Agenda item - Report on Hove Library Planning Application in Response to the Notice of Motion agreed at Council on 19 April

Report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture

RESOLVED:

1          That the committee notes the background information on how the listed building application BH2017/03940 was consulted on and determined and that all future applications relating to Hove Library will be referred to Planning Committee for determination.

2          That the committee requests that the cross-party Planning Committee Members’ Working Group considers the scheme of delegation and whether all planning and listed building applications made in respect of all or certain Council owned buildings should be determined by the Planning Committee.

8.1      The Committee considered the Report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture which had been prepared in response to the Notice of Motion agreed at full Council on 19 April. It set out how the listed building application at Hove Library was advertised and determined under delegated authority and a petition with 222 signatories was presented to the same meeting and referred to TDC. The report also considered how best to respond to the concerns of councillors and how all future applications should be determined by Planning Committee.

8.2      Councillor Mac Cafferty thanked Officers for the report and stated that he felt that the key learning point from the report was the importance of learning how to rebuild community trust.

8.4      Councillor Nemeth confirmed that the one thing the report did not reflect was the outcome of the site meeting that he and Councillor Wealls attended. There were areas of the library such as the cornices and covered parquet flooring that should be restored to its original glory.

8.5      Councillor Morris agreed that things had moved on and that it was a pity there were not more letters of objection and that it was a lesson for the community to be more involved in future.

8.6      RESOLVED:

1)        That the Committee noted the background information on how the listed building application BH2017/03940 was consulted on and determined and that all future applications relating to Hove Library will be referred to Planning Committee for determination.

2)        That the Committee requested that the cross-party Planning Committee Members’ Working Group considers the scheme of delegation and whether all planning and listed building applications made in respect of all or certain Council owned buildings should be determined by the Planning Committee.