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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber Council Offices Market Street Newbury

Contact: Jenny Legge / Rachel Craggs / Jo Reeves 

Items
No. Item

7.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 62 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 9 May and 17 May 2017.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Councillor Paul Bryant in the Chair)

The Minutes of the meetings held on 9 May 2017 and 17 May 2017 were approved as true and correct records and signed by the Chairman, subject to the inclusion of the following amendment:

Page 1, Councillors Present: add Councillor Billy Drummond.

8.

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:

Councillors Jeanette Clifford, Anthony Pick and Billy Drummond declared an interest in Agenda Items 4(1) and 4(2) but reported that, as their interest was a personal or an other registrable interest, but not a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

9.

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).

9.(1)

Application No. and Parish: 17/00158/COMIND, Greenham pdf icon PDF 237 KB

Proposal:

Construction of new 1 FE single-storey primary school south of the existing Newbury College, with associated soft and hard landscaping. Construction of a temporary access to the school from the Newbury College site and a new permanent access from the A339 to serve the allocated strategic housing site and form the permanent access to the school.

Location:

Land South of Newbury College, Monks Lane, Newbury

Applicant:

West Berkshire Council

Recommendation:

Subject to no overriding objections being raised by Drainage Officers, to DELEGATE to the Head of Development and Planning to GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION subject to the schedule of conditions (Section 8.1).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

1.     (Councillors Jeanette Clifford and Anthony Pick declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that they were Members of Newbury Town Council and had been present at the planning meeting when the item was discussed. As their interest was personal and not an other registrable or a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

2.     Councillor Billy Drummond declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that he was a Member of Greenham Parish Council and had been present at the meeting when the item was discussed. As his interest was personal and not an other registrable or a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

3.     The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 17/00158/COMIND in respect of the construction of a new one form of entry single-storey primary school, south of the existing Newbury College.

4.     Councillor Jeff Beck joined the meeting at 6.35 pm and it was agreed by Members that as the meeting had only just started, he would be able to take part in the debate and vote on this item.

5.     Emma Nutchey introduced the report to Members, which took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material considerations.  She drew the Committee’s attention to the six additional conditions in the Update Sheet.  In conclusion, the report detailed that the proposal was acceptable and a conditional approval was justifiable.  Consequently, officers recommended the Committee to grant planning permission.

6.     In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Greg Bowman, Bill Bagnell and Andy Vernon, applicant/agent and Councillor Billy Drummond, Ward Member addressed the Committee on this application.

7.     Bill Bagnell in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·       The application was the conclusion of 20 months of hard work and it was a wonderful opportunity to provide a first class facility in exceptional surroundings.

·       The children would be able to experience the extraordinary rural environment with a dipping pond in close proximity to Newbury.

8.     Councillor Hilary Cole requested reassurance that stringent fire prevention measures had been incorporated in the internal design of the building and in the external aluminium cladding.  Bill Bagnell advised that in normal circumstances, the design would be put through a testing procedure and if sprinklers were recommended, a cost benefit exercise would be undertaken.  However, sprinklers were included in this scheme as they were required by the Department for Education, unless a good reason could be shown not to do so.  Andy Vernon added that the aluminium cladding bore no relation to the cladding used at Grenfell Tower and would only be used on the outer layer of the roof, on top of the steel under layer.

9.     Councillor Paul Bryant enquired whether there was an assumption from Central Government that sprinklers were installed in new schools and Bill Bagnell confirmed this was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.(1)

9.(2)

Application No. and Parish: 16/03334/FULD, Cromwell Road, Newbury pdf icon PDF 122 KB

Proposal:

Development of site for 7 dwellings with associated access and landscaping

Location:

Land at rear of 40 Cromwell Road, Newbury

Applicant:

NSJ Developments

Recommendation:

The Head of Development and Planning be authorised to GRANT conditional planning permission.   

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

1.     (Councillors Jeanette Clifford and Anthony Pick declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(2) by virtue of the fact that they were Members of Newbury Town Council and had been present at the planning meeting when the item was discussed. As their interest was personal and not an other registrable or a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

2.     Councillor Billy Drummond declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 2 by virtue of the fact that he was a Member of Greenham Parish Council and had been present at the meeting when the item was discussed. As his interest was personal and not an other registrable or a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

3.     The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(2)) concerning Planning Application 16/03334/FULD in respect of the development of the site for seven dwellings with associated access and landscaping.

4.     Michael Butler introduced the report to Members, which took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material considerations.  In conclusion, the report detailed that the proposal was acceptable and a conditional approval was justifiable.  Consequently, officers recommended the Committee grant conditional planning permission.

5.     In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Sian Williams, objector, Lee Battersby, applicant/agent and Councillor Jeff Beck, Ward Member addressed the Committee on this application.

6.     Sian Williams in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·      She resided at 5 Edgecombe Lane.

·      It might appear that with a lower number of houses on the development, planning permission should be granted, but there were other issues to consider.

·      There would be a great impact on 7a Edgecombe Lane, which would have no privacy.

·      The close proximity of the access road to Orchard Close was a concern.  The distance of one metre had been agreed when two metres had been recommended.  The vehicles using this road would cause noise and pollution and they did not know the height of the road. 

·      There was a risk of flooding as over winter water had been seen running over the pavement.

·      A semi-permeable road surface had been included in the original planning application but had now been removed.

·      The forward visibility splays had been reduced to two metres in one direction.

·      The previous planning application had included a larger vehicle turning circle.  Whilst she acknowledged that the Manual for Streets was only guidance, British Standards indicated that reversing should take place in a straight line and not round a corner, which would be required with the smaller turning circle.

·      There was a risk of damage to the ecology on the site as damage had already been caused to the trees and from the burning of industrial waste.

·      There was a risk of damage to the wild life on the site and she requested confirmation that the transportation of reptiles would occur between March and September.

7.     Lee Battersby in addressing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.(2)

10.

Appeal Decisions relating to Western Area Planning Committee pdf icon PDF 38 KB

Purpose: To inform Members of the results of recent appeal decisions relating to the Western Area Planning Committee.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

Shiraz Sheikh informed the Chairman that the information on the appeal decisions was for information only and should not provide an opportunity for a debate.