Agenda item

(Councillor Tony de Vere had declared a personal interest in this application and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he remained in the meeting during its consideration).

It was noted that Appendices 3, 4 and 5 to the report had been circulated separately.  In respect of the comments received from Sport England (Appendix 3), the Area Planning Officer advised that no reference had been made to national or local planning policies.   She advised that a model of the proposed development was available at the meeting for the Committee to view.  Finally, she reported three further letters of representation received, as follows:-

• Letter from Councillor Jim Moley, on behalf of a number of members of the Harwell Squash Club living in his ward, drawing attention to the letter from Sport England and statements made about the Club not being economic, when such clubs were not configured to make a profit.  He referred also to the current development of the Harwell site and considered that the Club should be allowed to develop to reflect the increased population.
• Harwell Tennis Club 
• Mr M Coates, Chairman of the Harwell Squash Racquets Club advising that the views expressed by the Chairman of the Harwell Laboratories Recreation Association (Appendix 4) were a personal view and not the views of the Association.

In respect of the draft Section 106 Agreement attached at Appendix 5 to the report, the Council’s Solicitor advised that this agreement was the old format and any new agreement would reflect the new format.

Mr M Coates, Chairman of the Harwell Squash Racquets Club made a statement objecting to the application raising concerns relating to matters already covered in the report.  He referred to the views expressed by Sport England, which he considered presented a fair and balanced case for continued squash court provision on the Harwell site.  He explained that the Club currently had three teams competing in the Oxfordshire Squash League.

Mr D Summers also made a statement objecting to the application, raising concerns regarding land usage at the site and the loss of both residential properties and amenity land outside of the security gate.  He considered that there was sufficient land within the Harwell Campus for the proposed development to be located, thereby avoiding the loss of residential and amenity land.  Finally, he reminded the Committee that it had previously been mindful of the impact of development of this site on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Mr C Homes, Chief Executive of the Four Pillars Hotel Group, made a statement in support of the application.  He explained that his company was the largest hotel operator in the Region and that there was significant demand for a hotel on the Harwell campus.  The provision of a hotel would create 125 new jobs, many of which would be for local people.  Furthermore, the hotel would assist UKAEA attract new businesses and have a positive impact on local businesses.  He regretted the loss of the squash courts and despite extensive efforts to replace the facility, it had not proved possible on the grounds of expense and the level of subsidy required.  Finally, he referred to the leisure facilities that would be provided as part of the development, which would enhance local provision and confirmed that 1,000 memberships would be made available to local people.   

At this point in the meeting, it was proposed by the Chair and

RESOLVED

that the meeting do adjourn for five minutes to allow Members of the Committee to view the model of the proposed development.

At 7.25pm the meeting re-convened.

One of the local Members present at the meeting made the following comments:-

• The single phase development was now acceptable due to timelines having moved on.
• The principle of a 142 bedroom hotel and leisure facility in this location had been established.  The permission was extant.
• Query the applicants claim that to provide squash courts would render the scheme financially unviable.
• The replacement of the tennis courts was welcomed.
• Support the views of Chilton and Harwell Parish Councils that replacement squash court facilities should be provided, as local provision was poor.
• Pleased that the legal agreement specifies that membership of the leisure facility should be open to local residents, although the price may be prohibitive.
• Welcome the more traditional design of the proposed hotel.
• Assurance that any light pollution from the proposed development would be carefully monitored and any lighting schemes agreed by the Council to lessen any impact on the AONB.  Also details of signage and other forms of advertising to be carefully considered and monitored.

Members generally welcomed the overall design of the proposed development but expressed concern at the loss of the squash court facility.  One Member considered that responsibility for replacing the squash court facility lay with UKAEA, as it was selling the land on which the hotel was to be built.  It was suggested that the Council should be proactive in discussing alternative squash court provision with the site operator.  Officers advised that Local Plan Policy L7, requiring the replacement of leisure facilities lost as a result of development, only applied to public facilities.

By 15 votes to nil, it was

RESOLVED

(a)       that authority to grant planning permission be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice Chair of the Committee and the local Members subject to:-

(1)               the completion of a S106 Agreement securing the use of the leisure club;

(2)               conditions relating to materials (the most publicly visible part of the development to be brick), hard and soft landscaping, tree protection, contaminated land, visibility splays, cycle parking, vehicular parking provision, cycleway provision, external lighting and the inclusion of a sustainable drainage scheme;   

(3)               a materials panel being erected on site;

(4)               an informative advising the applicant that signage will require a separate application;

(b)       that the Leader of the Council be requested to initiate discussions with the operator of the Harwell site to find an alternative site for the squash club.