Agenda and minutes

To record the attendance of Substitute Members, if any, who have been authorised to attend in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 17(1), with notification having been given to the proper Officer before the start of the meeting and to receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Richard Gibson, Jerry Patterson, Margaret Turner, Roger Cox, Matthew Barber, Anthony Hayward, Terry Quinlan, Val Shaw and Gervase Duffield.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

To receive any declarations of Personal or Personal and Prejudicial Interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

Any Member with a personal interest or a personal and prejudicial interest in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct, in any matter to be considered at a meeting, must declare the existence and nature of that interest as soon as the interest becomes apparent in accordance with the provisions of the Code.

When a Member declares a personal and prejudicial interest he shall also state if he has a dispensation from the Standards Committee entitling him/her to speak, or speak and vote on the matter concerned.

Where any Member has declared a personal and prejudicial interest he shall withdraw from the room while the matter is under consideration unless

(a)    His/her disability to speak, or speak and vote on the matter has been removed by a dispensation granted by the Standards Committee, or

(b)    members of the public are allowed to make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter by statutory right or otherwise.  If that is the case, the Member can also attend the meeting for that purpose.  However, the Member must immediately leave the room once he/she has finished; or when the meeting decides he/she has finished whichever is the earlier and in any event the Member must leave the room for the duration of the debate on the item in which he/she has a personal and prejudicial interest.

None.

To receive notification of any matters which the Chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the Chair.

It was noted that in Councillor Richard Gibson’s absence, Councillor John Woodford would take the Chair.

Any statements and/or petitions from the public under Standing Order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting.

None.

Any questions from members of the public under Standing Order 32 will be asked at the meeting.

None.

Any statements and/or petitions from members of the public under Standing Order 33, relating to planning applications, will be made or presented at the meeting.

None.

Officers advised that this application came to Committee as a result of an objection received from Kingston Bagpuize Parish Council. The Committee noted that the Parish Council objected on the grounds that the application presented a risk to highway safety, however the CountyEngineer had raised no objections.

By 6 votes in favour and no votes against it was

RESOLVED

that application KBA/20244/1 be approved subject to the conditions set out in the Officer’s report.

Officers reminded the Committee that this application had been refused at its previous meeting held on 6 October 2008 and it returned for the agreement of reasons for refusal.

By 3 votes in favour, 2 votes against and 1 abstention it was

RESOLVED

that planning permission in respect of application CUM/19155/4 be refused for the reason set out in the Officer’s report.

Officers stated that the footprint of the building was smaller than shown on the block plan and that they were satisfied with the relationship between the proposed building and its neighbours. It was noted that an objection had been received from Drayton Parish Council citing concern in respect of the parking provision and the size of the proposed dwelling. In addition Officers suggested an additional condition in respect of drainage for fresh and foul water as recommended by the Principal Drainage Engineer.  The Committee noted that there were no concerns raised by the County Engineer in respect of the parking

By 6 votes to nil it was

RESOLVED

that application DRA6169(7) be approved subject to the conditions set out in the Officer’s report, and an additional drainage condition. 

Officers reported that this application intended to vary the section 106 agreement as it was considered that the restriction on the number of moorings no longer served a useful purpose as the Committee had granted planning permission for the construction of 8 additional finger moorings. Officers stated that if approved this application would simply bring the Section 106 agreement in line with what had been agreed by the Committee in 2007.

By 6 votes in favour, 0 votes against it was

RESOLVED

that authority be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the Chair of the Development Control Committee to approve application ABG/742/43 subject to the negotiation of a Deed of Variation under Section 106A of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991.

Officers reported that the applicants had made a case that the moorings were not being used as overnight moorings given the limited facilities available at the marina. It was stated that the question for the Committee was whether the obligations served a useful purpose.

One Member made several observations. She commented that the 20 spaces currently allocated for overnight moorings were not in the most convenient place for passing boats. It was commented that at the AGM the Wilts and Berks Canal it had been stated that there was a demand for moorings, but that they needed to be better advertised. She stated that although the facilities at the Marina were limited, many of boats had toilets and showers on them, so these facilities were not necessarily needed. She made the point that the restriction on charging currently meant that the marina could not charge anything as the charge was linked to however much the District Council charged for public moorings on Wilsham Road, which was currently nothing.

One Member commented that a marina of this size should have overnight moorings available, however considered that it would be acceptable to charge a reasonable fee for this provision. He also stated that the marina was poorly signed from the river and the fact that there were overnight moorings available was not obvious to passing river traffic. He considered that if the moorings were better advertised the uptake of use would be greater and thus the restriction would serve a useful purpose.

Officers suggested that this item be deferred in order that a discussion could take place with the applicant.

By 6 votes to nil it was

RESOLVED

that consideration of application ABG/742/44 be deferred to a later meeting of the Committee.

The Committee received and considered report 107/08 of the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy), noting that it was considering recommendation (a) at this meeting, recommendations (b) – (f) having been deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.

Officers advised that planning permission had been refused in respect of application CUM/19155/4, the reasons having been approved earlier in the meeting and therefore it was recommended that enforcement action be authorised in respect of the gates.

By 3 Votes in favour, 1 vote against and 2 abstentions it was

RESOLVED

that authority be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the Chair of the Development Control Committee and /or Vice Chair, to take enforcement action against Mr D Adlard or 44 Cumnor Hill, Oxford to remove the unauthorised entrance gates pillars and wall if he considers it expedient to do so.

None.