Issue - meetings

(Councillor Howard Woollaston declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4 (1) by virtue of the fact that the applicant was a donor to a children’s charity for which he was chairman. As his interest was personal and not prejudicial or a disclosable pecuniary interest, he determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

1.         The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 17/02092/OUTMAJ in respect of a hybrid planning application comprising an outline planning application for up to 93 dwellings and associated works – all matters reserved; a change of use of land from agricultural to public open space; a change of use of land to provide extension to existing allotments; and a full planning application for the erection of 11 new dwellings, new access and associated works on previously developed land.

2.         The Planning Officer, in introducing the report, confirmed that the presentation was in relation to the two applications although the access points to the two sites would be different. One was off the A4 Bath Road (17/02092) and the other was off the Lambourn Road (17/02093). It was noted that a number of footpaths ran across the site and it was proposed that a further 3.75m wide emergency access with shared cycle and footpath was proposed to run between the site and Station Road through the existing allotments. The proposal also included an upgrade of the existing Public Right of Way Speen 7/1 which led to Lambourn Road to facilitate improved pedestrian and cycle access.

3.         The Planning Officer stated that Speen Parish Council had raised concerns over the proposed access onto the A4 Bath Road and a large number of concerns had also been raised by local residents which were set out on pages 25 and 26 of the agenda. The application site formed part of a wider land parcel with a developable area of 4.8ha that had been allocated for approximately 100 dwellings under Policy HSA2 of Housing Site Allocations DPD (2006-2026) subject to meeting the environmental parameters of the policy. The site was essential for the five year land supply.

4.         To promote sustainable travel, financial contributions would be sought towards a community bus service (£9,240 per annum for five years) to retain the Community bus service.

5.         According to Core Strategy Policy CS14, new development had to demonstrate high quality and sustainable design that respected and enhanced the character and appearance of the area. Policy ADDP5 sought to ensure that development proposals conserved the scenic beauty and distinctive character of the AONB. The NPPF gave the highest status of protection for the landscape and scenic beauty of AONBs and stated that their conservation should be given great weight in planning decisions. Policy HSA2 indicated that the wider housing land allocation would be developed in accordance with the Landscape Capacity Assessment (2015) which would ensure development conserved and enhanced the landscape edge to Speen and that the existing character of Speen and West Newbury  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30