The Chairman and Councillors Harwood and Round stated that they had been lobbied.

The Committee considered the report and the urgent update report of the Head of Planning and Development.

In presenting her report, the Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that:

·  It had now come to light that the letter purporting to be an objection to the development from the Mote Park Fellowship was actually the personal opinion of one member.  The Secretary of the Mote Park Fellowship had since written in clarifying that although disruption to the Park and its ecosystems should be avoided no formal objections were being raised at this stage by the Fellowship.

·  An update had been received from the Corporate Property Team regarding the timetable for the scheme if approved.  It was the aim to start the detailed design of the scheme in May 2019 in preparation for construction tendering in August 2019.  Assuming all went to plan trees would be removed from September 2019 to February 2020 to avoid the bird nesting season and construction would commence in April 2020 with a view to completion by October 2020.

RESOLVED:

1.  That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report with:

  (a)  The amendment of condition 6 (Landscaping) to include  significant replacement tree planting of appropriate species both within the site and elsewhere within the Park; screening of the retaining walls as far as practicable; wildflower meadow seeding where tree or shrub planting is not feasible; on-site retention of cordwood; and no net loss of trees overall; AND

(b)  An additional informative reminding the applicant that from an ecological point of view there is a need to allow for migratory fish such as the European Eel and that there needs to be a precautionary approach during construction, for example in relation to River Snails.

2.  That the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the wording of the amended condition and additional informative as a consequence of the decisions set out in paragraphs 1 (a) and (b) above.

3.  That the details to be submitted pursuant to condition 6 (Landscaping) are to be agreed in consultation with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Political Group Spokespersons of the Planning Committee.

Voting:  12 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions