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Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms 1 & 2, Council Offices, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 1NB. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services 

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Items
No. Item

7.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence from members of the Committee. The quorum for the Committee is 6 members.  

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from:

Councillors Geoff Saul, Steve Cosier, Andrew Prosser, Lidia Arciszewska, Michele Mead and Mike Baggaley.

 

Councillor Alaric Smith substituted for Councillor Arciszewska.

Councillor Rosie Pearson substituted for Councillor Prosser.

 

 

8.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations from Members of the Committee on any items to be considered at the meeting

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Declarations of Interest were received as follows;

Councillor Elizabeth Poskitt declared that she was a founding member of Sustainable Woodstock, had attended some Stop Botley West meetings and was a member of Woodstock Town Council and attended meetings to discuss how financial benefits would be used however Councillor Poskitt was not predetermined.

 

Councillor Andy Goodwin declared that had attended Stop Botley West meetings about a year ago but was not predetermined.

 

Councillor Sarah Veasey declared that she had previously attended community benefits group but was no longer and member and was not predetermined.

 

9.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 58 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 21 May 2025.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Page 8 - Councillor Beaney highlighted that the members of the Lowlands Area Planning Sub-Committee was incorrectly recorded and Councillors Early and Saul were members of Uplands Area Planning Sub-Committee. The officer had already corrected the list.

Councillor Julian Cooper asked that the wording “Council resolved to” be changed to “Development Control Committee resolved to” for Items 1 and 2.  

Councillor Michael Brooker proposed that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 21 May 2025 be agreed by the Committee as a true and accurate record. This was seconded by Councillor Sarah Veasey, was put to the vote and was agreed by the Committee.

 

The Development Control Committee Resolved to:

  1. Agree the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 21 May 2025 as a true and accurate record.

 

10.

Botley West Examination - Submission of Written Representation and Local Impact Report pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Purpose:

To present an overview of the draft Local Impact Report prior to submission to the Examining Authority and to agree the Written Representation also to be submitted to the Examining Authority by 4 June 2025.

 

Recommendation:

That Development Control Committee resolves to:

1)    Note the executive summary of the Draft Joint Local Impact Report

2)    Endorse the draft Written Representation, subject to any amendments as may be agreed at the Development Control Committee,

3)    Delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee and the Executive Member for Planning, to make any necessary amendments to the Written Representation and Joint Local Impact Report prior to submission to the Examining Authority

4)    Delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager to issue the Written Representation and full Local Impact Report (as may be amended) to the Examining Authority, before the deadline for response.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Andrew Thomson, Planning Policy Manager started the presentation with an explanation of the purpose of the meeting covered in the following four points:

 

  • To note to the Executive summary of the Draft Joint Local Impact Report.
  • To endorse the draft Written Representation, subject to any amendments as agreed at the Development Control Committee.
  • To delegate to the Planning Policy Manager, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee and the Executive Member for Planning, the responsibility to make any necessary amendments to the Written Representation and Joint Local Impact Report prior to the submission to the Examining Authority.
  • That the Planning Policy Manager be authorised to issue the Written Representation and full Local Impact report (as may be amended) to the Examining Authority, before the deadline for response.

 

The Planning Policy Officer explained that it would not be possible for the Development Control Committee to meet if any further information was requested by the Planning Inspector and therefore requested the approval of the committee to add another recommendation, this was due to the logistics of organising committee meetings and the timing of the examination deadlines. The additional recommendation was read out to the committee.

 

  • To delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager in consultation with the Chair of DC Committee and the Planning Portfolio Holder, to submit any further representations to the Examining Authority during the Examination period, by specified deadlines.

 

The Chair asked if the committee had any questions of clarification on the additional recommendation. The Chair explained the purpose of the recommendation again for clarity. Councillor Nick Leverton proposed that the additional recommendation to delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager in consultation with the Chair of DC Committee and the Planning Portfolio Holder, to submit any further representations to the Examining Authority during the Examination period, by specified deadlines be added to the agenda. This was seconded by councillor Alaric Smith and was unanimously agreed.

 

The Development Control Committee Resolved to:

 

  1. Agree to add the additional recommendation to the agenda to delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager in consultation with the Chair of DC Committee and the Planning Portfolio Holder, to submit any further representations to the Examining Authority during the Examination period, by specified deadlines.

 

The Planning Policy Manager continued with his presentation which included the following points:

 

  • A recap of the proposal to develop a solar farm in West Oxfordshire if approved.
  • The proposal would cover a large area across three district councils, including Vale of White Horse, Cherwell and West Oxfordshire with the majority of the proposed development in West Oxfordshire of approximately 1400 hectares.
  • The area would be split into 3 areas made up of a northern area, a central area and a southern area.
  • The process had comprised of 6 stages. West Oxfordshire had engaged with and responded to requests for information, submitted representations to consultation during the pre-application period, reflected on the adequacy of the consultation at acceptance stage and submitted a relevant representation to the Planning Inspector at the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.