Agenda and minutes

Venue: Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, OX11 7JN

Contact: Nicola Meurer  email  nicola.meurer@southandvale.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

124.

Chairman's announcements

To receive any announcements from the chairman and general housekeeping matters.

Minutes:

The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting, outlined the procedure to be followed and advised on emergency evacuation arrangements.

 

125.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 125 KB

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Planning Committee minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2018. 

Minutes:

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2018 as a correct record and agree that the Chairman sign these as such.

 

126.

Declarations of interest

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

127.

Urgent business

To receive notification of any matters which the chairman determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent and to receive any notification of any applications deferred or withdrawn.

Minutes:

The development manager advised committee members that application P18/S1215/FUL – Thame Park Road, Thame had been withdrawn and would therefore not be considered.

128.

Proposals for site visits

Minutes:

There were no proposals for site visits.

129.

Public participation

To receive any statements from members of the public that have registered to speak on planning applications which are being presented to this committee meeting. 

Minutes:

The list showing members of the public who had registered to speak was tabled at the meeting.

130.

P18/S1964/FUL - Land off Fieldside Track, Long Wittenham pdf icon PDF 157 KB

Variation of Condition 4 (approved plans) of outline planning permission P16/S1124/O (outline residential development with all matters reserved except access for up to 36 dwellings) for revised access design.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee considered application P18/S1964/FUL to vary Condition 4 (approved plans) of outline planning permission P16/S1124/O for a revised access design on land off Fieldside Track, Long Wittenham.

 

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report which formed part of the agenda pack for this meeting.

 

Officer updates:

·         Since the publication of the agenda Long Wittenham Parish Council have been consulted on all the revised plans and still object to the proposals. They reiterate their concerns:

·         The application indicates that surface water will not be discharged to the public network and as such Thames Water has no objection, however approval should be sought from the Lead Local Flood Authority. Should the applicant subsequently seek a connection to discharge surface water into the public network in the future then it would be considered a material change to the proposal, which would require an amendment to the application at which point the council would need to review their position.

·         Environmental Health have no objections.

·         Prior to the site visit, Long Wittenham Parish Council had mapped out their interpretation of where the access would be on site. The accuracy of these markings could not be verified and in some instances, they were found to be incorrect. Members were advised to disregard the markings.

 

Ian Marshall, Principal Transport Engineer at Oxfordshire County Council was present to answer any technical highways questions.

 

Steve Brown, a representative of Long Wittenham Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application. 

 

Michael Robson and Nick Jones Hill, the applicant’s agents, spoke in support of the application.

 

Sue Lawson, one of the local ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. 

 

In response to questions raised by the committee, the officers reported that:

·         In relation to the usability of the new access, Ian Marshall confirmed that it was similar to the previously approved access with good visibility.

·         As a result of the road realignment, the distance from the front curtilage of some properties on Didcot Road would be reduced from 6m to 3.2m (still including the widened footpath and reduced grass verge.

 

Some committee members were not satisfied with the proposed access having regard to highway safety concerns, air pollution and the potential impact on trees. In this regard, officers reminded members that there were no technical objections from consultees to the proposal and it would therefore be difficult to defend these reasons should the application go to an appeal.

 

Members also highlighted concerns about the impact of the highways works on the informal and rural character and appearance of Fieldside Track which is a prominent entry point to the village. They expressed their concerns about the impact on the amenity of residents living in the properties opposite to the proposed access whose front gardens served as their main amenity space. Some members requested that an alternative option was investigated through discussion with another landowner.

 

Other members were not satisfied that there were sufficient material planning reasons nor support from technical experts to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 130.

131.

P18/S0181/O - Braze Lane, Benson pdf icon PDF 171 KB

Outline application for up to 19 dwellings with all matters reserved with the exception of access on land adjacent to The Orchard, Benson.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee considered outline application P18/S0181/O for a development of up to 19 dwellings with all matters reserved with the exception of access on land adjacent to The Orchard, Braze Lane, Benson.

 

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report which formed part of the agenda pack for this meeting.

 

Bill Pattison, a representative of Benson Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application. 

 

Craig Tribe, a representative of Berrick Salome Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application.

 

Jane Ellingworth and Jan Williams, two local residents, spoke objecting to the application. 

 

Giles Brockbank, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application.

 

Felix Bloomfield, one of the local ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. 

 

In response to questions raised by the committee, the officers reported that regarding the Clincial Commissioning Group’s objection, members were advised that CIL payments would help fund the expansion of the doctor’s surgery.

 

Committee members expressed concern about the urbanising effect of the proposed development on the rural character of the area; the detrimental impact on the setting of the village and nearby AONB; the coalescence it would lead to between Benson and Rokemarsh and the loss of grade 3a agricultural land.

 

Officers advised committee that this application site was within the area referred to as site BEN4 in the Benson Neighbourhood Plan, despite affirmations to the contrary by the Parish Councils, they also advised that the loss of agricultural land was not a strong ground given the allocation and size of the area involved.

 

A motion, moved and seconded, to refuse the application was declared carried on being put to the vote.

 

RESOLVED: to refuse planning permission for application P18/S0181/O, for the following reasons:

 

1.    The proposal forms part of a housing allocation by virtue of policy NP4 of the made Benson Neighbourhood Plan. Policy NP4 of the made Benson Neighbourhood Plan requires a comprehensive scheme of development.

The proposal would fail to fully integrate with the wider allocation and the application site is not required to secure the delivery of the Relief Road together with a dedicated pedestrian route to Roke.

 

Due to its form and access arrangements it would result in a development that appears piecemeal and would not comprise a comprehensive development of the housing allocation. It would not be sufficiently integrated and connected to the housing allocation site and wider built context. It would therefore fail to make a positive contribution to the quality of the character and functionality of the wider settlement as well as the wider housing allocation. Furthermore, the proposed development would result in the unnecessary urbanisation of the open countryside to the detriment of its character and appearance and would lead to the coalescence of Benson and Rokemarsh.

The proposal would not comprise sustainable development as defined by local and national legislation. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework, polices CS1, CSR1, CSEN1 and CSQ3 of the South Oxfordshire Core Strategy, saved policies  ...  view the full minutes text for item 131.

132.

P18/S1868/FUL - Harpsden Wood House, Harpsden Woods, Harpsden pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Proposed erection of a woodland maintenance barn.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee considered application P18/S1868/FUL to erect a woodland maintenance barn at Harpsden Wood House, Harpsden Woods, Harpsden.

 

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report which formed part of the agenda pack for this meeting.

 

A motion, moved and seconded, to approve the application was declared carried on being put to the vote.

 

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P18/S1868/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

 

1.    Commencement within three years - full planning permission.

2.    The development to be carried out in accordance with the approved plans.

3.    Detailed tree protection measures to be submitted to, and agreed in

writing by, the local planning authority prior to the commencement of any works on site.

4.    The construction materials shall be in accordance with the details

supplied within the application submission.

5.    The proposed building hereby approved shall only be used for the

woodland management purposes specified within the application

submission. It shall not be used for any incidental or ancillary residential purposes.

 

 

 

133.

P18/S1215/FUL - Thame Park Road, Thame pdf icon PDF 98 KB

This application has been withdrawn and will therefore not be considered at planning committee on 7 November 2018.

Variation of Condition 2 (approved plans) of planning permission P15/S2166/RM (for a residential development of 175 dwellings, including: affordable housing, vehicular access including emergency access, pedestrian/cycle link, landscaping, play space and other open space including allotments, surface water attenuation and ancillary works) to remove the side windows from plots 12 and 13.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Application P18/S1215/FUL had been withdrawn prior to committee.

134.

P18/S2125/FUL - 6 Reading Road, Cholsey pdf icon PDF 3 MB

The redevelopment of a redundant builders' yard including the demolition of storage and workshop buildings and the change of use of a former office building in order to create one 4-bedroom, seven 3-bedroom, three 2-bedroom and four 1-bedroom residential units.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee considered application P18/S2125/FUL to redevelop a redundant builders yard including the demolition of storage and workshop buildings and the change of use to a former office building in order to create one 4-bedroom, seven 3-bedroom, three 2-bedroom and four 1-bedroom residential units at 6 Reading Road, Cholsey.

 

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report which formed part of the agenda pack for this meeting.

 

Officer updates:

·         An error had been identified in the report – CNP H6 from the neighbourhood plan – distance requirements between dwellings - should be referenced in the report at para 5.4.

·         Further comments from the neighbourhood plan group had been received. They thought the weight given to the NP should be more than “limited” and pointed out the omission of CNP H6.

 

Chris Jones, a local resident, spoke objecting to the application. 

 

Richard Potter, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application.

 

Jane Murphy, one of the local ward councillors, spoke to the application. 

 

A motion, moved and seconded, to approve the application was declared carried on being put to the vote.

 

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P18/S2125/FUL, subject to the prior completion of the Section 106 agreement and the following conditions:

 

1. Commencement three years - full planning permission.

2. Approved plans.

3. Sample materials required (all).

4. Dust mitigation.

5. Landscaping.

6. Surface water drainage works – details required.

7. Construction traffic management plan.

8. Contaminated land (preliminary risk assessment).

9. Contaminated land remediation strategy.

10. Wildlife protection.

11. Hours of operation for construction.

12. Noise – restriction on construction hours.

13. Provide solar panels and energy performance certificates for market housing.

14. New vehicular access.

15. Vision splay protection.

16. Roads and footpaths prior to occupation.

17. Provide parking and manoeuvring areas

 

 

Contact us - Democratic services

Phone icon

01235 422520
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)

Address icon

South Oxfordshire District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon
OX14 3JE