Agenda and draft minutes

Joint Climate & Environment and Economic & Social Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Thursday, 8th June, 2023 4.00 pm

Venue: Committee Room 1, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 1NB

Contact: Democratic Services

Items
No.	Item
5.	Election of Chair Purpose: Election of the Chair for Joint Climate and Environment and Economic and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee for this one meeting. Recommendation: Committee elects the Chair for Joint Climate and Environment and Economic and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee for this one meeting. Minutes: Councillor Andrew Coles, Chair of the Council, opened the meeting and asked for nominations to the position of the Chair of the Joint Climate and Environment and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Councillor Michele Mead proposed that Councillor Andrew Beaney be appointed Chair of the Joint Committee for the Civic Year 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Liam Walker and was put to a vote, as a result of no further nominations. The Vote Carried. Committee Resolved to: Appoint Councillor Andrew Beaney as Chair of the Joint Climate and Environment and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Civic Year 2023/24.
6.	Election of Vice-Chair Purpose: Election of the Vice-Chair for Joint Climate and Environment and Economic and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee for this one meeting. Recommendation: Committee elects the Vice-Chair for Joint Climate and Environment and Economic and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee for this one meeting. Minutes: Councillor Andrew Beaney, Chair of the Joint Climate and Environment and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee, asked for nominations for the position of Vice-Chair of the Joint Climate and Environment and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Councillor Michele Mead proposed that Councillor Alaa Al-Yousuf be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee for the Civic Year 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Liam Walker and was put to a vote, as a result of no further nominations. The Vote Carried. Committee Resolved to: Appoint Councillor Alaa Al-Yousuf as Vice-Chair of the Chair of the Joint Climate and Environment and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Civic Year 2023/24.
7.	Apologies for Absence To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for Absence were received from Councillors Colin Dingwall, Hugo Ashton, Alistair Wray and Rizvana Poole. Councillor Michele Mead Substituted for Councillor Colin Dingwall.
8.	Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations from Members of the Committee on any items to be considered at the meeting. Minutes: Declarations of Interest were received as follows: Councillor Harry St John declared that he lived in Eynsham. Councillors Andrew Coles, Nick Leverton and Liam Walker declared that they were also elected Members of Oxfordshire County Council.
9.	Minutes of Previous Meeting PDF 55 KB To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2022. Minutes: The minutes of the previous meeting, held on Monday 14 March 2022, were approved by the Committee and signed by the Chair as a correct record.
10.	Participation of the Public Anyone who lives in the district or who pays council tax or business rates to the Council is eligible to read a statement or express an opinion at this meeting. You can register to speak by sending your written submission of no more than 750 words to [email protected] by no later than 10.00am on the working day before the meeting. Minutes: Councillor Ross Macken, Chair of Eynsham Parish Council, addressed the Committee and raised the following points; The importance of preserving the character of the village of Eynsham; A perception that the addition of two new areas of development were ill-judged, and were a quick fix to deal with any potential legal challenges from landowners; The Parish Council requested that the term ‘about 1000 homes’, be modified to read ‘maximum of 1000 homes’ for the avoidance of doubt. Concerns about vehicle access to potential development sites as the addendum would not conform to the previously agreed planned vehicle access; How the areas in the addendum would be integrated into the rest of the development. The Parish Council also raised two additional points; Request for the provision of a burial ground in the Masterplan, due to limited capacity with 12 months remaining of the current site. Request that the Masterplan should define a form of stewardship of the shared assets and green spaces. Councillor Macken concluded by requesting that the Committee reject the addendum, and ask that developers prepare a new version addressing the points raised, before conducting a full consultation with the residents of Eynsham. The Chair invited the Committee to ask any questions for clarification. Councillor Al-Yousuf asked for clarification on comments regarding integration of spaces in the rest of the development. Councillor Macken stated it was felt that the Masterplan was well constructed, however the Addendum did not present how the additional spaces would be integrated and felt that the spaces were ‘add-ons’. Councillor Al-Yousuf asked if there had been further discussion with the planning department. Councillor Macken stated that the new areas had not been considered and there was no guidance on what could be potentially build on the additional land included in the Addendum. Councillor Phil Godfrey entered the committee room at 4.09pm. Dr Angie Titchen addressed the meeting with comments from EPIC and Green Tea community groups, stating the following points of concern: A perceived lack of public consultation following a response from developers on 7 March 2023 there had been no further contact with the community or local groups; Vehicle access and active travel – Concerns raised that an extensive use of the spine road and Witney Road would result in potentially long term disruption to residents. Phasing – Concerns raised that the access issue was connected to phasing and the addendum had not addressed this point. Climate and Biodiversity – Concerns raised that two areas of green space were potential sites for land development. Concerns also raised that the addendum was in conflict with WODC corporate priorities – The response to the climate and ecological emergencies. Councillor Martin McBride entered the committee room at 4.20pm. The Chair invited the Committee to ask any questions for clarification. Councillor Rosie Pearson asked for clarification on the timings of consultation with developers, with focus on the period of late 2022. Dr Titchen confirmed the only contact with the Parish Council and community groups received from the developers, ... view the full minutes text for item 10.
11.	West Eynsham Strategic Development Area (SDA) Masterplan Addendum PDF 84 KB Purpose: To consider an addendum to the West Eynsham Strategic Development Area (SDA) masterplan which has been produced by the four main landowner/developers in response to further engagement with third party landowners. Recommendations: That the Committee: a) Notes the content of the report; and b) Subject to any specific comments the Committee wishes to make, recommends that the Executive approve the West Eynsham SDA Masterplan Addendum attached at Annex A as a material planning consideration for any current or future planning applications that come forward in relation to the West Eynsham SDA. Additional documents: Annex A Masterplan Addendum , item 11. PDF 10 MB Minutes: The Chair introduced the Planning Policy Manager, Chris Hargreaves. The Chair reminded the Committee of the recommendations in the report and suggested the Committee, as the Parish Councillor requested, not accept the Addendum and refer back to the original report. The Planning Policy Manager started the presentation by responding to the Chair’s question, and clarified that there had been extensive consultation to produce the Masterplan. The Masterplan had gone before Cabinet in March 2022 and to the Joint Climate and Environment and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee in March 2022. After the threat of a legal challenge, West Oxfordshire District Council sought legal advice which resulted in the developer being asked to engage with the landowners, including the Parish Councillor, and make any updates accordingly. This resulted in the Addendum document being produced by the developer. The Planning Policy Manager clarified that the Master Plan was not to be reviewed, only focused updates were to be added. These included the following; Clarification on points within the Masterplan; Factual updates to information, with focus on corrections in Masterplan; Visual updates, which included formatting to improve clarity; Information updated to include 2 parcels of land as potential development land; Clarification on the existing use of the 2 parcels of land; one site was a green space and the other site was garden land. They were now shown on the addendum with hatching as potential development land; Clarification that if landowners requested the development plans be possibly brought forward, any such applications would be in consideration with the policies of the Local Plan and any other policies within planning at that time. In response to the question if the document were not to be accepted by the Committee, The Planning Policy Manager clarified that the document responds to the discussion points asked when brought to Cabinet in March 2022. Councillor Wilson entered the committee room at 4.30pm. The Chair suggested that the committee go through the document page by page to pick up points. Councillors asked if the Planning Policy Manager had a prepared presentation for the committee to refer to, for the benefit of new members of the committee. The Councillors highlighted that this was not an officers’ report and asked that points be clarified when planning policy was considered. The Planning Policy Manager gave a recap on the Masterplan and included the following points; The initial consultation stage of the report; The criteria of the report; After a legal challenge, the Council agreed that the four main developer teams would take on any further strategic planning, which resulted in the Masterplan; Masterplan was considered as material consideration planning documentation, and would not supersede the Local Plan and the same principle would apply to the Addendum document; For any future planning applications the Masterplan and Addendum would also be considered. The Committee asked for the two parcels of land to be focused on, as these were the significant changes to the Addendum document. The following points were focused on; The Burial Ground ... view the full minutes text for item 11.
12.	Eynsham Parish council Letter PDF 796 KB Purpose: Letter received from Eynsham Parish Council for additional information. Recommendation: Committee notes the letter. Minutes: Item not considered at meeting.

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