You all right, Chair? >> Thank you. Good evening and welcome to this Central Area Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday the 29th of May 2024. My name is Councillor John Driver and I am the chair of this committee. Members, we are streaming this meeting live as well as recording and being present in the meeting. You're giving your consent to being recorded. During each item, please put your hand on your hand. [BLANK_AUDIO]
I'll end up to indicate if you wish to speak. I will then invite you at the appropriate time. Can I ask members to avoid approaching the top table as this could create interference with the cameras and live stream? Please note that the YouTube live stream sound recording is dependent on the correct use of the microphones. Therefore, can I ask you that when invited to speak, you remember to turn on your microphone and turn it off when finished. Please reference a page or paragraph now.
If you remember, when referring to the gender papers and keep your contributions as clear and concise as possible. Item two then apologies for absence.
Please, Mr. Jones, please proceed. Thank you, Chair.
It's recommended that the minutes of the meeting held on the 22nd of November, 2023, found on pages 7 to 14, are approved as a true and accurate record.
I so moved. Do I have a seconder for that motion? Thank you. Councillor Stilts. Can we agree by a cent?
Thank you very much. On to a gender item for declarations of interest to disclose the existence and nature of any disclosedable peculiar interests are the
registerable interests and non registerable interests relating to items of business on the agenda having regard to paragraph nine and appendix B of the Code of Conduct for members. Members
are reminded that they are also required to disclose any such interest as soon as they become aware. Should the need arise throughout the meeting? Any declarations of interest?
No. Okay. Thank you. So, on to a gender item five then?
In relation to this because it's a modern district. Yeah, given this next item is brought on behalf of a modern district council. We all have a dispensation to
actually speak and consider this application. Okay, thank you. So, we're gender item five then. This is found on pages 15 to 22. I don't believe there's any members updating
relation to this. And we will have no public participation. So, is there any report please?
Thank you, Chair. The application started situated within the Valley Adventure Park area of the promenade park. Planning permission is sought for the installation of replacement play equipment to replace the existing
pirate ship Galleon. The first slide shows the existing layout of the pirate ship and what is proposed including the new lighthouse. These are the existing elevations.
And this is what it's proposed. Here are some photographs of the existing pirate ship. And these are some visuals of what is proposed on the site as you have the pirate ship on the right and the lighthouse on the left. This is just from a different angle.
That was the end of the presentation. The player equipment comprises of a new bespoke pirate ship and lighthouse to be located in the same area as the existing pirate ship. The structure will measure a maximum height, a maximum of 19.5 meters in width, 17.6 meters in depth and have a maximum height to the top of the mask of 6.6 meters.
It will be set on a new safety surface. The pirate ship and lighthouse will include slides, climbing ladders, rope, rope, zip line, a fireman's pole, a climbing wall, as well as common features found on both pirate ships and
lighthouses such as mass sails, cannons, look up, windows, and crashing waves. Features include clouds, the sun and sea gulls and will also be added to create the illusion of being by the sea all year round.
The proposal is effectively an updated replacement of the existing play equipment with the addition of a lighthouse with the existing location. The play equipment is of a similar character and appearance to the existing equipment and as such,
would not materially impact on the site or surrounding area. It would have no impact on the immunity of the neighbouring occupiers or the parking provision and the highway safety that currently exists on site.
The application is recommended for approval as per section 8 in the committee report.
Thank you very much. I open the meeting, any comments, questions?
The old galleon, obviously, has passed its best. We can't get that to be refurbished hence this has come to committee for consideration.
It's a point, what's going to happen to some of the resources that come off the old galleon? There's lots of slides and bits and bobs.
I was interested in this planned application, but I was interested when I was down there today to look at it thinking, well, there are some bits there that could be utilised.
The second point is, it's a really good fit in my humblest opinion because we need to have that play area for children and with a new safety service I think is a very good fit for the problem in existing capacity.
Thank you. If that's possible to answer that question, if not, then we don't know how you don't mind.
We haven't been provided with the information of what's going to happen with the parts of the existing Irish ship. That might be something to ask.
I think we can take that. That is not a planning consideration, but it is certainly a consideration which will be useful given that if we can reuse what's there, that will make a lot of sense.
Yes, absolutely.
Councillor SRI.
Thank you, Chair. I was going to pose the same question myself, because there are some elements there that would be a real pity to waste, and there is a play area in West Maldon that would be maybe glad to receive some parts of that.
I would like it, please. I would like it, Minutid, that we try to salvage some bits from the old one. Thank you very much. Thank you, Chair.
Thank you. Councillors, thank you.
Can I ask, what is the height difference between the old dallium and the new dallium?
Yes, I think they're pretty much the same height.
I suppose one of the preambles to this application coming forward was whether it needed planning permission or not, or whether it fell within permitted development.
Now, it needed planning permission because it was more than four metres in height.
It is taller than the existing, not significantly, but it is taller.
But one of the main considerations was the fact that it was more than four metres in height.
So that was one of the main considerations. Thank you.
Thank you. Any other questions, comments? Councillor M'milla?
Just quickly, because we've now got the lighthouse next to it, how does that affect the beach huts?
Does that affect the beach huts, because they're on that other side and they're reasonably close to the area?
So the lighthouse is on the other side to the beach huts, if so, the lighthouse is positioned nearer to the splash part, apart from this.
So this is where the existing pirate ship is, the beach huts are here, and this is the splash park, and the lighthouse is going to be in this area.
So it will be to the side.
Councillor interjecting.
Again, not necessarily completely relevant as a planning matter, but I just wondered if there was any more information or any update at all?
Exactly, when this might happen, when the development is expected to happen.
Thank you.
I really can't answer that in any space.
I do know that they want to go on with it as soon as possible.
Again, some of the preamble to this in discussion we had some months ago was that whether the planning permission or applying for planning permission would have jeopardised the timetable.
Because they want to get it in place for the summer.
So I think that a swift determination, issuing of a planning permission will keep them on the timetable, I think, to then deliver this, hopefully, with the summer.
But this is nothing I'm saying with any authority, but it's just my picking up on things.
They'll be doing very well if they manage it for the summer.
I think just to help Mr Johnson and other members, I think the conversation that we have is it won't be this summer.
It would be a sort of October, October, October time when the decommissioning.
So it would be ready for next summer.
And when you haven't put the reproachly yet, but I'd be glad to support it.
Okay, Councillor Layton.
Hi, thank you, Mr Chairman.
Just a quick point, when we talked about this before and speaking to residents and visitors, was there some protection area given the age of the children there for sun?
Has that been factored in all part of the planning permission during our previous submission?
I know it's not for consideration today, but it's just to support the people using that facility, given it's exposed position.
Is that possible? Can we answer that?
I don't know, but who answered that?
Okay, it doesn't look like, as it stands, there's something specific, though it is something to consider, isn't it?
But that's not before us now, so...
Sorry, Councillor Spencely.
Councillor Nick Spencely.
Yeah, it does say it features clouds, don't I quite have there generated?
So all I was going to say was that I think it's a jolly good idea, I'm sorry it's come 60 years too late for me to enjoy it and I'd be happy to second the proposal.
Have we had a proposal?
No, we haven't had a proposal.
Well, I have proposed it, so do we have any other questions, otherwise I will, Councillor Layton.
So, I have a question, but I'll propose the acceptance.
That's fine.
The officer's recommendation is that this is accepted, so I'm happy to propose it from the chair and seconded by Councillor Nick Spencely.
So could we have a vote on this, or can we agree by ascent?
Agreed.
Agreed, thank you very much, okay, that's agreed.
Entre item 6 then, any other items of business that the chair decides are urgent, I have none.
You'd be glad to know.
So item number 7 closure of the meeting, members, thank you for the contributions this evening.
I can now call the meeting to a close at 843.
743, thank you very much.
[LAUGHTER]
[BLANK_AUDIO]
[BLANKAUDIO]
[MUSIC]
[BLANK_AUDIO]
[BLANKAUDIO]
[BLANKAUDIO]
[BLANKAUDIO]
[BLANKAUDIO]
[BLANKAUDIO]