Agenda and minutes

To receive any announcements from the chair, and general housekeeping matters.

The Chair had no announcements but ran through housekeeping arrangements appropriate to a virtual meeting.

To record apologies for absence and the attendance of substitute members. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Janet Shelley.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Planning Committee minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 8 July 2020. 

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on Wednesday 8 July 2020,were agreed to be a correct record of the meeting. It was agreed that the Chair sign them as such.

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

There were no declarations of interest.

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. 

There was no urgent business.

To receive any statements from members of the public that have registered to speak on planning applications which are being presented to this committee meeting. 

The committee noted the list of members of the public registered to speak at the meeting.

Reserved Matters application following Outline Approval P17/V1336/O for residential development for 200 dwellings, together with associated access, landscaping and public open space, infrastructure (utilities) and biodiversities enhancements.

Councillor Jerry Avery encountered technical communication problems during the presentation of this item. He was unable to participate in or hear the whole debate and did not vote on this application.

The committee considered application P19/V0169/RM for a Reserved Matters application following Outline Approval P17/V1336/O for residential development for 200 dwellings, together with associated access, landscaping and public open space, infrastructure (utilities) and biodiversity enhancements on land north west of Dunmore Road, 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 the meeting.

The planning officer reported that as this was a reserved matters application, the Committee was requested to consider scale, appearance and layout and were not required to revisit the original outline planning permission itself. He advised the Committee that the proposal had undergone eight sets of amendments in revising the scheme and in taking account of objections. As a result, a 2020 noise survey had been conducted and a revised noise assessment submitted.

The planning officer provided updates on the landscape officer’s comments, including the provision and location of a noise barrier on the north western part  of the site, tree planting and the number of street trees. The planning officer provided updates on the landscape officer’s comments, including the provision and location of a noise barrier on the north western part of the site, tree planting and the number of street trees.  As the landscaping plans had not been updated to reflect the current layout and given the comments expressed by the landscape officer, landscaping would be addressed by a planning condition requiring details to be submitted to and agreed by the Council.

Georgina Naish, on behalf of David Wilson Homes, the developer, spoke in support of the application.

Councillor Emily Smith, in her capacity as an Oxfordshire County Councillor, spoke to the application, expressing concerns about traffic generation with the southern Lodge Hill slip roads not in place, no account being given to future A34 widening, and the apparent lack of funding from the developer to the clinical commissioning group for health services. Councillor Smith also highlighted the problem of parking on verges and asked about the possibility of installing bollards at some locations. The planning officer confirmed that this was possible through an additional planning condition. Councillor Smith also expressed concern over enforcing proposed condition 10 which related to preventing garage conversions without the need for planning permission.

Councillor Andy Foulsham, a local ward councillor, spoke to the application. He generally welcomed recent improvements to details on the application but requested a higher standard of play equipment to include baby swings and full provision for disabled children. He also considered that the lawn and picnic area adjacent to the bund should receive better protection from traffic. He requested noise monitoring next to the A34 and a construction management plan.

Councillor Margaret Crick, a local ward councillor, spoke to the application. She emphasised the wider environmental impact of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 134.

Provision of a covered horse-riding arena on equestrian land (Additional justification received from agent on 16 May 2020)

The Committee considered application P20/V0550/O for the provision of a covered horse-riding arena on equestrian land (Additional justification received from agent on 16 May 2020) at Stonehill Farm (Riding School) Stonehill Drayton, 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.

The planning officer, referring to paragraph 6.2 of the report, reported that the proposal would have economic and social benefits by supporting a business and providing training and lessons to people. Officers had acknowledged that the proposal was a large building. Consideration of this was however weighed against its intended use and external appearance. Its size represented a known arena size for equestrian uses. Its agricultural barn-like appearance was appropriate for its rural setting. Therefore, in balancing the environmental impact, officers were satisfied that it would not result in harm to the visual amenity of the area or the setting of Abingdon or Drayton. The application was therefore recommended for approval, as it would accord with the relevant development plan policies.

Mr. Henry Venners, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

Responding to questions from the Committee, who cited Drayton Parish Council’s concerns regarding ridge height and visual intrusion, the planning officer confirmed that the proposed arena structure would not be taller than existing structures or be overly visually intrusive. Referring to paragraph 5.8 of the report, the planning officer confirmed that the proposal complied with Core Policy 37 (high quality design and responding positively to the site and its surroundings).

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

RESOLVED: to grant outline planning permission for application P20/V0550/O, subject to the following conditions;

1.         Commencement - Outline with Reserved Matters

2.         Approved plans

3.         Surface water drainage details submitted prior to commencement of development

4.         Details of external materials submitted prior to construction above slab level

5.         Details of any external lighting to be submitted prior to installation