Issue - meetings

Recommendation: Conditional approval

This item contains the substantive minutes for agenda items 26, 27, and 28. The individual resolutions for each item are contained within their respective minute item.

Bill Soane declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and therefore left the room and took no part in either the discussion or vote.

Applicant: Hare Hatch Sheeplands

Proposal: Full Planning application for the proposed change of use from Horticulture use to Exhibition Space (Use Class F1(e)) for the display of Haworthia and associated plants

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in agenda pages 83 to 108.

The Committee were advised that updates contained within the Supplementary Planning Agenda included:

·           Correction to condition 4 to include reference to other associated plants;

·           Clarification that the information contained within paragraph 6a was incorrect, and that horticultural use was already being lawfully undertaken and that planning permission was never enacted for this purpose.

David Hall, agent, spoke in support of application 211084, 211085, and 211086.  David stated that Hare Hatch Sheeplands (HHS) was a community minded business which had uses comprising of a plant nursery, café, butchers, garden shop, space for community events, and a farm shop. David added that HHS was a valued community asset, and the site had been operating on a fully authorised basis since July 2017. David stated that the horticultural business across the site had continued, however the horticultural industry in general was still under pressure due to Covid-19 and Brexit, amongst other issues. David stated that these issues and delays had interrupted the implementation of the temporary permissions previously granted for the site, the purpose of which was to allow the horticultural business to survive and develop whilst allowing sufficient time to review with the Council the requirements for the business and future plans for the wider area. David added that under these exceptional circumstances, the applications submitted were asking for two additional years to allow the business to develop, whilst providing the applicant with some certainty over the operations uses of the site, in line with the Inspector’s decision. David stated that the enforcement notice and injunction remained in place, however they did not prohibit ancillary activities to the plant nursery such as the holding of events. Examples of the community focussed approach to the site included hosting flower shows, children’s activities, activities relating to community events such as the RG10 front gardens competition (Twyford in Bloom), and food and drink tasting events. David stated that some of these events would take place during the winter when the greenhouses were not in full growing use, supporting the enterprise during the off-season. David stated that the applicant was disappointed that officers had only recommended a one year extension, as opposed to the two year extension requested by the applicant. David was of the opinion that a two year extension was seen to be a realistic approach to the timescale required for the applicant to work on the business during the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26