Agenda item
Applications for Development
Purpose:
To consider applications for development, details of which are set out in the attached schedule.
Recommendation:
To determine the applications in accordance with the recommendations of the Strategic Director. The recommendations contained in the following pages are all subject to amendments in the light of observations received between the preparation of the reports etc and the date of the meeting.
Minutes:
21/00228/FUL – Land South of Milestone Road
The Planning Officer, Abby Fettes introduced the application for a residential development comprising of 200 dwellings with associated landscaping, surface water attenuation, access and parking.
Mrs Fettes advised that the recommendation was to approve the application subject to conditions 1 to 18 in the report, plus informatives and notes to the applicant.
The following members of the public addressed the Committee:
Mr Harry Watts, supporting and Mr Matthew Williams representative of Gallagher, supporting.
The Planning Officer then went on explain that this was an allocated site in the Local Plan, with a housing mix of four different tenure types. The County Council had confirmed they were satisfied with the access and additional comments from the Bio-diversity Officer were outlined. Comments from the County Council had also been received.
Members discussed the original objection from Thames Water and the educational proportion of the S106 contributions.
Councillor Good proposed that the application be granted as per officers recommendations and applauded the 100% affordable housing provision. He was also pleased with the good mix of housing types proposed.
This was seconded by Councillor Langridge.
Councillor Crossland felt it was important to be mindful of the potential downsides of large scale developments including problems with HGV’s, signage issues and access only limitations. She referred to the necessary infrastructure needed to support eight thousand personnel at the nearby base and did not feel that a 20% EVCP provision was sufficient. She did not feel that tactile crossing points were appropriate and recognised that some areas needed complete footpaths. Councillor Crossland also highlighted the problem of knotweed and asked for reassurance that the contractors would competently manage this professionally and that it would be monitored. She therefore felt unable to support the proposal.
In response, Mrs Fettes reminded the meeting that the County Council had noted the concerns regarding the footway but it did meet the necessary tests, whilst a full footway did not meet CIL provision.
Councillor Leverton asked for clarification on policy OS4 which related to ‘high quality products’. He noted there were no garages proposed, the room sizes were just big enough and the cycle storage did not appear to be secure. He agreed with the comments made relating to the footpath which was often a problem for anyone with pushchairs.
A number of members agreed with the issues raised about access for pedestrians, cyclists and the provision of Active Travel.
The Officer recommendation of approval was then put to the vote and was carried.
Approved
20/03185/FUL – Hacketts, Wesley Walk, Witney
The Planning Officer, Ms Clark introduced the application for the demolition of existing single storey side and rear extensions, the erection of a new two storey side extension and change of use for ground floor from A3 to A1 and to C3 on first and second floors, to allow the creation of seven flats.
The following members of the public addressed the Committee:
Mr Arron Hyatt, supporting, on behalf of the applicant.
The Planning Officer presented her report containing a recommendation of approval. She advised that the overall design and level of amenity space was thought to be acceptable and proposed the recommendation of approval, subject to conditions 1 to 5 in the report, plus informatives and notes to the applicant.
Councillor Leverton addressed Members and gave credit to the applicant for listening to the will of Members and proposed that the application be approved.
This was seconded by Councillor St John.
The Officer recommendation of approval was then put to the vote and was carried.
Approved
20/03365/FUL – Ducklington Farm, Course Hill Lane, Ducklington
The Planning Officer, Miss Jacobs introduced the application for the erection of a new farm shop and café.
Information contained in the follow on report advised that additional information had been submitted by the agent in regards to a suggested condition allowing for goods retailed from the farm shop to be limited to that which came from the farm holding and a 30 mile radius from the farm shop. The update report also outlined a response from officers.
The following members of the public addressed the Committee:
Mr Andrew Hodgson, supporting, representing Pegasus Group on behalf of the applicant.
Following a question from Councillor Woodruff, Mr Hodgson confirmed that the reference to a 30 mile radius had been agreed with the Council’s Business Development Officer.
Councillor St John queried the size of the farming enterprise. Mr Hodgson advised that due to the number of meat sales the business required a butchery to move the business forwards.
The Planning Officer then presented her report containing a recommendation of refusal. She advised that officers did not feel that the nature and scale of the proposed development fell within the scope of a farm diversification scheme, and was therefore contrary to Local Plan Policy E2.
Councillor Woodruff addressed the meeting as the local councillors and advised that he had visited the site previously. He did not feel that the report described the location sufficiently and therefore proposed that the application be deferred to allow a site visit to take place.
This was seconded by Councillor Langridge.
The proposal to defer was then put to the vote and was carried.
Deferred
20/01766/FUL – 73 High Street, Witney
The Planning Officer, Mr McIver introduced the application for the conversion of a storage area to two new dwellings; alterations to include reduction of retail space and erection of external metal staircase to provide access to the two existing flats above.
The Planning Officer presented his report containing a recommendation of approval, subject to conditions 1 to 4, plus informatives, as detailed in the report.
Councillor Langridge proposed that the application be granted as per officers’ recommendations and this was seconded by Councillor Aitman.
The Officer recommendation of approval was then put to the vote and was carried.
Approved
20/03561/FUL – Unit 1-6 Lakeside Industrial Estate, Stanton Harcourt
The Planning Officer, Miss Jacobs introduced the application for the change of use of the existing class use B8 site to mixed class uses B1 and B8; the erection of two storage barns, an office building and ancillary amenity facilities together with associated car parking.
A public submission had been received and was read out on behalf of Joanna Lishman from Savills, representing the applicant.
Information contained in the follow on report advised that works had already commenced on site and as a result, officers were seeking to amend the wording of Condition 4 to read:
- Prior to first occupation, a full surface water drainage scheme shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall include details of the size, position and construction of the drainage scheme, details of the proposed water treatment measures and results of soakage tests carried out at the site to demonstrate the infiltration rate. Three tests should be carried out for each soakage pit as per BRE 365 with the lowest infiltration rate (expressed in m/s) used for design. The details shall include a management plan setting out the maintenance of the drainage asset. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior to the first occupation of the development hereby approved and shall be maintained in accordance with the management plan thereafter. Development shall not take place until an exceedance flow routing plan for flows above the 1 in 100 year + 40% CC event has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.
REASON: To ensure the proper provision for surface water drainage and/ or to ensure flooding is not exacerbated in the locality (The West Oxfordshire Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance). If the surface water design is not agreed before works commence, it could result in abortive works being carried out on site or alterations to the approved site layout being required to ensure flooding does not occur.
The Planning Officer presented her report containing a recommendation of approval and advised that officers were satisfied that the change of use was acceptable in principle.
Councillor Good addressed Members and thanked the officers for their report. He expressed his sympathy for the Parish Council and recognised their concerns regarding heavy traffic and the impact this could have on rural locations. However, he supported the officer view that this would decrease the level of traffic on site and applauded the provision of employment. He therefore, proposed that the application be granted as per officers recommendations.
This was seconded by Councillor Leverton who was pleased at the re-use of a brownfield site.
The Officer recommendation of approval was then put to the vote and was carried, subject to the amendment to the wording of condition 4 as detailed above.
Approved
21/00856/HHD – 9 Holloway Lane, Minster Lovell
The Planning Officer, Ms Hill introduced the application for the erection of a garden office and advised that the officer recommendation was to approve, subject to conditions 1 to 4.
Councillor Haine addressed the meeting and supported the officer’s recommendation. He proposed that the application be granted as per officers recommendations and this was seconded by Councillor Woodruff.
Councillor Langridge raised a concern that this could set a precedent and was assured that all applications were dealt with on an individual basis.
In response to a query from Councillor Good, officers advised that a condition had been included to ensure that the building could not be used for commercial purposes.
The Officer recommendation of approval was then put to the vote and was carried.
Approved
21/00622/FUL – Land North East of 77 Abingdon Road, Standlake
The Planning Officer, Ms Clark introduced the application for a residential development comprised of the erection of five dwellings, together with associated works, construction of detached garage to serve existing property (77 Abingdon Road) and alterations to existing and provision of new vehicular access.
A public submission had been received and was read out on behalf of Mr Alex Cresswell, agent for the applicant.
Members noted that the applicant had agreed to additional conditions relating to grey water systems and ecology.
Councillor Good raised a concern regarding the ability for refuse lorries to turn successfully and he sympathised with the concerns raised by the Parish Council. He highlighted the access route and the potential impact that construction vehicles would have on the bridleway.
Councillor Leverton advised that he had undertaken a site visit and he described the difficulty he had experienced when trying to exit the site. He felt that an additional five households would have a significant impact on the level of traffic but noted that there was no objection from the County Highways.
Councillor Enright recognised the opportunity for development and proposed that the application be granted as per officers recommendations and this was seconded by Councillor St John.
Councillor Crossland suggested that some of the County Councillors present at the meeting could take up the issues raised with the Highways Team. Councillor Haine recognised the value that landscaping could have on the site and reminded the meeting that the applicant already had permission to erect three dwellings.
The Officer recommendation of approval was then put to the vote and was carried.
Approved
Supporting documents:
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Applications for Development, item 4.
PDF 574 KB -
4A - Late Representations Report, item 4.
PDF 205 KB