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Minutes of a meeting of the Planning Committee
held on Wednesday, 27 September 2023 at 7.00 pm in Meeting Room 1, Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3JE
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Open to the public, including the press
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Present in the meeting room:
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Councillors: Max Thompson (Chair), Paul Barrow, Cheryl Briggs, Jenny Hannaby, Diana Lugova, Mike Pighills and Jill Rayner |
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Officers: Adrian Butler (Planning Officer), Emily Hamerton (Development Manager) and Emily Barry (Democratic Services Officer) |
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Guests: Councillor Debra Dewhurst
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Remote attendance: |
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Officers: Susie Royce (Broadcasting Officer) |
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41 Chair's announcements
The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, outlined the procedure to be followed and advised on emergency evacuation arrangements.
42 Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Val Shaw and Ron Batstone who was substituted by Councillor Paul Barrow.
43 Minutes
RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 16 August 2023 as a correct record and agree that the Chair sign these as such.
44 Declarations of interest
There were no declarations of interest.
45 Urgent business
There was no urgent business.
46 Public participation
The list showing members of the public who had registered to speak was tabled at the meeting.
47 P23/V1093/HH - 39 Wootton Village, Boars Hill, Oxford, OX1 5HP
The committee considered planning application P23/V1093/HH for proposed driveway/dropped kerb (as amplified by additional information received 22 June 2023), on land at 39 Wootton Village, Boars Hill, Oxford, OX1 5HP.
Consultations, representations, policy and guidance, and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report, which formed part of the agenda pack for the meeting.
The development manager introduced the report and highlighted that the application sought permission for a new access and dropped kerb. The application had been deferred from an earlier meeting in order that a site visit could be carried out with the local highways authority in attendance to allow them to address any questions from the committee. The development manager confirmed that the construction of two houses on the plot was underway and that one access had been granted permission under the original application for these dwellings. The development manager advised that the proposed access and dropped kerb before the committee was to create a separate access for plot two on the site. She also highlighted that whilst there were currently high hoardings around the site this would be replaced with a 1 metre high stone wall.
The development manager concluded that the application was not harmful to highway safety or convenience or the character or appearance of the area and was therefore recommended for approval.
Gerardine Quaghebeur spoke on behalf of Wootton Parish Council, objecting to the application.
Tom Balance, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.
As councillor Val Shaw the local ward member was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, a statement objecting to the application was read out on her behalf by the democratic services officer.
The committee had conducted a site visit prior to the meeting. The committee asked for clarification as to whether the highways authority had revised their view on the application. The development manager confirmed that originally the local highways authority had objected to the application but following the submission of further information they had removed their objection. At the site visit the highways officer had confirmed that they had no highway safety or amenity concerns in relation to this application.
The committee enquired if there had been any indication that the bench which had been removed would be replaced. The development manager advised that the land where the bench had been situated remain in the ownership of Oxfordshire County Council and that an easement would be granted to allow access to the proposed drive from the highway. She went on to advise that in order for a bench to be placed on the land a license would be required.
A motion, moved and seconded, to approve the application was carried on being put to the vote.
The committee reflected that they had previously been inclined to refuse the application based on the plans and photos when the application was discussed at a previous meeting. However, having visited the site the committee had seen that many houses in the area had driveways and as such, this challenged the concerns it had had around highway safety and also the potential for harm to the character of the area. The committee went on to note that it was a shame to lose the amenity space but that this was not a reason for refusal.
RESOLVED: to approve planning application P23/V1093/HH, subject to the following conditions:
Standard:
1. Commencement within three years
2. Approved plans list
Compliance:
3. Access, parking and turning in accordance with approved plan
Informative:
4. Works within the Highway
5. Works within the vicinity of the Highway Tree
6. Neighbourhood Plan policies
48 P23/V0667/RM - Parcel 1P, Land to the west of Great Western Park (Valley Park), Didcot
The committee considered planning application P23/V0667/RM for Reserved Matters submission relating to phase 1P pursuant to outline planning permission P14/V2873/O, comprising 172 dwellings with associated infrastructure and landscaping.
(Outline planning application for a residential development of up to 4,254 dwellings, mixed use local centres, primary schools, sports pitches, community and leisure facilities, special needs school, open space and extensive green infrastructure, hard and soft landscaping, attenuation areas, diversions to public rights of way, pedestrian and vehicular access and associated works), on land at Parcel 1P, Land to the west of Great Western Park (Valley Park), Didcot.
Consultations, representations, policy and guidance, and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report, which formed part of the agenda pack for the meeting.
The planning officer introduced the report and highlighted that the application came before the committee as when the application was submitted it fell within the boundary of Harwell Parish Council who objected to the application. Since then there had been a boundary revision and the application site now fell within Western Valley Parish. The planning officer confirmed that Western Valley Parish Council did not object to the application.
The planning officer informed the committee that outline consent had been granted for up to 4,254 dwellings on the site and the reserved matters application before them was located at the north of the site. The planning officer went on to advise that the outline application was subject to a Section 106 agreement which secured various infrastructure such as schools and pitches and that these matters were not open for discussion as part of the reserved matters application. The planning officer also confirmed that the access from the A4130 had been granted permission under the outline consent and that delivery of the development was not reliant on Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF1) road and bridges scheme being in place.
The planning officer informed the committee that the application had been reduced from 179 dwellings to 172. Access to the site was via a signalised junction from the A4130 with a main road serving the site and secondary roads coming off of the main road. He confirmed that the scheme had been designed in line with the agreed site design code. The planning officer went on to highlight that that this included the widths of the secondary roads, noting a particular road which would be built at a width of 7.5 metres. Despite the fact that the local highway authority had agreed the site design code for the development it had since requested that the road be built to a width of 8.3 metres and advised that it may not adopt the road in question should it not be built to this width.
The planning officer went on to confirm that a protected tree would be retained to the north of the site and the landscape officer’s comments had been addressed. He confirmed that parking provision was in line with adopted standards and all properties would be built with an EV charging point. The planning officer also confirmed that no gas boilers would be installed on the development.
The planning officer advised the committee that an assessment had been made of the noise impact for future residents. The assessment had looked at the noise impact with the A4130 as is, but modelling had also been done to take account of the potential impact should the A4130 become dualled in the future. Officers were satisfied that with appropriate ventilation and glazing this would not be an issue for future residents.
The officer concluded that the application accorded with Local Plan policies, the council’s design guide and the development design code and was therefore recommended for approval subject to suggested conditions.
Daniel Millward (Persimmon Homes), the applicant, spoke in support of the application.
Councillor Debra Dewhurst, a local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application.
The committee asked if the planning officer was satisfied with the housing mix as it noted that the application did not accord with the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA). The officer advised that they were satisfied that the correct mix of housing would be delivered across the site as a whole, acknowledging that this meant some parcels would be compliant whilst others would not.
The committee enquired as to whether the signalised crossing from the A4130 would be complete prior to first occupation as there was no proposed condition relating to this. The planning officer advised that this was secured under condition 32 of the outline consent and it was required to be built in accordance with the approved plans which should also secure this.
The committee asked for clarification as to which roads would be adopted by the local highway authority. The planning officer advised that their understanding was all of the roads were of an adoptable standard. He advised that the issue with adoption related to a specific road due to it’s width but that this had only recently been raised by the highway authority despite it having agreed to the design code for the development with which the roads complied. The additional width that had been requested by the local highway authority was to secure service strips.
The committee enquired as to whether the drainage system would be designed as the development was built out. The planning officer informed the committee that Thames Water had confirmed there was network capacity for the development but he went on to advise that the surface and foul water drainage systems were secured by condition. The officer confirmed a new foul water pumping station to the east of the site was under consideration but that there was no indication there would be a need to stage occupation of the development in order for Thames Water to have network capacity.
The committee asked if HIF1 had been taken into account when assessing the noise levels. The planning officer confirmed that both the current arrangement of the A4130 and the potential for extra traffic should the A4130 become a dual carriageway had been considered. The planning officer advised that the maximum levels found to be acceptable in gardens on the frontage was 50 decibels and therefore some gardens would have 2 metre high walls. The planning officer confirmed that the council’s environmental health team had assessed the application and were satisfied with the provisions.
A motion, moved and seconded, to approve the application was carried on being put to the vote.
The committee looked forward to seeing the development and associated infrastructure being delivered. It noted that the infrastructure was key to the site. The committee were pleased to see the site had no gas boilers and that the balance of affordable housing made provision for single people with smaller properties available.
RESOLVED: to approve planning application P23/V0667/RM, subject to the following conditions:
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1. Approved plans
Pre Commencement Conditions 2. Provision of tree and Moor Ditch protective fencing 3. Update the submitted Ecological Construction Management Plan to add the construction clerk/management contact details
Pre-Occupancy or Other Stage Conditions 4. Noise mitigation - Passive ventilation systems and double glazing providing 31dB and 25dB attenuation for those residential properties fronting the A4130 and northern plots along the spine road respectively. Two metre wall on the east boundary of plot 19 and on west boundaries of plots 16 and 23, as per the fences & enclosures plan 5. Noise mitigation implementation verification report 6. Details of proposed materials 7. Boundary treatments in accordance with approved plans 8. Vision splays to be provided in accordance with the approved plan and thereafter maintained with no structure or vegetation except for trees, above 0.9m in height 9. Cycle parking for each dwelling to be provided prior to occupation of each plot 10. Electric vehicle charging points in accordance with approved plan
Post Occupancy Monitoring and Management Conditions 11. Permitted development rights removal – extensions, dormer windows, outbuildings 12. Retention of garages for parking
Informatives |
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1. No construction shall take place within 5m of the water main. Information detailing how the developer intends to divert the asset / align the development, so as to prevent the potential for damage to subsurface potable water infrastructure, must be submitted to and approved by Thames Water. 2. Interference with a water main may be an offence under s174 of the Water Industry Act 1991. Any work that may require diversion of a water main, works within 5m of a strategic water main or piling within 15m of a water main could need the approval of Thames Water. 3. Bird nesting 4. Broadband provision 5. Need for a S278 agreement under the Highways Act 6. It is an offence under S151 of the Highways Act for vehicles to carry mud onto roads 7. Thames Water will aim to provide customers with a minimum pressure of 10m head (approx. 1 bar) and a flow rate of 9 litres/minute at the point where it leaves Thames Waters pipes.
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The meeting closed at 8.01 pm |