Agenda item

P21/V1195/FUL - Land East of Oxford Close, Oxford Road, Kingston Bagpuize

Construction of a single storey Young Persons Centre building providing activity spaces and facilities to support local scout groups and young people. (As amplified by Transport Statement received 15 June 2022)

Minutes:

The committee considered planning application P21/V1195/FUL for the construction of a single storey Young Persons Centre building providing activity spaces and facilities to support local scout groups and young people. (As amplified by Transport Statement received 15 June 2022) on land east of Oxford Close, Oxford Road, Kingston Bagpuize.

 

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 again highlighting to the committee that the Joint Local Plan was now at Regulation 19 stage but that the policies carried the same, limited weight as at Regulation 18. She advised that the applicant was 1st Longworth Scout Group and the proposal included the construction of two halls, a climbing wall, kitchen and associated storage areas. The planning officer advised that the site was safe guarded for young persons use under the wider development which had been built out. She confirmed a proposed condition to use being by young people with a tie to the local area.

 

The planning officer informed the committee that the parking requirements for community use buildings were based on proposed floorspace and that to meet current highways standards the proposal required 16 car parking spaces to be provided. The proposal before the committee included six spaces and two disabled spaces. She informed the committee that the local highways authority objected on the basis the parking provision was inadequate, and risked drivers parking and turning in Oxford Road, introducing a risk to highway safety. The applicant had confirmed that the choice to provide fewer spaces was conscious as members were encouraged to use sustainable methods of transport. A copy of the group’s walking policy had been provided and secured by condition to ensure the policy also applied to any new groups using the hall in the future.

 

The planning officer confirmed the application was recommended for approval.

 

Tim Clark spoke in support of the application.

 

The democratic services officer read a statement on behalf of Councillor Jill Rayner, the local ward member.

 

The committee had conducted a site visit prior to the discussion of the application.

 

The committee asked the planning officer to confirm the approach to minimum and maximum parking spaces required for proposed developments. The planning officer confirmed that the requirements were a maximum and that there was no minimum provision. When making an assessment as to parking requirements other material planning considerations had to be weighted in the balance. The planning officer confirmed that the push for sustainable travel made the shortfall in parking provision, on balance, acceptable.

 

The committee asked for more information as to the safety concerns the local highways authority had raised in relation to the parking provision. The planning officer confirmed that the proposed site was located down a narrow, no-through road. Highways had concerns around parking spilling into this road and vehicles then having to turn in driveways and the road. The planning officer advised that the parking provision proposed was sufficient to accommodate turning requirements whilst still supporting the group’s aim to encourage sustainable travel.

 

The committee asked for confirmation of the approach which had been applied to biodiversity net gain. The planning officer informed the committee that the 10% requirement was not applicable as the application had been submitted prior to this. The policy requirement which applied was that there was no net loss and she confirmed this could be secured through a biodiversity enhancement plan.

 

A motion, moved and seconded, to approve the application with an amendment to condition 14 naming Kingston Bagpuize and Southmoor was carried on being put to the vote.

 

The committee noted that the site was allocated for community use in the Local Plan and that parking issues had been mitigated to the greatest extent possible whilst still honouring the active travel principles of the group.

 

RESOLVED: to approve planning application P21/V1195/FUL subject to the following conditions:

 

  1. Work to commence within 3 years
  2. In accordance with approved plans
  3. Secured By Design
  4. Surface water drainage
  5. Mitigation Strategy (Great Crested Newts)
  6. Tree protection
  7. Foul Water drainage
  8. Materials schedule
  9. Hard landscaping scheme and boundary treatment
  10. Biodiversity Enhancement Plan
  11. New access
  12. Parking provision
  13. Detail of cycle store
  14. Restricted use permission – use only by Young People’s Groups based in Kingston Bagpuize and Southmoor and use tied to Walking Policy

 

Informatives

  1. Works within the Highway
  2. Surface water detail
  3. Young People’s Group

 

Supporting documents:

 

Contact us - Democratic services

Phone icon

01235 422520
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)

Address icon

Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon
OX14 3JE