Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2024 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a true record.

An update sheet was circulated to members of Planning Committee in relation to planning applications to be considered this evening, which included additional responses for Members’ attention, received after the original agenda documents had been published.

RESOLVED that the update sheet be received by Planning Committee.

Please note that, in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct, when declaring interests members must disclose the existence and nature of the interest, and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) or personal and/or pecuniary.

No declarations of interest were received.

The Arboricultural Officer:

1. advised Planning Committee that the main purpose of the report provided reasons for proposed works to trees predominantly in the City Council's ownership, although it may include other trees at times where special circumstances applied and officers thought it was both helpful and were able to do so

2. sought consent to progress the works identified, as detailed at Appendix A of the report

3. highlighted that the list did not represent all the work undertaken to Council trees, it represented all the instances where a tree was in City Council ownership and identified for removal, or where a tree enjoyed some element of protection under planning legislation, and thus formal consent was required

4. explained that ward councillors had been notified of the proposed works.

Councillor Longbottom asked for an update in respect of works to five Lime trees in Castle Ward approved at the last meeting of Planning Committee on 30 October 2024, and enquired whether mitigation measures to reduce the loss of trees had been discussed with Anglian Water’s approved contractor.

The Arboricultural Officer explained that he had not received any feedback  from Anglian Water Authority regarding the installation of an interpretation board or suggestions made for installation of a modular planting system/ use of root barriers. He would make further enquiries and report back to Councillor Longbottom in person.

RESOLVED that:

1.    A response to Councillor Longbottom’s enquiry in relation to the replacement of five Lime Trees in Castle Ward be provided by the Arboricultural Officer following the meeting.

2.    The tree works set out in the schedule published within the report be approved.

The Assistant Director of Planning:

a.    referred to the application property, the White Hart Hotel, a grade II listed building located on the corner with Bailgate and Eastgate, with St Mary Magdalene’s Parish Church adjoined to the south, within the Cathedral and City Centre Conservation Area

b.    detailed the City Council’s Principal Conservation Officer’s description of the history of the premises, being a complicated site comprising four distinct building phases along the street scene

c.     advised that the hotel had recently reopened following extensive renovation works with some works still ongoing; there had been a number of applications, including most recently for the creation of a new leisure pool and spa, which was approved by Members of Planning Committee in July 2024

d.    advised that full planning permission was now being sought for the construction of a new external roof terrace on the flat roof of the 1960’s extension which fronted Bailgate, to include a frameless glass balustrade, glazed screen and access doors

e.    added that access would be taken from the existing fourth floor private lounge accommodation; the application also proposed the removal of the existing steel balcony to the south/east elevation and removal of the roof mounted water tower

f.      highlighted the following additional points:

·       A roof terrace was previously proposed on the flat roof area to the rear, east of the building as part of the original applications for internal and external refurbishment works (2023/0057/FUL and 2023/0058/LBC), however, the terrace was later omitted from the applications following advice from officers that this was not an appropriate addition.

·       Officers had concerns that this would cause harm to the setting of the listed building and adjacent listed buildings as well as views towards the Cathedral, the character and appearance of the Conservation area and residential amenity.

·       Subsequent discussions had been held between officers and the agent regarding a possible roof terrace, although officers had remained of the opinion that this would not be acceptable. Despite this advice, the agent had submitted this current application for a terrace on an alternative location, to the side of the building, adjacent to Bailgate.

g.    reported that in addition to this full application, an accompanying listed building consent application had been submitted (2024/0618/LBC), which only considered proposals in relation to the impact on the application property as a designated heritage asset, whereas this full application would consider this impact along with other matters; such as visual amenity, the character and appearance of the Conservation area, the setting of adjacent listed buildings and residential amenity

h.    stated that both applications were being presented to Members of Planning Committee for determination at the request of Councillor Murray

i.      detailed the history to the application site within the main body of the officer’s report

j.      provided details of the policies pertaining to the application, as follows:

·       Policy S53: Design and Amenity

·       Policy S57: The Historic Environment

·       Policy S58: Protecting Lincoln, Gainsborough and Sleaford’s Setting and Character

·       National Planning Policy Framework

·       Planning Practice Guidance- Historic Environment         

11. provided  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34a

The Assistant Director of Planning:

a.    referred to the application property, the White Hart Hotel, a grade II listed building, located on the corner with Bailgate and Eastgate within the Cathedral and City Centre Conservation Area

b.    reported that it sat on the corner of Bailgate and Eastgate with St. Mary Magdelene’s Parish Church (the church) adjoined to the south; the site was abutted to the rear, east and south, by residential properties; 19-23 Minster Yard, Exchequergate Lodge and 24 Eastgate

c.     detailed the City Council’s Principal Conservation Officer’s description of the history of The White Hart Hotel, being a complicated site comprising four distinct building phases along the street scene

d.    advised that the hotel had recently reopened following extensive renovation works with some works still ongoing, there had been a number of applications, including most recently for the creation of a new leisure pool and spa, which was approved by Members of Planning Committee in July 2024

e.    advised that this application sought listed building consent for a new external roof terrace on the flat roof of the 1960s extension which fronted Bailgate

f.      reported that the application would include a frameless glass balustrade, glazed screen, and access doors, with access taken from the existing fourth floor private lounge accommodation, where it was proposed to install new internal steps and a balustrade from the existing lounge to accommodate the change in levels

g.    added that the application also proposed the removal of the existing steel balcony to the south/east elevation and removal of the roof mounted water tower

h.    highlighted that a roof terrace was previously proposed on the flat roof area to the rear, east of the building as part of the original applications for internal and external refurbishment works (2023/0057/FUL and 2023/0058/LBC), however the terrace was later omitted from the applications following advice from officers that this was not an appropriate addition

i.      added that officers had concerns that this would cause harm to the setting of the listed building and adjacent listed buildings as well as views towards the Cathedral, the character and appearance of the conservation area and residential amenity

j.      reported that despite this and subsequent advice, the agent has submitted this current application for a terrace on an alternative location, to the side of the building, adjacent to Bailgate

k.     advised that in addition to this listed building consent application, an accompanying application for full planning permission had been submitted (2024/0617/FUL) and considered by Planning Committee as the previous agenda item this evening

l.      confirmed that this listed building consent application considered the proposals, including any internal alterations, in relation to the impact on the application property as a designated heritage asset

m.   confirmed that both applications were being presented to Members of the Planning Committee for determination at the request of Councillor Murray

n.    highlighted that responses had been received from the church and the Cathedral Estates Department in relation to both the full and listed building consent applications, however, as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34b