Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Policy Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site.

There were no declarations of interest or transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. 

There was submitted a revenue and capital budget monitoring report by the Director of Finance & Resources for the period 1 April to 10 November 2023. 

 

The report stated that the projected outturn as at 31 March 2024 for all services reporting to this Policy Board was an overspend position of £0.035 million. It was noted that there were no capital budget projects reporting to this Policy Board. Summaries were provided over the relevant services in the tables within the report, together with further analysis. It was noted that the projected outturn was based on current available information and assumptions made by service budget holders. It was also highlighted that no budget adjustments had been processed since the previous meeting of this Policy Board. 

 

DECIDED: That the projected revenue outturn position, detailed in Table 1 of the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure relative to Renfrewshire’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy.

 

The report referred to the climate emergency declared by the Council in June 2019 and the Plan for Net Zero approved in August 2022, which committed to working towards net zero by 2030 for both the Renfrewshire area as a whole and Renfrewshire Council as an organisation. This target covered all aspects of energy use within the Renfrewshire wide area.  Reducing carbon emissions was one of the principle measures to address climate change and a key priority for all local authorities. Renfrewshire Council recognised that climate change would have far reaching effects on Renfrewshire’s economy, its residents and its environment and was determined to lead by example in tackling the causes of climate change.

 

During 2022, the Scottish Parliament had passed the Local Heat and Energy Efficiencies (Scotland) Order 2022 which placed a statutory duty on local authorities to publish a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and Delivery Plan, which required to be updated at intervals of no more than 5 years.  LHEES were designed to be local authority-led, however stakeholder engagement and partnership working were key as the Strategy addressed all building stock at a local authority wide level. Renfrewshire’s LHEES designated the most appropriate energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation options on an authority-wide basis, broken down into area-based schemes, or zones, with a focus on two key priorities of reducing carbon emissions and alleviation of fuel poverty. The LHEES was also evidence-driven, based on local data and local knowledge and took into account assets and infrastructure within each local area to ensure potential solutions were tailored to the different issues, opportunities and needs across Renfrewshire’s communities. It was expected that the LHEES would act as a prospectus for government funding and external investment using a robust evidence base and place-based approach. The report advised that Renfrewshire’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy was to be submitted to the meeting of the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board to be held on 24 January 2024 for approval and that, due to the links with climate change, the strategy had been submitted to this Policy Board for noting.

 

DECIDED: 

 

(a) That the high-level information available at this time on Renfrewshire’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy be noted; and 

 

(b) That it be noted that updates would be submitted to meetings of the relevant Policy Boards on the further development of the Delivery Plans, outlining potential opportunities and proposed projects, activities and interventions. 

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to requests to apply Tree Preservation Order (TPO) designations to sites across Renfrewshire. 

The report advised that the TPO requests submitted had been considered in terms of the relevant legislation, namely, Section 160 of The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006, and within the procedures set out in the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Order and Trees in Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. The report provided updates in relation to the TPO agreed at the meeting of this Policy Board held on 7 November 2023 in respect of the site at Inchinnan Road, Renfrew and referred to requests received for the designation of TPOs in respect of the sites known as (i) land to the south of Stanely Reservoir, Paisley; (ii) trees at Potterhill Avenue, Paisley; and (iii) trees at St. Marks Church, Paisley and advised that assessments had been undertaken, details of which were provided within the report, together with recommendations that TPOs be made and the factors taken into consideration. 

DECIDED:

(a) That the tree preservation orders in respect of the sites known as (i) land to the south of Stanely Reservoir, Paisley; (ii) trees at Potterhill Avenue, Paisley; and (iii) trees at St. Marks Church, Paisley be confirmed and that officers make the orders public and register them with the Land Registry for Scotland; and 

(b) That it be noted that the Tree Preservation Order (TPO) designation agreed at the meeting of this Policy Board held on 7 November 2023 in respect of the site at Inchinnan Road, Renfrew was currently subject to a period of public consultation and would be submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board for confirmation or otherwise of the order.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to progress achieved in preparing a new developer contributions policy for education requirements arising from new housing development in Renfrewshire.

The report stated that developers and other applicants for planning permission were often expected to offset the impact of their proposed development by making contributions, including in kind and financial, towards necessary social infrastructure in the local area or other local services.  These contributions were sometimes referred to as “planning obligations” and were usually entered into in accordance with section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, as amended, and were commonly referred to as section 75 Agreements. They were often used where a planning condition or another form of legal agreement would not be appropriate to address the impact of the development. The principle of such planning obligations was guided by legislation which set out that such agreements required to meet a series of tests to be enforceable against the landowner, including being necessary to make a proposal acceptable and reasonable in terms of scale in relation to the proposal. These tests were detailed in Scottish Planning Circular 3/2012. In Renfrewshire, the adopted Local Development Plan (LDP2; 2021) set out a policy, Policy I8, for developer contributions. The Council now intended to develop a more detailed set of policy guidance for planning applicants of new residential development. This new policy intended to offer specific guidance for all future housing development in the area that was yet to receive planning permission and would be linked to individual school catchments and to individual housing sites already identified within LDP2/Housing Land Audit and those yet to be identified. It was highlighted that such a policy would make clear that contributions were intended to offset the impact of the new housing development and not to overcome other existing deficiencies that might exist in terms of school provision locally and that subsequent policy guidance would be developed for other developer contributions towards other community infrastructure.

The report intimated that it was anticipated that a proposed draft policy for developer contributions for education requirements arising from new housing development in Renfrewshire would be submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board and provided an outline of the key metrics which would be required to support the policy, which included the likely number of pupils generated by the new housing sites in Renfrewshire; how much capacity existed in each school/by catchment; where the additional housing demand came from, the identified supply; what would be a reasonable level of contribution to negotiate for each additional pupil generated by the new housing, above capacity thresholds; the scale of residential development site at which the developer contribution policy became applicable. The Convener encouraged members to engage with officers during the development stage of the Policy to ensure that it was fit for purpose and advised that following consideration, and, if appropriate, approval of the draft Policy it would be published for a period of stakeholder consultation.  The report highlighted that members would be informed, in due course, of the outcome of the consultation. 

DECIDED: 

(a) That the key metrics outlined in the report and their implications for any future policy to be applied to applicable planning applications be considered; and

(b) That the key metrics as indicated within the report be noted as being an indicative basis on which to prepare a draft Developer Contributions (Education) policy for Renfrewshire Council.

There were submitted reports by the Chief Executive relative to the following applications for planning permission that required to be determined by the Board.

5(a) 23/0112/PP: Erection of residential development comprising of eight flats with associated access, parking, bin store, boundary treatment and landscaping at 74 Fulbar Street, Renfrew, PA4 8PB by Mr B Lees.

Reference was made to the presentation made at the previous meeting of this Policy Board in respect of the application, the visit to the site of the proposed development undertaken on 9 January 2024 and the supplementary report of handling.

Councillor Shaw indicated that he was of the view that the application should be refused, outlining the main reasons for adopting this position. 

ADJOURNMENT 

 The meeting adjourned at 1.40 pm and reconvened at 1.50 pm.

Councillor McGuire, seconded by Councillor Smith moved that the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report.

Councillor Shaw, seconded by Councillor Nicolson, moved as an amendment that the application be refused as the height, scale and design of the proposal was considered to have detrimental impact on the amenity of the neighbouring residential properties through the loss of privacy, loss of daylight sunlight, the density, height of the building, waste management and scale and was therefore contrary to Policy P1 of the adopted Local Development Plan.  In addition, the proposal was considered to be contrary to Policy I7 of the Local Development Plan in relation to energy efficiency, contrary to Policy 14 of the National Planning Framework 4 and would have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the place and be contrary to Policy 9 of the National Planning Framework 4 in relation to the demolition.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the motion: Councillors Ann-Dowling, Andy Doig, Gilmour, N Graham, Hannigan, MacFarlane, McGuire, McNaughtan and Smith. 

The following members voted for the amendment: Councillors Adam, K MacLaren, McGurk, Nicolson, Paterson and Shaw. 

9 members having voted for the motion and 6 members having voted for the amendment, the motion was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: That the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report.

5(b) 23/0283/PP - Erection of a secondary school and community campus with associated external amenities including landscaping, access, parking and sports pitches at 111-113 Renfrew Road, Paisley PA3 4DY by Renfrewshire Council. 

J Weir, Planner made a presentation relative to the proposal.

Councillor McLaren, seconded by Councillor Andy Doig, moved that consideration of the application be continued pending a site visit.

Councillor Paterson, seconded by Councillor Smith, moved as an amendment that the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report. 

On the roll being called , the following members voted for the motion: Councillors Andy Doig and K MacLaren.

The following members voted for the amendment: Councillors Adam, Ann-Dowling, Gilmour, N Graham, Hannigan, MacFarlane, McGuire, McGurk, McNaughtan, Nicolson, Paterson, Shaw and Smith. 

2 members having voted for the motion and 13 members having voted for the amendment, the amendment was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: That the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report.

 

5(c) 23/0504/LB - Installation of replacement windows and door, solar panels, two ramps, railings, cladding and a false floor. Erection of extension; formation of window and door openings; renewal of roof; stonework repairs; internal alterations and landscaping works at S Block, University of West of Scotland, Storie Street Paisley PA1 2BX by the University of the West of Scotland. 

 J McCafferty, Planner, made a presentation relative to the proposal.

In terms of Standing Order 59 Councillor Paterson, moved that the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report.

5(d) 23/0505/PP - Installation of replacement windows and door, solar panels, two ramps, railings, cladding and a false floor. Erection of extension; formation of window and door openings; renewal of roof; stonework repairs; internal alterations and landscaping works at S Block, University of the West of Scotland, Storie Street, Paisley PA1 2BX by the University of the West of Scotland.

J McCafferty, Planner, made a presentation relative to the proposal.

In terms of Standing Order 59 Councillor Paterson, moved that the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report.