Agenda item

Demolition of existing bungalow and construction of a new four bedroom dwelling.

Jeanette Matelot, one of the local ward councillors, stepped down from the committee and did not take in the debate of voting for this item.

The committee considered application P17/S1018/FUL to demolish the existing bungalow and construct a new four bedroom dwelling at The Wychens, 70 Queen's 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, a representative of Thame town council, spoke objecting to the application. His concerns included the following:

·         As per the previous refused application for this site, this development would be unneighbourly;

·         Although the double width aspect design is not unique in Queen’s Road, it is in this particular part of the street; and

·         It is overdevelopment and out of character with the area and therefore fails Thame neighbourhood plan policies.

Alan Taynton, a local resident, spoke objecting to the application. His concerns included the following:

·         The new proposal is for an increased depth and ridge height resulting in it being overbearing and overshadowing his property;

·         Flipping the design to put the garage on the side nearest his property would improve the impact on his amenity; and

·         He has no objection to replacing the building in principle.

Lynn Palmer, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application:

·         Due to the natural curve of the street, all homes are set back from each other;

·         The distances between numbers 70 and 72 meet the council’s guidelines;

·         The ridge height has only increase 1.1m from the original bungalow; and

·         Only one letter of objection has been received from neighbours.

In response to questions from the committee, the agent confirmed that:

·         The property would be low energy in the form of dense insulation, air source heat pumps and potentially solar panels; and

·         They have a full set of sun studies to demonstrate the minimal impact of shading.

Jeanette Matelot, one of the local ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. Her concerns included the following:

·         Highways and car parking; and

·         No objection to the design, but this is the wrong place for it.

To clarify, officers reported that Highways had removed their objection in relation to car parking.

The committee considered the application, with advice from officers where appropriate.

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

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P17/S1018/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1.    Commencement within three years.

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

3.    Details of finished floor and ground levels to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

4.    Sample materials to be agreed prior to commencement of development.

5.    Rooflights on side elevations to be obscure glazed and fixed shut or high level (cill level at least 1.7m above floor level).

6.    Parking and manoeuvring areas retained in accordance with the approved plans.

7.    Access and visibility details to be agreed.