Agenda item

Further to the report, the Officers reported receipt of additional comments from Charney Bassett Parish Council reiterating previous objections concerning traffic to the barn; access; traffic through the village; damage to the river Ock bridge; the need to explore traffic implications further and the non acceptance of the County Council’s comments regarding lack of impact on the village.

The comments of the CountyEngineer as set out in paragraph 4.7 of the report were highlighted and it was considered that notwithstanding those comments a condition should be added to any permission granted to restrict the use of the barn for agriculture for the existing holding or to land within the immediate vicinity of the barn.

Mr Day made a statement on behalf of West Hanney Parish Council commenting that there were no objection to a drier and a grain store.  However there were objections regarding the building on the northwest boundary of the farm holding.   He suggested that the building should be further north on the other side of the site nearer the farm roads. He raised concern regarding poor road access; parking in villages; lack of footpaths; access roads in terms of weight restrictions, roads with bridges with structural faults, width restrictions and roads being unsuitable for hgv’s; lack of restriction on hgvs which were not suitable for this area; unsightly building; the need for any landscaping to include semi mature trees and not oaks and the need for agricultural movements to be via farm roads.  He urged the Committee to refuse the application.

Mr H Venners the applicant’s agent made a statement in support of the application.  He commended the officers’ report commenting that none of the issues raised by the objectors were relevant.  He stated that policies were in place which supported this proposal and that there was a need for farm buildings and replacement buildings for food storage.  He stated that this building would not lead to greater traffic generation and that the store would allow the storage of the summer peak of grain which would be dissipated throughout the year.  He reported that the central site was out of the way and that there would be screening.  Finally, he commented that the Parish Council had made comments regarding the electric undergrade and he reported that this would be addressed.

One Member commented that the previous permission had been subject to a routing agreement and there was no evidence to suggest that this was no longer needed it being noted that there were still old bridges with structural faults; roads still had weight restrictions and were narrow and there were still concerns regarding traffic in the village.    The Officers advised that this was a subjective issue for the Committee to consider.

Other Members noted the comments of the County Engineer who was the professional advisor in these matters and agreed that a routing agreement was not necessary.

One Member reported that the Parish Council was seeking a weight restriction on the bridge crossing the river Ock and therefore there would be a need for a routing agreement should this be approved.

It was proposed by Councillor Terry Cox, seconded by Councillor Matthew Barber and by 12 votes to 2 with 1 of the voting Members not having yet arrived at the meeting

RESOLVED

that the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) be delegated authority to approve application WHA/4310/9 subject to: -

(1)       prior to the commencement of development the completion of a Section 106 agreement to secure a routing agreement;

(2)       the conditions set out in the report.