Falklands : Planning and Building Committee Report (07/17/06)
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 18.07.2006 (Article Archived on 01.08.2006)
Graham France updates us on what happened during this important committee meeting.
PLANNING & BUILDING COMMITTEE
HELD 17th JULY 2006
(By Graham France)
This was the first meeting to be attended by new lay member Iain Berntsen who was welcomed by chairman Richard Davies.
In matters arising from the last meeting held in June, it was reported that Cable & Wireless would be testing signal strengths on their mobile phone masts next month and that the Environmental Planning Officer (EPO), Dominique Giudicelli, had had a meeting with the Falkland Islands Company director Roger Spink to discuss the condition of the YPF site on Ross Road East. A number of points were made and listed in a report to committee – these included its usefulness as a storage area due to the concrete base which made it more suitable than other sites owned by the FIC, also that its use and appearance was established before the new housing in the area was constructed and therefore predates the surrounding residential area. It was, however, agreed that items just outside the northern perimeter belonging to someone else might be removed which would improve the appearance of this part of the street scene.
In the absence of the EPO, who is on leave, Building Adviser Alan Dawson presented the applications seeking planning permission (of which there were 19) and reported on those five for which a building permit was sought.
Conditional planning permission was granted for the following developments: change of use for the existing former-military communications mast and cabin to commercial use on the Old BFFI Site in Stanley for Mario Zuvic Bulic; the construction of one three-bedroom dwelling (changed from the original proposal for two one-bedroom semi-detached houses) at 1 and 2 Allardyce Street for Gerald Dixon; installation of a wind farm with access road and service cables for the Power & Electrical Section of PWD at the Peat Bog Paddock near Sand Bay on East Falkland; amendments to the earlier approved plan for renovations and extension to his dwelling at 5 Moody Street for Mike Rendell; a change of use from garage to office for SeAled PR then subsequently as an exercise room at the rear of 11 Pioneer Row for Mike Summers, who left the meeting (which he attended in place of councillor Mike Rendell) during the discussion; removal of a lean-to and replacement with an infill-extension at 46 John Street for Bruce Miller; the provision of a car park in place of a grassed area near to their offices for Sulivan Shipping Limited; installation of a pontoon for mooring purposes on the south side of the Canache for Neil Rowlands; the provision of an electricity distribution point on the north side of the Canache for the Power & Electrical Section of PWD; construction of a link-way between the office block and the garage/classroom at the Defence Force HQ; provision of an off-street parking area for Peter Gilding at his premises on 14 John Street, with access from Drury Street; and an extension to the shop and flat located at 34 and 36 Ross Road for the Gift Shop Limited.
There were only two new outline applications seeking planning permission in principle: Graham Fiddes applied to build a dwelling on land at Moody Brook, and the Standard Chartered Bank sought such consent to erect a building for archive storage at 8 Gordon Lines. Both submissions were granted subject to the standard outline conditions.
Just one application was refused planning permission: SFS Limited applied for retrospective consent for a mast erected with three supporting ropes at Admiralty Cottage on John Biscoe Road, which had attracted one letter of objection. This was their second application, the first having been refused last November, and it was decided to again refuse permission in the interests of visual amenity. It was resolved that a letter was to accompany the notice of refusal requiring the removal of the mast and ropes, and if no appeal was made within the statutory time limit then enforcement action would be taken.
Applications deferred for a variety of reasons included the following: Joan Bound’s outline application to erect a dwelling on land rear of 10 Barrack Street; the permanent siting of a container for use as storage at the rear of Montague House on John Street for Kevin Connolly; and FIDC’s application to create a reefer container park on land between Coastel Road and their existing container park near Gordon Lines.
One proposal was withdrawn: Ron and Fiona Rozee’s submission seeking the renewal of consent for the extraction of calcified seaweed at their Pond Valley, Spring Point Farm, on West Falkland.
Moving onto other matters, members were informed there had been no applications received for off-street parking grants. A report from Crown Counsel (A) Alison Inglis on TV and radio aerials also TV satellite dishes was considered by the committee and it was agreed that she should proceed with the preparation of a paper recommending amendments to the General Development Order which, if approved by members, would be forwarded to Executive Counsel (ExCo) for consideration. The amendments would include as permitted development the erection within the curtilage of a dwelling TV and radio aerials for domestic use (including amateur radio), where the aerial does not exceed agreed dimensions nor project above the roof of the dwelling or other building to which it is attached.
It was then agreed to recommend to ExCo the listing as a Building of Special Architectural or Historic Interest under the terms of The Planning Ordinance the cottage on Beaver Island. Members were informed that the building has owner consent for the listing.
Secretary to the Committee, Fiona Wallace-Nannig, then presented a list of dates on which future meetings could be held over the forthcoming months, dates which had been chosen to fit in with the Environmental Planning Department’s staff leave schedules which would reduce the likelihood of meetings having to be cancelled. It was agreed that Monday 21st August would be that for the next meeting, commencing at 8.30am, with Tuesday 19th September to follow, then Tuesday 17th October.
Graham France 17th July 2006
|
