Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Reid.

No declarations were made

Councillor Hipkin was not present for the start of this item and therefore took no part in the discussion or the vote.

 

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

 

The application sought approval for a rear two storey extension and part single storey extension to accommodate a platform lift for wheelchair use and small conservatory on the ground floor.

 

The Committee noted the amendment sheet. All members voting on this application confirmed that they had attended a site visit.

 

The Committee received representations in objection to the application from Barbara Cleverly and on behalf of Heather Whitaker.

 

Barbara Cleverly’s representation covered the following points:

 

     i.        Planned extension did not meet the planning guidance three challenges.

    ii.        Was out of character with the area.

   iii.        Would cause a loss of green space.

  iv.        Would damage a building of local interest.

   v.        Would increase overlooking.

  vi.        Large expanse of glass would have an adverse impact on neighbours.

 

Statement read on behalf of Heather Whitaker covered the following points.

 

     i.        Impact on home as the proposed extension would not allow current use to continue.

    ii.        Construction will emit light.

   iii.        Glass would dazzle on a sunny day. 

  iv.        Lifts make noise

   v.        Consistency with previous decisions

   vi.        The proposed extension to 14 Victoria Street was for one of glass which was not in keeping with other buildings.

  vii.        The relationship between buildings.  If approved this application creates a very different relationship to the surrounding buildings.

 

Christopher Knowles (applicant) spoke in support of the application.   

The Committee:

 

Resolved (by 4 votes to 3) to grant full planning permission in accordance with Officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the Officer report and subject to the conditions recommended by the Officer.

The Chair gave permission for Richard Taylor to film the meeting. It was confirmed that the filming would cease if members of the public or speakers expressed a desire not to be filmed. Members of the public were given an opportunity to state if they did not want to be filmed.

No declarations were made.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2014

The minutes of the 6 March 2014 meeting were approved and signed as a correct record.

An updated action sheet from the meeting held on 6 March 2014 was circulated. The following updates were noted:

 

14/14/WCAC

 

Visibility of turn into Auckland Road. Councillor Cearns has spoken to County Council officers and will report further at the next meeting.

 

Councillor Reiner has responded to an email regarding dog enforcement action on Midsummer Common. Action completed.

 

Traffic concerns in Fitzroy Street and Eden Street. Councillor Rosenstiel suggested that the problem was caused by out of date sat nav information. Future improvements to signage should resolve the problem.

 

Road surface repairs to St Andrews Street. Councillor Cearns stated that the work was scheduled for completion in the near future. Delays had been caused by the location of the problem. It was a busy city centre road and closure would be problematic. Also, it is close to college building and noise would be disruptive in exam season.

 

Carried over from 05/09/13

 

Management Agreement for University Sports Centre.

Councillor Cantrill stated that he was disappointed that this matter had taken so long to resolve. However, he had been assured by officers that the matter would be fully resolved shortly. This would be retained as an action until fully resolved and details would be reported to this committee.

Richard Taylor

Where and when is the Area Committee Chairs meeting which will be discussing the provision of information against which Police priorities are agreed? These discussions should be held in public and not in private.

 

Councillor Kightley agreed with Mr Taylor.

 

Anthony Bowen

Vehicles obstructing pavements continue to be a problem.

 

Councillor Cearns suggested that members of the public should contact County Councillors if there are problem areas so that additional enforcement action could be requested.

 

It was suggested that little action could be taken as pavement parking was not of itself illegal, if there were no yellow lines.

 

Inspector Poppit confirmed that the Police could take action if vehicles were causing an obstruction. Each case would be assessed on its merits.

 

Richard Jennings

The temporary closure of Adam and Eve Street has been of benefit to the area. Can permanent closure be considered?

 

Councillor Cearns confirmed that funding was available for a bollard which should resolve the problem of unauthorised access. A final decision would be taken shortly.

 

The Project Delivery and Environment Manager confirmed a that Traffic Regulation Order had been approved and consultation undertaken. A decision was expected shortly.

 

Councillor Rosenstiel reminded the Committee that a limited number of premises in the area needed some vehicle access via Adam and Eve Street.

 

Member of the Public

The Red Cross shop has been considerably inconvenienced by the closure of Adam and Eve Street and would argue against permanent closure.

 

Mr Lawton

The Temporary Planning Permission for a Coach Station kiosk on Parkside is due to be renewed again. This has not been the subject of public debate and is not in-line with the previous decision.

 

Councillor Smith recalled that the last time this item had been discussed, the Committee agreed it was to be the last extension.

 

Councillor Rosenstiel suggested that at present there was little alternative to the use of Parkside as the planned provision at the railway station was not yet ready.

 

Council Bick expressed concerns that the area lacked facilities for travellers and gave a poor first impression to visitors to Cambridge.

 

Members agreed that the decision needed to come to this Committee and that the County Council should be pressured to take action over the situation.

To receive a presentation by Balfour Beatty & Cambridgeshire County Council on the street lighting renewal programme, followed by a question and answer session.

The Committee received a presentation from Balfour Beatty regarding the Cambridgeshire Street Lighting Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The presentation covered the following points:

 

·        A 25 years contract had commenced in July 2011.

·        There was a 5 year core investment programme.

·        There would be a reduction of energy consumption.

·        £70,000 had been set aside for the restoration of the Richardson Candles.

·        £130,000 had been agreed jointly by the County and City Council for lighting in streets in the ‘Historic Core’ of the City.

 

The presentation team invited questions from both Committee Members and the public.

 

Councillor Kightley

The quality of the new lighting in Huntingdon Road does not appear to be an improvement.

 

Adam Marshall (Balfour Beatty): Lighting in this area is not the white lighting used in residential areas.

 

Bev Nicolson

If Street lighting is dimmed after 10pm, what impact will this have on the night-time economy and safety of the city centre?

 

Adam Marshall (Balfour Beatty): City centre lights will not be dimmed.

 

John Lawton

Who decided on the parameters of the Historic Core?

 

Alan Hitch (Balfour Beatty): The City Council had provided a map and priorities had been agreed in consultation.

 

The Project Delivery and Environment Manager added that the Historic Core had been defined by previous area appraisals.

 

John Pierce

Christ Church Street has 3 cast iron columns. Residents had been promised an independent inspection which had never materialised. Leaving them alone would be more economical than replacing.

 

Councillor Rosenstiel: The Kite area has many attractive feature that need to be preserved. There appears to be no reason why the limited number (7 in total) of cast iron columns in the area cannot be preserved.

 

Councillor Cearns: When the PFI was drawn up there was no consultation with Ward Councillors. Columns in Victoria Street had been removed in error when it had been agreed they would be the subject of consultation. No apology had been received.

 

David Marshall (Balfour Beatty): There was a list of columns that were not part of the main contract. Balfour Beatty would be happy to work with the City and County Council’s to preserve columns.

 

Keeley Russell (Balfour Beatty): Balfour Beatty cannot take responsibility for the safety of non-standard columns. The 25 year programme is a massive project. Victoria Street was not on the list of Historic core Streets and the instruction to retain the columns had not reached the correct department. However, the columns remain in Balfour Beatty possession and could be reinstated once agreement had been reached over who would take responsibility for them. This could not be a residents group.

 

Richard Price

What plans were in place for the elegant cast iron columns in the Jesus Green, Lower Portugal Place and the Park Street areas?

 

Keeley Russell (Balfour Beatty): Some lighting in the area would be replaced with modern equivalents. No decision had yet been reached regarding Jesus Green. Additions to the Historic Core were under consideration. A separate meeting on this matter may be needed.

 

Susan Stobbs

Maids Causeway cobbles and railing were listed and protected. Why does this not extent to the lighting?

 

Jim Davies

The Kite area should be included as part of the Historic Core as much of value had already been lost. Balfour Beatty appears to be replacing attractive for ugly.

 

Joe Bedford

Christ Church Street is in part of a Conservation Area and limits are imposed on residents. Those limitations should also apply to works carried out to the street scape. Areas of London are able to maintain historic features and it should be possible to do the same in Cambridge.

 

Councillor Kightley: There appears to be a lot to discuss and it is not possible to do more at this meeting. This matter will be discussed further outside the meeting. A workshop in the Market Ward was suggested.

Action: Market Councillors / Andy Preston

The Committee received a report from Inspector Poppitt regarding Policing and Safer neighbourhood trends.

 

The report outlined actions taken since the West Central Area Committee of the 9 January 2014. The current emerging issues/neighbourhood trends for each ward were also highlighted (see report for full details).

 

Members’ Comments:

 

Councillor Kightley expressed concern that motorists were using the, as yet unadopted, Lawrence Weaver Road as a car park and were parking in the cycle lane. The Police representatives stated that little could be done until the road was adopted and in full use as no offence was being committed.

 

Councillor Rosenstiel asked why the East Road / Newmarket Road junction had not been included in the ‘Safe Passage’ action. Sergeant Street stated that the initiative had been concentrated on accident black spots.

 

Councillor Hipkin was concerned that a large amount of time and resources appeared to targeted and pursuing beggars when little action appeared to be taken to deter late night, alcohol related, anti-social behaviour.

 

Councillor Reiner questioned the plans in place to deal with outdoor summer events which had been problematic in the past and was assured that adequate strategies were in place.

 

Susan Stobbs (Friends of Midsummer Common) stated that a Public Consultation Meeting had taken place regarding Strawberry Fair. Plans to ensure a trouble free event were well in place.

 

Councillor Bick questioned the apparent rise in burglaries and was assured that, compared to national and other local rates, the figures remained low.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Rosenstiel, the Safer Communities Section Manager confirmed that the roof area of Radcliffe Court continued to attract free runners. W.H. Smith’s had agreed to investigate roof security and would repair the broken fence. Further meetings with the lettings agent for the building were planned.

 

Councillor Bick suggested that vehicles obstruction of pavements should be added as a priority as it continued to be a problem in the area. Sergeant Street stated that Police time was more likely to be given to moving traffic offences than parking issues. He suggested that a link to the County Council Enforcement team might be a better approach. Members stated that they would like this to be a priority as there was a safety issue and it would raise awareness.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (unanimously) to prioritise the following:

 

1.   Street-based ASB

2.   Operation Safe passage

3.      Vehicle Obstruction of Pavements

The Committee received a report from the Operations & Resources Manager.

 

The report referred to applications received to date for 2014/15 funding for projects in the West Central Area and made recommendations for awards and providing information on the eligibility and funding criteria.

 

Members Comments:

 

Councillor Smith suggested that the timings for bringing this report to Committee should be reviewed as it was inappropriate for the Committee to be making grant awards in the run up to an election. Operations & Resources Manager suggested that this was because the groups need to know what funding they have as early as possible and further delay of a couple of months into the financial year may be difficult for some groups..

 

Councillor Hipkin stated that it was disappointing that so few applications for grants came forward. The Operations and Resources Manager suggested that this was on the increase now that the grants were handled in-house. Promotion of grants was on-going across the city.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (unanimously) to agree the following awards:

 

WC1           Christ's Pieces Residents Association Two talks

                   £300

WC2                    Friends of Midsummer Common Community

£1,133

WC3                    Little Monkeys parent and toddler playgroup

 £190

WC4                    St Augustine's Church

£1,500

WC5                    St Giles Church Sixth annual Christmas Tree Festival

£1,145

WC6                    The Liveaboard Trust River Art Festival

£3,000

WC7                    Under Fives Roundabout

£345

WC8                    Windsor Road Residents Association Meetings

£200

The Committee:

 

Resolved (unanimously) to approve the following dates for the municipal year 2014/15.

 

Tuesday     24 June 2014

Thursday    4 September 2014

Wednesday 29 October 2014

Wednesday 7 January 2015

Thursday     5 March 2015

Thursday     23 April 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Councillor Kightley announced that he was standing down and wished to express his appreciation to the public and to fellow committee members for their cooperation over the years.