Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 6 November 2019.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2019 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman, with the exception of the corrections below:-

Page 5:  Councillor Adrian Abbs was present at the meeting.

Page 23, Point 28, Line 6 and Page 52, Point 36, Line 3: clarification required regarding the number of additional bat roosting boxes required.

Page 29, Point 45, 2^nd paragraph: Occupation of the 50^th dwelling was too long.

Page 34, Point 1, Line 1: The number of affordable housing units is not given.

Page 35: Paragraph 9 Line 1: Clarification required regarding the number of affordable housing units as it stated here that there were six and later in the report that there were eight units.

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 Adrian Abbs, Claire Rowles and Howard Woolaston declared an interest in Agenda Item 4(1), 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.

Councillors Adrian Abbs, Phil Barnett, Hilary Cole, Claire Rowles and Howard Wollaston had been lobbied in relation to item 4(1).

Councillor Hilary Cole declared an interest in Agenda Item 4(2), but reported that, as her interest was a personal or an other registrable interest, but not a disclosable pecuniary interest, she determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

(Councillors Adrian Abbs, Phil Barnett, Hilary Cole, Clive Hooker, Claire Rowles and Howard Woollaston declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that they had been lobbied on the item. As their interest was personal and not prejudicial or a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

(Councillor Adrian Abbs declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that a member of his staff lived near the application site.  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 Claire Rowles declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that she was a Ward Member in Hungerford.  As her interest was personal and not prejudicial or a disclosable pecuniary interest, she determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

(Councillor Howard Woollaston declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that he knew the Chairman of Wates.  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.)

1.          The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 19/01406/RESMAJ in respect of approval of a reserved matters application following outline permission for up to 100 dwellings, public open space and landscaping, with all matters reserved except for the access to the A338.

2.          In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Denise Gaines, Town Council representative, Helen Simpson, objector, Geoff Wilde and Sara Dutfield, agent and Councillors Dennis Benneyworth and James Cole, Ward Members, addressed the Committee on this application.

3.          Simon Till, the Case Officer introduced the report to Members, which had been called in because more than ten letters of objection had been received and because of a call-in from the Ward Members.  The report took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material considerations and in conclusion it detailed that the proposal was acceptable and a conditional approval was justifiable.  However Simon Till drew the Committee’s attention to the Update Report which included some additional consultation responses and provided a number of corrections to information in the Case Officer’s report.  Simon Till also noted that there was an error in the Update Sheet at Point 10 which stated the approved landscaping plan dwelling number was rev C and it should have been rev D.

4.          Paul Goddard stated that Highways officers were happy with the site layout under consideration and his only comment was that there were no electric vehicle charging points and this requirement should be included in the conditions.

5.          Denise Gaines in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·     Hungerford Town Council had objected to the application from the beginning.

·     The outline planning application had been approved in 2016  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.(1)

(Councillor Hilary Cole declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that she was a member of Chieveley Parish Council but had not been present when the planning application was discussed. As her interest was personal and not prejudicial or a disclosable pecuniary interest, she determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

1.          The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(2)) concerning Planning Application 19/02092/FULD in respect of the conversation of an agricultural barn into one x four bedroom dwelling with associated parking, turning, landscaping, private amenity space and access arrangements.

2.          In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Charles Williams, supporter, Jacqueline Percy, applicant, Mark Pettitt, applicant and Councillor Hilary Cole addressed the Committee on this application.

3.          Derek Carnegie introduced the report to Members, which had been called in by the local Ward Member.  The report took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material considerations and in conclusion it detailed that the proposal was acceptable and a conditional approval was justifiable.  Paul Goddard also confirmed that as the existing access would remain unchanged, the proposal was acceptable from a highways perspective. 

4.          Charles Williams in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·     He was one of the nearest neighbours to the application and was supportive of it.

·     He lived approximately 300 yards away from the application site and currently looked at the side of an industrial building so it would provide a more pleasant outlook and improve the view across the fields.

·     It was a remote location so the introduction of another house would further add to the social positives and he hoped planning permission would be granted.

5.          Jacqueline Percy and Mark Pettitt in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·     Mr Pettitt said the development involved the sympathetic conversion of a barn that had been on the site since the 1990s.

·     Policy C4 did not include the conversion of this type of building and the Government had introduced a policy in 2014 permitting such a conversion without planning permission.

·     It would bring a redundant barn back into use and met all the requirements of Policy C4.

·     The applicant was intending to live in the converted barn and he requested that planning permission was granted.

·     Mrs Percy said she was committed to making the conversation as sympathetic as possible and as environmentally sustainable as possible too.  In addition, it would improve the area.

6.          Councillor Claire Rowles enquired what would take the place of the demolished grain store and Mr Pettitt replied that it would form part of the garden.

7.          Councillor Hilary Cole in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·     It was an interesting application and she had called it in to test Policies C1 and C4.

·     These policies stated planning permission should be refused where a proposal would have a detrimental effect on the relationship of the existing settlement within the open countryside and the rural character of the site.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.(2)