive; and

·      Review of submitted viability assessment information following construction, including any changes to abnormal and build costs and final sale prices of units.

Decision in relation to the awarding of a contract for the receipt and composting of LDC’s collected garden waste.

Following consultation with the Leader, a two year contract to KPS is to be awarded for the receipt and composting of LDC’s collected garden waste.

That, in light of the coronavirus crisis, the Leader of the Council, on behalf of Cabinet writes to the Pensions Committee of East Sussex County Council asking it to:

(1) Immediately freeze any new investment in the top 200 publicly traded fossil fuel companies;

(2) Ask all fossil fuel companies in which the pension fund holds investments for a firm commitment to entirely decarbonise by 2030;

(3) Commit itself, over the course of the next 4 years, to divest the East Sussex Pension Fund from any investments in companies that do not provide that commitment by March 2021.

To update on the financial impact of Covid-19 and associated budgetary implications.

(Key decision):

(1) To note the initial financial impact of Covid-19 and associated vulnerability of the authority’s budget

(2) To note the assumptions being made about the ongoing financial impact of Covid-19

(3) To approve the reserve transfers included in the report

(4) To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of Council, Cabinet member for Finance and the Chief Finance Officer, to make use of monies held in the Council’s COVID19 earmarked reserve as he believes most appropriate in order to continue essential service delivery and/or to mitigate the impact of the emergency on residents and/or service users.

(5) To ask the Chief Executive to formally pass on the thanks of all members to officers of the Council for their hard work and diligence during a difficult and unprecedented period.

(6) That the Leader, Deputy Leader and Chief Executive of the Council send a letter to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The letter would acknowledge the funding received to date, although the focus would very much be on what is needed from Government to support the community going forward. The letter would focus on the flexibilities and measures needed as a Council in order to support the community and contribute to its economic recovery.

To develop the HRA Capital Programme project pipeline and present proposals for two potential housing delivery schemes.

(Key decision):

(1) To approve the S106 acquisition proposals outlined within Appendix A (exempt) enclosed as part of the HRA Capital Programme for housing delivery subject to contract, valuation, legal advice and the usual due diligence. The overall project costs will be covered by a combination of sales receipts, Right to Buy (RTB) receipts and borrowing as required in accordance with the HRA Business Plan

(2) To approve a waiver to the Contract Procedural Rules (CPR), as set out in Para. 2.4.1(a) of the CPR to allow the direct selection of the contractor(s) associated with any S106 proposals due to the developer(s) already owning the site(s) and being the only party with whom the Council could contract.

(3) To approve the revised scheme proposal for Saxonbury including the change in budget from £1.5m to £1.8m, the change in tenure and the use of RTB receipts to support the financial viability and delivery of new Council rented homes.

(4) To approve a waiver to the CPR, as set out in Para. 2.4.1(a) of the CPR to allow the direct selection of a main contractor for Saxonbury, due to the lack of 4 competitive tenders received in response to the Invitation to Tender.

(5) To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning to carry out all necessary actions to facilitate the proposals outlined at Recommendations 1) and 3) including feasibility, development and determining the terms of all necessary documentation and to subdelegate those actions as required. To also authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning to authorise the signature of all necessary documentation to allow the purchase and development of the sites for residential housing as proposed and to let the homes to new tenants and dispose on shared ownership terms as required.

(6) To approve the increase to the existing feasibility revenue budget as implemented in June 2017 to a total amount of £350,000 to enable the development of the new housing delivery project pipeline as part of the HRA Capital Programme and to delegate authority to the Director of Regeneration and Planning to approve all expenditure, to be sub-delegated as required.

(7) To authorise and delegate authority to the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Lead Member for Housing and Chief Finance Officer, to carry out all necessary actions to progress and approve all acquisitions (including S106 acquisitions) as part of the HRA Capital Programme and to authorise the signature of all necessary documentation to allow the purchase(s) and further development of S106 sites subject to the development of a sound and financially viable business case presented in accordance with the HRA Business Plan and to let the homes to new tenants and dispose on shared ownership terms as required.

(8) To note the continued progress of the Council’s housing infills programme.

To consider the grant of a new lease to Lewes Football Club for a 25 year term to enable the Club to apply for grant-funding to invest in the site.

Recommended to Full Council:

(1) To recommend to Full Council the grant of a 25- year lease to Lewes FC of the Dripping Pan. For this purpose, the Council will be sitting in its capacity as the sole charitable trustee of the Mountfield Pleasure Ground Trust.

Resolved (Non-key decision):

(2) To request that a future report be submitted on the impact of Covid-19 on all of the Council’s leisure and recreational facilities.