(By Graham France)

Two of the newly-elected councillors attended the meeting and with one of them already a member, it was agreed that he, the Hon Mike Rendell, should chair this one and hand over to the Hon Dr Richard Davies, the portfolio holder, for those following.  Also attending were Gerald Cheek and Mike Harris with technical support from the Building Adviser, Alan Dawson, Director of Public Works Manfred Keenleyside, Chief Fire Officer Gardner Fiddes, and Crown Counsel (A) Alison Inglis.  No less than six members of the public were present, including the writer, for the “open” session which lasted precisely one-and-a-quarter hours but with no “closed” session to conclude the meeting.

Apologies had been received from the Environmental Planning Officer (EPO), Dominique Giudicelli, and in her absence Alan Dawson presented the applications to members.

Two applications deferred from previous meetings were looked at first.  In the case of the proposed extension to dog kennels at Murray Heights for Alex Jaffray, it was understood that an alternative sitehad been found and that a new application was to be submitted for the committee to consider.  Stanley Electrical’s proposals to extend their building in Dean Street was given conditional planning permission now that concerns over the sufficiency of off-street parking had been resolved.

New applications

The following applications received conditional planning permission: a building to house freezer units on their premises off Crozier Place for the Falkland Islands Company Limited; a single-storey extension to his dwelling at 2 Arch Green for Derek Jaffray; Owen Lee’s proposal for the reconstruction of his front porch at 4 Pioneer Row; a two-storey dwelling with integral garage for Roger Edwards at 8 Sulivan Street; extensions to her dwelling at 60 Davis Street for Kathleen Dobbyns; an extension to her dwelling also the erection of a garage at 37 Ross Road East for Annie Gisby; and the erection of a two-storey dwelling with integral garage for Geoff Loftus at 15 Biggs Road.

Neil Rowlands sought approval for the erection of three poles for communication antennas on rocks to the north of Camber House on Navy Point. This raised a certain amount of discussion, part of which centred around comments from the Royal Falkland Islands Police over possible concerns that interference may occur with their own radio communications.  It was however decided that this was unlikely to occur and that if it did then suitable action could be taken.  It was therefore resolved to grant conditional planning permission for the development.

There were just two applications for planning permission in principle. The Falkland Islands Development Corporation sought outline consent for the erection of a wind turbine at the Sand Bay Abattoir to provide power to their chiller units.  This, it was explained, would much reduce the take up from the electricity mains supply, such that a payback period of about two years was expected.  The other application, submitted by Shiralee Collins, was for a dwelling on land at the north-west corner of the junction of Racecourse Road and Jeremy Moore Avenue where a number of services were present in and above the site.  Suitable conditions were proposed to deal with this particular matter and, as with the other application, it was resolved to grant conditional outline planning permission.

There was considerable discussion on the last application for planning permission to be discussed at the meeting.  This was for a one-and-a-half-storey dwelling proposed on land at 8 Haskard Rise for VT Communications and which had raised letters of objection and comment from His Excellency the Governor and from Jane Cameron, the Archivist, on behalf of the Historic Buildings Committee.  Members also had before them a report prepared by the EPO in which the background to the application was explained and its potential to have two main impacts, one of which was to lessen the impact of the existing house at 6 Haskard Rise and the other to blend so well into the landscape so as to look “as if it had always been there”.  Members agreed with the report’s recommendation that, in order to assess the full visual impact of the proposal, a site meeting be held following the return from leave of the EPO later this month.

Alan Dawson then commented where necessary on the list of applications which had been received seeking a building permit.  He still awaited further technical information on the proposal to extend the Falklands Brasserie restaurant at 3 Philomel Street, and referred to satisfactory site meetings he had had with applicants for building work in Camp: with Albert McLeod on his house proposed at Camilla Creek on East Falkland, and with Mr and Mrs Woodward over their works proposed to premises at Little Chartres Farm on West Falkland.

Other matters discussed during the meeting included the interaction between applications for planning permission and those for building permits, so that when one consent was issued and another was still needed it was always made clear by letter to the applicant that these were entirely separate issues, therefore development must not proceed until both had been obtained.

Previously approved plans for extensions to both houses at 18 Callaghan Road were brought back to the committee as the applicants now wished to increase the size of the front extension.  Members reviewed the change and agreed to give their approval.

A proposal to “list” the building known as Stone Cottage at Goose Green was received from the Historic Buildings Committee following that body’s receipt of a request from owners, Falkland Landholdings.  It was requested that the listing include the curtilage of the building, which includes stone paving and a macrocarpa tree, although not the timber house extension to the east which, it was said, detracted from the appearance.  It was agreed by members that the application be forwarded to Executive Council (ExCo) although they were aware from previous decisions that the listing, if given, may be restricted to the dwelling only.

Commercial development in residential areas was the subject of a memorandum by Alison Inglis which was written following the last meeting, when a number of applications were considered for such development shown located in land indicated as “residential” on the policies and proposals map.  It was agreed by members that such proposals would be acceptable if it is demonstrated that there would not be an unacceptable level of adverse impact on the amenity of existing residential occupiers.  However, proposals for residential development in a commercial area would have to go to ExCo for a decision.  The committee felt it was important that the public be made aware that they were not unduly restricted by “zoning”.

Secretary to the committee, Fiona Wallace, then asked for approval to advertise for a member to replace the Hon Mike Rendell, as he now had membership as a councillor, and members agreed that she could proceed with this.

The next meeting of the committee is scheduled to be held on Thursday 12^th January

2006 beginning at 9am in the Liberation Room of the Secretariat.

 Graham France                                                                      1^st December 2005