Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 1^st June 2022.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 1^st June 2022 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.

Councillor Ross Mackinnon declared an interest in Agenda Item 3(1) but reported that, as his interest was a personal or an other registrable interest, but not a disclosable pecuniary interest, he determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

All Councillors present declared an interest in Agenda Item 3(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.

(Councillor Ross Mackinnon declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 3(1) by virtue of the fact that he and his family lived nearby to the application site and often used the recreation ground and playground. 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 3(1)) concerning Planning Application 22/00535/FUL in respect of the erection of a temporary cafe (prefabricated unit).

Ms Alice Attwood (Senior Planning Officer) introduced the item and highlighted the key points.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Mr Tim Ansell, (Burghfield) Parish Council representative, Ms Jenny Elmore and Ms Steph Awbery, objectors, Ms Kailee Godding, supporter, Mr Paul Lawrence and Mr Chris Greaves, applicants, and Mr Dominic Morse, agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Parish Council Representation:

Councillor Tim Ansell, Chairman of Burghfield Parish Council, in addressing the Committee, raised the following points:

• Burghfield Common was the largest of the residential areas within the Parish of Burghfield with a population of approximately 6,000 people located halfway between Burghfield village and Mortimer.
• There were no pubs or cafes apart from a 30 cover charity café that operated two mornings a week from the wooden Methodist hall when they had enough volunteers.
• The recreation ground was at the centre of Burghfield Common and was the location for many varied activities.
• There was constant activity on the recreation ground with dozens of dog walkers before and after work and increasingly during the day as more people worked from home.
• The children's play area attracted many families especially after school, in addition to keep fit classes and other ad hoc activities.
• At weekends and during the week in the summer, Burghfield Football Club played games on the ground which attracted supporters locally and from across the country – it was an official FA ground and local derbies could attract in excess of 100 supporters.
• In addition to year-round use, in the summer there was a pop-up pub attracting over 100 customers on a Friday night plus their families. There was also a pop-up café.
• Annually there was Burghfest which attracted 2,000 people on each of the days it was held.
• The only events that caused parking problems were the football games as many of the participants and supporters were not local and consequently drove. 
• The aim of the proposed café was to provide somewhere for the residents of Burghfield Common to meet and socialise throughout the year on an ad hoc basis.
• Before Covid such a facility would have been viewed as serving young families and people who did not work but since Covid there had been a significant increase in the number of residents working from home and therefore missing out on social activities.
• Increasingly there were feelings of loneliness and isolation, and a big part of the reason the proposal had been moved forward was around caring about  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.(1)

(All Councillors present declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 3(2) by virtue of the fact that Mr Keith Chopping (supporter) and Mr John Cornwell (agent) were known to them. 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 Geoff Mayes declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 3(2) by virtue of the fact that he had met all members of the Chopping family including Keith Chopping’s wife and daughter, as they were local Councillors in the area where he lived. 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 3(2)) concerning Planning Application 22/01062 in respect of the conversion and extension of an existing outbuilding to form a single dwelling.

Mr Matthew Shepherd (Senior Planning Officer) introduced the item and highlighted the key points in the report and update report.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Mr Keith Chopping and Mrs Lucy Chopping, supporters, Mr John Cornwell (agent) and Councillor Ross Mackinnon (Ward Member) addressed the Committee on this application.

Supporter Representations:

Mr Keith Chopping and his daughter Mrs Lucy Chopping in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·         Mr Chopping stated that there was already an existing approval on the building to turn it into a residence. This had been granted in 2020 when permitted development rights were removed.

·         The current application aimed to improve the living quality of the building.

·         There had been no objections to the proposal locally. Mr Chopping and his wife were the owners of the building and the occupants of the building would be his daughter and her family. 

·         Mrs Chopping provided some background to why the application had been submitted. Just over three years ago Mrs Chopping had discussed an idea with her parents to discuss converting the stables into a home for herself and her family. This would enable her parents to stay in their house for longer without the need to downsize. This would mean that she would be available to help her parents maintain the home they had lived in for the last 33 years. With the help of her brothers, permission had been received for the conversion however, due to Covid everything had needed to be put on hold.

·         In the past two years Mrs Chopping explained that both of her parents had ended up in hospital and her mum’s mobility had decreased so much that she required a wheelchair.

·         Mrs Chopping explained that she had helped her parents as much as possible with daily visits but the end goal was to be there for them permanently. This brought her on to the latest application, which was being discussed.

·         Since Covid both Mrs Chopping and her husband had been lucky enough to remain in full time employment but as with lots  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.(2)