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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury

Contact: Stephen Chard / Jessica Bailiss 

Items
No. Item

19.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 424 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 14th September 2021.

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2021 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman.

20.

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.

21.

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.)

21.(1)

Application No. & Parish: 21/01481/HOUSE - Oakingham House, Bere Court Road, Pangbourne pdf icon PDF 341 KB

Proposal:

The proposal consists of two main parts. Firstly, to convert the current indoor pool to create a kitchen, dining and family room area within ancillary storage areas to include boot and utility space. Above a subservient first floor extension, we propose to form two bedrooms with en suites with associated dressing areas and covered balcony. Secondly, we propose a single storey extension to the current outbuilding courtyard to create a gym.

Location:

Oakingham House, Bere Court Road, Pangbourne, RG8 8JU

Applicant:

Mr and Mrs J Ray Snr

Recommendation:

Delegate to the Service Director (Development & Regulation) to grant planning permission

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 21/01481/HOUSE in respect of Oakingham House, Bere Court Road, Pangbourne. Approval was sought for the conversion of the existing indoor swimming pool to create a kitchen, dining and family room with ancillary storage areas, it was also proposed, in a first floor extension above, to form two ensuite bedrooms with associated dressing areas and a covered balcony, and a single storey extension to the current outbuilding courtyard was proposed in order to create a gym.

Mr Bob Dray, Team Leader in Development Control, 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 proposed extensions were acceptable and would not harm the character and appearance of the application site, its setting within the North Wessex Downs AONB, or the rural character of the locality. No material harm was anticipated to neighbouring amenity. It was therefore considered that the development was acceptable and conditional approval was justifiable; it was recommended that it be delegated to the Service Director (Development & Regulation) to grant planning permission.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Mr John Higgs, Parish Council representative and Mr Shaun Tanner, applicant/agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Parish Council Representation:

Mr Higgs in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·         The application fell within the AONB, outside the settlement boundary of Pangbourne. The boundary marked on the location plan included a red line that appeared to mean that the land was reserved for equestrian use.

·         The application was for a large and bulky building which would be prominent in the landscape. The previous application was approved having made note of the fact that much of the application was single storey which lessened the visual impact.

·         The drawings were incomplete. There was no existing site plan and it was not clear whether what was being applied for was four separate buildings linked by a single roof, or the extension of the garage to include a gym.

·         It would seem that two flats had been built in what were originally stables on the previous plans without permission.

·         There was concern that access to the area of the extension for the gym was restricted. There could be a temptation to utilise the public footpath for access to the area of the courtyard for the construction of the gym. There was no “Design and Access” Statement attached to the application that would clarify the position. If the Council were minded to grant permission, it would need to ask for a condition that required the Public Footpath PANG/13/3 be kept clear of contractors vehicles at all times and for reinstatement to be required if appropriate.

Member Questions to the Parish Council:

It was to be noted that in terms of the footpath there was a proposed condition in the report (informative two) dealing with that aspect. Also, as it was noted that there was a front gate, it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.(1)

21.(2)

Application No. & Parish: 21/00885/COMIND - Beenham Landfill Site, Grange Lane, Beenham, Reading pdf icon PDF 395 KB

Proposal:

Temporary change of use of land to allow for the creation of a laydown facility for the storage of materials and light fabrication operations, including welding to support the construction of the SSE Slough Multifuel Combined Heat and Power Facility, and the permanent provision of fencing, lighting and areas of hardstanding to provide for the future use of the land for the permitted composting activities.

Location:

Beenham Landfill Site, Grange Lane, Beenham, Reading

 

Applicant:

SSE Slough Multifuel Ltd and Grundon Waste

Recommendation:

Grant conditional planning permission

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report (Agenda 4 (2)) concerning Planning Application 21/0085/COMIND in respect of granting conditional planning permission for the temporary change of use of land to allow for the creation of a laydown facility for the storage of materials and light fabrication operations, including welding to support the construction of the SSE Slough Multifuel Combined Heat and Power Facility, and the permanent provision of fencing, lighting and areas of hardstanding to provide for the future use of the land for the permitted composting activities.

Ms Alice Attwood, Senior Planning Officer, introduced the report to Members, which took account of all the relevant policy considerations. In conclusion the report detailed that the proposal was acceptable in planning terms and officers were recommending that the Service Director (Development and Regulation) be authorised to grant approval, subject to the conditions outlined in the main report and update report.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Mr John Steele, Parish Council representative, Mr Philip Atkinson, applicant/agent and Councillor Dominic Boeck, Ward Member, addressed the Committee on this application. 

Parish Council Representation:

Mr Steele in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·         Concerns were related to the potential disturbance arising from noise and light.

·         Disagreement on the hours of operation should just be related to core activities and the lack of definition relating to enforceability of exceptions and reference to less noisy activity outside those core hours caused concern because he believed that the conditions needed to be enforceable and that no activities outside of those specified hours should be allowed.

·         Evidence in Paragraph 6.42 of the report related to exceptional night time deliveries and when the noise impact was considered, it was concluded that there would be a low impact and therefore would not require mitigation. Therefore it was requested that hours be limited to Monday – Friday and that noise be monitored.

·         There were also increased concerns over the cumulative impact and the number of planning applications that had been submitted around the industrial estate; therefore, they wondered if a noise management plan could be developed for the area.   

Applicant/Agent Representation:

Mr Philip Atkinson in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·         Grundon Waste Management was a long established and well known firm to the local area who employed 120 people from West Berkshire. The Officer’s recommendations were noted and these had followed on from months of detailed negotiations and revisions to the proposals. It was also pleasing to note that the application had no objections from statutory consultees. 

·         This proposal was necessary to support the development of SSE’s low carbon power generation plant and was why this proposal had become so time critical.

·         The application was to temporarily change the use of the land and the economic development team had pointed to the clear economic benefit this proposal would bring to local and neighbouring businesses. It would also allow for investment in site infrastructure which would not otherwise be economically feasible and therefore the long term economic benefits were likely even  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.(2)