Agenda and minutes

Venue: David Hicks 1 - Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham RG40 1BN. View directions

Contact: Arabella Yandle  Democratic & Electoral Services Specialist

Link: Watch the video of this meeting

Items
No. Item

57.

Apologies

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

There were no apologies

58.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 153 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 8 November 2017.

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 8 November 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members' Update pdf icon PDF 84 KB

59.

Declaration of Interest

To receive any declaration of interest

 

Minutes:

Councillor Bill Soane declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 63, application no 172366.  He remained in the Chamber and he did not take part in the discussion or the vote.

60.

Applications to be Deferred and Withdrawn items

To consider any recommendations to defer applications from the schedule and to note any applications that may have been withdrawn.

Minutes:

Item 64 application no 173049 was withdrawn by the applicant.

61.

Application no 172450 - Land West Of Shinfield, West Of Hyde End Road And Hollow Lane, South Of Church Lane, Shinfield, RG2 9EP pdf icon PDF 851 KB

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Proposal:  Reserved Matters application pursuant to Outline planning permission O/2010/1432 (pursuant to VAR/2014/0624) for the erection of 473 dwellings including access roads, garages, parking spaces, open space and landscape treatment for Phase 2. (Access, Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale to be considered)

 

Applicant:  Bloor Homes, Linden Homes and Bovis Homes

 

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 11 to 50.

 

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included: 

 

·         Proposed clarification in respect of garden depths;

·         Proposed amendments to road widths, road names and driveway surfacing, and

·         An explanation that the conditions should be renumbered by one from condition 5.

 

Nick Patterson-Neild, agent, spoke in favour of the application, explaining that the application before the committee was the next phase in a major development that had been approved in 2012.  The application included 73 affordable homes and made provision for the link roads, greenways and children’s play areas that were part of the overall design. 

 

In response to a Member question regarding the number of 3 and 4 bedroom properties in this application, the Case Officer stated that there was a good balance of property sites across the whole development.  In response to Member queries regarding infrastructure, he stated that flood amelioration measures were in place. 

 

In response to a Member question regarding the use of garages, the Service Manager, Highways Development Management, stated that residents would not be able to convert carports to garages.  Garages did not make up part of the allocated parking.  100% of the properties had at least one allocated space with 437 of the 473 having two allocated spaces.

 

In response to a Member question regarding the Nuclear Consultation Zone, the Service Manager, SDL Planning Delivery, stated that there had been objection from the Health and Safety Executive to the development.  The outline application had been approved based on original plans.  New plans would be drawn up and should be taken into account in emergency planning.

 

Resolved:  That Application no 171250 be approved, subject to the conditions laid out in Agenda pages 11 to 50, and the proposed clarifications and renumbering of conditions as laid out in the Members’ Update.

62.

Application no 172331 - Matthewsgreen Farm, Matthewsgreen Road, Wokingham RG41 1JX pdf icon PDF 362 KB

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Proposal:  Application for the approval of Reserved Matters pursuant to Outline

planning consent O/2014/2242 for the erection of a new Community, Primary and Nursery school building with associated access off Road 24, parking and landscaping including the provision of playing fields and hard court play area. Appearance, landscaping, layout and scale to be considered.

 

Applicant:  Wokingham Borough Council

 

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 51 to 82.

 

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included: 

 

·         Proposed amendment to condition 15 regarding art features and signage, and

·         Proposed additional condition regarding access to parking spaces.

 

Robert Millen spoke against the application on behalf of the Emmbrook Residents’ Association.  He stated that the Association had two main concerns, namely external noise and the net space.  The former would exceed permitted levels and the latter was below standard if the school was to become 2 form entry. 

 

Piers Brunning, Wokingham Borough Council, applicant, spoke in favour of the application, explaining the background of the application and how it fit into the wider development at Matthewsgreen.  He stated that the 21% shortfall in space only applied to the outdoor soft play area and, if omitting the floating area that was recommended in school design, was 9%. He confirmed that the current proposal would be acceptable and comply with the Department of Education guidance for schools.

 

In response, the Case Officer stated that acoustic data showed noise would be within required limits internally.  Externally, the negative impact of noise-mitigation measures that would need to be taken to bring the noise levels down to those required would outweigh the reduction in noise levels.  It was not anticipated that the external areas would not be used during peak noise times.

 

In response to Member queries regards parking, the Service Manager, Highways Development Management, stated that there is a condition securing a parking management plan that would need to be submitted and approved by the Council and measures within this would be considered alongside the School Travel Plan.  The barrier that separated staff parking from the rest of the parking would be managed by the school with controls for its use being secured within the Parking Management Plan.  Parking controls will be in place to prevent parking on the Northern Distributor Road and options for this are currently being reviewed.  The number of spaces allocated to the school met Council standards for a 2-form entry school.  The Council was pro-sustainable travel and new developments within the borough incorporate this.  The school had to meet targets as part of its travel plan and would work with the Council to achieve this.

 

In response to Member queries regarding the shortfall in space relating to the two form entry school (2FE), the Service Manager, SDL Planning Delivery, explained that the land was owned by the developer and that there is no land available to increase the size of the school. Any additional land would have to be acquired from the developer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

63.

Application no 172366 - 37 Wilderness Road, Earley, RG6 7RU pdf icon PDF 291 KB

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Councillor Bill Soane declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 63, application no 172366.  He remained in the Chamber and he did not take part in the discussion or the vote.)

 

Proposal:  Householder application for the proposed erection of a part ground floor and part first floor extension (including rear facing balcony) to the existing dwelling.

 

Applicant:  Mr and Mrs Tahir Bashir

 

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 83 to 102.

 

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included information regarding the bat survey and a response to Earley Town Council regarding privacy screens.

 

Members visited the site on 8 December 2017.

 

Diana Hayes, resident, spoke against the application, stating that the only objection was to the balcony and the degree to which it would lead to overlooking of the neighbouring gardens and to noise.

 

Councillor Ken Miall, Ward Member, spoke against the application, asking the Committee to consider what was reasonable and when did it become intrusive.

 

In response, the Case Officer stated that it was not considered that the amount of noise would be an issue.  If it were to be a problem, neighbours could contact Environmental Health.  There had been an application for a neighbouring house for a similar balcony, which had been approved. It should be noted that rear garden areas were not afforded protection similar to the immediate rear of properties and any overlooking would be the same as first floor windows or rooms with Juliet balconies. Therefore, there were no significant issues with loss of privacy.

 

Resolved:  That application no 172366 be approved, subject to the conditions laid out in Agenda pages 83 to 102, and the information as laid out in the Members’ Update.

 

64.

Application no 173049 - 1 Nelsons Lane, Hurst, RG10 0RR pdf icon PDF 130 KB

Recommendation:  Refusal

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Proposal:  Householder application for the proposed raising of existing roof to create a first floor and additional accommodation in roof space, erection of a single storey rear extension, first floor side extension, removal of existing chimney stacks and changes to existing fenestration.

 

Applicant:  Mrs A Jenkins

 

This item was deferred at the request of the applicant

65.

Waterloo Road, Wokingham pdf icon PDF 164 KB

Recommendation:  Approve submission of application to stop up

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Stopping up Proposal:  Application for stopping up of Waterloo Road associated with the Southern Distributor Road Eastern Gateway works (ref: 172934). The stopping up application may be made under section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) (“the 1990 Act”) to the Secretary of State for Transport to have the highway stopped up or extinguished.

 

Applicant:  Wokingham Borough Council.

 

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 83 to 102.

 

There was no update.

 

Resolved:  That a submission to the Secretary of State for Transport of an application to stop up Waterloo Road be approved.