The chairman to identify any items of urgent business.

Chairman of the Committee, Councillor Terry Glastonbury, informed members that there would be one item of urgent business to consider at this meeting, relating to a decision made at the committee meeting on 13 December 2011 in respect of planning application P1034/11/OUT Land at Cleeve Mill Lane, Newent. Referring to the additional report that had been circulated to the committee at the start of the meeting, (circulated on yellow paper and attached to the minutes of this meeting), Councillor Glastonbury invited Group Manager for Planning and Housing, Peter Williams, to present the urgent item of business.

The Group Manager for Planning and Housing referred members to the report for the urgent item of business and gave an overview of the circumstances relating to this item. He said that, unfortunately, there had been an error in the recommendation considered at the previous meeting, in that the recommendation had linked the affordable housing element of the application specifically to Newent. Apologising for the error, he confirmed that the development site was not an exception site and that the need for the extra care units at the site would be allocated on a district wide basis. Accordingly, the local connections for the development should relate to the whole of the district and not just to the Newent area.

To correct the error, the Group Manager said that it would be necessary for the committee to consider and resolve the decision at this meeting, based on the amended recommendation as outlined in the urgent report. He said that, as no issues had been raised about introducing a local connection to Newent at the previous meeting, the matter could be dealt with as urgent business at this meeting. He also advised the committee that, to resolve the matter with an amendment to the minutes was not an option.

Councillor Philip Burford believed the decision made at the previous meeting had been the right decision and that to base the requirement on local need was paramount to the decision. Other members, whilst accepting the proposal, stressed the importance of offering the accommodation to residents of the Forest of Dean rather than to people from outside the district.

Vote

Councillor Lynn Sterry moved and Councillor Val Hobman seconded the motion. A recorded vote was taken and members,

The committee considered the revised recommendation and,

RESOLVED that, 

Delegated authority be given to the Group Manager for Planning and Housing and to the Group Manager for Legal and Democratic to grant permission subject to; the completion of a satisfactory legal agreement or unilateral undertaking to secure 40 per cent extra care properties as affordable housing; those applicants for the affordable housing who demonstrate a local connection to Forest of Dean to be given first preference, and to the conditions referred to in the schedule of applications presented on 13 December 2011, (condition 13 – as amended), and to additional condition (14) as detailed in the late material presented on 13 December 2011. If an appropriate agreement or unilateral undertaking is not secured by 13 April 2012, delegated authority to be given to the Group Manager for Planning and Housing to refuse the application.

For (12)

Councillors James Bevan, Gethyn Davies, Frankie Evans, Jackie Fraser, Terry Glastonbury, Val Hobman, Jane Horne, Gabriella Kirkpatrick, Paul McMahon, Lynn Sterry, Arthur Thomas and David Thompson.

Against (2)

Councillors Philip Burford and Norman Stephens

Abstentions (0)