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Decision Maker: Planning
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
The Committee received an application for
full planning permission.
The application sought approval for installation of a
replacement Multi Use Games Area (MUGA).
The Principal Planner corrected two errors in the Officer’s report:
i.
A Landscape Strategy compliance condition needed to
be included.
ii.
A majority of the boundary fence was 4m high (not
3m).
The Committee received a representation in objection to the application
from a local resident.
The representation covered the following issues:
i.
There were no other MUGAs close to
developments ie flats/houses where people lived.
ii.
It was too close to residents and
the public highway. This led to safety concerns. Sport England guidance said
the MUGA should be located further away.
iii.
Implementing the MUGA would lead
to a loss of light and view for residents.
iv.
The streetscene would be destroyed
as trees were replaced with a very high fence.
v.
Noise from football games would
impact on neighbouring properties.
vi.
Suggested there were errors and
estimates in the noise report. The apartment block was incorrectly identified
within the original documentation as 2 storey rather than 3 storey properties.
Ms Sutton (Applicant) addressed the Committee in
support of the application.
Councillor McGerty (Queen Edith's Ward Councillor) addressed the
Committee about the application:
i.
Thanked the Bell School for engaging with
councillors and officers.
ii.
The MUGA was large. Referred to P7 & 8 of the
drawing pack. Queried if the diagram showed how close the MUGA would be to
local flats. The site context had changed since the tennis courts (MUGA site)
were put in.
iii.
Suggested the flats would not have been built if it
were clear they would have less amenity space (due to the MUGA).
iv.
S106 funding criteria required sports amenity space
to be available to the Bell school and residents. The current segmented games
area was acceptable. Queried why the segments needed to be combined into one
large MUGA. This could cause more noise than the segmented games areas.
Councillor Pippas (Queen Edith's Ward Councillor) addressed the
Committee about the application:
i.
The Bell School sold its football pitch and flats
were then subsequently built. The flats would now be 4m away from the proposed
wooden fence around the MUGA.
ii.
People bought the flats expecting one thing and
could get another.
iii.
Suggested the MUGA was being developed to allow
more flats to be put on the (former) football pitch land. Queried why other
alternatives such as planting flowers could not be implemented.
iv.
The MUGA would create noise for flat occupiers.
v.
Residents were concerned that balls flying over the
fence surrounding the MUGA would go into peoples’ dwellings or onto the public
highway.
Councillor Baigent left the committee as he felt unwell.
The Committee:
Unanimously resolved (by 6 votes to 0) to grant the
application for planning permission in accordance with the officer
recommendation, for the reasons set out in the officer report, and subject to
the conditions recommended by the officers, with an additional condition
requiring compliance with the landscape plan and accompanying management
strategy.
Report author: Lorraine Casey
Publication date: 31/05/2019
Date of decision: 03/04/2019
Decided at meeting: 03/04/2019 - Planning
Accompanying Documents: