Agenda item

New replacement pavilion building, new storage containers, new main car park and disabled car park, new and replacement outdoor cricket nets, re-surfacing of existing car park, relocation of existing two flag poles, score box, and installation of two new electronic scoreboards

Ian White, as one of the ward members, stepped down from the committee and took no part in the debate or voting for this item.

The committee considered application P16/S0894/FUL for a new replacement pavilion building, new storage containers, new main car park and disabled car park, new and replacement outdoor cricket nets, re-surfacing of existing car park, relocation of existing two flag poles, score box, and installation of two new electronic scoreboards at Aston Rowant Cricket Club.

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.

Mathew Day and Peter Heatherington, representatives of Aston Rowant Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application. 

Debbie Brown, a local resident, spoke objecting to the application:

Rhian Woods, the applicant’s agent, and Paul Humphreys, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Ian White, one of the ward members, spoke objecting to the application.

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

·         The Chilterns Conservation Board was not consulted for its views on this application as the site does not fall within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the pavilion is an existing building so the protocol is not to consult, and the Board has limited resources, so the council must be selective in how it uses them.

·         It would be possible, if the committee agreed, to include a condition restricting the use of the pavilion for social events to members of the cricket club only and their friends and family, and not for commercial or third-party purposes. 

·         The screening on the windows of the pavilion reduces the amount of overlooking to the nearby footpath, but a certain degree of overlooking provides security in planning terms.  The building is not going to be used that often compared to users of the footpath.

Some members of the committee were concerned with the contrasting design of the pavilion compared to the local area and that the Chilterns Conservation Board should have been consulted during the consultation process.  They cited the level of community objection to the scheme as a reason to re-consider.  However, other members of the committee agreed that the design was innovative, that the existing pavilion needed renovation and that light pollution was not an issue due to the times the pavilion was going to be used in the summer months where unnatural light was not necessary.

To allay concerns regarding potential disruption, the committee agreed that a condition would be added to restrict the use of the pavilion to members of the cricket club (and their friends and family) only and to not open the club up for commercial or third-party use.

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 P16/S0894/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.    Notwithstanding the position of the containers shown on the plans, details of the siting of the containers shall be agreed prior to their siting on the land.

4.    Samples of external facing materials for the pavilion to be agreed prior to the commencement of development in respect of the pavilion.

5.    Soft and hard landscaping schemes to be agreed prior to the commencement of the development.

6.    Tree protection details to be agreed prior to the commencement of development.

7.    Foul drainage details to be agreed prior to the commencement of development.

8.    Surface water drainage details to be agreed prior to the commencement of development.

9.    Provision of vision splays prior to first use of new pavilion in accordance with details to be first agreed.

10.Details of external lighting to be agreed prior to its installation.

11.Existing structures to be demolished within one month of the first use of the new pavilion.

12.Parking and turning to be provided in accordance with the approved details prior to the first use of the new pavilion.

13.Restriction of use of the pavilion for social events held by cricket club members and their family/friends only.  The venue is not to be used commercially or by third parties.