Agenda item

To consider the contents of the report and whether a workshop for Planning Committee Members and Planning Officers on the planning policy context for Green Belt applications would be beneficial.

49.1          Attention was drawn to the report of the Head of Development Services, circulated at Pages No. 50-62 which provided the annual review of Planning Committee decisions for 2018/19.  Members were asked to consider the report and whether a workshop for Planning Committee Members and Planning Officers on the planning policy context for Green Belt applications would be beneficial.

49.2          The Head of Development Services explained that the Planning Committee could, and did, make decisions which were different from the Officer recommendation due to the weight attributed to the material considerations and this report provided an analysis of that.  Appendix 1 to the report provided details of the Planning Committee decisions from April 2018 to March 2019 and the annual Planning Committee decisions that differed from the Officer recommendation dating back to 2016.  The table at Page No. 52, Paragraph 2.4 of the report showed the percentage of overturned decisions year by year and demonstrated a consistent rate.  Appendix 2 to the report provided details of each application where the Committee decision differed from the Officer recommendation, including a summary of reasons for the recommendation and the reasons why it was overturned.  It was noted that six of the nine applications that were overturned had related to applications in the Green Belt.  Appendix 3 to the report contained information about the four appeals against Planning Committee decisions made in 2018/19; two of the appeals had been made against decisions where the Planning Committee had taken a different view to the Officer recommendation and one had been allowed and one dismissed.  No costs had been awarded against the Council in those appeals.  On the basis that there had been a high number of overturns relating to Green Belt applications, it was felt that Members and Officers may benefit from a workshop to enable further assessment of this matter.

49.3          A Member found it heartening to see that Inspectors did not always agree when developers used the fact that Tewkesbury Borough Council could not demonstrate a five year housing land supply to try to get a decision overturned in order to gain planning permission.  The Lead Member for Built Environment thanked the Head of Development Services for the informative report which had confirmed what she thought in that the Committee was generally doing a good job.  She pointed out that the Tewkesbury Borough Plan Working Group had been asked to look at the Green Belt and it was agreed that a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) would be produced in order to set out how to consider extensions to premises in the Green Belt.  She welcomed the suggestion of a workshop but felt it was necessary to also consider the SPD and how to make it easier for those living in the Green Belt to extend their properties whilst taking account of the National Planning Policy Framework guidance in respect of Green Belt policies.  A Member was also supportive of a workshop and asked that consideration be given to holding this during the day as opposed to in the evening.  A Member queried whether the workshop would be delivered by an external expert and the Head of Development Services confirmed that this was most likely and she would look into who would be most appropriate.  Another Member felt it would be beneficial to also consider designations such as the Area of Outstanding Beauty at the same time and she asked for real examples to be used at the workshop to illustrate to Members how and why decisions were made.  Another Member asked that safeguarded land be covered. 

49.4           A brief debate ensued about the potential need to review the Planning Scheme of Delegation and whether that could also be considered at the workshop and the Head of Development Services explained that it was good practice to keep the scheme under review; however, she felt that would best be achieved through a working group or a separate workshop.  She undertook to discuss this further with the Head of Democratic Services following the meeting and Members would be advised of the proposed way forward in due course; it was likely that a number of sessions would be needed and she took on board the comment about the use of examples.  It was subsequently

RESOLVED          That the report be NOTED and that a workshop(s) be arranged for Planning Committee Members and Planning Officers on the planning policy context for Green Belt applications and designations such as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.