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Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Stephen Chard / Charlene Hurd / Jessica Bailiss 

Items
No. Item

26.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 136 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 5 September 2018.

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2018 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendments:

Item 24(1) – 18/01516/HOUSE – Grimms Dyke, Aldworth, Reading – Member Questions to Officers (Paragraph four):

Councillor Bridgman noted that the photos showed a mixture of gravel and grass above where the proposed building would stand. Councillor Bridgman asked what would happen if the applicant decided to tarmac this and place a balustrade around it (effectively giving the same profile as proposed in this application). He queried if this would breach any planning laws and if planning permission would be required. Bob Dray stated that he could not be definitive without research, but did not think so.

27.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest received.

28.

Schedule of Planning Applications

(Note: The Chairman, with the consent of the Committee, reserves the right to alter the order of business on this agenda based on public interest and participation in individual applications.)

28.(1)

Application No. & Parish: 16/01685/OUTMAJ - land adjacent to Primrose Croft, Reading Road, Burghfield Common pdf icon PDF 871 KB

Proposal:

Outline planning application for 28 dwellings.  Matters to be considered: Access.  Matters reserved: Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale.

Location:

Land adjacent to Primrose Croft, Reading Road, Burghfield Common, Reading, Berkshire

Applicant:

Westscape Primrose Ltd

Recommendation:

To delegate to the Head of Development and Planning to GRANT OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION subject to conditions and the completion of a s106 legal agreement;

 

Or, if the s106 legal agreement is not completed, to delegate to the Head of Development and Planning to REFUSE OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 16/01685/OUTMAJ in respect of an outline planning application for 28 dwellings. Matters to be considered: Access. Matters reserved: Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale.

Bob Dray, Development Control Team Leader, introduced the report and explained that this application formed part of the wider allocation of the site which comprised a total of approximately 60 dwellings. This proposal for 28 dwellings formed phase one of the development and Officers were of the view that approval of this proposal would not prejudice the second phase. A key consideration in this respect had been the provision of access through phase one to phase two. An objection had been received from the phase two landowners but this had since been withdrawn.

Mr Dray summarised by stating that Officers had, on balance, recommended that outline planning permission be granted. A single application was the preferred option for the site but there were not sufficient grounds on which to refuse a phased development on this particular site.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Dr Royce Longton, Parish Council representative, Dr Gail Johnston, objector, and Mr Alastair Pott, agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Objector Representations

Dr Longton in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·                    Burghfield Parish Council objected to the planning application due to concerns relating to the site access. There was a road safety concern for pedestrians with no safe crossing point proposed. This was a very busy road to cross. The only public footpath was on the opposite side of the road from the proposed development.

·                    An indication had been given by West Berkshire Council that a footpath could be provided on the same side of the road as the application site but there were land ownership issues to overcome. The Parish felt that provision of a footpath was required to allow the application to be approved.

·                    Further work was needed to address the appearance of and the landscaping surrounding the proposed waste bin storage area. This was a concern for The Hollies Nursing Home and its residents.

·                    There was also a concern at the impact of the proposal on the adjacent ancient woodland and its wildlife.

Questions from Members

Councillor Pamela Bale queried the reference made in the report to a financial contribution towards the footway. Gareth Dowding (Senior Engineer) confirmed that a contribution had been secured (subject to approval) to enhance the footway on the opposite side of the road from the proposed development together with establishing a refuge island to help pedestrians cross safely. Dr Longton noted this point which would help alleviate concerns for this application. However, this would not fulfil the need for a continued footpath on the application site’s side of the road.

Objector Representation

Dr Johnston in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·                    Many revised plans had been submitted for the site since 2016. Originally, access and layout were to be considered, however an acceptable solution had yet to be found for the layout  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.(1)

29.

Appeal Decisions relating to Eastern Area Planning pdf icon PDF 22 KB

To inform Members of the results of recent appeal decisions relating to the Eastern Area Planning Committee.

Minutes:

Members noted the outcome of appeal decisions relating to the Eastern Area.

30.

Site Visits

Minutes:

The 10 October 2018 was agreed for site visits if necessary. This was in advance of the next Eastern Area Planning Committee scheduled for 17 October 2018.

Councillor Graham Pask reminded Members of the need to attend mandatory training sessions taking place in November 2018. All Planning Committee Members needed to attend this training.

David Pearson took the opportunity to inform Members that as of 1 October 2018, new Government legislation would mean that pre-conditions could not be imposed unless agreed to by developers.