Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 5^th July 2017.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5 July 2017 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the inclusion of the following amendments:

Item 10 (1) Application 16/03528/FUL:

Page 5, second paragraph, second sentence: Councillor Graham Bridgman asked that the sentence be replaced with the following “He suggested in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, it was for the Chairman to exercise his discretion, if he so wished, to allow the material to be presented at the meeting.”

Pages 5 – 7: Phil Magnum to be replaced with Phil Magurn.

Page 7, penultimate bullet point: be deleted.

Page 11, first paragraph under condition 7: Councillor Richard Crumly suggested that the final sentence should read as follows “No operations shall be undertaken at any time on Sundays and Bank Holidays”

Item 11: 17/00402/ULTEXT:

Page 17, seventh paragraph: Councillor Pamela Bale asked that the first sentence should be replaced with the following; “Councillor Pamela Bale stated the Committee should not focus on mitigating the developer’s actions to build something they did not have permission for however, should work towards reinforcing the previous conditions.”

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.

Councillors Richard Crumly and Lee Dillon declared an interest in Agenda Item 4(2), but reported that, as their interest was a personal or other registrable interest, but not a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 17/00743/FUL in respect of a proposal for the change of use of land from agricultural to outdoor recreational and leisure facilities with parking.

Emma Nutchey presented the report to Members of the Committee and confirmed that no overriding objections had been raised by Highways Officers and therefore the recommendation was to delegate to the Head of Development and Planning to grant planning permission, subject to the schedule of conditions.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Councillor Jan Richardson, Parish Council representative, a representative from the adjacent Parish, Ms Pamela Sergent and Ms Natalie Lowe, objectors, and Mr Richard Turner and Mr Greg Bowman, applicant/agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Councillor Jan Richardson in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·         There were currently four full sized sports pitches on the site plus parking.

·         Two of the full sized pitches would be lost if the application was approved.

·         If the application was approved, the suggested plans would not provide pitches to the current standard on the site.

·         Youth teams that currently used the facilities on the site progressed through their ages. In two years time it was not known if there would be adequate facilities for under 15 year olds.

·         The parking element of the application was not sufficient and an acceptable solution had not been offered. Cars would be parked two metres away from the run off line and there would be the risk of footballs colliding with vehicles.

·         There would be vehicles parked directly behind the goals, which would not only cause a potential risk to vehicles but would also be a distraction for those playing football on the pitches.

·         The layout of parking provision would prevent emergency vehicles from accessing the site. It was estimated that the emergency services were called to the site at least once every season. 

·         The new plans would cause spectators to park on the close by footpath in attempt to avoid damage to their vehicles if parked on the site.

·         Englefield Parish Council needed to make a decision as to whether to relinquish the land. This was a very complex issue that needed to be considered.

Councillor Pamela Bale noted that the report stated that one undersized football pitch would be lost in the application was approved and queried whether this detail was incorrect. Councillor Richardson confirmed that all pitches currently on the site were full sized and two of these would be lost.

Councillor Keith Chopping was unsure if he had misunderstood and asked for clarification on whether Councillor Richardson had suggested that the application should be for full size pitches. Councillor Richardson confirmed that this was correct. It was felt that two acres was too small for spectator provision. Councillor Chopping further questioned what the Parish Council would like to see with regards to parking on the site. Councillor Richardson stated that the Parish Council did not have an issue with the amount of parking proposed for the site  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.(1)

(Councillor Richard Crumly declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(2) by virtue of the fact that the owner of the land in question was known to him. He was a Member of Thatcham Town Council and had been present during the discussion of this item, but had abstained from voting and would consider the application afresh. 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.)

(Councillor Lee Dillon declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(2) by virtue of the fact that he was a Member of Thatcham Town Council and had served with the applicant on the Town Council. 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.)

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(2)) concerning Planning Application 17/00742/FULMAJ in respect of the development of five live/work units on land north of the Travellers Friend.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Mrs Jean Norman and Mrs Sheila Ellison, supporters, Mr Duncan Crook, applicant, and Councillor Dominic Boeck, adjacent Ward Member, addressed the Committee on this application.

The Chairman asked what the acronym CPHOA represented and it was confirmed that this stood for Crookham Park Home Owners Association.

Mrs Jean Norman and Mrs Sheila Ellison in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·         Sheila Ellison stated that she had lived close to the Crookham Park since 1982. The Traveller’s Friend had always been an important part of Crookham Common.

·         There were already houses near to the site including some nice bungalows. These were lived in by both young families and people who had lived in the area for many years.

·         The area offered some excellent walks and a pub that was a great asset to the area.

·         The bus that served the area would continue to run as it took local children to the Hurst Community School.

·         Mrs Ellison could not see why Highways had raised an objection to the application as the site was easily accessible and offered good parking provision.

·         Mrs Norman expressed that she and her husband were in support of the application

·         The reduction to a two hourly bus service had adversely affected many within the community including disabled residents, meaning some were resorting to the use of taxi services.

·         The application included the provision of a shared electric car, which would be available to local residents through a car club scheme and would help resolve the impact of fewer buses to the area.

·         Crookham Common was a pleasant place to live and if approved plans would bring added security to the area. There would also be improvements made to the footpath close by, which had not been looked after adequately in the past.

Councillor Keith Chopping noted that Mrs Norman had said that there was a bus service that operated on a two hourly basis.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.(2)