Agenda item

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 extent and location         of hedgerow planting on site, with specifications for the species, best         practice techniques to establish and maintain any planting, and a          scheme of replacement should planting fail in the first 5 years. The     agreed planting shall be delivered within 1 year of the first use of the           development and retained as such.

4.         Prior to the commencement of the approved scheme, surface water            and foul water drainage details must be submitted to, and approved in          writing by, the Local Planning Authority.

 5.        Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, the        existing trees and hedgerow shall be cut back in order to give clear          visibility in accordance with the vision splays shown on the approved      plan (2054-001 A). Thereafter, the splays shall not be obstructed by             any object, structure, planting or other material with a height exceeding      or growing above 0.6m metres as measured from carriageway level.       Replacement trees and hedging shall be planted within the boundary of      the field as part of the detailed landscaping scheme required under Condition 3.

            Reason: In the interest of highway safety in accordance with Policy T1        of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011.

6.         Prior to first use of the approved development, the existing access   point onto the B471 shall be closed. The existing access onto the A4074 shall be retained but not used by any vehicular traffic associated      with the development. 

            Reason: In the interest of highway safety in accordance with Policy T1        of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011.

7.         Details of the proposed security lighting must be agreed prior to first            use of the proposed development. No other external lighting shall be     installed without the prior grant of planning permission from the Local          Planning Authority.

8.         Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority, the       equestrian facilities shall only be used for the purposes and operating     times specified within the supporting planning statement (Ref: 1524-     7907).