Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Room 1, Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3JE

Contact: Darius Zarazel  Democratic Services Officer, Tel. 07917 088376

Items
No. Item

116.

Chair's announcements

To receive any announcements from the chair, and general housekeeping matters.

Minutes:

The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and outlined the meeting procedure to be followed. He also explained the emergency evacuation procedure.

 

The chair also congratulated Martin Deans, planning officer, on his upcoming retirement and thanked him for his professionalism and for the help he had offered the committee over the years.

117.

Apologies for absence

To record apologies for absence and the attendance of substitute members. 

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ron Batstone, who was substituted for Councillor Paul Barrow, and Councillor Jenny Hannaby, who was substituted for Councillor Andy Cooke.

118.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 270 KB

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Planning Committee minutes of the meeting held on 28 September, 26 October 2022, 9 November, 25 January 2023, and 14 February 2023. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2022, 26 October 2022, 9 November 2022, 25 January 2023, and 14 February 2023 as a correct record and agree that the Chair sign these as such.

119.

Declarations of interest

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests and non-registrable interests or any conflicts of interest in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.

Minutes:

Councillor Andy Cooke declared an interest in item 7 on the agenda due to application P22/V2546/S73 being in his ward and so he would not take part in the debate or vote on this application.

120.

Urgent business

To receive notification of any matters which the chairman determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent. 

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.

121.

Public participation

To receive any statements from members of the public that have registered to speak on planning applications which are being presented to this committee meeting. 

Minutes:

The committee noted the list of the members of the public who had registered to speak at the meeting.

122.

P22/V2546/S73 - Land South of Halls Close, Drayton pdf icon PDF 368 KB

Variation of conditions 2 (Approved Plans) on planning application P17/V1225/RM and removal of condition 14 (Age Restriction) on planning application P15/V2077/O (as amended by plans and additional documentation received 16 December 2022, 10 January 2023, 19 January 2023, 27 January 2023 and 31 January 2023), (description corrected and clarified in agreement with agent on 16 February 2023), (erection of 22 dwellings together with replacement garage for 10 Halls Close).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee considered planning application P22/V2546/S73 for the variation of conditions 2 (approved plans) on planning application P17/V1225/RM and removal of condition 14 (Age Restriction) on planning application P15/V2077/O (as amended by plans and additional documentation received 16 December 2022, 10 January 2023, 19 January 2023, 27 January 2023 and 31 January 2023), (description corrected and clarified in agreement with agent on 16 February 2023), (erection of 22 dwellings together with replacement garage for 10 Halls Close), on land South of Halls Close, Drayton.  

 

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 was brought to the committee due to the objection of Drayton Parish Council. The planning officer informed the committee that proposed variations were outlined in point 1.3 of the officer’s report and that the application also sought to remove an age restriction condition on 11 dwellings on the site.

 

The planning officer then presented the proposed road layout to the committee and noted it remained essentially the same and that the highway authority had no objection to the alterations. Other key changes to the dwellings were also presented to the committee and they included alteration or removal to some side glazing, reduction of door width, and the removal of detailing on a side elevation. Overall, the planning officer confirmed to members that the changes to the approved design were considered acceptable.

 

On the removal of age restriction to the 11 dwellings to the east of the site, the planning officer confirmed that this was considered acceptable as it followed the decision of the planning inspectorate to an appeal in 2019.

 

Officers had raised concerns however, about the material of the bricks used on some of the dwellings not closely matching the materials used in the rest of the village. The three dwellings where this brick is used was, on balance, considered acceptable but the planning officer informed the committee that the developer agreed to look at using different bricks for the remaining plots, something that could be secured by condition.  

 

Overall, as the principle of development was established through the previous applications consent, that the proposed variations and removal of age restriction were considered acceptable, and that there were no objections from the technical consultees, the planning officer recommended that the application be approved, subject to conditions.

 

 

Roger Smith, the agent representing the applicant, and Glyn Mutton spoke in support of the application. 

 

Councillor Andy Cooke, a local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application. 

 

 

The committee asked about the age restriction and why it was first introduced, and the planning officer believed it was due to the business model of the developer at the time, but that this was no longer their position. He also confirmed that the highway authority had no objection to the proposal without the age restriction. 

 

On the type of bricks used for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122.

123.

P22/V2978/S73 - Dragon Hill, Uffington, Faringdon, SN7 7RE pdf icon PDF 323 KB

Variation of condition 2 (approved Plans) of application P22/V1141/FUL and removal of condition 7, proposed erection of 2no 4 bed detached (self-build) dwellings.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee considered planning application P22/V2978/S73 for the variation of condition 2 (approved Plans) of application P22/V1141/FUL and removal of condition 7, proposed erection of 2no 4 bed detached (self-build) dwellings, on land at Dragon Hill, Uffington, Faringdon.  

 

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 was called into the committee by the local ward member, Councillor Nathan Boyd. The application was to vary conditions on a previously approved application in 2022. The planning officer also clarified condition nine in the officer’s report which should read, “restriction of the use of the existing access”.

 

The planning officer informed the committee that the main changes involved the creation of a new road access for plot two in a central site location, that the historic access to the right of the site would be maintained but with restricted use in order to comply with legal rights, and the change of the garage of plot one to include the addition of three roof lights – there were no changes proposed to plot two.

 

The planning officer noted that concerns were raised over highway safety and the vision splays on the access points into the site. However, he noted that both access points were well in excess of the acceptable standard on a 30 mile per hour road, providing allowances in the case that vehicles exceed that limit. In addition, the planning officer noted that these splays had been assessed by the highway authority and that they had no objection to the proposed access or the retention of the historic access, subject to a restriction on its use.

 

Overall, as both the highway implications and the proposed changes to the garage of plot one were considered acceptable, the planning officer recommended the application be granted subject to conditions.

 

 

Councillor Mike Oldnall spoke on behalf of Uffington Parish Council, objecting to the application. 

 

Councillor Nathan Boyd, a local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application. 

         

 

The committee asked for confirmation that the highways officer had been and taken onsite measurements for the vision splays and the planning officer confirmed that highways had been on site and checked the plans against the road geometry and were satisfied that they met the requirements. Members also asked the planning officer as to what speed limit the vision splays would be acceptable to, but the officer could not confirm as to exactly what speed this would be.

 

Members also inquired about the two trees that were previously to be planted near the access points onto the site and the planning officer confirmed that those trees would be planted elsewhere on the development in compensation.

 

Some members did raise concerns about the narrowness and the bend in the road potentially causing highway issues, however the committee noted that the parish was looking to introduce a 20 mile per hour zone on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 123.

124.

P21/V1202/HH - The Stables, Oxford Road, Farmoor, Oxford, OX2 9NN pdf icon PDF 381 KB

Retrospective application for garden building ancillary to the dwelling. To form recreation games room/gym, workshop, WC & store room (as amplified by additional information received 11 July 2022 and amended by plan and information received 23 January 2023).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee considered planning application P21/V1202/HH for the retrospective application for garden building ancillary to the dwelling to form recreation games room/gym, workshop, WC & store room (as amplified by additional information received 11 July 2022 and amended by plan and information received 23 January 2023), on land at The Stables, Oxford Road, Farmoor, Oxford.  

 

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 was called into the committee by the local ward member, Councillor Judy Roberts. The application was within the Oxford Green Belt and was a retrospective application for a detached outbuilding.

 

The planning officer informed the committee that the application was retrospective as the owner had started construction of the outbuilding under the assumption the works would be allowed under permitted development rights. However, this was not the case and so the outbuilding remained partially constructed. As officers did not support the structure as built, the applicant submitted revised plans by demolishing elements of the existing structure.

 

The planning officer noted that the main consideration for the application was that the site sat within the Oxford Green Belt, but that there was no clear guidance on outbuildings provided in the National Planning Policy Framework or the Local Plan, and thus proportionality would be determined on a case-by-case basis.

 

As the applicant reduced the outbuildings footprint, scale, and mass, and that the planning officer believed that it could be viewed within the domestic context of the plot, he considered it acceptable, subject to conditions.

 

The planning officer also noted that the site was not within a flood zone, and the councils drainage engineer had assessed the flood risk report and was satisfied and so had no objection to the application. In addition, as the site was over 80 metres from the closest dwelling, the planning officer believed it would have no impact on neighbouring amenity. 

 

Overall, as the planning officer believed that the proposal to demolish sections of the structure would result in an outbuilding that would be a reasonable addition to the dwelling and not out of scale, and that conditions could be imposed that would ensure the outbuilding remained ancillary, that planning officer recommended the application be approved.  

 

 

Councillor Tom Christophers spoke on behalf of Cumnor Parish Council, objecting to the application. 

 

Bob Pope, the agent representing the applicant, spoke in support of the application. 

 

Councillor Judy Roberts, a local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application. 

 

 

The committee inquired about what type of land the outbuilding sat on, and the planning officer confirmed that it was considered to be within the domestic curtilage. In addition, members asked why the application was considered acceptable, but the originally proposed application was not. In response, the planning officer said that the reduction in size would make it more proportionate as it was roughly the size of a double garage, something  ...  view the full minutes text for item 124.

 

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