Agenda item

Councillor Matthew Barber had declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he left the meeting during its consideration.

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

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Appendix to the report which outlined the reasons for the application.

The Committee was advised that LakeE was due to be filled but as it contained a significant amount of sand and gravel it was intended that this should be extracted first.  It was noted that Radley Parish Council strongly objected to the proposal questioning the extraction in the past and querying what would happen to the plant. 

It was reported that two letters had been submitted by local residents, one to the County Council and one to this authority raising concerns regarding the accuracy of the extraction figures; the use of the plant and equipment on site; whether the equipment was being used as stand alone equipment rather than ancillary; impact on the environment; traffic; breach of conditions; loss of trees; areas to be worked and impact on areas outside of the site.

It was noted that Officers shared some concerns to apparent discrepancies in the case made by the applicant. It was considered that the application should be supported in principle subject to the proposal meeting the terms of the batching plan; the permission being for a 3 year period and the County Council investigating the batching plant and whether it was stand alone or was still ancillary.  There was concern regarding the use of the batching plant without the benefit of planning permission.

Jenny Standen made a statement on behalf of the Parish Council raising concerns relating to matters already covered in the report.  She advised that the Parish Council was dismayed that this application had been received on 18 December when the existing batching plan expired at the end of December and she wondered if this was an attempt to slip an application through quickly.  She reported that the Parish Council and the Thrupp Lane Residents Association had asked for an extension of the consultation period.  She particularly raised concerns regarding Thrupp Lane being unsuitable for traffic particularly HGVs; highway safety; traffic problems; lack of passing places; use of residents drives; poor access; the desire to return the land back to Green Belt; the availability of sand and gravel which should have now run out according to the Tuckwells application in 2002; the requirement to construct bunds and the prevention of the site being sold on.

Mike Wilson made a statement on behalf of the Thrupp Lane Residents Association raising concerns relating to matters already covered in the report. He commented that in 2002 extraction for an extra 5 years had been sought and he referred to the tonnage to be removed amounting to 35,000 tonnes per year.  He explained that the applicant had advised that the extraction could be achieved in 5 years.  He recalled that the applicant had said that there were 50,000 tonnes still to be removed. He suggested that the applicant should be given a finite time to remove the sand and gravel and thereafter the land should be restored to Green Belt.  He raised concern regarding the use of the site suggesting that an import business was operating from the site.  He commented that Thrupp Lane was unsuitable for HGVs and he was concerned regarding safety.  He suggested that the business should relocate to a more suitable location with better access.

One of the local Members raised concern at the proposal commenting that the batching plant had obtained planning permission from the County Council although he considered that the concerns of the Parish Council were justified.  He raised concerns regarding buffer zones being ignored; lack of screening; building without planning permission; lack of information being sent to the District Council about extracting sand and gravel; concern that most of the remaining 50,000 tonnes were under the concrete batching plant; lack of enforcement by the County Council;

Some Members spoke against the application making the following comments: -

·                    The original planning permission for extraction had been granted in 1979, with an extension in 2003 and yet a further extension was now being sought. 

·                    This was a Green Belt site.

·                    This should not be allowed as the applicant had already been granted a further 5 years.

·                    An addition 3 years to extract the sand and gravel and thereafter a further 1 year to tidy up the site was excessive and it was questioned whether this was reasonable in the Green Belt particularly having regard to the length of time this had already been carrying on.

·                    The priority should be to return the land to Green Belt

·                    The applicant had more than 3 years which was in the County’s Policy.

·                    2 years or 1 year might be more reasonable.

·                    The extension should be for a minimum period.

·                    In view of the tonnage which could be removed per year amounting to 35,000 and it being noted that there was 50,000 left to remove it was suggested that permission should be granted for 2 years. 

One Member spoke in support of the application commenting that if the extraction of 50,000 tonnes of sand and gravel was not permitted here then this amount would need to be extracted from another site in the Vale.

In response to a question raised the officers advised that at the end of the period granted the applicant would need to apply for permission should a further extension of time for extraction be needed.  It was not possible to stipulate that no further permission would be granted.  It was commented that pressure should be placed on the enforcing authority to make sure the applicant extracted sand and gravel at a reasonable rate.

By 14 votes to nil it was

RESOLVED

that the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) be delegated authority in consultation with the Chair and/or Vice-Chair of the Development Control Committee and the local Member to respond to Oxfordshire County Council in respect of application RAD/3963/4-CM having regard to the comments set out above and with a 2 year extension only for extraction and 1 year for tidying up the site being supported.