Issue - meetings

(Councillors Adrian Abbs, Phil Barnett, Jeff Beck and Tony Vickers declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 5 by virtue of the fact that Councillors Abbs was the Chair of Greenham Parish Council, and lived near the Racecourse; Councillor Barnett was a member of Greenham Parish Council and Newbury Town Council Planning and Highways Committee; Councillor Beck was a member of Newbury Town Council Planning and Highways Committee and Councillor Vickers had previously been a Chair and member of the Greenham Parish Council. They had also been lobbied. As their interest was personal and not prejudicial or a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

1.     The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(5)) concerning Planning Application 19/00225/COMIND in respect of the erection of a three storey extension to the front elevation of The Lodge to provide additional rooms at Newbury Racecourse, Racecourse Road.

2.     In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Mr Ken Neal, Parish Council representative, Mr Raymond Beard, objector, and Mr Julian Thick and Ms Catherine Tyrer, applicant/agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

3.     Simon Till introduced the report to Members, which took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material planning considerations. In conclusion the report detailed that the proposal was acceptable and a conditional approval was justifiable. Officers recommended that the Committee grant planning permission subject to completion of a legal agreement or similar measures to secure that the extant permission for a 123 bedroom hotel was not developed.

4.     Mr Paul Goddard noted that the 2009 planning application traffic assessment had included a 123 bed hotel. This proposal was for a 76 bed hotel. He therefore had no concern regarding the volume of traffic. A parking survey had been submitted, and on non-race days there was a surplus of parking spaces, but on race-days there might be cause for concern. However if the race-goers and stable staff were staying on-site, then this would be acceptable.

5.     Mr Neal in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·           Greenham Parish Council (GPC) objected strongly to the proposal. The Racecourse have been unable to address the noise problem and he suggested that this application was premature, as the company needed to show they could control the amount of noise produced by their customers.

·           The extension, although further away from the Nursery, would be directly overlooking it, rather than at an angle. The use of the recreation area, would cause further problems.

6.     Councillor Tony Vickers suggested that the time the children attended the Nursery would not coincide with when The Lodge would be in use. Mr Neal explained that the extension would enable the Racecourse to cater for conferences during the day and for race days.

7.     Mr Beard in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·           He expressed the view that the application was premature, as the controls used by the Racecourse to mitigate the noise had not proven effective.

·           The consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11