Agenda item

Demolition of the existing 'Marcham Sports, Scouts and Social Club' and 'Little Angels Nursery' and the redevelopment of half of the Anson Field to provide for 51 residential units with associated means of access from Morland Road, car parking, landscape, amenity space and service infrastructure and application for the erection of a new community hub comprising: a replacement cricket and football pitch, a multi use games area (including floodlights) a childrens day nursery, community halls, youth facilities, a bar area, a kitchen, sports changing rooms and other associated accommodation along with two garage structures to provide storage on land north of Hyde Copse, with associated means of access from Howard Cornish Road, car parking, landscape, amenity space and service infrastructure.'

Recommended: to delegate granting planning permission to the head of planning in consultation with the committee chairman, vice-chairman and local member subject conditions.

Councillor Margaret Turner left the meeting for the duration of this item.

The officer introduced his report and gave updates which had been received since publication.

• There had been 6 further letters of objection received, which broadly reiterated the points made in earlier objections.
• The county engineer has confirmed the following: “no objection to the width of the access road being 4.2 metres for accessing the sports uses. However the first 15 metres for its junction with Howard Cornish Road must be a minimum of 4.8 metres to allow for two vehicles to pass each other safely at the access point and so as not to interfere with traffic on the Howard Cornish Road. There is no objection to the width being 4.2 metres for the remainder of the access road with the passing bays as shown. The sightlines as described on the layout are also satisfactory at 4.5 metres and 90 metres.
• The countryside officer has confirmed no objection subject to ensuring that the mitigation/compensation measures proposed in the ecology report can be implemented and a management plan for the existing woodland can be produced and implemented.
• English Heritage has confirmed that the matter regarding scheduling the site as an ancient monument was passed to the Department of Culture, media and Sport for decision on 9 August 2012. Unfortunately, there is no response from DCMS yet on their decision, but it is expected shortly.
• The applicant has provided further amended plans showing minor tweaks to the residential layout at the request of officers, and to the community hub layout to incorporate the county highway engineer’s comments on the access.

Councillor David Walton from Marcham Parish Council spoke against the application. He said that in a postal ballot 62 percent of villagers had responded. 47 percent were in favour of the application and 53 percent against it.

He also made the following points:

• Villagers want increased community facilities.
• The number of houses on the site should be reduced to 45 to lower the density.
• The height of the tallest house should be reduced to reduce the visual impact.
• Footpaths should be improved.
• The house nearest to Dove Cottage should be removed to increase the privacy enjoyed by Dove Cottage residents.
• To improve the proposed styles and materials.
• That two new classrooms should be added to the local school.

Mr Bob Anderson spoke in objection to the application.

• He said that the “hub” of new community facilities would not be near enough to the centre of the village.
• There would be a net loss of tennis courts under the proposal

Jim Asher, from the Marcham Community Group spoke in favour of the application.

• Marcham Community Group has over 300 members who support a new community building appropriate to community needs and who see the benefit of the application by a majority of 2:1.
• Marcham Community Group is still concerned about the impact on the local school.

Andy Cattermole, the applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

The committee had an extensive discussion on this item.

• There were concerns as to whether the issues raised by Thames Water about the drainage would slow delivery of the project down. Officers stated that Thames Water say the issues can be resolved to allow delivery within the time frame.
• There is space available for additional expansion of the primary school.
• The remaining green area by the housing development will become an open play area, with children’s play area. The cricket pitch will be moved to the new community hub site. The play area next to the housing development will be retained by the Anson trust as community open space.
• The committee requested that its concerns about the village school were recorded and that at least two extra classrooms were added in time to cater for families moving into the new housing.
• The loss of the village tennis courts could potentially be addressed by playing tennis on the multi-use games area of the school or by further negotiation with the school over its new play area.
• The house nearest to Dove Cottage has already been reduced by 0.8 metres and moved 0.5 metres to the west to reduce the impact and overlooking.

RESOLVED: (For 11; Against 1; Abstentions 0)

To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the committee chairman, vice chairman, local member and opposition spokesman to grant planning permission, and subject to:

1.    Confirmation from English Heritage that the site is not to be scheduled as an ancient monument.

2.    Confirmation from county highways officer and countryside officer that revised access drive and ecological impacts at Hyde Copse are acceptable.

3.    The completion of S106 obligations to secure affordable housing, the new school classrooms, the new community centre and financial contributions for local services with a deadline of 6 months in which to complete the S106 agreements.

4.    Conditions to include implementation within 12 months, external materials, boundary treatments, landscaping, tree protection measures, ecology, construction details, slab levels, drainage, lighting, access and parking.

5.    Communal satellite dishes on terraced blocks.

6.    All street scene boundaries to be build in permanent materials such as brick or stone.

7.    Condition from Thames Water that until foul drainage is resolved, work on site will not commence.

Councillor Margaret Turner returned to the meeting after the conclusion of this item.