REPORT OF THE PLANNING & BUILDING COMMITTEE
HELD
(By Graham France)
This was a shorter meeting than of late with the session open to the public lasting no longer than 50 minutes. In addition to the writer, five members of the public attended to view the proceedings which were chaired by the Hon Richard Cockwell with the Hon Norma Edwards, Les Harris, Brian Summers, Mike Harris and Mike McLeod also participating in the discussions. Officers attending were the Environmental Planning Officer (Antony Lancaster) and the Acting Director of Public Works (Manfred Keenleyside); the Chief Fire Officer and the Building Adviser had earlier registered their apologies for not being present.
The first of the nineteen applications seeking planning permission had earlier been deferred due to insufficient information and Mr Lancaster said this was still the case, although it had just been learned that a local builder would now be assisting the applicant, Derek Donnelly, with more detailed plans for his new house at 2 Gleadell Close. He therefore expected to be able to report more positively at the next meeting.
Renewals of temporary planning permission totalled just four at this meeting and included that for the Falkland Islands Company’s temporary accommodation camp (the Ross Complex) between “Homecare” and Fitzroy Road which was extended for a further two years; use by Number One Electrical (Falklands) Ltd of one room of a private dwelling in Eliza Crescent as an office (also a further two years); and the extraction and removal of calcified seaweed from the sandbed at Ruggles Bay for FIDC for a similar period, although it was believed these extraction works were not likely to be undertaken this season.
New Applications
The first of these engendered a lot of discussion and was in respect of the proposed siting of the bow section of the Charles Cooper in the Government Dockyard. This had earlier been granted permission in principle following the submission of an outline application; detailed plans had now been prepared but members felt there was a need for more discussion as it was now understood that some form of cover would be needed to protect the structure from the elements, in which case the proposed siting (north-east of Gilbert House) may not be entirely suitable. The application was therefore deferred, to be considered again at a later meeting.
The next to be reviewed – an outline application submitted by Government for eight house building plots and associated services on the old BFFI Site - had attracted a lot of interest from the public with several letters of objection having been received including grounds of road traffic safety, plot size and the need to retain it for educational requirements. Mr Lancaster had produced a report with details of these together with his recommendations. Members agreed to recommend to Executive Council that the application be refused.
Other residential applications considered, and which did receive conditional planning permissions, were the outline submission by Angela Baber to enlarge the plot at 5 Narrows View which had received an earlier outline consent, and detailed plans of houses at 26 Hansen Hill (for Tracy Freeman) and 1 Anderson Drive (for Mr and Mrs I Summers).
Other applications granted conditional planning permission included the following: the erection of a shed to provide a secure lock-up for gardening and maintenance tools also boating equipment on land west of the Beaver Hangar for Carl Freeman; FIG’s proposal to relocate a communications tower at the new offices at Megabid; the change of use of the “Warden’s House” at Thatcher Drive from residential accommodation to a mixed use as accommodation and day-care facility for the Health and Social Services Department (this, it was noted, also attracted an application to relax some of the Building Regulations which the Committee agreed to); Ian Thom and Pauline Sackett’s proposal to change the roof, create a loft conversion and extend the kitchen at their house at 25 Ross Road East; and the erection of an attached garage to his house at 7 Eliza Crescent for Nigel Bishop.
Marvin Clarke had submitted a further application for a garage near to his
The last submission to be reviewed was submitted by the Fighting Pig Band and sought planning permission for an extension to their premises at “The Trough”. This had attracted one letter of objection on the grounds of noise and asked that any extension be “sound-proofed”. Members noted the concerns and wondered if it might be possible to seek this through the Building Regulations, but were advised this was not within the scope of the current legislation. It was also felt that the call for no less than thirty-four parking spaces was excessive. The committee decided to grant conditional planning permission whilst noting that the grant of a Building Permit was currently on hold by the Building Adviser.
Next, members noted that seven building permits had been approved by the Building Adviser. One of these was for the construction of first floor offices and enlargement of the shop sales area for Goodwin Offshore at The Chandlery on
After learning that there were no applications for grants towards off-street parking and agreeing the date and location of the next meeting (
Graham France 5th December 2003
