To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2021.

The Director of Law and Governance submitted the minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2021 for approval.

Councillor S Foulkes pointed out that there was a typographical error regarding the spelling of Councillor A Gardner’s name in minute 5.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2021 be approved subject to one typographical correction.

Members of the Committee are asked whether they have any personal or prejudicial interests in connection with any application on the agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

Members of the Committee were asked whether they had any personal or prejudicial interests in connection with any application on the agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

Councillor S Foulkes declared a personal interest in Item 3 – APP/20/00998:  Irvine House, 54-56 Park Road South, Birkenhead - by virtue of having, in the past, been a member of the Friends of Birkenhead Park (minute 10 refers).

  Councillor S Foulkes declared a personal interest in this matter by virtue of having, in the past, been a member of the Friends of Birkenhead Park (minute 9 refers).  He remained in the meeting for the debate and consideration of the matter.

The Director of Regeneration and Place submitted the above application for consideration.

For medical reasons, the Lead Petitioner was unable to attend the meeting.  Mr M Neal, Legal Advisor to the Committee, therefore read out to the Committee the Lead Petitioner’s written representation.

The Applicant’s Agent addressed the Committee.

It was moved by Councillor K Hodson and seconded by Councillor S Frost that the application be approved subject to the following conditions and an additional condition in respect of replacement tree planting.

The motion was put and carried (11:0). 

Resolved (11:0) – That the application be approved with the additional condition below and the following conditions:

Notwithstanding the landscaping set out on Drawing

DW/SD/SK/JSL/BSTS r_7, prior to commencement of the new build units, a scheme for replacement tree planting for trees T25, T26, T27 and T33, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning

Authority. The approved scheme shall be in accordance with the Wirral

Tree, Hedgerow and Woodland Strategy and shall be carried out in full no later than the first planting season following first occupation of the new build units. Any trees which die or become diseased within 5 years of occupation shall be replaced with a comparable specimen.  To ensure adequate tree replacement having regards to the Wirral Unitary Development Plan.

The Director of Regeneration and Place submitted the above application for consideration.

The Lead Petitioner addressed the Committee

Ward Councillor Allan Brame addressed the Committee.

A motion to refuse the application was moved by Councillor D Mitchell for the following reason but having not been seconded was not put to the vote.

The proposed development (New build block B), due to its width, height and scale, is considered to have a detrimental impact on the character of the surrounding area including the setting of a grade II listed building and is therefore contrary to criterion (i) and (ii) of saved policy HS4 (Criteria for New Housing Development) and criterion (i) of saved policy CH1 (Development Affecting Listed Buildings and Structures) of the Unitary Development Plan and sections 12 and 16 of the National Policy Planning Framework.

It was further moved by Councillor S Foulkes and seconded by Councillor K Hodson that the application be approved subject to the following conditions.

The motion was put and carried (9:1:1 absention). 

Resolved (9:1:1 abstention) – That the application be approved subject to a Section 106 Agreement to secure 20% affordable housing and with the following conditions:

The Director of Regeneration and Place submitted the above application for consideration.

It was moved by Councillor S Foulkes and seconded by Councillor K Hodson that the application be approved subject to the following conditions.

The motion was put and carried (11:0). 

Resolved (11:0) – That the application be approved with the following conditions:

The Director of Regeneration and Place submitted the above application for consideration.

It was moved by Councillor S Foulkes and seconded by Councillor K Hodson that the application be approved subject to the following conditions.

The motion was put and carried (11:0). 

Resolved (11:0) – That the application be approved with the following conditions:

The Director for Regeneration and Place submitted a report updating Members on the performance of the Development Management Service with regard to determining planning applications. 

The report outlined performance against government targets in terms of the speed of processing all applications.

The Assistant Director, Chief Planner reported that in 2020/21, despite the extreme difficulties faced by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Service had comfortably surpassed the requirements for all targets in Major, Minor and Other categories of applications and that 85% of Major applications and 85% of Minor applications had been determined within 13 weeks or within the extended period agreed between the Council and the applicant.

It was further reported that the percentage of Major applications which had been determined within 13 weeks or within the extended period agreed between the Council and the applicant was 100% for the first quarter of 2021/22 and in 2020/21, 85% of Minor applications had been determined within 8 weeks or within the extended period agreed between the Council and the applicant.

In 2020/21, 93% of other applications had been determined within 8 weeks or within the extended period agreed between the Council and 89% in the first quarter of 2021/22.  Performance on Householder applications (which are included in the other category and which form the largest single type of applications submitted to the Council for determination) was 95% in 2020/21 and 90% for the first quarter of 2021/22.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The Director for Regeneration and Place submitted a report to update Members on the performance of the Development Management Service regarding planning appeals, including the percentage of the Council’s decisions overturned (on appeal) by the Planning Inspectorate.

The Assistant Director, Chief Planner reported that the national average for the number of appeals allowed is around 33% per year.  Within 2020/21 11 appeals had been allowed from 35 decisions and within the first quarter no appeals had been allowed from 11 decisions, therefore all appeals determined had been dismissed.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The Director for Regeneration and Place submitted a report to update Members on the performance of the Development Management Service with regard to its planning enforcement activity for the period 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021 and also for the period 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021.

Members were advised that the performance of the enforcement service would be reported to the Planning Committee on a quarterly basis in future.

The Assistant Director, Chief Planner reported that 68 new cases had been opened between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2021 and that during this period 62 cases had reached a key milestone 56% of these had been reached within 13 weeks.  During this period 49 cases had been closed.

It was further reported that 139 new cases had been opened between 1 April 2021 and 30 June 2021, 120 of these reached a key milestone and 86% had been reached within 13 weeks.  During this period 118 cases had been closed.

The report outlined some examples of key successes achieved during the two quarters which included Land at the corner of Alfred Road and Wheatland Lane, Seacombe, 61 Ashville Road, Birkenhead, 91 Eastham Village Road, Eastham, Arlington Court and 1 Belford Drive, Moreton.

Members were advised that the pandemic had placed extra pressures on the team due to restrictions put in place, staff sickness and homeworking however the Department was in the process of undertaking further recruitment.

Resolved – That the report be noted.