Agenda item

(CouncillorAngela Lawrence declared a personal interest in this application but in accordance with Standing Order 34, she remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

Mr Boston made a statement on behalf of the Abingdon Marina Residents' Association.  He objected to the application, raising matters already covered in the report but highlighted: the inaccuracy of the plans; the number of moorings being exceeded; the size of the boats exceeding that permitted; the increase in the size of the marina taking into account all the changes; waste discharge causing deterioration of the marina environment and its water quality; the harm the application would cause neighbours; the need for an environmental impact assessment; and the failure to install marker buoys to protect the bank and plants. 

Mr Broughton-Smith, on behalf of the applicant, reported that there were 100 berths at the marina, some of which were 70 feet long and could take 3 small boats.  The longest boat at the marina was estimated to be 60 feet long.  The application would increase the number of berths to 113.  The additional berths would be around 200m from the nearest house.  He wanted to see wildlife thrive at the marina and did not propose anything to harm it. 

The Local Member suggested that to allay residents' concerns additional conditions should be added to restrict the length of boats able to use the new mooring berths and to require buoys to be first installed in order to protect the bank and wildlife.  These conditions should be clearly stated.  She suggested that the number of boats at the marina should be limited to 120.  The proposal to improve the road surface of South Quay to County Council standards was welcomed. 

The officers reported that investigations were ongoing into the alleged breaches of planning conditions from previous applications.  Any breaches would be dealt with separately.  The Committee had to concentrate on the application in hand and determine it on its own merits.  The Chair reminded the Committee that although the objector had raised concerns about waste being discharged to the marina and the marina environment being damaged, the Environment Agency had not raised any concerns or objection to the application.  This was confirmed in an e-mail to the Planning Officer on 1 August 2007.  However, the Environment Agency had called for buoys to be in position. 

The Committee agreed that buoys should be installed to protect the bank.  It was considered that the Environment Agency's view was needed on the location of the buoys and to support any planning conditions on this and the suggestion to restrict boat lengths for the new moorings to protect the bank. 

It had been suggested that the number of boats at the marina should be limited to 120 but allowing more during times of high water emergency.  However, while the number of mooring berths could be limited and was enforceable, limiting the number of boats might not be enforceable and therefore this suggestion was discounted. 

Members supported the proposal to bring South Quay up to standard but recognised that some of the road length lay outside the applicant's ownership and was outside its control. 

It was considered that approval of the application should be delegated to allow for further information to be obtained from the Environment Agency to support possible conditions regarding buoys to protect the bank and limiting the length of boats for the new moorings. 

RESOLVED  (by 15 votes to nil)

that authority be delegated to theDeputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy), in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice-Chair and Opposition Spokesmanof the Development Control Committee and the Local Members, to approve application ABG/742/42, subject to:

(i)         the conditions set out in the report; and

(ii)        seeking further advice from the Environment Agency in support of attaching additional conditions to install buoys to protect the bank and to limit the length of boats moored at the new berths provided by this application.