Agenda item
23/03220/S73 Land at Former Stanton Harcourt Airfield, Main Road, Stanton Harcourt.
Minutes:
Councillor Cosier left the Sub-Committee and sat in the public gallery.
Clare Anscombe, Senior Planning Officer, presented the application for a variation of conditions 2, 24, 25 and 26 to the planning permission 18/01611/FUL to allow changes to the landscape proposal and to include additional pedestrian footpath (amended description and plans.
Councillor Steve Cosier spoke in objection to the application and raised the following points; concerns regarding the planting and maintenance of trees not being managed properly, loss of planting due to contamination of soil due to rubble from construction. Councillor Cosier confirmed that once the developer had completed work on the site, the maintenance of the site would be run by a management company.
Mark Gay, agent for the application raised the following points; confirmed that he was the speaking for the Planning Director of Hayfield homes, how the developer was committed to remaining on the site until the planting and landscaping issues had been resolved. Mr Gay confirmed that going forwards the developer would work with ecology and arboricultural specialists as part of a management plan and would remain on site until the work had been completed before being handed over to a management company.
The Planner’s presentation addressed the following points:
- The application sought the variation of conditions 2, 24, 25 and 26 of the planning permission 18/01611/FUL to allow changes to the landscape proposal and to include an additional pedestrian footpath.
- The application was amended with landscaping proposals to remove those trees which had failed to establish and replace them with more suitable native species. There was also a proposal to vary condition 24 relating to bat and bird boxes and a proposal to amend condition 2 to vary the approved plans including a plan showing an additional pedestrian footpath.
- There was a proposal to vary condition 26 to include an updated Landscape and Ecological Management Plan to reflect the amended proposals. The Biodiversity Officer had raised no objections, and it was considered that the variations complied with Section 15 of the NPPF and policy EH3 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2031.
- The Parish Council had objected to the application.
- The Officer recommendation was for approval, subject to amended conditions and the original section 106 agreement and deed of variation.
The Chair then invited the Sub-Committee to discuss the application, which raised the following points:
- Members asked if progress had been made with the management plan and why the pathway going to the sales office / house had been retained. It was confirmed that the plan had been split into zones to enable issues to be identified and managed. The pathway was to be kept as it was a useful link up to the gatehouse.
- Members asked for clarification on contamination of the site, problems with establishing planting and watering. The Senior Ecologist officer confirmed that they had visited the site on 24 September 2024 to review the existing site which was not as bad as expected. With the replacement planting and input from the ecologist who had knowledge of the site from 2018, the east and west sides were much better.
- Members noted that there had been no response from the Tree Officer and asked for clarification on what information was sought on the planting of trees. The Planning Officer confirmed that the Tree Officer had been consulted, however no response had been received on the current application. The Senior Ecologist confirmed that research had been undertaken as to what trees were suitable for the site and additional hedgerows had been planted on the boundary of the site.
- The Members suggested that the local community and Parish Council work with the developer to work together on the management plan.
Councillor Liam Walker proposed that the application be approved in line with Officer’s recommendations. This was seconded by Councillor Adrian Walsh and was put to the vote
Voting record - 9 for the proposal and 1 vote against. The vote was carried.
The Sub-Committee Resolved to:
- Approve the application in line with Officer’s recommendations.
Councillor Julian Cooper asked that the application be put in front of the Development Control Committee as there had not been information submitted by the Tree Officer within the report before the Sub-Committee. Democratic Services Officer to action.
Councillor Steve Cosier re-joined the Sub-Committee.