Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2018 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendments:

Item 5. Appeal Decisions relating to Eastern Area Planning:

Final sentence: Councillor Graham Bridgman asked that the sentence be amended to read the following, “However, he would check the governance process, and communicate that to Members of the Committee.”

To remind Members of the need to record the existence and nature of any personal, disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interests in items on the agenda, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest received.

Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 17/03411/OUTMAJ in respect of an outline application for the proposed erection of 11 no. new dwellings; layout, means of access and scale to be considered on land north of Stretton Close, Bradfield Southend was deferred for further consideration.

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(2)) concerning Planning Application 18/00072/FULD in respect of the demolition of an existing outbuilding and construction of a new single storey self-build dwelling utilising an existing access with associated parking and landscaping provided on site at Kiln Cottage, Crookham Common Road, Brimpton.

David Pearson introduced the report to Members, which took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material planning considerations. He drew particular attention to page 42, point 6.3 which detailed the impact on the Listed Building setting and the Conservation Area. In conclusion the report detailed that the proposal was unsatisfactory and a refusal was duly recommended.

In accordance with the Council’s constitution, Ms Mary Cowdery, Parish Council, Mr Robert Hope, supporter, and Mr Richard Hunt and Mr Christopher Roberts, applicant/agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Ms Cowdery in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·                The application was for a modest, two bedroom bungalow in a Conservation Area, near a Grade II Listed Building.

·                The only objection to the application had been raised by the Conservation Officer.

·                Ms Cowdery commented that the Conservation Area had been designated in 1971 and that the reasons for why certain areas had been chosen could no longer be found, nor was any guidance available.

·                Applications must be in accordance with the Local Development Plan and part of this was the Core Strategy Policy. CS19, stated that a programme of reviews was being undertaken through the production of Conservation Area Appraisals (CAAs). Currently only two CAAs had been adopted, neither of which were Brimpton.

·                The Parish Council were of the opinion that too much importance had been placed on the Conservation Area. It had already been compromised by the construction of four large houses to the north of the site, the demolition of a barn and the addition of two dwellings in 1974.

·                When viewed from the road, passers-by would not be aware of the open-space on the site, they would only be aware of the cottage and its fence to the north. The fence looked like the edge of the property.

·                It was the last and first property in the village to be seen, and was a pretty cottage in a pretty garden on a dangerous bend.

·                The Parish Council disagreed with the Planning Officer’s recommendation.

·                In point 6.3 of the agenda report, the Planning Officer stated that the setting was an important element in Kiln Cottage’s contribution to the character of the Conservation Area. She disagreed with this view, as the open space was not visible from the road.

·                There was a good coverage of trees and vegetation which would conceal the property. This was a small-scale, infill development in a sustainable location.

·                New development was needed to keep the village alive and was supported by the Parish Council.

Councillor Alan Law asked if Ms Cowdery thought there should not be a Conservation Area in Brimpton. She concluded that she was not sure why it had been designated, and would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.(2)