Agenda and 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 meeting held on 8 November 2017. 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2017 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.  

Elaine Hornsby declared in relation to application P17/S3065/FUL – Withywindle, Abingdon Road, Burcot, she would be leaving the room for the consideration of this application as her property is adjacent to the application site.

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circumstances which have made the matters urgent and to receive any notification of any applications deferred or withdrawn.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

A motion, moved and seconded, to defer application P17/S3387/HH – 28 Niagara Road, Henley-on-Thames, for a site visit was declared carried on being put to the vote.

RESOLVED: to defer application P17/S3387/HH to allow members to visit the site to determine the levels on site and potential impact on neighbours.

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.

Proposed erection of a single detached four-bedroom dwelling and detached double garage.

Elaine Hornsby and Sue Lawson stepped down from committee and took no part in the debate or voting for this item.

The committee considered application P17/S3065/FUL to erect a single detached four-bedroom dwelling and detached double garage on land to the west of Withywindle, Abingdon Road, Burcot.

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.

Till Gins, a local resident, spoke objecting to the application. 

Sue Lawson, the local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application. 

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

·         The application is policy-compliant with regard to overlooking; there are similar arrangements for other properties on Abingdon Road.

·         Materials will need to be submitted and agreed by condition (3), which can include a request for the garage to be timber cladded.

Some committee members were of the view that the application would create parking issues and that it was out of keeping with the area. The rest of the committee were satisfied with the Highways team having no objection to the application and were content with the mitigation of the materials condition regarding character.

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 P17/S3065/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1.    Commencement three years - full planning permission.

2.    Approved plans.

3.    Schedule of materials.

4.    Vision splay protection.

5.    No garage conversion into accommodation.

6.    Complete all highway works.

7.    Landscaping scheme (trees and shrubs only).

8.    Tree protection (general).

9.    Archaeological watching brief.

10.Parking and manoeuvring areas retained.

11.Implementation of programme or archaeological work.

Change of use of land to tennis court for ancillary domestic use to Crofts Furlong Farm.

Anthony Dearlove arrived for committee for the start of this item.

The committee considered application P17/S3081/FUL for a change of use of land to ancillary domestic use for a tennis court at Crofts Furlong Farm, Lower End, Great Milton.

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.

Henry Venners, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application.

Members requested that agricultural grading is included in future reports. They expressed dissatisfaction that the parish council had not come to committee despite their objection being the only reason it was before them.

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 P17/S3081/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1.    Commencement three years - full planning permission.

2.    Approved plans.

3.    Retention of existing hedge.

4.    Personal use only.

The erection of four three-bedroom houses and five two-bedroom houses, car and cycle parking, bin stores, access and landscaping.

The committee considered application P17/S2210/FUL to erect four three-bedroom houses and five two-bedroom houses, car and cycle parking, bin stores, access and landscaping on land adjacent to Park Meadow Cottage, Thame Park Road, 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.

Graeme Markland and Linda Emery, representatives of Thame Town Council, spoke objecting to the application. 

Henry Venners, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application.

David Dodds and Jeanette Matelot, two of the local ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. 

In response to questions raised by the committee, the officers reported that since publication of the Thame neighbourhood plan, ownership of this parcel of land has changed hands; ownership is outside the control of planning and this would explain the ‘subdivision’ of the plot as per the neighbourhood plan allocation.

Despite some members expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of affordable housing, due to the smaller plot size compared to the neighbourhood plan allocation and lesser quantity of dwellings, the rest of the committee were not satisfied that there were sufficient grounds for refusal as the application site is identified in the neighbourhood plan and has no technical consultee objections.

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 P17/S2210/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1.    Commencement of development with three years.

2.    Development to be in accordance with the approved drawings.

3.    Levels details to be agreed prior to the commencement of development.

4.    Schedule of materials to be agreed prior to the commencement of

development.

5.    Obscure glazing to Plot 8.

6.    Rooflights (at specified cill level) to Plot 9.

7.    Withdrawal of permitted development for extensions and outbuildings.

8.    New vehicular access to be formed prior to occupation.

9.    Vision splays to be provided prior to occupation.

10.Parking and turning areas to be provided in accordance with the approved drawings.

11.Construction traffic management plan to be agreed prior to the

commencement of development.

12.Details of off-site highway works to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

13.Landscaping implementation prior to occupation.

14.Tree protection in accordance with agreed details.

15.Details of boundary walls & fences to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

16.Biodiversity mitigation and enhancement strategy to be agreed prior to

commencement of development.

17.Foul drainage works to be implemented prior to occupation.

18.Surface water drainage works to be implemented prior to occupation.

Outline application for a change of land use from light industrial to residential; demolition of existing workshop and store; and erection of two storey detached house, retaining walls and parking area.

The committee considered outline application P17/S2516/O for a change of land use from light industrial to residential; demolition of the existing workshop and store; and erection of a two-storey detached house, retaining walls and parking area at The Piggery, Gravel Hill, Caversham.

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.

Mr I.G.C. Pearson, a representative of Kidmore End Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application. 

Steve Pitts, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application.

In response to questions raised by the committee, the officers reported that there would be no precedent for development on the greenfield land either side of this site as the application is categorised as brownfield, which is why it is considered to be acceptable on planning grounds. There is a potential fall-back option to change the use of the site to residential within permitted development rights.

Some committee members were not satisfied that sufficient advertising had been carried out to retain the site for employment purposes, that the proposed dwelling would be in isolation and would set a precedent for further development. The rest of the committee were of the view that there wouldn’t be a precedent due to the site’s brownfield status and that the conversion to residential would be an improvement of the derelict site.

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

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 P17/S2516/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1.    Commencement of development within three years or two years of approval of reserved matters.

2.    Development in accordance with approved plans.

3.    Demolish existing buildings prior to commencement of new development.

4.    Levels to be provided in accordance with the approved plan.

5.    Schedule of materials to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

6.    Surfacing of existing vehicular access prior to occupation.

7.    Vision splays to be provided in accordance with the approved plan.

8.    Landscaping scheme (trees and shrubs only) to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

9.    Tree protection details to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

10.Contaminated land (preliminary risk assessment) to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

11.Details of any external lighting to be agreed prior to commencement.

12.Surface water drainage works (details required) to be provided prior to occupation.

Erection of two four-bedroom dwellings and formation of vehicular access.

The committee considered application P17/S2845/FUL to erect two four-bedroom dwellings and for vehicular access on land adjacent to the Village Green, Newlands Lane, Stoke Row.

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.

Jonathan Walton, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application.

David Nimmo-Smith, one of the local ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. 

In response to questions raised by the committee, the officers reported that if the agreed landscaping management plan isn’t adhered to then the enforcement team would get involved due to the site’s prominence in the conservation area.

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 P17/S2845/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1.    Commencement of development within three years.

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

3.    Levels to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

4.    Samples of all external materials to be submitted and agreed prior to commencement of development.

5.    Sample panel of flint work to be knapped flint in slim mortar beds to be submitted and agreed prior to commencement.

6.    Flush fitting conservation roof lights.

7.    No additional first floor windows or roof openings.

8.    Withdrawal of permitted development rights for extensions and outbuildings.

9.    Improvements to existing vehicular access to be implemented prior to occupation of the dwelling.

10.Vision splay details implemented and retained as approved.

11.Parking and manoeuvring Areas retained as approved.

12.No surface water drainage to the public highway.

13.Any gates to be set back a minimum of 5 metres from the carriageway.

14.Soft landscaping scheme including details of planting of trees and any replacement hedgerows and hard landscaping including driveway and parking surfacing and boundary treatments to be submitted and agreed prior to commencement.

15.A long-term management plan for the orchard area to be agreed.

16.Tree protection measures to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) to convert approved garage into a playroom and provide additional parking on the frontage of Plot 2 of Planning Permission P16/S2432/FUL.

The committee considered application P17/S2878/FUL to vary Condition 2 of planning permission P16/S2534/FUL, to convert the approved garage into a playroom and provide additional parking on the frontage of plot 2 at Casa Mia, Greenmore, 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.

Robin Peirce and Malcolm Smith, representatives of Woodcote Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application. 

Simon Claridge, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application.

David Nimmo-Smith, one of the local ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. 

Some committee members were satisfied with the parking arrangements, as supported by district and county council policy guidelines and that the fall-back position of using the garage as a play room could be carried out within permitted development rights; however other members were of the view that the Woodcote neighbourhood plan’s requirements for one parking space per bedroom (T8) should be adhered to.

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

A motion, moved and seconded, to defer the application to allow the applicant to resubmit their application with amended parking arrangements was declared carried on being put to the vote.

RESOLVED: to defer planning permission for application P17/S2878/FUL, to allow the applicant to resubmit plans with amended parking arrangements.

Variation of condition 2 on application ref. P16/S2534/HH - proposed elevation to be changed to accommodate flat roof structure.

The committee deferred application P17/S3387/HH to vary Condition 2 of planning permission P16/S2534/HH to change the elevation to accommodate a flat roof structure at 28 Niagara Road, Henley-on-Thames to allow for a site visit.