Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted from Councillors Bob Pitts and Lindsay Ferris.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meetings of the Committee held on: 25 March 2015 – Extraordinary meeting, and 1 April 2015.

The Minutes of the Extraordinary meeting of the Committee held on 25 March 2015 and the meeting of the Committee held on 1 April 2015, were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declaration of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

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.

To consider any recommendations to defer applications from the schedule and to note any applications that may have been withdrawn.

No applications had been recommended for deferral or withdrawn.

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

Proposal:  Reserved Matters application pursuant to outline planning consent  O/2013/0101, for a residential development comprising up to 126 dwellings, public open space, children’s play areas, accesses to Cutbush Lane and the Shinfield Eastern Relief Road, landscaping, ecological buffer zone, ground modelling, sustainable drainage and associated infrastructure.

Applicant: Bellway Homes Thames Valley Limited

The Committee considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 19 to 49.

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included details of:

·           The list of plan numbers to be attached to condition 2;

·           Two recommended additional conditions.

The following corrections to the report were noted:

·           Agenda page 28 – in paragraph 11, delete the words ‘up to’ and the phrase should now read ‘, including 35% affordable housing within SDLs’;

·           Agenda page 32 – paragraph 41, delete the word ‘around’ from the first line.

Members were reminded that principle of residential development on this site had been established by the outline planning permission and that the conditions attached to that planning permission, would still apply to this application if approved.

It was noted that Members had visited this site when considering the outline application.

In answer to Member questions, the Highways Officer confirmed that the primary roads through the development will be 6.1m wide which is sufficient for buses to pass any parked cars.  On-street parking should not be a problem because of the good provision of parking spaces throughout the development. If on–street parking does become a problem, there is provision in the Legal Agreement to fund a Traffic Regulation Order to create restrictions.  Bus services will be in place earlier due to the earlier than anticipated delivery of the Eastern Relief Road, which is due to be completed during the summer of 2016, and due to links to other development sites in the area.  The access leading onto the Eastern Relief Road will be a bus link.

RESOLVED:  That application RM/2014/2561 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 21 and 22, with the plan numbers added to condition 2 and the two additional conditions, as set out in the Members’ Update.

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

Proposal: Erection of a new extension to existing school to provide three new classrooms, cookery room and toilets, including new external works to provide car parking,  multi-use games area (MUGA), football pitch and play area.

Applicant:  Wokingham Borough Council

The Committee considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 51 to 69.

The Committee was advised that the Member’s Update included details of:

·           Clarification on the area provided for games;

·           Clarification of the car parking provision;

·           An update on the ecological issues;

·           Subsequent recommended ecological conditions and informative

RESOLVED:  That the Head of Development and Regulatory Services be authorised to approve application F/2014/2662, subject to there being no objection being raised by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR); and to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 52 to 57, with the two additional conditions and additional informative as set out in the  Member’s Update.

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

Proposal:  Erection of residential development of 6 x two bedroom dwellings with the associated external works.

Applicant:  Wokingham Housing Limited

The Committee considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 69 to 87.

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included details of:

·           Information about the possible provision of an alternative access for construction traffic;

·           Updated Highways and Traffic comments;

·           Advice on the need for a reptile survey;

·           The need for a surface water drainages strategy to be submitted;

·           A revised recommendation;

·           Recommended additional conditions and informatives.

Lin Morton, representing herself and other residents of Grovelands Park, spoke objecting to the application.

Councillor Prue Bray, a Local Ward Member, spoke to raise some issues of concern.

It was noted that Members had visited the site on 24 April 2015 to assess the impact on the existing dwellings and character of the area.

Members agreed with the local concerns about construction traffic accessing the site through the internal roads in the mobile home park.  The residents’ concerns were that the roads were narrow and already in need of repair, and they fear that because the site was previously a landfill site, heavy vehicles would cause further damage to the road and the fragile sewage pipes, with possible subsidence to the bases of the mobile homes.

The issue of whether there was a legal restriction on construction traffic using the park’s internal roads was raised, with a request that this be investigated.  The road is an un-adopted road on privately owned land.

Members felt that providing a temporary access to the site for construction traffic through the employment/commercial site would be better if it could arranged and, despite the information given in the Members’ Update, suggested that further discussions be carried out with the applicant and Property Services

RESOLVED:  That application F/2014/2611 be deferred to allow for further discussions to be carried out with the applicant and Property Services, on how to address the legitimate concerns raised about the access for construction traffic being through the internal roads in the mobile home park, by creating a temporary access from the commercial/employment site.

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval subject to Legal Agreement

Proposal:  Erection of 2 x two bedroom and 2 x one bedroom flats with associated parking and landscaping.

Applicant:  Wokingham Housing Limited

The Committee considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 89 to 103.

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included a copy of the site plan which had been missed off the Agenda, and details of:

·           Clarification of the parking provision;

·           Clarification of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and S 106 requirements;

·           Clarification of the ridge height of the proposed building;

·           Recommended  additional condition about working hours.

The following correction to the report was noted:

·           Agenda page 96 – paragraph 8, after ‘As there are no side facing windows..’ insert the words ‘serving habitable rooms..’

Confirmation was given that the roots of the Scots Pine at the edge of the site can be bridged without harm.  Also that the land is current used for informal parking, and the proposal is to provide 4 allocated parking spaces for the residents of the flats, with 4 unallocated spaces.  There is sufficient on-street parking near-by to cover the one unofficial unallocated space which is being lost.

RESOLVED:  That application F/2015/0073 be approved, subject to the completion of a signed unilateral undertaking to provide affordable housing, within three months; and to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 90 to 93, with the additional condition set out in the Members’ Update.

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

Proposal:  Erection of dwelling and boathouse following the demolition of existing dwelling and boathouse.  Plus alterations to existing footbridge.

Applicant:  Mr T Cole

The Committee considered a report about this application, set out on Agenda pages 105 to 137.

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included details and clarification of:

·           The applicants’ points about the appearance of the proposed dwelling;

·           The Community Infrastructure Levy charge and reason for exemption;

·           The impact on the neighbouring properties;

·           Confirmation from the Tree and Landscape Officer the at the loss of the large willow tree was acceptable;

·           The response in the design to flood risk

·           Recommended additional condition relating to the provision of a Construction Method Statement; and informative.

The following corrections to the report were noted:

·           Agenda page 110 – Applicant’s Points, first bullet point add to end ‘, of local and national significance in the context of flood mitigation and resilience.’

·           Agenda page 113 – paragraph 10, end of first sentence delete ‘striking appearance’ and replace with ‘contemporary appearance’; in the last sentence add ‘not’ before ‘detrimentally’ .

·            

Richard Coutts, agent, spoke in support of the application.

Councillor John Halsall, a Local Ward Member, spoke objecting to the application.

Alison Barraclough, representing Remenham Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application.

It was noted that Members visited the site on 24 April 2015 to – to assess the impact on the character of the area and the Green Belt. The site was also  viewed from the Henley riverbank.

Local concerns had been expressed that the bulk and design of the new dwelling was out of character and brought urbanisation to the riverside.

Confirmation was given that as the dwelling was being built for the personal benefit of the applicant, under the CIL rules it was deemed to be a ‘self build’ development.

RESOLVED:  That application F/2014/2784 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 106 to 137, with the additional condition and informative set out in the Members’ Update.

To receive the quarterly enforcement monitoring report.

The Committee received and noted the Quarterly enforcement monitoring report set out on Agenda pages 139 and 140.  It was additionally reported that an injunction had been obtained today to prevent further intensification of the recent unauthorised occupation of a site in Blagrove Lane, Wokingham, by the Traveller owners of the site.

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

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

·           F/2015/0430 – Pine Platt, Heath Ride, Finchampstead, for the erection of a 5 bedroom dwelling with associated car parking and landscaping following demolition of existing dwelling.  The site visit would enable Members to view the site in context of the street scene and wider character of the area.

RESOLVED:  That pre-Committee site visits be undertaken on Friday 22 May 2015 in respect of the following application:

F/2015/0430 – Pine Platt, Heath Ride, Finchampstead, for the erection of a 5 bedroom dwelling with associated car parking and landscaping following demolition of existing dwelling, to view the site in context of the street scene and wider character of the area.