Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 3 June 2020.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 3^rd June were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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.

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 20/00115/HOUSE in respect of an additional first floor extension.

Ms Gemma Kirk, Planning Officer, introduced the report and highlighted the following points:

·         The application was recommended for approval by Planning Officers, subject to conditions.

·         The application had been brought to Committee because there had been a petition with 20 plus signatories and over ten objections received.

·         The application site was within the settlement boundary of Thatcham.

·         Number 26 Exmoor Road was the most southerly dwelling on a cul-de-sac which, consisted of both single and two story dwellings. The application site ran parallel to The Moors.

·         There would be four bedrooms upstairs and living space downstairs if the application was approved. There had been amended floor plans received to clarify that the enlarged dwelling would be used as a single dwelling house.

·         The main considerations regarding the application site included character and appearance, neighbouring amenity and highway safety.

·         Concerns had been raised regarding the potential for the dwelling to become a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO), so a condition had been added to ensure the enlarged dwelling remained as a single dwelling house.

·         Regarding the applicants written statement, some information had been removed due to containing personal information however, the information only reinforced the needs of the applicant’s family for the enlarged dwelling rather than a HMO.

·         Photographs had been redacted from the submission from the objectors as this went beyond the scope of the written submission. An aerial photograph of the site was included in the Planning Officers presentation.

·         The update report included detail on one further letter of objection.

·         Planning Officers were strongly recommending approval of the application. 

In accordance with the Extraordinary Council resolution, written submissions had been received from Mr Timothy and Maria O’Brian, Objectors and Mr Robert Black, applicant.

Written submissions were read out by the Clerk to the Committee as follows:

Objector Representations:

The written submission of Mr Timothy and Maria O’Brien was read out as follows:

·         Mr and Mrs O’Brien wanted to object with the following outstanding comments.

·         The proposal was a clear over-development of the corner of the private plot.

·         The parking situation for this number of bedrooms was inadequate as the old front garden had, at some point in the past, been paved without any additional access to the supposed second parking space that they were proposing.

·         The original planning application showed the bungalow on the lower right hand side near number 26. There was a narrow access way that could not accommodate the two spaces in the submitted plan 20/00115/HOUSE.

·         The access was really only wide enough for a single vehicle and the hedge was the border between the properties and Mr and Mrs O’Brien had not granted any additional right of way should that hedge be removed.

·         Building had not even started and already works vehicles were visiting and blocking both Mr and Mrs O’Brien’s driveway and the garage belonging to number 25 (both the adjacent properties).

·         If the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.(1)