Agenda and minutes

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Strategy (Urban Living) which provided information on the progress made in respect of the Access for All Supplementary Planning Document and its accompanying Sustainability Report.

Officers advised that a number of specialist groups had already been consulted, including Harrow Association of Voluntary Services, and it was proposed that the document be sent to statutory consultees.

Members commended officers on the report which they considered to be a good example of technical information displayed in a user-friendly way.  Officers confirmed that it was intended that the document would eventually be printed in full accessible colour, and would be offered in alternative formats and other languages, subject to demand.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to the Portfolio Holder)

That (1) officers be authorised to commence the initial work on the engagement with the four statutory consultation authorities with environmental responsibilities in line with the European Directive 2001/42/EC Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (SEA) and the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) process under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act;

(2) in the event that adverse comments are received following statutory consultation, any revisions to the Access for All Supplementary Planning Document be brought back to the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel for consideration before further consultation is undertaken;

(3) following (1) and, if applicable (2), subsequent consultation be undertaken with relevant authorities, the public and key stakeholders on the scope of the Access for All Supplementary Planning Document and its accompanying Sustainability Appraisal.

[REASON: To ensure that new and existing developments, services and facilities are accessible to everyone and built in accordance with the spirit of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995].

The Panel considered a report of the Group Manager (Planning and Development) which proposed a new Article 4 Direction for Harrow on the Hill Village Conservation Area.

In response to concern expressed by a Member regarding the absence of consultation with residents on the proposed Direction, the Director of Strategic Planning advised that it was normal not to consult prior to issuing an Article 4 Direction and that, in not consulting, the Council was complying with legislation.  Officers emphasised that the new Direction involved merging two existing Directions into one, with minor additional changes.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Cabinet)

That (1) the proposed new Article 4 Direction for Harrow on the Hill Village Conservation Area, to include the properties and classes of permitted development described and denoted in Appendix 1 and Maps A and B of the report of the Group Manager (Planning and Development), be agreed;

(2) the Director of Legal Services be authorised to carry out the necessary publicity and notification in relation to (1) prescribed by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, in that respect.

[REASON: To make the existing Article 4(1) Directions easier to understand and operate and introduce new controls on a number of buildings].

To note the appointment of Councillor Burchell as the Chair of the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel for the 2005/2006 Municipal Year, as agreed at the Cabinet meeting on 19 May 2005.

RESOLVED: To note the appointment at Cabinet on 19 May 2005 of Councillor Burchell as Chair of the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel for the 2005/06 Municipal Year.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             after notifying the Chair at the start of the meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To appoint a Vice-Chair of the Panel for the 2005/2006 Municipal Year.

Nominations were received and seconded for Councillors Marilyn Ashton and Anne Whitehead.  Upon being put to a vote it was

RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Anne Whitehead as Vice-Chair of the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel for the 2005/06 Municipal Year.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED: That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

The Panel received a reference from the Wealdstone Regeneration Advisory Panel meeting held on 8 June 2005.  The reference requested the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel to consider the Wealdstone Regeneration Advisory Panel’s concerns regarding the number of family homes being converted into smaller units in the Wealdstone area, the associated parking problems that arose from such conversions, and to consider whether the Local Development Scheme could prioritise the review of the Council’s policy on conversions, with a view to limiting the percentage of conversions permitted.

Some Members expressed the view that Wealdstone experienced particular problems caused by conversions because many properties did not have large enough gardens to provide adequate parking when converted to flats.  Other Members felt that Wealdstone was not unique in the Borough and should not be treated in isolation.

Officers advised the Panel that the Council’s conversion policy had been established through the Unitary Development Plan, and any amendments would need to take place within the Local Development Framework.  The current conversion policy had been in application for just one year and any changes so soon would need to be justified.  All housing policies would be reviewed as part of the Core Strategy, and evidence would need to be collected and analysed to decide the most appropriate policy.

The Chair suggested that Members of the Wealdstone Regeneration Advisory Panel be given an opportunity to comment when the conversion policy was reviewed.

RESOLVED: To consider the conversion policy in conjunction with other housing policies as part of the Local Development Framework.

Update report.

RESOLVED: To note the update report.

Report of the Director of Strategic Planning.

The Director of Strategic Planning introduced the report which set out the process for the preparation of a Harrow response to the West London Sub-Regional Development Framework.

In response to a question from a Member, the Director of Strategic Planning explained that the Framework document covered six London alliance boroughs.  Each borough would be given the opportunity to produce an individual response, which would be assimilated into the Sub-Regional response.  Producing an individual response provided Harrow with an opportunity to raise specific points that affected the Borough.

The Panel welcomed the Director of Strategic Planning’s suggestion that a workshop for Members be held sometime before the next meeting.  It was agreed that officers would prepare a briefing note for the Members’ workshop to help with the formulation of Harrow’s response.  Members noted that, due to time constraints, it was likely that the workshop would be held during August.

Noting that the report stated that “costs arising from proposals will need to be contained within existing approved directorate budgets”, a Member requested a breakdown of those costs.  The Director of Strategic Planning advised that officers worked on various projects and their time spent on each was not recorded separately.

RESOLVED: (1) To note the report;

(2) that the Director of Strategic Planning arrange a date for the workshop, and provide Members with a briefing note.

Report of the Director of Strategy (Urban Living).

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Strategy (Urban Living) which outlined the process for producing the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI).

In response to a question from a Member, officers confirmed that the full document would not automatically be sent to everybody on the consultation list.  The full document would be available on the website and a short version would be created to provide a summary of key points.  The Panel supported the production of a shorter version of the document written in a simple and direct style to maximise engagement with as many readers as possible.

A Member suggested that the list of organisations being consulted should include Harrow Strategic Partnership, Community Consultative Forum and Multi-Agency Forum.

RESOLVED: That (1) the report be noted;

(2) all Members of Council be sent a copy of the truncated version of the document.

Report of the Director of Strategy (Urban Living).

See Recommendation 1.

Report of the Group Manager (Planning and Development).

See Recommendation 2.