Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection and the Chief Planning Officer (CPO), which had been written in response to an Alderman’s question to the Court of Common Council in December 2016.  The Alderman had enquired as to whether developers could be asked to pay for on-site specialist staff to help monitor construction impacts and control adverse impacts.  The Chairman of Planning and Transportation undertook to investigate this and the report recommended the next steps following that investigation. 

The CPO reported that in January 2017 a new Noise Strategy 2016-2026 was approved together with a Draft Code of Practice for Deconstruction and Construction Sites which was approved for consultation. Further to the investigation in response to the noise monitoring question, it was now recommended that the Draft Code approved for consultation be modified to include provision for monitoring contributions to be payable by developers to fund more proactive monitoring of construction impacts from development sites.

It was considered that this should improve noise and other environmental impacts from development for adjoining occupiers but would increase development costs in the City.

Members welcomed the report but sought clarification on the charging process and how the payment would alleviate the problem, as well as whether or not planning permissions might be delayed in lieu of this.

Arising from the discussion, the recommendations were put to the vote, the result of which was as follows:-

·         21 in favour

·         0 against

·         1 abstention

RESOLVED – That:

a)        The necessary amendments to the Draft Code be agreed, to make provision for monitoring payments by developers to fund more proactive monitoring of construction impacts on development sites and the revised Draft Code be issued for consultation amongst relevant stakeholders; and

b)        Following consultation, officers report back with recommendations for the Draft Code to be adopted, and to make any necessary changes to conditions.