Planning Committee

Minutes

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the PLANNING COMMITTEE Meeting held on Monday 22 May 2023 at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks

Attendees: Parish Councillors: Cllr Kristian Berggreen, Cllr Robert Brewer, Cllr Bill Hatton and Cllr Peter Richardson.

In Attendance: Deputy Clerk – Tracy Forte.

P23/01 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Carolyn Barton. Cllr Angus Neil was absent without apology.

P23/02 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST. There were no declarations of interest.

P23/03 ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. Cllr Bill Hatton proposed that Cllr Kristian Berggreen was elected as Chair of the Planning Committee for 2023/24 and this was seconded by Cllr Robert Brewer. All Members voted in favour.

P23/03.1 It was RESOLVED that Cllr Kristian Berggreen was elected as Chair of the Planning Committee for 2023/24.

Cllr Kristian Berggreen proposed that Cllr Bill Hatton was elected as Vice Chair of the Planning Committee and this was seconded by Cllr Robert Brewer. All Members voted in favour.

It was RESOLVED that Cllr Bill Hatton was elected as Vice Chair of the Planning Committee for 2023/24.

P23/04 MINUTES.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 2 May 2023 be signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

P23/05 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. There were no members of the public present.

P23/06 APPLICATIONS

DM/23/1139 11 Kymer Gardens Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8QZ Lime (T1) – Cut back over hanging branches by 2-3 metres. Removal of lower branches around crown. Response: This application raises some concerns over the impact of only cutting back one side of this tree; the Council defers to the MSDC Tree Officer.

DM/23/1088 3 Stanford Avenue Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8JL Proposed roof extension, roof dormers to rear and west side, roof windows to front, replacement dormers to front.  Response: RECOMMEND APPROVAL. The applicant is advised that Government has committed to adopt a ‘Future Buildings Standard’ during 2021 which will change the Building Regulations requirements for alterations and extensions to homes to bring these alterations closer to that of a ‘zero energy building’.  This is supported by Policy 5 ‘Enabling Zero Carbon’ of the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan which states that proposals that modify existing buildings (including extensions) should seek to maximise the inclusion of energy-saving measures and renewable energy generation.  Energy saving measures include floor, roof and wall insulation, and low u-value windows (which may need to be triple glazed).  These requirements may require amendments to your design which could affect the drawings submitted for planning permission. The applicant may wish to note that alterations that are built to a Nearly Zero Energy standard, are unlikely to need further retrofitting to minimise the carbon emissions that the nation is required to reduce to zero by 2050.  As retrofitting an existing home to be highly energy efficient is more complex than doing so for a new building, applicants may wish to look at the ‘EnerPHit’ standard that the Government is understood to be considering as the applicable “Nearly Zero Energy’ standard in this context, or at the Architypes published by the London Energy Transformation Initiative for u-values for your extension walls, windows etc. and for ventilation and overheating prevention standards to be achieved.

DM/23/1150 Mill Nursery London Road Hassocks West Sussex BN6 9NB Variation of Conditions No’s 2 and 12 of Planning Permission DM/22/0791 to alter the plans and Sustainability Statement to include Air Source Heat Pumps. Response: RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

DM/23/1203 74 Friars Oak Road Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8PY Eucalyptus – fell. This was a duplicate application due to an address change.  See application DM/23/1203 70 Friars Oak Road below.

DM/23/1172 5 Highlands Close Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8LD Single storey flat roof porch to the front elevation with the front door moved from the front of the house to the side of the porch. Response: RECOMMEND APPROVAL. The applicant is advised that Government has committed to adopt a ‘Future Buildings Standard’ during 2021 which will change the Building Regulations requirements for alterations and extensions to homes to bring these alterations closer to that of a ‘zero energy building’.  This is supported by Policy 5 ‘Enabling Zero Carbon’ of the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan which states that proposals that modify existing buildings (including extensions) should seek to maximise the inclusion of energy-saving measures and renewable energy generation.  Energy saving measures include floor, roof and wall insulation, and low u-value windows (which may need to be triple glazed).  These requirements may require amendments to your design which could affect the drawings submitted for planning permission. The applicant may wish to note that alterations that are built to a Nearly Zero Energy standard, are unlikely to need further retrofitting to minimise the carbon emissions that the nation is required to reduce to zero by 2050.  As retrofitting an existing home to be highly energy efficient is more complex than doing so for a new building, applicants may wish to look at the ‘EnerPHit’ standard that the Government is understood to be considering as the applicable “Nearly Zero Energy’ standard in this context, or at the Architypes published by the London Energy Transformation Initiative for u-values for your extension walls, windows etc. and for ventilation and overheating prevention standards to be achieved.

DM/23/1203 70 Friars Oak Road Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8PY Eucalyptus – fell. Please note amended address. Response: Defer to the MSDC Tree Officer.

P23/07 APPLICATIONS FOR DISCHARGE OF PLANNING CONDITIONS. None

P23/08 RESOLVED that the observations on the planning issues as agreed above be submitted to the relevant Planning Authority for consideration.

P23/09 PLANNING AUTHORITY DECISION NOTICES

The following decisions were noted:

The following notifications of Certificate of Lawful Use or Development (LDC), General Permitted Development (GDP) and/or Prior Approval was noted:

P23/10 APPEAL NOTIFICATION. AP/23/0036 Byanda Brighton Road Hassocks West Sussex

The above appeal application was noted by Members.  It was felt that the Parish should submit a further representation for this application for the consideration of the Planning Inspectorate and that the Parish would wish to attend an appeal hearing should this be permitted.

Due to the limited timeframe, it was agreed by the Committee that Cllr Bill Hatton would review the previous representation and revise this for submission by the Deputy Clerk before the deadline of 7 June 2023.

P23/11 UK POWER NETWORKS. Members were invited to note an Overhead Lines Exemption letter received from UK Power Networks regarding the land behind the Friars Oak, London Road Hassocks.  (Appendices 2 & 3 on the agenda).

This was noted by Members.

P22/12 Urgent Matters at the discretion of the Chairman for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.

P23/12.1 The Deputy Clerk invited Members to note correspondence, which had been previously circulated, from Tetlow King Planning regarding a Housing Needs survey which they had undertaken in Hassocks in 2022.  Members noted this correspondence. (Appendix 1). To view Appendix 1 please view here.

P23/13 DATE OF NEXT MEETING. 12 June 2023

There being no other business the Chair closed the meeting at 8.20pm.