PITSTONE PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE
Minutes of the Parish Council Planning Committee Meeting held on 18 June 2015 
in the Meeting Room at the Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm and 
concluding at 8.00pm

6PC/15	ATTENDANCE AND APOLOGIES
		
PLANNING COMMITTEE PRESENT:  Cllr Mrs Crutchfield (Chair), Cllr Starling, Cllr Blunt and Cllr Mrs J Groom.

OTHERS PRESENT:  Clerk: Laurie Eagling.  Members of the public:  Martin London.
	
APOLOGIES:  Cllr Nicholls

7PC/15	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE MEETING

	Colin Starling, Margaret Crutchfield and Jo Groom sit on the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group, which is supporting the Vicarage Road development site, and therefore have non-pecuniary interests for which a dispensation is in place.
	Ben Blunt is Chair of Governors for Brookmead School but there are no planning applications on the agenda where the school is an issue.
	Colin Starling expressly stated that he wished to declare no interests.

8PC/15	APPROVE MINUTES – It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2015 were a true and correct record of the meeting and the Chair was duly authorised to sign on behalf of the council.

9PC/15	PLANNING MATTERS

1)	Applications: 

a)	41 Rushendon Furlong, 15/01673/ACL, single storey rear/side extension and conversion of garage into family room.  Application for Certificate of Lawfulness only.  No objections were received as a result of the Neighbour Notification Scheme.  The Parish Council Planning Committee RESOLVED to submit no objections to the application.

2)	Decisions: 

a)	7 Castle Close, 15/00576/APP, conversion of garage into habitable room: AVDC approved (PPC tendered no objections)
b)	28 Albion Road, 15/01254/APP, single storey rear extension and new pitched roofs to existing flat roofed elements to side and rear at 28 Albion Road: AVDC approved (PPC tendered no objections)
c)	30 Albion Road, 15/01544/APP, single storey extension: AVDC approved (PPC tendered no objections)

3)	Other:

a)	Land to the rear of Vicarage Road, 15/00139/AOP, outline application with all matters reserved for the erection of a residential development of up to 68 dwellings, estate roads and associated works: AVDC invite comments on the Geophysical Survey and Transport Statement.

Geophysical survey did not find anything of importance, therefore it was RESOLVED that there were no objections to submit to AVDC.

It was RESOLVED to submit the following comments on the accuracy of the Transport Statement:

2.2.2	There is no cycle path beside the railway line to Tring station and 
	access to the station has been an ongoing dilemma.  There has been a long running campaign for the installation of a pedestrian & cycle path along Northfield Road, with Taylor Wimpey providing a developer contribution in excess of £100k.  Herts County Council are currently undertaking a full engineering report that should be available by the end of June.  It is not known where the remainder of the funding will be provided from.  There are also significant problems caused by a lack of parking at Tring station with the car park being full by 9am and the overflow causing parking issues around the neighbouring residential roads and along Beggers Lane. 
Fig 2	This map shows the above non-existent cycle path.
2.4.3	The parish council is aware of 3 accidents along Vicarage Road in 2014 which are not included within the accident data reported: 
(1) vehicular accident at the junction with the Upper Icknield Way 
(2) Domino Pizza vehicle collided with a lamp-post opposite Moat Farm (3) a school child was knocked over approaching the school bus stop by the roundabout.
3.2	Could BCC TfB please review the proposed access and visibility from the West due to parked cars along Vicarage Road in case parking needs to be restricted or splays increased.
3.4	Could BCC TfB please confirm that TRICS database is the most applicable method to use to calculate traffic movement figures and that they are satisfied with the volumes quoted.
3.4.4	The direction of traffic can only be presumed.
4.1	It is felt that the last point may be inaccurate and 314 traffic movements into Vicarage Road may have an adverse effect on safety at the T junction onto Upper Icknield Way in particular.

Whilst the above comments reflect points of accuracy with the report, they have no material bearing on the previous submission where the Parish Council resolved to support the principle of development on this site but to oppose the initial layout supplied.

b)	Erlegh Manor Coach House.  The possible breach of planning has been investigated by AVDC who advise that no breach has occurred and that all activity is within the scope of permitted works or are works not requiring planning permission.
c)	Planning Training for new councillors has been requested from AVDC.
d)	Ivinghoe Conservation Area amendments were approved with a unanimous vote at the AVDC cabinet meeting on 16/6/15.

10PC/15	CLOSURE OF MEETING

	There being no further business to be transacted, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.30pm.

Signed:			Date:	________________
	 Chairman