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Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

9.

Minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings of this Committee held on 8th and 29th June 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2022 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The minutes of the meeting on 29 June 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendments:-

Paragraph 77 - Councillor Adrian Abbs stated that his calculations had differed to the officer’s due to Members having received incorrect information.

Paragraph 78 - Councillor Abbs further commented that he had drawn a comparison with Newbury Racecourse where one of the most regular criticisms was that there was insufficient provision for disabled parking. He had further suggested that figures should be rounded up rather than rounded down.

10.

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:

Councillor Phil Barnett declared an interest in Agenda Item 4(3), by virtue of the fact that he was a Member of Newbury Town Council and Greenham Parish Council. Councillor Barnett also stated that he had been lobbied both for and against the application, 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.

Councillor Abbs declared an interest in Agenda Item 4(3), by virtue of the fact that he was a Member of Greenham Parish Council. Further, Councillor Abbs reported that he lived one mile away from the proposed application site and had been lobbied both for and against the application, but commented 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.

Councillors Clive Hooker, Howard Woollaston, Tony Vickers and Carolyne Culver declared an interest in Agenda Item 4(3), by virtue of the fact that they had received an email from a local resident seeking support for the application, 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.

11.

Schedule of Planning Applications pdf icon PDF 823 KB

(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).

Additional documents:

11.(1)

Application No. and Parish: 22/00160/OUTMAJ - Land off Lambourn Road, Speen, Newbury

Minutes:

Agenda Item 4(1), was withdrawn from the Committee post publication of the Agenda.

11.(2)

Application No. and Parish: 21/01843/HOUSE - Lake House (formerly Hayward Green Farm), West Woodhay Road, West Woodhay

Minutes:

Agenda Item 4(2), was withdrawn from the Committee post publication of the Agenda.

 

11.(3)

Application No. and Parish: 22/00658/COMIND - Newbury Racecourse, Racecourse Road, Newbury pdf icon PDF 567 KB

Proposal:

Temporary 1 year permission: Great Newbury Christmas Carnival (with attractions including market stalls, bigtop, fairground rides, Christmas tree maze, ice-rink, Santa's grotto). Associated cut and fill works are also proposal to level the centre of the Racecourse.

Location:

Newbury Racecourse, Racecourse Road, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 7NZ

Applicant:

Newbury Racecourse

Recommendation:

DELEGATE to the Service Director - Development and Regulation to GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION subject to the schedule of conditions (Section 8.2 of the report)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

1.          The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(3)) concerning Planning Application 22/00658/COMIND in respect of a proposed Temporary 1 year permission at Newbury Racecourse for a Great Newbury Christmas Carnival (with attractions including market stalls, bigtop, fairground rides, Christmas tree maze, ice-rink, Santa's grotto).

2.          Mr Masie Masiiwa introduced the report to Members, which took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material planning considerations.

3.          As a point of order Councillor Jeff Cant queried whether, as the refused application 21/01079/COMIND was currently the subject of an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, the appeal status should be awaited prior to reviewing the current application.

4.          Mr Simon Till, Team Leader (Western Area Planning), explained that the applicant was within their rights to apply pending the result of the appeal. He commented that it was for Members to decide the application and make a decision regardless of the appeal.

5.          The Chairman asked Mr Paul Goddard, Principal Development Control Engineer, if he had any observations relating to the application. Mr Goddard reported that the access arrangements, which had been of significant concern in the original application, had been substantially resolved thanks to the organisers working with the Council. Conditions attached to the application made provision for a shuttle bus and for a travel plan to be submitted both before and after the event.

6.          In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Martin Sanderson, Tom Nisbet and Liz Turner, objectors, Melissa Hughes, supporter, Julian Thick, Dani Fumicelli and Coral Curtis applicant/agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Objector Representation

7.          Mr Sanderson in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·            Mr Sanderson commented that he spoke on behalf of the resident objectors, all of whom appreciated that they lived in the vicinity of an events venue.  However, he asserted that to allow the proposed application would increase the number of event dates from 31 race events to an additional 35 Carnival dates per year. Mr Sanderson argued that this would effectively switch the majority use of the racecourse from racing events to Carnival events.

·            Mr Sanderson acknowledged that if there were no fairground rides, there would be no objection to the application.

·            Mr Sanderson commented that the revised application only amounted to a 3% reduction in opening hours.

·            It was alleged that the traffic impact to local residents remained unchanged from the previous application and there was insufficient information in relation to local access.

·            Mr Sanderson suggested that heavy good vehicles transporting the rides and stalls to the site would cause increased traffic and congestion, as would the level of daily visitors to the event.

·            Mr Sanderson noted that David Wilson Homes had recently received approval for an application to build apartments at the ‘bridge’ end of the event and that it was expected that building works would commence at the same time as the proposed Carnival.

·            Mr Sanderson commented that the noise assessments accompanying the application were largely based on predictions rather than actual evidence. He further argued  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.(3)