A Cambridge City Council website

Cambridge City Council

Council and democracy

Home > Council and Democracy > Issue

Issue - meetings

15/0009/FUL - Slipway, Garret Hostel Lane

Meeting: 01/04/2015 - Planning (Item 62)

62 15/0009/FUL - Slipway, Garret Hostel Lane pdf icon PDF 77 KB

Minutes:

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

 

The application sought approval to install a bollard and rail fence on the narrow quay running alongside Garret Hostel Lane slipway and the approach to Garret Hostel Bridge.

 

The Committee received representations in objection to the application from Tom Arnold and Natasha Dawn.

 

The representation covered the following issues:

                     i.        The proposal was an infringement on public access for both commercial and private boat users.

                    ii.        The erection of bollards would impede on the access to the boats.

                   iii.        The proposal would obstruct disabled access to the river.

                  iv.        The slipway was the only place where a wheel chair user could access the river without having to use a major boat company.

                   v.        There were no reported incidents of disabled users being harmed at this access point to the river.

                  vi.        Approving the application would leave no public access to the river for disabled users.

                 vii.        The effects of the proposal had not been thought through and the reason for refusal not justified.

               viii.        The slipway was the only main public access point to the middle river which had been used for hundreds of years, dating back to the fourteenth century.

                  ix.        Goes against 3/9b of the Local Plan and the proposal could be deemed to be unlawful.

                   x.        The proposal ignored history and tradition.

                  xi.        The access statement made no reference to the access to the river which is the primary purpose of the jetty.

                 xii.        No evidence had been provided to support the officer’s concerns over health and safety.

               xiii.        Garrett Hostel Bridge was a superior view point for photos to be taken and questioned if the proposal area was frequently used as a photographic point.

               xiv.        Queried why no health and safety concerns have been raised regarding the slipway at Jesus Green, Key Side, Silver Street or by the Anchor public house, all of which have a higher footfall and the river was deeper, yet there were no railings.

                xv.        Unnecessary use of public money.

 

Natasha Dawn

               xvi.        There were many private users who used this access point to launch their boats.

             xvii.        The proposal would stop private users from accessing the river from this point.

            xviii.        The access statement stated that the proposal would have no detrimental impact on the existing access, which was incorrect.

               xix.        Questioned where would private users be able to access their boat on the middle river if the application was approved.

 

Caroline Golher addressed the Committee in support of the application but suggested the following amendments.  

 

             i.         Should have conditions to control materials, add several lockable gates and improve paving to ensure that people can embark.

            ii.        Railings should not be attached to wall the bridge

           iii.        More work was needed to enable disabled access.

          iv.        The design should be improved so that local people could benefit from the access point to the middle river.

           v.        Decreases flexibility of the river and it’s usage. For example there were organised tours that used this point to disembark and then continue to a tour of the Universitys’ Gardens.

 

Councillor Owers addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (by 6 votes to 1 vote) 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.