Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Caswell.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11^th February 2014 were agreed and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED: That under the following items the members of the public listed

                         be granted leave to address the committee.

·         N/2011/0997 Upton Park, Weedon Road

Nicollette Bench, Councillor Alan Bottwood and Tom Venables (Homes and Communities Agency)

·         N/2013/1156 31 Samwell Way

Councillor Sargeant, Pamela Glennon, Councillor Bottwood, James O’Riordan (Architect) and Colin Beswick (Applicant)

·         N/2014/0042 The Lodge, Wootton Hall Park

Councillor Larratt, Councillor Nunn (Chair - East Hunsbury & Wootton Parish Council), Pete Hodgson, John New and Barney Paul Bonner (Project Architect)

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At the Chair’s suggestion and in view that there were public speakers present on several items it was RESOLVED: That the committee move Items 5 and 6 to the end of the agenda. Item 10, Items for Determination be heard in the order 10(B); 10(A); 10(E); 10(C) and 10(D).

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The Development Management Team Leader outlined the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda. The Committee’s attention was also drawn to the circulated addendum. The recommendation was for approval with the conditions set out.

Councillor Sargeant, as a Ward member, addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

In response to a question from the Committee Councillor Sargeant supplied the following information:

·         He believed the issues around traffic did not relate to volume, but vision of vehicles from the property and safety.

Mrs Glennon, resident of the neighbouring property, addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

In response to a question from the Committee Mrs Glennon supplied the following information.

·         The site layout and position of the properties identified in the photographs was confirmed.

Councillor Bottwood, as a Ward member, addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application. Councillor Bottwood also declared his membership of Upton Parish Council.

Mr O’Riordan, the applicant’s architect, addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application.

Mr Beswick, the applicant, addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application.

In response to the questions raised by the Committee the Development Management Team Leader advised the Committee that:

·         This was a residential area, with adequate parking and low levels of traffic movement overall. As such it was not felt necessary to specifically monitor the traffic flow, but the Highways Authority had been consulted as per the report.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report.

The Senior Planning Officer outlined the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda. The Committee’s attention was also drawn to the circulated addendum. The recommendation was for approval in principle with the conditions set out in the report and addendum

Ms Bench, local resident and Chair of the local youth club, addressed the Committee and spoke against the application, specifically the site access and the volume of traffic generated along West Street.

Councillor Bottwood, as a Ward member, addressed the Committee and spoke against the application, specifically the site access and volume of traffic generated along West Street. Councillor Bottwood also declared his membership of Upton Parish Council.

Mr Venables, Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application.

In response to questions from the Committee Mr Venables supplied the following information:

·         He confirmed consultation would continue before finalising the access via West Street. Officers would be involved and the Committee may have a further opportunity to consider if necessary.

·         He confirmed that West Street is currently 6.1m wide and the issues of parking and bus access would be addressed by widening the road and the introduction of parking bays.

In response to the points raised by the speakers the Senior Planning Officer advised the Committee that:

·         The access via West Street would be limited by the conditions 14 and 15, until such time as the Planning Authority and Highways Authority were satisfied.

·         A S106 contribution to secondary school places had been requested by the Local Education Authority.

In response to the questions raised by the Committee the Senior Planning Officer advised the Committee that:

·         When complete the site would have two access points, from both the eastern and western sides of the development.

·         The areas subject to a S106 contribution were outlined in the report. The total S106 funds in the case would be approximately £19m.

·         The Highway Authority had not requested West Street be made one way.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE, subject to the conditions set out in the report and the addendum.  

The Principal Planning Officer outlined the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda and the circulated addendum. The Committee’s was informed that the car parking spaces marked 12-17 were currently in use by the occupier.

Councillor Larratt, as a Ward member, addressed the Committee and spoke against the application. He welcomed the condition regarding use as set out in the addendum.

Councillor Nunn, as Chair of Wootton & East Hunsbury Parish Council addressed the Committee and spoke against the application. He declared his role as the Assistant Cabinet Member for Regeneration He welcomed the condition regarding use as set out in the addendum.

Mr Hodgson, local resident, addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

Mr New, local resident and Chair of Wootton Park Residents Association, addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

Mr Bonner, architect for the applicant, addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application. He suggested that the applicant would be happy to condition the reversion of the parking spaces to garden should they vacate the property.

In response to the points raised by the speakers the Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that:

·         The Highways Authority had raised no objections.

·         A new footpath would in fact be created.

·         Reversion of the parking spaces to garden could be conditioned if they so wished.

·         Conditions regarding the amount of use may be unenforceable and possibly ultra vires.

The Committee discussed the report.

Councillor Meredith proposed and Councillor Lane seconded that the recommendation contained within the report be accepted and that a condition regarding the reversion of the car parking spaces to garden should the current use as offices cease be added.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED, subject to the conditions set out in the report and addendum, with the addition of a condition regarding reversion of parking space to garden use.

The Principal Planning Officer outlined the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda.

Councillor Meredith proposed that the application should have been the subject of a site visit and that the matter be deferred. Due to to the lack of a seconder the proposal fell.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report.

The Principal Planning Officer outlined the report of the Head of Planning, as set out in the agenda. He reminded the Committee that they were no giving the final approval. As this was a Listed Building Consent to a Council owned property the matter would be referred to the Secretary of State.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE subject to prior referral to the Secretary of State and the conditions set in the report.

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The Development Management Team Leader presented a verbal report that there had been an application (N/2014/0185) for Non-Material Amendment to Planning Approval N/2012/0314 (Provision of a new 21-Stand Bus Interchange) to increase the retail unit floor area from 238m² to 250.1 m².  A Non-Material Amendment to Planning Approval had to be dealt with within 28 days and because the site was in Council ownership it required Committee approval.

In response to questions from the Committee the Development Management Team Leader added:

·         The application came about because a wall had been sited approximately 1m further out increasing the floor space.

·         The application would regularize the planning issue.

The Committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED.

The Head of Planning submitted a List of Current Appeals and Inquiries.

The Development Management Team Leader updated that in addition to those decisions listed in the report, applications N/2013/0873 and N/2013/0874, both previously delegated refusals, had been upheld by the Planning Inspectorate.

It was reported that application N/2013/0970 was currently being considered by the Inspectorate and a site visit was due on 18^th March 2014. The visit would include the Inspector, Planning Officers and Applicant, with a decision likely in approximately 8 weeks. The full details of all appeal decisions were available online.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.