Agenda item

The construction of an office building and associated refuse store, cycle store, plant enclosure and car parking and 58 residential units with car parking and associated landscaping across the site (As per amended plans received 20 August 2021 and 20 October 2021).

The committee considered application P21/V0477/FUL for the construction of an office building and associated refuse store, cycle store, plant enclosure and car parking and 58 residential units with car parking and associated landscaping across the site (As per amended plans received 20 August 2021 and 20 October 2021).

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 informed the committee that of the fifty-eight residential units to be built, twenty-one of these would be affordable housing. It was also added that while fifty-eight residential units was proposed in the application, the permissions from 2014 and 2016 were for sixty-four units and as such this application was a reduction of six housing units.  The committee were told that amended designs for the site had been submitted by the applicant in order to remedy the objections raised by Landscaping, Urban Design, Housing and Oxfordshire County Council and that the objections relating to these issues were now withdrawn. Additionally, the officer added that since publication of the agenda, the council had received a revised comment regarding the financial contributions requested from the development, which sought to receive contributions for the nearby nature reserve, which would be included in a legal agreement.

Ian Bristow, representative of Wootton Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application. In response to a question on whether he considered the new application more contentious than the existing permission held, Mr Bristow explained that the new application was subject to the newly implemented Neighbourhood Plan and the new application had not made any allowance of this and as a result the new proposal needed significant improvements to it to meet the standards of the Neighbourhood Plan now implemented.

Mark Krassowski, the agent, spoke in support of the application. Mr Krassowski responded to a number of questions from the committee surrounding the previous application of the site, and the provision of parking spaces for the proposed new application. Mr Krassowski explained that development of the site from the previous planning permission had commenced with the required fees paid and planning permission had lawfully commenced, however for various reasons had been unable to proceed further. Additionally, the agent explained that modelling had been completed for the provision of parking places and that the parish council’s contention was due to the Deerhurst development. Mr Krassowski also added that the on-plot parking met the parking standards required for the proposed development.

Councillor Val Shaw, local ward member, spoke in objection to the application. Councillor Shaw in response to questions from the committee explained that the current public transport links were not adequate for the proposed development, and that there was only one bus per hour in the area. Additionally, the parish would like a roundabout added to the entrance of the proposed developments entrance in order to facilitate a new bus route into the estate.

The committee asked whether a wheel-wash could be added to the site due to concerns on the amount of mud that could be on the roads. Additionally, the committee asked why there was no mention of roundabouts for the site. The planning officer responded that a wheel-wash was already in the conditions but that a roundabout had been deemed unnecessary and there had been no requirement either from the previous application originally approved which needed to be considered.

The committee asked in relation to children attending the nearby school, how they would be able to cross safely without a designated pedestrian crossing area and whether any formal risk assessment had been carried out for a crossing point or roundabout. The officer responded that OCC had provided guidance on what was acceptable and had not requested any additional pedestrian crossing zones. Additionally, as the site was by an existing road and public transport links, OCC did not feel additional crossing or traffic control points necessary. In addition, the committee asked a question relating to the existing children’s play area and the funding for the site’s maintenance. The planning officer responded that the sums raised from the previous application were not required to go to this play area, however the committee were advised that if the other development who had built the site did not maintain it then a condition allowed the district council to take possession of it. Additionally, in response to a question on the amenity space in the adjacent land, the officer explained that the neighbouring site was a nature reserve and green-belt area, and so expected maintenance of this land would have an insignificant cost.

A motion moved and seconded, to grant planning permission was declared carried on being put to the vote.

Councillor Cheryl Briggs, owing to losing connection during the item, took no part in the vote.

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P21/V0477/FUL, subject to the following conditions;

Standard

1.     Commencement of development – three years

2.     Development in accordance with approved plans

Pre-commencement

3.     Landscape Management Plan

4.     Landscaping (S38 and S278 works)

5.     Details of amount of rooting volume provided for each tree

6.     Detailed sustainable drainage scheme

7.     Foul water drainage scheme

8.     Phased contaminated land risk assessment

9.     Slab levels

10. Tree Protection Plan

11. Construction Traffic Management Plan

12. Community Employment Plan

Pre-occupation

13. SUDS compliance report

14. Wootton Meadow Management Plan

15. Details of noise control measures

16. Remediation strategy and validation report

Compliance

17.Foundation depths

Informatives

18. Contaminated Land Informative

19. Highway Informatives

20. Thames Water