Agenda item

DM/19/4549 - The Regency Hotel, Old Hollow, Copthorne, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4TA

Minutes:

Susan Dubberley, Senior Planning Officer, introduced the application which sought approval for a change of use from a hotel (use class C1 to residential (use class C3) (10 flats in total) together with first floor extensions to provide 2x 1 bed and 8x 2 bed flats with associated parking and landscaping at the Regency Hotel, old Hollow, Copthorne. She drew Members’ attention to the Agenda Update Sheet which noted changes to the Use Class, typographical error corrections to the executive summary,  amendment to Condition 4 and representation from Environmental Health.

 

There were no public speakers.

 

A Member noted that even due to its proximity to Gatwick Airport the hotel has been running at a loss. He highlighted a reference in the report regarding the New Homes Bonus which he understood to be phased out by Central Government and expressed his surprised that the Council would receive anything from the site. He was pleased that the parking provision was increased to 17 spaces due to the rural location of the site and the lack of any nearby public transport provision.

 

Nick Rogers, Business Unit Leader for Development Management, confirmed that in February 2020 Central Government announced a review of the New Homes Bonus to see if it would continue beyond the year however due to Covid-19 the review didn’t take place. Until the Government advises otherwise it is considered acceptable to assume that it will continue.  Very limited weight is placed on the NHB as a material consideration in any event particularly as this development accords with the Development Plan.  He advised that it is intended for officers to review reference to the NHB in reports.

A Member urged the developer to put in more parking spaces as he noted that no person would access the site without a car and that at least two people would reside in the flats, whom both may have a car of their own.

 

The Business Unit Leader for Development Management outlined that there was sufficient space for parked vehicles and that it meets West Sussex County Council standards. He also outlined that if in future the residents required more parking spaces there is sufficient room for more parking spaces to be created through a further planning application.

 

A Member highlighted that there is plenty of room to park cars and that the Parish Council have supported the application.

 

The Chairman moved to the officer recommendation to approve the application with the amendment to condition 4 as proposed in the Agenda Update Sheet , which was proposed by Cllr Phillips and seconded by Cllr Coote.

 

A recorded vote was carried out by the Legal Officer and the application was unanimously approved.

 

 Councillor

For

Against

Abstain

G Allen

Y

 

 

E Coe-Gunnell White

Y

 

 

P Coote

Y

 

 

J. Dabell

Y

 

 

R Eggleston

Y

 

 

A. MacNaughton

Y

 

 

G. Marsh

Y

 

 

C. Phillips

Y

 

 

M. Pulfer

Y

 

 

D. Sweatman

Y

 

 

 

RESOLVED

 

A: That planning permission be approved subject to the completion of a S106 Legal Agreement to secure infrastructure contributions and the conditions set in Appendix A with the amendment to condition 4 as proposed in the Agenda Update Sheet;

and

 

B: That if the applicants have not submitted a satisfactory signed planning obligation securing the necessary infrastructure requirements by the 8th January 2021, then it is recommended that permission be refused at the discretion of the Divisional Lead for Planning and Economy, for the following reasons:

 

1. 'The application fails to comply with policy DP20 and DP21 of the Mid Sussex

District Plan in respect of the infrastructure required to serve the development.'

 

Supporting documents: