Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor P. M. McDonald.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

With the agreement of the Chairman, Councillor P. J. Whittaker made a public apology in respect of an inappropriate comment made during the Planning Committee meeting held on Tuesday 16^th March 2021.

Councillor J. E. King asked for it to be noted that, as Ward Member, she had spoken with the residents of Birkdale Avenue and had listened to their concerns with regard to the potential of trees being removed.  However, she had made no written comments regarding this matter.

The Chairman announced that a Committee Update had been circulated to all Planning Committee Members prior to the meeting commencing.

The Committee considered a report which detailed proposals to confirm, without modification, Tree Preservation Order (No.19) 2020, relating to trees on land at the side of 37-38, Birkdale Avenue, Blackwell, Bromsgrove.    

Officers provided a detailed presentation.  

Officers drew Members’ attention to the recommendation, as detailed on page 1 of the main agenda report. 

Officers informed the Committee that the provisional order was raised on 19^th November 2020 in view of a  perceived threat brought to the Council’s attention by residents in Birkdale Avenue of a risk of further tree clearance on the site due to a future alternative use for the land.  

Officers drew Members’ attention to the objection received and the officer’s comments in relation to the points raised within the objection, as detailed at Appendix 2 to the report.

Members’ attention was also drawn to the letter of support, as detailed at Appendix 4 to the report.

Officers further informed the Committee that a Tree Evaluation Method for Preservation Orders (TEMPO) assessment of the group of trees had been carried out to aid the decision-making process of evaluating the trees suitability for protection. 

The group of trees scored between 15 – 17, as detailed at Appendix 3 to the report. Any trees scouring over 12 under this method was deemed potentially suitable for Tree Preservation Order protection.

The trees were highly prominent to users of the railway and visitors to the area of Birkdale Avenue, offering a high degree of visual amenity value to passers-by on the train, pedestrians and visitors to Birkdale Avenue.  They added greatly to the character of the area.

Members commented that they were in agreement with the officer.  There were two green spaces in the whole of this residential area which was enjoyed by both residents and people who walked through the area.  When the estate was developed it was deemed to be worthy of saving a much needed green area, which had since developed and matured over the last 30 years.

Therefore, Members were in agreement with the officer’s recommendation.

RESOLVED that Tree Preservation Order (No.19) 2020 relating to trees on land at the side of 37-38, Birkdale Avenue, Blackwell, Bromsgrove, be confirmed without modification, as detailed in the Provisional Order on Appendix 1 to the report.

Officers clarified that the Application had been brought to the Planning Committee for consideration as the floor area of the development exceeded 1000 square metres, and therefore, under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation had to be referred to the Planning Committee for determination.

A further representation was received on 27th April 2021, which was also forwarded to all Planning Committee Members.  A summary of the representation and the officer’s response was detailed in the published Committee Update, copies of which were provided to Members and published on the Council’s website prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Officers provided a detailed presentation and informed the Committee that the application site comprised of 163 and 165 Birmingham Road. These were two brick built detached dwellings that dated from the mid-19^th century and were located adjacent, thus in the setting of, the Grade II listed Bartleet House.  Plus, land to the rear of 151 and 157 Birmingham Road and 73 All Saints Road, Bromsgrove.

The application sought planning permission to demolish the two existing dwellings and erect 8 detached dwellings.  This would result in a net increase of 6 dwellings.  

The site was (0.34ha) and was located between several residential dwellings fronting Birmingham Road, as detailed on page 30 of the main agenda report.

The effect of the proposal on nearby designated and non-designated heritage assets , the impact on the Setting of nearby Designated Heritage Asset and the Conservation Officers comments were detailed on pages 31 to 33 of the main agenda report.

There was an extant planning permission for 5 dwellings on part of the application site (20/00483/FUL).  This had been approved by the Planning Committee on 7^th September 2020.  This was on a site that comprised two residential dwellings fronting numbers 163 and 165 Birmingham Road and their rear garden curtilages.

The application site had been enlarged to include part of the rear curtilages of 151 and 157 Birmingham Road and 73 All Saints Road.

Officers drew Members’ attention to ‘The Planning Balance’, as detailed on page 37 of the main agenda report. 

The Democratic Services Officer explained that Mr. & Mrs. W. Roberts, who had objected to the application, had emailed their concerns to all Planning Committee Members and officers had also summarised their representation in the Committee Update report.  Therefore, they had chosen not to address the Committee.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mrs. S. Jones addressed the Committee in objection to the Application.  Mr. K. Lawrence, the Applicant’s architect addressed the Committee on behalf of the Applicant.   

The Committee then considered the Application, which officers had recommended for approval.

Some Members commented that they were disappointed that there were no smaller dwellings on the proposed scheme and questioned the concerns raised by the residents of All Saints Road with regard to being overlooked. However, Members noted that the rear gardens of each property would comfortably exceed the Council’s minimum requirements, as detailed on page 34 of the main agenda report, which referred to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 121/20

Officers clarified that the Application had been brought to the Planning Committee for consideration at the request of Councillor C. A. Hotham, Ward Member. 

Officers provided a detailed presentation and in doing so further informed the Committee that planning application 18/01593/FUL was considered at Planning Committee on 4^th November 2019 for the demolition of the existing bungalow and detached garage and the erection of a two storey 4-bedroom dwelling. The application was approved.

The application proposed the following changes to the approved scheme, a chimney, an increase in the ridge height of the property with the main ridge height being limited to no higher than the forward ridge of 15 Cherry Hill Avenue, 1 window on the rear ground floor elevation changing from a patio to a standard window,  1 flat roof dormer to the rear had been removed and adjusting the front dormers so they were now the same height.  These changes were proposed as well as providing information regarding materials and front door joinery details.

Officers drew Members’ attention to the relevant planning history, as detailed on page 67of the main agenda report.

Officers further drew Members’ attention to the proposed and approved ‘Measurements’ slides, as detailed on pages 81 and 82 of the main agenda report.

The proposal was situated within the Barnt Green Conservation Area.  There were no conservation objections from the Conservation Officer and no objections from Barnt Green Parish Council.

Officers stated that the proposed changes were considered to comply with Bromsgrove District Plan Policies BDP1, BDP7, BDP19, BDP20, the Bromsgrove High Quality Design SPD and the provisions of the NPPF.  Therefore, in conclusion, the application was recommended for approval subject to conditions.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Professor J. Storr addressed the Committee in objection to the Application.  Councillor C. Hotham, Ward Member, also addressed the Committee.

The Committee then considered the Application, which officers had recommended for approval.

In response to questions from the Committee with regards to work being undertaken on the site and if the application was for retrospective planning permission, officers informed Members that they had last visited the site in February 2021. 

Officers further explained that  the whole purpose of this application was to regulate and get authorised planning permission for the proposed changes.  The applicant had well progressed with the proposed scheme and the Council had not sought to stop the development whilst the application was being considered; however, it had been explained to the applicant’s agent that any work progressed would be at their own risk.

Members referred to the ‘Approved Front and Rear Elevation Plans’ slide, as detailed on page 85 of the main agenda report.  Officers clarified that the height of the original approved application was set slightly below the forward ridge of 15 Cherry Hill Avenue, the scheme as proposed, would increase that height if approved.  The proposed application sought an increase in the ridge height from 8.53 metres (as approved previously) to 8.58 metres, which was an increase in ridge  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122/20