Consideration was given to the report of the
Head of Planning which reported on the review undertaken with
members and asked the panel to consider its findings.
The Principal Planning Officer introduced the
report which detailed the following:
- Background and purpose of the
exercise which fulfilled the Local Government Association best
practice and adhered to SHDC constitutional requirements;
- An overview of the tour which took
place on 25 October 2023; and
- Conclusions drawn from the
exercise
The summary of comments from the tour was
outlined at Appendix A.
Members considered the report and made the
following comments:
- Members thanked officers for
arranging and leading on the tour which included a range of
interesting sites.
- Members applauded one site in
particular for its utilisation of innovative and attractive design
and suggested that this approach be influential for other sites in
the district.
- Members stated that design should
have a greater weighting in the decision-making process; the
aesthetics of developments regarding use of materials and features
needed greater consideration in some cases.
- Members noted concerns regarding the
upkeep of play equipment on new estates and clarity was required
regarding who was permitted to use it: the residents of the
respective estates or the wider community.
- Members noted the comments in
Appendix A regarding recommended improvements to open spaces
controlled by management companies, and stated that:
- SHDC needed to give serious
consideration to the purpose of any designated open spaces;
- Where open spaces were not
maintained or completed as expected by the management company, SHDC
needed to consider what action could be taken to ensure conditions
were met;
- Members questioned the benefits of
open spaces and their need to be managed versus larger private
gardens. Concerns were raised that management companies had been
traded, with the probable aim of profit, which would likely pose an
increased financial burden upon residents in the future; and
- Members were concerned if the
Drainage Board 9 metre buffer strips were included as part of the
allotted open space.
- Members agreed that future visits to
review implemented Planning decisions include the wider
participation of members from the Planning Committee; some members
suggested that the exercise should be mandatory training for
Planning Committee members.
AGREED:
Following consideration of the Review of
Implemented Planning Decisions report by the Performance Monitoring
Panel:
a)
That the contents of the report be noted;
b)
That the Review of Planning Decisions tour occur every two years,
in place of the current annual process;
c)
That future member invitation for the Review of Planning Decisions
tour includes members of the Planning Committee; and
d)
That members’ comments be noted by the Principal Planning
Officer and relayed to relevant Planning officers.