Agenda item

Concerns and suggestions made at the meeting by the petitioners included:

• That the consultation process for the planning application for the development of the boarding accommodation at the Harefield Academy had been flawed as residents had not been aware that the application was to be considered at North Planning Committee on 23 June 2009
• A number of residents of Northwood Road had not received the consultation letter regarding the planning application
• The Academy had failed to deliver correspondence to residents regarding their public consultation event prior to submission of the planning application, including a public exhibition. The letters had been delivered by children from the Academy and the reliability of this arrangement was questioned
• An investigation should be carried out into the delivery of the Council’s consultation letters to residents in Northwood Road
• Residents had not seen the site notice for the planning application as it had been posted at the entrance to the site and not in an area where residents could easily see it
• The planning application had been advertised in a free newspaper and not in the more widely ready local newspaper
• Without a formal consultation exercise the Council had failed in its duties under the Human Rights Act
• The residents affected by the planning application should be given the opportunity to discuss the application

The Cabinet Member listened to the issues and concerns raised by the petitioners and responded to the points raised.

• The Lead Petitioner had received the consultation letter dated 22 April 2009 
• The site notice and the public notice in the local newspaper had been published in accordance with statutory requirements
• The letters which had been sent out to the consulted residents had not been returned back to the Council as unopened

A representative from the Bell Cornwell, the planning agents for the planning application attended the meeting and clarified the following points and issues raised by the petitioners:

·        The Academy had held a public consultation exhibition. Over 300 letters had been hand delivered to local residents and posted/emailed to a wide number of interested parties. An advert for the event had been placed in a local paper. This would have made residents aware of the forthcoming application

·        Following submission of the application at the end of March, the Council had fully followed, and had exceeded, the statutory requirements with regard to consultation

·        On 21 May 2009, the Principal of the Academy, along with other members of staff, attended the Harefield Residents’ Association meeting and had presented the scheme to them

·        A number of written representations had been received by the Council in response to the application

·        A direct response had been given to the issues raised by Mr and Mrs Levy in their letter to the case officer dated 8 June 2009

·        During the course of the application process, the Principal of the Academy had had direct contact with the Levys of Roundwood House and their agent, including meeting them to discuss a number of issues they had raised in their objection letter

·        The matter had been discussed in detail at a Harefield Residents’ Association meeting on 18 June 2009

·        A number of local residents had attended the North Planning Committee on 23 June 2009 and had been represented by a public speaker

·        The Committee Members had fully debated the scheme and the issues involved and had resolved to grant planning consent

·        The Academy agreed with the officers of the Council that the Council had carried out its statutory duties with regard to consultation on this application  

Resolved-

That the Cabinet Member:

1.   Noted and discussed with petitioners their concerns regarding the consultation process.

2.   Does not agree to the request that further consultations be carried out on the planning application. 

3.   Confirms the decision made by the North Planning Committee at its meeting of the 23 June 2009 in respect of the application for the erection of a three storey building to provide accommodation for 50 boarders and 4 staff with ancillary amenity space, landscaping, car parking and biomass boiler enclosure at Harefield Academy, Northwood Way, Harefield ( Ref: 17709/APP/2009/624).

Reasons For Recommendation

It was considered that adequate public consultations had been carried out over and above statutory requirements in connection with this application. Local residents had been given an opportunity, and had taken the opportunity; to express their views regarding this proposal and their interests had not been prejudiced. The North Planning Committee had considered the views of residents in determining the application.

Alternative Options Considered

The chief petitioner had requested that the Council undertook a further formal consultation process. In practice this would serve no useful purpose, as extensive consultations had already been carried out and the views of local residents had been received by way of 5 letters of objection and a petition with 62 signatures. The North Planning Committee had considered the views of residents, by way of the report to the Committee, the addendum report and the presentation of the petitioner, in determining the application.

Relevant Ward:

Harefield