Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 January 2016.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 January 2016 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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 receive any declaration of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider any recommendations to defer applications from the schedule and to note any applications that may have been withdrawn.

Item 96 – Application No. 152725 - Willow Tree Works, Swallowfield Street, Swallowfield was deferred.

Item 97 - Application No. 152659  - Willow Tree Works, Swallowfield Street, Swallowfield was deferred.

The updated hydraulic modelling required to satisfy condition 23 (see paragraph 12 in the main body of the report) was not received in sufficient time to allow this to be considered by the Council’s consultant prior to this meeting.

Recommendation: Conditional approval.

Proposal: Variation application to condition 7 of planning consent 340429

(Wokingham Borough Council) and 426466 (The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead)(granted on appeal on 05/09/1994) in order to extend the time for the deposit of non-inert waste from 17 years from the date upon which the deposit operations commenced to 20 years, to extend the time for the deposit of engineering/restoration materials (inert waste) from 17 years from the date upon which the deposit operations commenced to 21 years, and to extend the time for the completion of the site's restoration from 19 years from the date upon which the deposit operations commenced to 22 years.

Applicant:Grundon Waste Management Limited

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 9 to 36.

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included a response from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

The Planning Officer summarised the reports on this application and the related application No. 153171, item 95 on the Agenda.

It was noted that Members visited the site on Friday 29 January 2016.

Meriel Johnson, representing local residents, and Councillor Maureen Hunt, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, spoke in objection to the application.

Veronique Bensadou, Agent, spoke in favour of the application.

John Halsall, Local Ward Member, spoke in objection to the application.

Bob Pitts circulated photographs he had taken the previous day around the perimeter of the site.  He expressed concern that if this application was approved, there could be a further application for extension in the future.  He suggested that the applicants should cap the landfill now and apply for a variation to the site contours.

Members asked about figures given in the Officer’s report, and previous reports on the site, regarding tonnage of waste which seemed to be inconsistent.  The Planning Officer explained that the most important measurement was the volume that needed to be filled.  The tonnage required to fill a particular volume would vary depending on the nature of the material used.

Asked how certain it was that the applicants would complete the landfill in the proposed extended period of 3 years, the Planning Officer stated that the applicant’s calculations indicated that it would actually take about two and a half years.  The calculations were based on the most recent data from the last 5 years.

Members asked Officers if there was any evidence that conditions at the site had declined or if it was possible to add conditions to the approval that would address reported problems of smell or litter.  Clare Lawrence, Head of Development Management and Regulatory Services, responded that it would have to be demonstrated that there was significant change in order to consider additional conditions.  Otherwise new conditions would be difficult to justify if these were challenged by the applicant.

RESOLVED: That application No. 153172 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda page 10.

Recommendation: Conditional approval.

Proposal: Variation application to condition 3 of planning consent 344446 (dated 29th May 1997) to retain the security compound, store and landfill weighbridge for the duration of the landfill operation.

Applicant:Grundon Waste Management Limited

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 37 to 54.

It was agreed that this application had been discussed sufficiently under the previous item.

RESOLVED: That application No. 153171 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda page 38.

To receive the quarterly enforcement monitoring report.

The report was deferred to the next meeting.

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 applications:

·       153125 - Land Between Wellington Road and Shute End (Elms Field and Paddocks Car Park), Wokingham - to assess the impact of this major development on the character of the site and existing land uses.

·       152359 - Land At Hatch Farm Dairies Including 42 & 44 King Street Lane, Winnersh - to assess the relationship of the major development with adjoining land uses and nearby residential properties.

·       153433 - Land to R/O Rustlings, The Spring and Cushendall, Shinfield Road, Shinfield - to assess the relationship of the major development with adjoining and nearby residential properties and the general character of the area.

·       153434 - Manor Farm, Dell Road, Finchampstead - to assess the impact of the major development proposal on the character of the countryside and wider area.

·       153218 - Holme Park Farm House, Holme Park Farm Lane, Woodley - to assess the impact of the major development proposal on the character of the countryside and wider area.

·       152726 - Cedar Hall Farm, Church Lane, Arborfield - to assess the impact of the major development proposal on the character of the countryside and wider area.

·       153382 - Emmbrook Sports Pavillion, Lowther Road, Wokingham - to assess the impact of the major development on open space and the character of the area.

RESOLVED: That pre-Committee site visits be undertaken on dates to be agreed with the Chairman in respect of the following applications:

·       153125 - Land Between Wellington Road and Shute End (Elms Field and Paddocks Car Park), Wokingham - to assess the impact of this major development on the character of the site and existing land uses.

·       152359 - Land At Hatch Farm Dairies Including 42 & 44 King Street Lane, Winnersh - to assess the relationship of the major development with adjoining land uses and nearby residential properties.

·       153433 - Land to R/O Rustlings, The Spring and Cushendall, Shinfield Road, Shinfield - to assess the relationship of the major development with adjoining and nearby residential properties and the general character of the area.

·       153434 - Manor Farm, Dell Road, Finchampstead - to assess the impact of the major development proposal on the character of the countryside and wider area.

·       153218 - Holme Park Farm House, Holme Park Farm Lane, Woodley - to assess the impact of the major development proposal on the character of the countryside and wider area.

·       152726 - Cedar Hall Farm, Church Lane, Arborfield - to assess the impact of the major development proposal on the character of the countryside and wider area.

·       153382 - Emmbrook Sports Pavillion, Lowther Road, Wokingham - to assess the impact of the major development on open space and the character of the area.