Agenda and draft minutes

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

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

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Planning Committee minutes of the meetings held on  3 February and 12 February 2020. 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 3 and 12 February 2020 as a correct record and agree that the Chairman sign these as such.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

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circumstances which have made the matters urgent and to receive any notification of any applications deferred or withdrawn.

There was no urgent business.

There were no proposals for site visits.

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. 

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

Construction of three detached houses on land to rear of 31 West End. (As amended by plans and Design and Access Statement received 22 July reducing the scheme from four dwellings to three).

Alexandrine Kantor arrived partway through this item and took no part in the discussion or decision on the application.

The committee considered application P19/S4168/FUL for the variation of condition 2 - Approved Plans of application P19/S1585/FUL, for changes to the designs for plots 2 & 3 and updates to the main access road to suit the requirements of the fire service (as corrected by Site Plan WST.9101 Rev L in relation to the footprint of Plot 2). Construction of three detached houses on land to rear of 31 West End (as amended by plans and Design and Access Statement received 22 July reducing the scheme from 4 dwellings to three), the construction of three detached houses on land to rear of 31 West End (as amended by plans and Design and Access Statement received 22 July reducing the scheme from 4 dwellings to three) at Blue Bonnets, 31 West End, Cholsey, OX10 9LP.

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.

The planning officer reported that the Council had received a letter from the Cholsey Parish Council confirming that they could not attend the meeting. In the letter they explained that the parish council had not objected to previous planning permission being granted. However, they reported that this was an error and that they should have objected on the grounds that the development was contrary to the neighbourhood plan. They therefore objected to this development, which in their view remained contrary to the adopted neighbourhood plan.

The committee noted that in the present application plot 3 had been reduced and moved, providing more manoeuvring space.

Responding to a question from the committee, the planning officer confirmed that the application site was not within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Wing Commander Christian Royston-Airey, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

A motion, moved and seconded, to grant planning permission was declared carried on being put to the vote.

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P19/S4168/FUL subject to the following conditions:

1.         Development to commence within three years from the original         permission.

2.         Approved plans.

3.         Surface water drainage works (as approved).

4.         Schedule of Materials (as approved).

5.         Boundary walls & fences (as approved).

6.         Tree Protection (as approved).

7.         Construction Traffic Management (as approved).

8.         Landscaping (including access road and hard standings) (as approved).

9.         New vehicular access.

10.       Parking & manoeuvring areas retained.

11.       Vision splay protection.

12.       No garage conversion into accommodation.

13.       Withdrawal of Permitted Development rights (Part 1 Class A) - no    extensions etc.

The Change of Use of an Agricultural Field to an Equestrian Cross-Country Track including the siting of a Porta Cabin and associated drainage. (revised plans received 18 December, amending site access and providing site section of proposed water jump)

Lorraine Hillier, a local ward councillor, stood down from the committee for consideration of this item.

The committee considered application P19/S4050/FUL for The Change of Use of an Agricultural Field to an Equestrian Cross-Country Track, including the siting of a Porta Cabin and associated drainage (revised plans received 18th December, amending site access and providing site section of proposed water jump) on land North of Woodcote, Oxford Road, Woodcote.

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.

The planning officer reported that there were a number of neighbour consultation responses raising objection on the basis of highway safety, adverse impacts on the landscape and neighbouring amenity issues. There were also responses in support of the application from members of the equestrian community.

Since the despatch of the agenda, the Woodcote Parish Council had requested additional and amended conditions relating to the closure and subsequent screening of the existing access points onto the A4076 and the B471. The planning officer proposed to the committee that conditions 5 and 6, which related to highway safety measures, should be reworded in order to incorporate the Parish Council's requested changes. 

The Chilterns Conservation Board had raised no objection to the application during the formal public consultation, subject to the submission of a detailed landscaping scheme as a condition of consent.

The Chilterns Conservation Board had stated in their consultation response that flood lighting should not be supported in this application. They also acknowledged in their response that none was currently proposed.

Councillor Malcolm Smith, Vice Chairman of Woodcote Parish Council, spoke to the application on behalf of that council. Some continued reservations were expressed about the permanent grant of planning permission and there was a view that a temporary 5-year consent remained preferable. However, it was acknowledged that this would be difficult to justify. The Parish Council would be prepared to withdraw its objection, were the Committee were minded to amend conditions 5 and 6, in line with the planning officer’s recommendation. 

Diana Rhodes, a local resident, spoke in support of the application.

Tom Bishop, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

Lorraine Hillier, a local ward councillor, spoke to the application.

A motion, moved and seconded, to grant planning permission, subject to amended conditions 5 and 6 (shown below), was declared carried on being put to the vote. 

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P19/S4050/FUL subject to the following conditions:

1.         Commencement within 3 years - Full Planning Permission

2.         Development to be implemented in accordance with the approved   plans unless varied by other conditions of consent.

3.         Prior to the commencement of the development hereby permitted, a            scheme for the landscaping of the site, including the planting of trees and hedging, and the treatment of the access road and hard standings,    shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning             Authority. The scheme shall include details on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 178.

Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of a two-storey four-bedroom detached dwelling with basement and detached carport and a two storey three-bedroom detached dwelling with basement and integral garage, both using retained access from Harpsden Road (updated bat survey received 19 December 2019 and access width confirmed and carport enlarged as shown on revised site plan received 9 January 2020).

The committee considered application P19/S4261/FUL for the demolition of existing dwelling and erection of a two-storey 4-bedroom detached dwelling, with basement and detached carport, and a two storey 3-bedroom detached dwelling with basement and integral garage, both using retained access from Harpsden Road (updated bat survey received 19th December 2019 and access width confirmed and carport enlarged as shown on revised site plan received 9th January 2020) at Bournes Farmhouse, Harpsden Road, Binfield Heath.

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.

The meeting noted that the Binfield Heath Parish Council had withdrawn their objection to the application, as they had acknowledged that their objections were not acceptable in current planning policy terms. The committee had received the full text of the parish council’s email message and this was also read out at the meeting by the democratic services officer.

A motion, moved and seconded, to grant planning permission was declared carried on being put to the vote.

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P19/S4261/FUL subject to the following conditions:

1.  Commencement three years - full planning permission.

2.  Approved plans.

3.  No change in levels.

4.  Schedule of materials required prior to foundations.

5.  Obscure glazing.

6.  Withdrawal of Permitted Development Rights 

     (extensions/outbuildings/hardstandings).

7.  Existing vehicular access retained.

8.  Parking & Manoeuvring Areas Retained.

9.  No Garage conversion into accommodation.

10. Landscaping Scheme (including hardstandings and boundary treatment)         prior to foundations.

11. Tree Protection to be implemented as agreed.

12.  Ecological protection & mitigation (details required prior to          commencement).

13.  Wildlife Protection (mitigation approved).

14. Highways Informatives.

Demolition of existing buildings and erection of three three-bedroom two-storey dwellings with parking and amenity space.

David Bretherton and Kate Gregory, local ward councillors, stood down from the committee for consideration of this item.

The committee considered application P20/S0092/O for the demolition of existing buildings and erection of 3 three-bedroom two-storey dwellings with parking and amenity space at 69 Park Street, Thame,

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. The planning officer reported that the site had an existing planning permission and that the same application had been considered in 2014, 2017 and 2019. The proposal’s relation to the street scene remained unchanged.

Councillor Linda Emery spoke on behalf of Thame Town Council, objecting to  the application.

Jake Collinge, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

Kate Gregory, a local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application.

In response to questions from the committee, the planning officer confirmed that in the event of refusal, the applicant could merely submit a reserved matters application, making the application extant for another three years. As a general rule, a developer could not be forced by the council to complete a site. Noting that the Thame Town Council had highways safety concerns, supported by one of the local members, he also reported that the Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), as highways authority, had stated that reversing out on to the road was a typical feature of many properties on this stretch of road. In addition, the OCC had been consulted twice on these present proposals and historically had had no objection. Were the committee minded to refuse on highways grounds, the council would be required to obtain reliable supporting expertise. The committee were advised that it had to refer to a material change in circumstances to support a refusal, and a change in committee membership over time was no such justification. Refusal of planning permission by the committee could lead to a serious cost situation for the council at appeal.

A motion, moved and seconded, to refuse outline planning permission failed owing to equal numbers in favour and against.  A motion, moved and seconded, to grant outline planning permission was declared carried on being put to the vote, the Chairman using his casting vote.

RESOLVED: to grant outline planning permission for application P20/S0092/O subject to the following conditions:

1.    That the development to which this permission relates shall be begun not later than whichever is the later of the following dates (a) the expiration of three years from the date of this permission; or (b) the expiration of two years from the final approval of the reserved matters, or in the case of approval on different dates, the final approval of the last such matter to be approved.

2.    In the case of any reserved matter, application for approval must be made not later than the expiration of 3 years beginning with the date of the grant of outline planning permission.

3.    Prior to the first occupation of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 180.