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 for absence were received from Councillors Matthew Barber and Val Shaw.

One of the local members present at the meeting expressed her support for the application, noting that sufficient off street parking would be provided as part of the development.  One Member queried whether the Parish Council had a blanket policy of raising objections on the grounds of in-sufficient off street parking provision and asked that the Officers discuss this with the Parish Council, reminding it that by raising an objection, an application was automatically referred to the Development Control Committee for determination.  Other Members had some sympathy for the Parish Council’s position in that on-street parking was a problem locally and suggested that it was responding to pressure from parishioners regarding the cumulative effect of increased on-street parking.  It this regard, one Member suggested that a change in both Central Government Policy and Oxfordshire County Council Car Parking Standards was needed to address the problems of on-street parking in areas like Grove.  In response, the Development Control Manager advised that at the request of the Parish Council, Officers would be providing planning training for Members of Grove Parish Council. 

In respect of the application, one Member asked that a permeable surface be used for the new driveway.  In response, the Development Control Manager advised that it would be unreasonable to condition such a requirement but an informative could be added to any planning permission granted.

By 12 votes to nil, it was

RESOLVED

that application GRO/716/6 be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report, together with an informative asking the applicant to consider using a permeable surface for the new driveway.

(Councillor Terry Cox had declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this application and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he left the meeting during its consideration.  Councillor Anthony Hayward declared a personal interest in this application and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he remained in the meeting during its consideration).

In response to a concern regarding the proximity of the proposed building to a field drain, the Area Planning Officer advised that this was a matter for the Council’s Building Control Officer.  Furthermore, the Area Planning Officer confirmed that in the event planning permission was granted a condition could be included to ensure that the proposed garage was ancillary to the main dwelling.

One Member stressed the need to ensure that objections raised by town and parish councils were based on material planning considerations.  In response, the Development Control Manager advised that Officers took a cautious line regarding town/parish council objections and always referred the application to which the objection was raised to the Development Control Committee for determination.  However, if the Committee so wished a harder line could be taken regarding objections raised.   It was agreed that in future if Officers were in any doubt regarding an objection raised by a town/parish council and whether it was sufficient to warrant the application being referred to the Committee, the views of the Chair of the Development Control Committee should be sought.

Finally, one Member stressed the need to ensure that location plans accompanying applications were accurate.

By 11 votes to nil, it was

RESOLVED

(a)               that application STA/6532/3 be approved, subject to the conditions set out in the report and an additional condition requiring the garage to be ancillary to the main dwelling;

(b)       that if Officers are in any doubt regarding an objection raised by a town/parish council and whether it is sufficient to warrant the application being referred to the Committee, the views of the Chair of the Development Control Committee should be sought.

Referring to the objections raised by the Parish Council regarding off-street parking provision and screening of the proposed bin store, the Area Planning Officer advised that the County Engineer had confirmed that current off-street parking provision was sufficient to accommodate the additional flat and the screening of the bin store would be covered by proposed condition Number 4.  One Member queried the accuracy of the site plan, accompanying the application, and whether there was sufficient room to accommodate both the proposed extension and retain the current parking provision.

By 12 votes to nil, it was

RESOLVED

that authority to approve or refuse application NHI/16911/6 be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice-Chair of the Development Control Committee, subject to Officers checking the accuracy of the plans and confirming that the current level of off-street parking can be accommodated.

(Councillors Terry Cox and Jenny Hannaby had both declared a personal interest in this application and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they both remained in the meeting during its consideration).

The Principal Planning Officer reported that amended plans had been received, which increased the distance between plots 3 and 6 on the site.  Two letters of objection had been received regarding increased traffic.  Finally, she circulated photographs providing a view of the development site from the Civic Hall Car Park.

In considering the application, the Committee made the following comments:-

• The proposed development was the start of major development works in the town.
• Concern at increased traffic onto Newbury Street.
• Support the objection of the Crime Prevention Design Adviser to the provision of a pedestrian link from the development site through to the Civic Hall Car Park.
• The proposed pedestrian link to the Civic Hall should be for use by residents only, secured by a tall lockable gate. Due to limited parking on site, the Civic Hall Car Park would provide alternative visitor parking.
• The need to secure Section 106 contributions for District Council/Town Council services and schemes, such as the Market Place refurbishment, social infrastructure and leisure provision.
• Retention of the cast iron lantern on the front elevation of the listed building.
• Provision of a permeable surface for the proposed car parking areas and access roads.
• Windows on the south elevation to be of the same design.
• The view of St Mary’s School Chapel from the Civic Hall Car Park should be retained, as this had been a major consideration during the previous development of the site.
• Retain for use the main entrance doorway to the listed building.

In response, the Principal Planning Officer and Development Control Manager advised that the use of block paving for the car parking areas would provide a permeable surface and would be covered by a hard surface materials condition.  In respect of the design of the windows on the south elevation it was noted that the applicant could not be required to replace the existing windows but the Committee’s concerns would be drawn to the applicant’s attention.  Retaining the view of the Chapel from the Civic Hall Car Park was not an issue previously raised with the applicant and there had been no objection raised by the Council’s Conservation Officer.  It was noted that securing Section 106 funding for leisure facilities was dependent on the Council adopting a Leisure Strategy, which would be considered by the Executive in October 2007.  In respect of funding towards the refurbishment of the Market Place, it was reported that a fully costed scheme would need to be prepared before Section 106 funding could be identified.

By 11 votes to nil (one of the voting Members having left the meeting at this point), it was

RESOLVED

that authority to approve applications WAN/20119 and WAN/20119/1-LB be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice-Chair of the Development Control Committee,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110.

The Committee received and considered report 51/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer, which sought authority to take enforcement action to secure the removal of an unauthorised dwelling on land at Tanglewood, Jarn Way, Boars Hill; to cease the unauthorised use of land as an extended garden adjacent to 50 Lashford Lane, Dry Sandford; and to cease the unauthorised use of the paddock as storage for vehicles and to secure the removal of the garage on land at East Cottage, Buckland.

In respect of the unauthorised dwelling on land at Tanglewood, Jarn Way, Boars Hill, the Council’s Solicitor advised that the extent of the action to be taken would be the removal of those elements of the building which made it capable of separate residential use.

By 11 votes to nil (one of the voting Members having left the meeting at this point), it was

RESOLVED

(a)               that authority be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice Chair of the Committee, to take enforcement action against Mr Benello and Ms Becker of Tanglewood, Jarn Way, Boars Hill to secure the removal of an unauthorised dwelling within the Green Belt, if he considers it expedient to do so;

(b)               that authority be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community strategy) in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice Chair of the Committee, to take enforcement action against those responsible for the unauthorised use at land Adjacent to 50 Lashford Lane, Dry Sandford, as extended garden and return it to agricultural use only, if he considers it expedient to do so;

(c)               that authority be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice Chair of the Committee, to take enforcement action against Mr Keene of East Cottage, Buckland, to cease the unauthorised use of the paddock as storage for vehicles and to secure the removal of the garage.

None.