Agenda and draft minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 20 November 2024, 18 December 2024 and 22 January 2025.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2024 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to the inclusion of the following amendment:

Item 3 (3) – 23/02536/FULMAJ – Cold Ash (Paragraph 1):

Construction of a retention basin with an area of 0.20 hectares and a 0.7m high earth bund to the south of the scheme.  

The Minutes of the meeting held on 18 December 2024 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2025 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 Adrian Abbs declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that he was a Ward Member for the site and a Greenham Parish Councillor. 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 Phil Barnett declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(1) by virtue of the fact that he was a Greenham Parish Councillor. 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 Howard Woollaston declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(2) by virtue of the fact that he was Ward Member for Lambourn. 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 Howard Woollaston declared that he had been lobbied on Agenda Item 4(2).

Councillor Martin Colston declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(2) by virtue of the fact that he had met with the Jockey Club whilst on a visit to Lambourn in December 2023 to discuss the general industry. 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.)

(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).

1.      The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(1)) concerning Planning Application 23/01045/FUL in respect of a retrospective: Change of use of land to a Gypsy/Traveller site comprising the siting of 1 mobile home, 1 touring caravan, the erection of 1 dayroom, (Proposed) alongside the retrospective erection of 1 stable building for private equestrian use.

2.      Cheyanne Kirby introduced the report to Members, which took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material planning considerations. In conclusion the report detailed that the proposal was acceptable in planning terms and officers recommended that the Development Manager be authorised to grant planning permission subject to the conditions outlined in the main and update reports.

3.      The Chairman asked Mr Paul Goddard if he had any observations relating to the application. He noted the following:

·       The existing access to the site was substandard with regard to sight lines to the south. However, the previous use for the site was for a landscape garden business which was likely to have similar, if not more, vehicle usage than the proposed use.

4.      In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Councillor Adrian Abbs, Parish Council representative and Mr Peter Brownjohn, agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Parish/Town Council Representation

5.      Councillor Adrian Abbs addressed the Committee. The full representation can be viewed here:

Western Area Planning Committee - Wednesday 19 February 2025 (22:55)

Member Questions to the Parish/Town Council

6.      Members asked questions of clarification and were given the following response:

·       Councillor Abbs clarified that he was speaking on behalf of the Parish Council.

Applicant/Agent Representation

7.      Mr Peter Brownjohn addressed the Committee. The full representation can be viewed here:

Western Area Planning Committee - Wednesday 19 February 2025 (26:28)

Member Questions to the Applicant/Agent

8.      Members asked questions of clarification and were given the following responses:

·       The land was designated as open countryside outside of the settlement boundary.

·       The definition of a traveller was as defined in the PPTS in December 2024. People of nomadic habit regardless of ethnicity.

·       The applicant travelled for nomadic purposes but was also a gypsy traveller.

·       The definition of nomadism was nomadic travel for economic purposes.

·       The retrospective element of the case was due to the fact that the applicant’s wife had significant medical concerns that meant they needed a settled base quickly.

Member Questions to Officers

9.      Members asked questions of clarification and were given the following responses:

·       Paul Goddard advised that the access would have been refused outright had it been a new application over safety concerns. However, as it was an existing access it was difficult to reject.

·       Cheyanne Kirby noted that at the time, the Council was one traveller pitch short of the required number. However, a further 18 would have to be found by 2038.

·       Cheyanne Kirby advised that the kitchen garden wall formed part of the wider Sandleford Park estate that was located on the site. It had been overgrown and hidden, but the clearing undertaken by this application had helped to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.(1)

19.The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(2) concerning Planning Applications 23/02941/RESMAJ, 23/02942/RESMAJ, 23/02944/RESMAJ, 23/02945/RESMAJ in respect of Reserved Matters following Outline Approval 19/03161/OUTMAJ - Outline application for two racehorse training yards. Matters to be considered: Access, Landscaping and Scale. Matters to be considered appearance and layout.

20.   Standing orders were suspended to allow speakers ten minutes to deliver their presentations.

21.   It was requested that the representative from Lambourn Parish Council was allowed to speak at the meeting despite missing the deadline to register. Members voted to reject this proposal.

22.   Cheyanne Kirby introduced the report to Members, which took account of all the relevant policy considerations and other material planning considerations. In conclusion the report detailed that the proposal was acceptable in planning terms and officers recommended approval, subject to the schedule of conditions (Appendix A of the report), comments from Natural England with regard to the Habitats Regulation Assessment and the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement to secure the Habitats Regulation Assessment recommendations. Or if the legal agreement was not completed by the 19th May 2025 (three months of the Committee meeting), or such other date as agreed in writing by the Development Manager in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, to delegate to the Development Manager to refuse planning permission, for the reasons set out in Section 11 of the report.

23.   The Chairman asked Paul Goddard if he had any observations relating to the application. He advised that he had no objections.

24.   In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Peter Francis, objector, Tom Fillery, supporter, Will Riggle and Meghan Bonner, applicant/agent, addressed the Committee on this application.

Objector Representation

25.   Peter Francis addressed the Committee. The full representation can be viewed here:

Western Area Planning Committee - Wednesday 19 February 2025 (1:23:46)

Member Questions to the Objector

26.   Members did not have any questions of clarification.

Supporter Representation

27.   Tom Fillery addressed the Committee. The full representation can be viewed here:

Western Area Planning Committee - Wednesday 19 February 2025 (1:32:24)

Member Questions to the Supporter

28.   Members did not have any questions of clarification.

Applicant/Agent Representation

29.   Will Riggle and Meghan Bonner addressed the Committee. The full representation can be viewed here:

Western Area Planning Committee - Wednesday 19 February 2025 (1:35:24)

Member Questions to the Applicant/Agent

30.   Members asked questions of clarification and were given the following responses:

·       There was capacity for more horses. However, the purpose of the outline consent was for future proofing against future developments in the local area.

·       A variety of training yards of different sizes were required. There were facilities that were continually under threat from applications seeking to remove legal obligations to uses related to horse racing.

·       Modern yards had significantly improved facilities and the way they operated was completely different to how they operated historically. These yards were going to raise the standard in the area.

·       There was a business guide that provided detailed information on all equine businesses. These determined the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.(2)