Agenda and minutes

The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting, outlined the procedure to be followed and advised on emergency evacuation arrangements.

As above.

Councillor Robert Sharp declared an interest in the item: P15/V1948/FUL, Staddlestones, Church Street, Shellingford. He would leave the meeting for this item.

There were no items of urgent business.

The list of registered speakers was tabled at the meeting.

None.

None.

Outline planning application for a residential development of up to 4,254 dwellings, mixed-use local centres, primary schools, sports pitches, community and leisure facilities, special needs school, open space and extensive green infrastructure, hard and soft landscaping, attenuation areas, diversions to public rights of way, pedestrian and vehicular access and associated works.

This item was also attended by the following officers from Oxfordshire County Council Highways Department:

Jason Sherwood – Locality and Road Agreements Manager

Aron Wisdom – Senior Transport Planner

Lynette Hughes – Senior Planning Officer

Geoff Arnold – Principal Engineer

The officer presented the report and addendum on the application for outline planning application for a residential development of up to 4,254 dwellings, mixed-use local centres, primary schools, sports pitches, community and leisure facilities, special needs school, open space and extensive green infrastructure, hard and soft landscaping, attenuation areas, diversions to public rights of way, pedestrian and vehicular access and associated work at land to the west of Great Western Park, Didcot; also known as “Valley Park”.

The committee was asked to consider the principle of the scheme and the access arrangements.

The scheme had been in continuous negotiation between the developers, planning officers and consultees for 15 months.

Key points of the scheme were:

·           The development would be distinct from Harwell village and there would be a buffer zone;

·           There would be separate cycle routes and pedestrian routes;

·           Integrated landscaping and

·           Integrated parking.

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.

Dr Anthony Hughes spoke on behalf of Harwell Parish Council, with its full authorisation, his comments included the following:

·           The Parish Council does not object to Valley Park as a strategic site but the Chairman is “disappointed, upset and furious” that local concerns have not been heard or have been rejected.

·           There will be a 400 percent increase in the number of dwellings in the parish.

·           There needs to be a green corridor on either side of the B4493 to prevent coalescence of Didcot and Harwell and to create a true rural gap.

·           Condition 18 of the addendum is appreciated, but it is only a 35 metre wide strip of land on either side and is not sufficient. The Parish Council believes that no-build zones should extend further, especially on the north side where it should be 200 metres.

Kevin Williamson from the Harwell Campus Bicycle Users Group (HarBUG) spoke, raising concerns about the application.

·      The B4493 from Didcot to Harwell is a main cycle route.

·      The proposed five arm roundabout takes no account of cyclists : cycling is not safely and conveniently integrated with the roundabout.

·      This cycle route would link up three secondary schools, and so needs to be really safe.

The clerk read out a statement from Didcot Town Council, the key points are below:

·           Density: The proposals include high density along the spine road and would present a cramped, hard and overly urban design. The suggested density of over 50 dwellings per hectare over substantial parts of the site is excessive and in particular the suggestion that 4-storey buildings could be included is inappropriate at this location, which is remote from the urban facilities of Didcot such as shops, cinema, swimming pool and urban parks.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 325.

Outline application for the erection of up to 13 dwellings with associated access.  All other matters reserved.

The officer presented the report and addendum on application P15/V2863/O for outline planning permission for the erection of up to 13 dwellings with associated access.  All other matters reserved. The Potting Shed Nursery, Hinton Road, Longworth, Abingdon.

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.

Longworth Parish Council chairman, Michael Pearce, spoke on behalf of the parish council. The council objected “vehemently” on the following grounds:

·           The proposed application conflicts with policies in its emerging neighbourhood plan.

·           The emerging neighbourhood plan may be a material consideration.

·           The emerging neighbourhood plan had passed through consultation with overwhelming local support.

Richard Kenyon, a local resident, objected on behalf of a group of local residents:

·           The proposed development is not proportionate: it will create a six per cent increase in housing stock.

·           The site is not sustainable as there are few facilities.

Natasha Ireland (JPPC), the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application:

·           The Vale does not have a five year housing land supply and the neighbourhood plan is not adopted and therefore carries limited weight.

·           The development provides a number of smaller properties.

·           There are local amenities.

The clerk read out a statement from the ward councillor, Anthony Hayward, the key points are below:

·           The illustrative layout cannot be relied upon to assess the impact on the adjacent conservation area and listed buildings which border the site.

·           The conservation area and listed properties which border to the east are a very important part of the site context.

·           There can be no approval comments from the officer concerned or analysis of the impact upon the listed buildings and conservation area until an actual site layout is to be part of the application.

·           This village has an unusual broken up layout with many wide open spaces between houses, and is part of its character.

·           The site is in open countryside at the western gateway to the village and just outside the conservation area.

·           The harm of such a development is similar to, if not greater, than the appeal site, it is bounded on one side only by housing, it is in effect part of the open countryside that defines the conservation area adjacent.

·           If permission were granted it would destroy this open nature and encourage further development nearby. Indeed there is already an application for 9 units across the road in an open field setting.

·           The sustainability issues are for a site with an irregular bus service which is about to be axed, over the recommended walking distances to an alternative bus service, as well as to local shop and sports facilities. The contributions suggested to support this bus service are not sufficient as the agency have suggested a contribution of 6 times this would be required to support the service, and for only a limited period. Indeed a previous appeal decision quoted a bus stop with regular daily services as being one of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 326.

Change of use to dual use to allow a child minding service between hours of 07:30 to 18:00hrs (retrospective).

Councillor Robert Sharp left the room as he had an interest in this item.

Councillor Sandy Lovatt took the chair.

The officer presented the report for a change of use to dual use to allow a child minding service between hours of 07:30 to 18:00hrs (retrospective). For Staddlestones, Church Street, Shellingford, SN7 7QA.

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.

A motion, moved and seconded for approval, was declared carried on being put to the vote.

RESOLVED: (For: 10; Against: 0; Abstentions: 0)