Agenda item

Councillors Roger Cox and Matthew Barber had each declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration.

Further to the report the Committee was advised that a revised plan had been received showing the tightening up of the carriageway.  Additionally, it was noted that the CountyEngineer had required a new Traffic Order to extend existing double yellow lines along Canada Lane.  Furthermore, it was noted that the Police Architectural Liaison Officer had suggested a gated scheme which the applicants had agreed to provide.  Finally, a petition of 76 signatures objecting to the application due to congestion along Canada Lane during peak hours during and after construction had been received.  However, it was noted that much of the traffic associated with the residential scheme was likely to be outside the hours for peak traffic associated with the nearby school.

Mr P Waddy, the applicant’s agent, made a statement in support of the application referring to the helpful contribution of the Officers in putting forward this proposal.  He advised that there were no objections from the statutory consultees and that the scheme was of high quality and made good use of this site.

One of the local Members spoke in support of the application, commenting on its good design and layout.  However he expressed concern regarding traffic and advised of the existing traffic problems in the area.

Another local Member also spoke in support of the application but expressed concern regarding inadequate car parking and the likelihood of displaced car parking in an area where there were already parking difficulties.  He questioned the usefulness of double yellow lines and requested that the local Members be consulted. 

Other Members also supported the application, but noted that the parking provision met the County standards and furthermore in relation to traffic the Committee needed to be mindful of the amount of traffic which would normally be generated from the extant commercial use of the site.  Members commended the scheme in terms of its design and layout and noted the availability of Gloucester Street car park for parking for parents collecting and dropping off children at the nearby school. 

One Member referred to the need for cycle gutters alongside the proposed steps on the Lechlade Road access and requested that these were included in the scheme.

The Committee noted that the Environmental Health Officer had raised no objection to the proposal. 

One Member raised concern regarding the proposed gating of the access to Lechlade Road, although it was noted that often a visual barrier resulted in less disruptive behaviour in areas which might be conducive to criminal activity such as dark alleyways and unlit paths. 

One Member suggested that the County Council might wish to seek a contribution towards the Better Ways to Schools programme.  However it was noted that Faringdon had been a pilot town for this scheme. 

By 17 votes to nil it was

RESOLVED

that the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice Chair of the Development Control Committee and the local Members be delegated authority to approve application GFA/19230 subject to:-

(i)                  the completion of a Section 106 Obligation with Oxfordshire County Council on financial contributions to social infrastructure such as schools and libraries, and to amend the parking restrictions on Canada Lane;

(ii)                conditions, to include external materials, details of the buildings (doors, windows, bays, lintels, cills, eaves, verges, vents, flues, chimneys, and the open roofing over the patio areas), the cill heights of windows and rooflights, de-contamination, road surfacing, details of the revised Lechlade Road access, hard and soft landscaping, boundary treatments, street furniture, visibility splays, parking, cycle parking, cycle gutters, bin storage, and the design of any sub-station; and

(iii)               discussions with the Police Architectural Liaison Officer regarding the gating of the access from the site to Lechlade Road.