Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN

Contact: Tricia Harcourt  Senior Democratic Services Officer

Items
No. Item

24.

Apologies

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

An apology for absence was submitted from Councillor Chris Singleton.

25.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 207 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 22 July 2015.

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 22 July 2015 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to the following amendments:

·         under ‘Other Councillors Present’, add Mark Ashwell;

·         under item 20 in the text ‘set out in Agenda pages 185 to 120’, amend ‘120’ to ‘202’.

 

Members' Update pdf icon PDF 278 KB

There are a number of references to the Members’ Update within these minutes.  The Members’ Update was circulated to all present prior to the meeting.  A copy is attached.

26.

Declaration of Interest

To receive any declaration of interest.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Bob Pitts declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Item 33, application F/2015/0525 - Lord Harris Court, Sindlesham on the grounds that he is a member of the Freemasons and the care home is owned by the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.  He left the meeting during consideration of the matter and did not take part in the vote.

 

Councillor Bob Pitts declared that, although he had listed Item 34, application F/2014/2768 – GTO, Floral Mile, Bath Road, Hare Hatch, he still had an open mind with regard to the decision.

27.

Applications to be Deferred and Withdrawn items

To consider any recommendations to defer applications from the schedule and to note any applications that may have been withdrawn.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

It was noted that:

 

Item 30 – F/2014/1561 - Land at Old Wokingham Road, Crowthorne was deferred at the request of the applicant as there were some inconsistencies between the information supplied and the plans.

 

Item 35 – F/2015/0008 – Site D, Elizabeth Road, Wokingham was deferred until the next meeting as some details need to be clarified.

28.

Application no. RM/2015/1375 - Land west of Hyde End Road, Shinfield pdf icon PDF 385 KB

Recommendation: Conditional Approval.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Proposal: Reserved Matters application pursuant to Outline Planning consent VAR/2014/0624 for the erection of 69 dwellings including access roads garages parking spaces open space and landscape treatment of Phase 1a Shinfield West (access within site appearance landscaping layout and scale).

 

Applicant: Bloor Homes, Linden Homes, Bovis Homes and University of Reading

 

The Committee received and considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 69 to 108.

 

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included

·         a recommended amendment to condition 2 plan numbers;

·         additional landscaping conditions 15 and 16; and

·         a recommended amendment to condition 10 re water attenuation.

 

Nick Paterson-Neild, Agent, spoke in favour of the application.

 

It was noted that Members had previously visited the site.

 

Members asked for clarification on parking and road safety issues.  Confirmation was given that the architecture was consistent throughout even though there are three different development companies.

 

It was noted that the Parish Council supported the application.

 

RESOLVED: That application RM/2015/1375 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 71 to 76 with conditions 2 and 10 amended and additional conditions as set out in the Members’ Update.

29.

Application no. RM/2015/0630 - Land north of Lane End Farm, Cutbush Lane, Shinfield, Reading pdf icon PDF 306 KB

Recommendation: Conditional Approval.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Proposal: Reserved Matters application pursuant to Outline Planning Consent O/2009/1027 for the development of phase 1A of proposed Thames Valley Science Park  comprising the construction of a gateway building and all associated landscaping and ancillary works  plus temporary car parking arrangements – Appearance,  Landscaping,  Layout and Scale to be considered.

 

Applicant: University of Reading

 

The Committee received and considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 109 to 174.

 

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included

·         a recommended amendment to condition 1 plan numbers and condition 5 – approval of materials; and

·         other recommended amendments to conditions 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 17 and 20 to remove notes appended to the conditions.

 

Nick Paterson-Neild, Agent, spoke in favour of the application.

 

Confirmation was given that the concerns regarding wildlife habitats have been dealt with. Members also asked about the design and connectivity of the cycle paths.

 

It was noted that the reference in the report to a 20% increase to peak rainfall intensity to allow for climate change should be 30%.

 

RESOLVED: That application RM/2015/0630 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 111 to 120, with conditions 1, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 17 and 20 amended as set out in the Members’ Update.

 

 

 

30.

Application no. F/2015/0525 - Lord Harris Court, Mole Road, Sindlesham pdf icon PDF 270 KB

Recommendation: Conditional Approval.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Proposal: Proposed demolition of existing Class C2 nursing care wing and erection of new Class C2 wing for specialist dementia care alterations to site layout to provide on-site car parking plus landscaping works.

 

Applicant: Marc Nelson Smith

 

Councillor Bob Pitts having declared a personal and prejudicial interest left the meeting after hearing the planning officer’s report.

 

The Committee received and considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 175 to 198.

 

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included:

·         an additional condition 20 to ensure that the extension is retained as an extra care facility;

·         an additional response from the Countryside Officer and subsequently recommended conditions 21 to 23 related to protecting habitats and biodiversity;

·         a correction to the number of parking spaces in Paragraph 18 on Agenda page 185 under Highways and parking;

·         corrections to the condition numbers referred to in the Consultation Responses and Planning Issues sections of the report.

 

It was noted that Members visited the site on Friday 14 August 2015 to review the development within the wider context.

 

Confirmation was given that separation distances and landscaping measures will reduce disturbance to local residents from noise or light pollution.

 

RESOLVED: That application F/2015/0525 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 176 to 180 with the additional conditions 20 to 23 set out in the Members’ Update.

 

31.

Application no. F/2014/2768 - GTO, Floral Mile, Bath Road, Hare Hatch pdf icon PDF 252 KB

Recommendation: Refusal.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Proposal: Proposed demolition of existing buildings and the erection of a two storey extension to existing office building for the service repair and restoration of motor vehicles (Use Class B2) with ancillary accommodation car parking and landscaping.

 

Applicant: GTO Engineering

 

The Committee received and considered a report about this application set out on Agenda pages 199 to 222.

 

It was noted that Members visited the site on Friday 14 August 2015 to view the development in the context of the Green Belt.  A supporting statement from the applicant was circulated to Members at the site visit and at the meeting.

 

Jonathan Walton, Agent, spoke in support of the application outlining the economic and social benefits that he believed the development would bring.

 

Members welcomed the predicted additional employment and the high-skilled nature of the jobs involved.  Concern was expressed about the scale of the proposed extension to add over 2,100 sqm of floor space, being 70% of the existing building.

 

Members asked if this was not a redevelopment given that the company was already operating on the site or if the visual impact could be reduced by landscaping.  Planning officials said that the proposal could not be considered to be a redevelopment of the site, given the large extension and increase in volume, and that no amount of screening or landscaping would make the development acceptable as visual impact was not the primary concern in this Green Belt location.

 

It was noted that if Members overturn the recommendation of the officials on this matter the application will have to be referred to the National Planning Casework Unit.

 

A proposal to approve the application fell on the Chairman’s casting vote.

 

RESOLVED: That application F/2014/2768 be deferred to allow negotiations to take place with the applicant to find a compromise solution.  If, as a result of negotiations, officers are minded to support a revised scheme, then it will be brought back to the November Planning Committee for a decision.  However, if a compromise has not been agreed by 30 November 2015, the Head of Development Management and Regulatory Services is authorised to refuse the application.

32.

Application no. F/2015/1159 - 4 Froghall Drive, Wokingham pdf icon PDF 213 KB

Recommendation: Conditional Approval.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Proposal: Erection of a two storey side/rear, single storey rear and front extensions to include a new front entrance porch and internal alterations.

 

Applicant: Miss Lawrie

 

The Committee received and considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 243 to 254.

 

It was noted that Members visited the site on Friday 14 August 2015 to view the relationship of the proposed extension with the adjoining residential property, 2 Frog Hall Drive.

 

Jonathan Gilbey spoke objecting to the application on behalf of his mother, resident at 2 Frog Hall Drive.

 

Craig Lawrie spoke on behalf of the applicant in support of the application.

 

Members considered the points raised relating to loss of light in the neighbour’s conservatory.  It was noted that there were large trees on the neighbour’s property which were also reducing light.

 

RESOLVED: That application F/2015/1159 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 243 to 245.

 

33.

Pre Committee Site Visits

To consider any recommendations from the Head of Development Management to hold pre-committee site visits, set out in Members’ Update

Minutes:

The Head of Development Management and Regulatory Services had recommended that pre-Committee site visits be undertaken in respect of the following applications:

·       F/2015/1336 – Land adjacent to Remenham Place (Arcadian Waters), Remenham Hill, Remenham – one dwelling in the green belt, to view the site in the context of the green belt.

·       F/2015/0767 – Hill Farm, Jouldings Lane, Farley Hill – proposed bio-gas anaerobic digestion plan, to view the site in the context of the character of the area and proximity to other land uses.

 

Resolved: That pre-Committee site visits be undertaken on Friday 11 September 2015 in respect of the following applications:

·       F/2015/1336 – Land adjacent to Remenham Place (Arcadian Waters), Remenham Hill, Remenham – one dwelling in the green belt.  The site visit would enable Members to view the site in the context of the green belt.

·       F/2015/0767 – Hill Farm, Jouldings Lane, Farley Hill – proposed bio-gas anaerobic digestion plan.  The site visit would enable Members to view the site in the context of the character of the area and proximity to other land uses.

 

A site visit agreed at the 29 April meeting in respect of:

F/2015/0430 – Pine Platt, Heath Ride, Finchampstead

which was not carried out, will now be undertaken on 11 September 2015.