Agenda item

Recommended: to delegate authority to grant planning permission to the head of planning services, in consultation with the chairman and vice chairman and subject to both the completion of a planning obligation to secure a financial contribution to public transport and conditions.

The officer introduced his report.

Robert Treadgold, from Garford village parish meeting spoke in objection to the application. He felt that there should be an adjournment to look in more detail at the application; he said that he had the overwhelming support of Garford residents. He summarised the arguments put forward by the parish meeting in objection to the application.

Catherine Petts, from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) spoke in objection to the application. She felt that this area was an historic landscape which should be protected from development and suburbanisation, and that an alternative site should be found nearer to a town.

Howard Hodgson, chairman of Memoria, the applicant, spoke in favour of the application. He summarised his company’s written submissions and argued that the company would not be making the financial investment if it did not believe that there was enough of a need to justify the return on the investment.

Matthew Barber, ward councillor, was unable to be present, but a written statement from him was read out by the chairman of the planning committee. His concerns were about the potential increase in traffic to the area; whether the “need” for the crematorium had been adequately demonstrated; the fact that this application is contrary to the local plan and whether there were more suitable sites.

A lengthy debate ensued; it was also explained to the Garford residents the role and remit of the committee as a quasi-judicial committee and the matters which could and could not be taken into consideration for planning purposes.

The committee considered traffic issues with regard to the fact that there will be significant population growth, particularly around Grove, over the next few years. It was acknowledged that the county highways engineer had factored in the population growth and that the expected traffic increase is still within acceptable limits. One of the attractions of this site is the good visibility at the access onto the public highway.

Concerns were raised about the potential for flooding as the site had flooded in 2007 and was a possible flood risk. The Environment Agency had not objected to the site as it is not considered to be a 1 in 100 year flood risk.

The committee accepted the potential availability of other sites available does not need to be considered if this site is acceptable on its own merits. It also accepted that the application meets the criteria for being considered as an exception to local plan policies.

Concerns were raised about the adequacy of car parking and this will need to be monitored.

RESOLVED (For 13; Against 2; Abstentions 0)

To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the chairman and vice-chairman, to grant planning permission, subject to the following conditions:

i) The completion of a planning obligation to secure a financial contribution to public transport

ii) Conditions to include external materials, landscaping, boundary treatments, slab and site levels, access and road widening, bus stops, footways, parking, lighting, ecology, archaeology, and drainage.