EXPLAINED: What can Peterborough Planning Committee take into account at Showground meeting
Proposed development is one of the biggest in Peterborough
This afternoon city councillors will meet to discuss the future of the East of England Showground.
The plans are to cover the venue with a 1,500 homes and leisure village development.
The proposals have caused heated debates across the city – with some passionately in favour of the proposals, while others have protested against the plans.
While there is a lot of emotion that has been stirred up by the plans, the councillors on the planning committee themselves will have to put that emotion to one side, as they decide whether to approve or refuse permission
The meeting will take place at Sandmartin House in Fletton Quays at 1.30pm.
The agenda for the meeting is available at https://democracy.peterborough.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=117&MId=5138
The meeting is expected to be live streamed by the city council on their Youtube channel
The Peterborough Telegraph will be at the meeting, and will have full coverage of the decisions made online.
Who is on the committee?
The planning committee is made up of councillors from a variety of parties.
The list of expected committee members attending the meeting is as follows:
Councillor Chris Harper (Chair) (Peterborough First)
Councillor Asim Mahmood (Vice Chair) (Labour)
Councillor Numan Ali Iqbal (Labour)
Councillor Brian Rush (Peterborough First)
Councillor Roger Antunes (Peterborough First)
Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald (Conservative)
Councillor Scott Warren (Conservative)
Councillor Andrew Bond (Liberal Democrat)
Councillor Heather Skibsted (Green Party)
Councillor Mohammed Rangzeb (Green Party)
Councillor Jason McNally (Labour)
What decision can the committee make?
The committee are considering two applications, and in each case they can Approve the plans, Refuse the proposals, or Defer, if they feel they need more information.
What is being decided?
Members of the council's planning committee will decide whether to approve two outline applications for the Showground from the land promoters, AEPG.
One plan is for 650 homes on land already earmarked for housing in the council’s Local Plan.
The second is for 850 homes and a £30 million leisure village, hotel, school and care village.
What has been recommended?
An officers’ report to be considered by councillors has recommended the plans be approved, and states: “In this instance the provision of 255 units of Affordable Housing is a significant benefit, along with the provision of market housing, community facilities, and the potential for a unique leisure offering which can be tailored to reach the requirements of the council’s Culture and Leisure team.
"Further, the care village offering has the potential to address the demands of a particular demographic, within a setting that has the capacity to incorporate green spaces with substantial biodiversity value.
"On balance, the potential detrimental impacts upon the highway network can be mitigated to an acceptable degree."
What can the committee take into account?
Planning law requires that planning applications be determined in accordance with the Development Plan (in this case the Peterborough Local Plan 2019) unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
In making a planning decision, the decision maker must take into account all material considerations that are relevant to that proposal.
Potentially anything related to planning can be a material planning consideration. There is no definitive list – generally the Courts have decided over the years what is or isn’t a material planning consideration.
In the case of the showground applications, the officer assessment has concluded that both applications are contrary to the Local Plan, but that there are other significant material considerations that outweigh this conflict – hence the recommendation to approve, subject to conditions and the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement to secure necessary mitigation.
The Committee is entitled to come to a different conclusion if it sees fit. It is in its gift as decision maker to attach whatever weight they see fit to all relevant material considerations, as long as they have taken them into account and made the decision in accordance with the legal requirement.
What are Material Planning Considerations?
The adopted policies of the Development Plan (The Development Plan is made up of several different documents).
Relevant planning legislation, Circulars and other Central Government Guidance on planning issues.
Relevant Planning Appeal decisions
Advice from specialists and bodies consulted on applications, such as highway and drainage engineers and the Environment Agency.
Supplementary Planning Guidance, such as Village Design Statements.
Other agreed Council strategies, policies and plans.
The number, size, layout, siting, design and external appearance of buildings.
Impact on the neighbourhood of an area. Would the proposal harm the character or amenity of the area?
Impact on the amenities of adjoining properties in terms of privacy, and daylight, e.g. overshadowing or overlooking. If you feel you have a 'right to light', you may wish to take private legal advice, but this is not a matter that the Local Planning Authority can take into account.
The effect on traffic, road access and visibility, parking and highway safety.
The loss of public view.
The appropriateness of the proposed land use, e.g. the conversion of a house in a quiet residential street to a shop or restaurant.