Falklands : Falklands Planning and Building Committee Report
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 06.11.2007 (Article Archived on 20.11.2007)
Graham France updates us on what happened during this vital committee meeting.
PLANNING & BUILDING COMMITTEE
HELD 1st NOVEMBER 2007
(By Graham France)
In the absence of the Hon Richard Davies (whose presence was taken by the Hon Mike Summers), the chair was occupied by the Hon Mike Rendell for this month’s meeting of the Planning & Building Committee at which all other members were present and their actions observed by four members of the public.
Environmental Planning Officer (EPO) Andrea Wright gave the meeting an update on the appeal against the refusal of planning permission for the extension to the Malvina House Hotel, and reported that Executive Council (ExCo) had considered this at their last meeting and decided to dismiss the appeal.
Following some discussion on the condition of the YPF Site on Ross Road East, which had been raised at the last meeting and considered in July 2006 also earlier in 2001, the meeting moved on to review applications for planning permission.
The first was a proposal for a one-and-a-half-storey house to be built east of the dwelling at 25 Ross Road East and which was deferred at the meeting held two months ago to allow the possibility of additional land being purchased. The applicants, Gavin Thomas and Sharon Henry, had written to explain that this was not possible and members were invited to accept the recommendation that consent be refused on the grounds that the proposal would result in over-development of the site.
There was considerable discussion and the committee eventually decided to grant planning permission subject to conditions, one of which was to remove “permitted development” rights so than any proposal, for example, to extend the dwelling would require an application for such consent.
Next was the proposal, deferred at the last meeting to allow consideration of other sites, for the installation of three twenty-foot containers opposite the Fire Station on St Mary’s Walk. Although there was now a recommendation that temporary planning permission be granted, members felt that such forms of development should not be allowed and resolved to recommend to ExCo that it be refused on the grounds of visual amenity and not suitable for the site.
New applications
The following new proposals for development were granted conditional planning permission: a single-storey office and two semi-detached dwellings for KTV Limited on their site at Dairy Paddock Road; a single-storey extension to their dwelling at 13 Rowlands Rise for Rob and Edwina Hoy; following the grant of outline planning permission on appeal, the details of their new dwelling, fencing, fuel tank and drive- way together with temporary structures to be used during construction on land north of Moody Brook Road for Carl and Dianne Freeman; Daniel Biggs’ proposal for a dwelling at 14 Hansen Hill (a letter is to go to the applicant pointing out the requirements for distances to site boundaries which might have an impact on a second house if built on this site); a roadside sign for Saddle Computers at their new premises off Stanley By-Pass; a single-storey dwelling at Mullet Creek Farm, East Falkland, for Claudio and Vinka Ross; and a two-storey extension to their house at 12 Watson Way for Richard and Miranda McKee.
Also given conditional approval was the renewal of temporary planning permission for the siting by Paz Blyth of the Coach Tea Room at Gypsy Cove Car Park. This, it was agreed, would allow such siting during the tourist season between 1 October and 30 April each year, to expire on 30 April 2010. From 1 May until 20 September annually the Coach Tea Room is to be removed from the site.
Despite a letter of objection from residents in nearby properties, Richard Gittens received conditional planning permission for the erection of two single-storey dwellings on land at 14 – 16 Goss Road. Members were reminded that outline planning consent had earlier been granted for such development, and in granting detailed permission they agreed to impose a further condition requiring the maximum distance from ground to floor level is not to exceed one metre.
Just one application was deferred: Ryan Hawksworth sought permission to erect a two-storey dwelling with off-street parking on land at 2 Goss Road. Although no objections had been received for this proposal, members agreed with the EPO that a one-and-a-half-storey house would have less impact on the surrounding area and that, in consequence, a revised design of the building should be sought.
The committee then noted the details of eight applications for building permits being dealt with by the new Building Adviser, Ken Snape, who was attending his first such meeting, then agreed to a request for a six-month extension for his off-road parking grant at 9 Kent Road by Bruce May.
Part 1 of the committee’s business concluded with a report on progress by the EPO with the Stanley Town Plan Review. Recent public consultation had taken place on the issues and options, she advised, with 34 representations received – 21 from individuals, 5 from private companies, 6 from government departments and 2 from other organisations. Summarising and analysing the comments is ongoing and the results will be reported in more detail at a future meeting, members were informed. It was hoped that copies of these will be made available in the Post Office for the public to view.
The next meeting of this committee is scheduled for Thursday December 6th to commence at 8.30am in the Liberation Room.
Graham France 2 November 2007
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