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.

The attendance of a Substitute Member who had been authorised to attend in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 17(1) was recorded as referred to above with an apology for absence having been received from Councillor John Woodford. 

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 13 August 2007 and of the re-convened meeting held on 15 August 2007.

The minutes of the Committee meeting held on 13 and 15 August 2007 were adopted and signed as a correct record, subject to the recording of declaration of interests being amended in minute DC.84 as follows:

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

In accordance with Part 2 of the Local Code of Conduct and the provisions of Standing Order 34, any Member with a personal interest must disclose the existence and nature of that interest to the meeting prior to the matter being debated.  Where that personal interest is also a prejudicial interest, then the Member must withdraw from the room in which the meeting is being held and not seek improperly to influence any decision about the matter unless he/she has obtained a dispensation from the Standards Committee.

Declarations of interests were made in respect of report 60/07 as follows:

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.

The Chair reminded Councillors and members of the public to switch their mobile phones off during the meeting. 

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.

Six members of the public had each given notice that they wished to make a statement at the meeting. 

To consider any materials submitted prior to the meeting of the Committee.

ANY MATERIALS SUBMITTED WILL BE ON DISPLAY PRIOR TO THE MEETING.

None

Dismissed

The following appeal has been dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate: -

Appeal by Mr V K Cox against the Council’s decision to refuse to permit the conversion of a barn on land part of Dolphin House, High Street Childrey OXON OX12 9UE, (CHD/891/6).  The decision to refuse planning permission was made by the Deputy Director in consultation with the Chair and / or Vice-Chair of the Development Control Committee under powers delegated to him under the Scheme of Delegation to Officers.  A copy of the decision notice is attached.

Withdrawn

The appeal in respect of the Council’s decision to refuse the demolition of existing bungalow and the erection of 4 detached dwellings, garages, parking and access road at Stanab, Faringdon Road, Kinston Bagpuize (KBA/6770/10) has been withdrawn.

Recommendation

that the agenda report be received.

The Committee received and considered an agenda item which advised of one appeal which had been dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate and one appeal which had been withdrawn.  

RESOLVED

that the agenda report be received. 

A list of forthcoming public inquiries and hearings is presented.

Recommendation

that the report be received.

The Committee received and considered details of forthcoming Public Inquiries and Hearings.

RESOLVED

that the report be received. 

The Committee received and considered report 60/07 of the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) detailing six planning applications, the decisions of which are recorded below.  Applications where members of the public had given notice that they wished to make a statement were considered first. 

Further to the report, the officers reported that the Vice-Chair, who was absent, had suggested a permeable parking surface condition.  The Committee supported the application subject to the addition of this condition. 

RESOLVED  (by 15 votes to nil)

that application CUM/2421/7 be approved, subject to conditions set out in the report and an additional condition requiring a permeable parking surface. 

(Councillor Angela Lawrence declared a personal interest in this item but in accordance with Standing Order 34 she remained in the meeting during its consideration.  Rodger Hood (Deputy Director - Planning and Community Strategy) declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 35 he left the meeting during its consideration.) 

Mr Philip Davis made a statement objecting to the application, believing that the proposed development would take natural light away from his neighbouring property.  He reported that although neighbours across the road from the application site had not been informed of the application it did not affect them.  The applicant had also carried out two further extensions to properties nearby. 

Mrs Elaine Davis made a statement objecting to the application, believing that the proposed development would take light away from her neighbouring property.  It would block her only natural light source. 

While some objection was made to the proposal on the grounds of loss of light, the Committee considered that, on balance, the harm caused by the proposed development was not great enough to justify refusal. 

RESOLVED  (by 13 votes to 2)

that application ABG/2649/2 be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report. 

(Councillor Matthew Barber declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he left the meeting during its consideration.  Councillors Roger Cox, Terry Cox and Bob Johnston all declared personal interests in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration.) 

Further to the report, the Planning Officer updated the Committee on the County Engineer's consultation response.  The CountyEngineer raised no objection to the application subject to conditions and financial contributions towards the Oxford Transport Strategy and public transport.  In addition to items listed in the report, the District Council was also seeking a financial contribution towards providing composters.  In response to a local request for a 'bus gate' to link the adjoining Oxford Brookes campus, he reported that the applicant was uncertain about the bus routes through the site as no detailed site layout had been prepared, and had argued that the provision of a bus gate should be a matter for consideration at the reserved matters stage.  The officers agreed with the applicant that the provision of a bus gate could not be required by a condition but an informative could be placed on any permission to encourage its provision. 

Mr Eric Batts made a statement, on behalf of the Parish Council, in support of the application subject to financial contributions towards the improvement of the nearby Louie Memorial Field.  There was a need to improve the whole facility, not just the play equipment.  He urged the Committee to approve the application and ensure the Parish Council had priority for financial contributions. 

The officers reminded the Committee that the Council could only require financial contributions for facilities that reasonably related to the development. 

Mr Bryan Cranston made a statement objecting to the application, believing that he and his neighbours in Lime Road would be greatly affected by the proposed development.  Many local residents had signed a petition objecting to the development.  He believed that there would be an adverse impact on the health and wellbeing of the local community and there would be a strain on the sewer and surface water systems which were already inadequate.  There would also be a loss of view from his property, increased traffic, noise, increased use of the car park, potential reduction in house values, and mud on the roads from construction traffic. 

The officers reminded the Committee that loss of view and potential reduction in house values were not material planning considerations. 

The Local Member supported the Parish Council's request for a contribution towards improvements to the Memorial Field. 

The Committee recalled that the site had been allocated for housing development in the Local Plan at the request of the Local Plan Inquiry Inspector.  Therefore, the principle of development on the site had been established.  However, Members requested that best endeavours were used to introduce a bus gate on the site to link the development with Cumnor Hill.  All of the suggestions for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 141.

The Committee supported the application. 

RESOLVED

that application CUM/20199 be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report. 

(Councillor Anthony Hayward declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this application and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he left the meeting during its consideration.  Councillors Matthew Barber, Roger Cox, Terry Cox, Tony de Vere, Richard Farrell, Richard Gibson, Jenny Hannaby, Bob Johnston, Angela Lawrence, Sue Marchant, Jerry Patterson, Terry Quinlan, Val Shaw, Jenny Shepherd and Margaret Turner all declared personal interests in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

Further to the report the officers suggested an additional condition requiring details of the parking scheme to be submitted to and approved by the Planning Officers.  The Committee supported the application with this additional condition. 

RESOLVED  (by 14 votes to nil)

that application GFA/20204 be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report and an additional condition requiring details of the parking scheme to be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. 

Further to the report, the officers announced that two further letters of objection had been received, one requesting a right-turn lane, the other objecting to the disturbance likely to be caused during development.  It was also reported that the Vice-Chair, who was absent, had suggested a permeable parking surface condition. 

Dr Philip Hawtin made a statement on behalf of the Parish Council, objecting to the reserved matters of this application.  He was pleased that Thames Water had acknowledged the problems with the drainage system in the area.  He appealed for a similar management approach to be taken to manage the increased traffic that would result from this development. 

Miss Nicky Green made a statement on behalf of the applicant, in support of the application.  She believed that the development was in keeping with the area and would not impact on its neighbours. 

Members supported the application but asked that an informative was attached to the permission to ensure that all service equipment was contained within the building and that a condition should specify the requirement for permeable parking surfaces. 

RESOLVED  (by 15 votes to nil)

that application CUM/19859/2-D be approved, subject to conditions including the requirement for permeable parking surfaces, the addition of an informative to ensure that all service equipment must be contained within the building, and that materials for the development are submitted to the Committee for approval. 

None