The Chair welcomed Members of the Planning Committee, Officers and members of the public to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillor B Kenny who was deputised by Councillor G Davies, Councillor J Stewart Laing who was deputised by L Luxon-Kewley and Councillor H Gorman who was deputised by K Murphy.

To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2023.

The Director of Law and Governance submitted the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 29 June 2023.

Resolved – That the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 29 June 2023 be approved.

Members 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 item on the agenda and if so, to declare them and state what they were.

No such declarations were made.

With the consent of the Members of the Committee, the Chair agreed to vary the order of business.

The Development Management Manager presented the report of the Director of Regeneration and Place in relation to the above application for consideration.

The Lead Petitioner, Liam Orr addressed the Committee.

Ward Councillor Amanda Onwuemene addressed the Committee.

The Applicant, Leo Suarez addressed the Committee.

On a motion by the Chair and seconded Councillor Kathy Hodson it was –

Resolved (unanimously) – that the application be approved subject to the following conditions:

1. The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision.

2. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plans received by the local planning authority on 19 December 2022 and listed as follows: 

•  Proposed Ground Floor Plan (S-09)

•  Proposed First Floor Plan (S-10)

•  Proposed Second Floor Plan (S-11)

•  Proposed Roof Plan (S-12)

•  Proposed Basement Floor Plan (S-13)

•  Proposed Sections (S-14)

•  Proposed Front and Side Elevations (S-15)

•  Proposed Rear Elevation (S-16)

•  HMO Management Plan

•  Acoustic Report by Howell Acoustics

3. The basement floorspace shall be used for storage and not as a habitable room or rooms.

4. No laundry facilities shall be provided within bedroom 8, as shown on drawing S-11 hereby approved.

5. Prior to the first occupation of either bedroom 5 or bedroom 7, as shown on drawings S-10 and S-11 respectively, the refuse and cycling facilities shown in the rear yard on drawing S-09 hereby approved shall be provided and made available for use to all occupants, and the provision shall be maintained as such thereafter.

6. The car parking shown on drawing S-09 hereby approved shall be retained in its existing form for the lifetime of the development.

7. Prior to the occupation of the bedrooms hereby approved the following communal facilities shall be provided and made available for use to all occupants, and the facilities shall be maintained as such thereafter:

•  Ground Floor – WC, Laundry, door leading to Rear Yard (as shown on drawing S-09 hereby approved);

•  First Floor – Living Room and Diner-Kitchen (as shown on drawing S-10 hereby approved).

 8. No more than eight persons shall be resident at the property. 

The Development Management Manager presented the report of the Director of Regeneration and Place in relation to the above application for consideration.

The Lead Principal Lawyer addressed the Committee and advised that Ward Councillor Allan Brame had sent apologies that he was unable to attend the meeting and read a representation that he had sent to the Committee.

The Chair, seconded by Councillor Jason Walsh moved approval of the application subject to the amendment of Condition 3.

The amendment was put and lost (1:9) (1 abstention).

On a motion by Councillor Kathy Hodson and seconded Councillor Steve Foulkes it was –

Resolved (10:1) – That the application be approved subject to the following conditions:

1.  The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plans received by the local planning authority on March 29^th 2023, and listed as follows:

• Drawing Number: 2020 149 103, Revision 05, dated 27^th July 2022

2.  The accommodation hereby approved shall be let out as short-term stay holiday accommodation only in accordance with the terms of the application. 

3.   The 1.7m high x 1.5m deep privacy screen adjacent to the boundary shared with Laguna shall be retained as such thereafter unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

The Chair reported that a request had been received to defer this matter.

On a motion by the Chair and seconded by Councillor S Foulkes it was –

Resolved – That the consideration of this application be deferred to a future meeting of the Planning Committee.