Agenda item

John Booth asked the Executive Member for Planning and Enforcement the following question:

 

Question

In the Topic Paper ‘Local Green Space January 2020’, which accompanied the Draft Local Plan Update consultation, the site LGS09, Site name, Land between Thames Valley Business Park and Napier Road, known locally as Kennet Mouth is appraised but is recommended not to be designated as Local Green Space. In the justification for this the following statement is made:

 

“The majority of the site is also surrounded by commercial and employment development (notably Sutton Business Park and Thames Valley Park) which are dominant in the landscape.”

 

But neither of these is apparent or impinges in any way upon the enjoyment of the site, let alone being ‘dominant in the landscape’. This is because the Suttons Business Park is hidden by the embankment of the 1840 Great Western Railway and Thames Valley Business Park is hidden by the raised area of chalk outcrop to the east of the site known as Broken Brow.

 

Photographs from the site looking south and east have been sent separately to the Executive Member.  Do you agree that the description of the site in the Topic Paper is misleading and factually incorrect and should be removed from the document?

 

Minutes:

 

Question:

In the Topic Paper ‘Local Green Space January 2020’, which accompanied the Draft Local Plan Update consultation, the site LGS09, Site name, Land between Thames Valley Business Park and Napier Road, known locally as Kennet Mouth is appraised but is recommended not to be designated as Local Green Space.  In the justification for this the following statement is made:

 

“The majority of the site is also surrounded by commercial and employment development (notably Sutton Business Park and Thames Valley Park) which are dominant in the landscape.”

 

But neither of these is apparent or impinges in any way upon the enjoyment of the site, let alone being ‘dominant in the landscape’. This is because the Suttons Business Park is hidden by the embankment of the 1840 Great Western Railway and Thames Valley Business Park is hidden by the raised area of chalk outcrop to the east of the site known as Broken Brow.

 

Photographs from the site looking south and east have been sent separately to the Executive Member.  Do you agree that the description of the site in the Topic Paper is misleading and factually incorrect and should be removed from the document?

 

Answer:

The Draft Plan consultation undertaken last year was a key step in the preparation of new planning policies to guide our development.  It allowed everyone the opportunity to express their views on what we got right, what we got wrong and things we could improve on.  We are now carefully considering everyone’s comments as we decide how to move forward. 

 

To comment specifically on the issue of Local Green Space you refer to, the Draft Plan considered only a handful of areas that had been put forward at that time.  Through responses to the Draft Plan and subsequent correspondence with Town and Parish councils, and other members of the public, we have received suggestions for over a further 100 additional Local Green Spaces. 

 

In some circumstances, different views have been put forward by different people as to the extent of area that might merit designation as Local Green Space as well as different reasoning.  This is the case in the Kennet mouth area which you refer to, where a wider area has now been promoted, including much greater supporting information to explain its suitability for designation as a Local Green Space.

 

Recommendations on the merits across the Borough will be reported to Executive later this year as we prepare for our next draft Plan.  

 

As you will be aware, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any merits of any individual proposals at this time, however I can assure you that the view of all respondents will be considered as we move forward, including the matters you refer to, where necessary and justified, as we move forward with our draft proposals, and all those items will be amended.

 

Supplementary Question:

I am very pleased with the supplementary consultation, which I think came out in May, after the main consultation was over, which allowed many groups to make their views known, and I am sure accounted for many of the 100 extra proposals.

 

The supplementary question, maybe you have already answered it, is will the Council recommend the designation of the site as a Local Green Space, and if not why not?

 

Supplementary Answer:

As I have said, I think you know my credentials being on the Planning Committee that saved this site through the MRT proposals, so I do not think you need to question my integrity and what can be done.

 

I can assure you that it will be looked at.  What I can say is that the proposals now are far stronger than what was submitted originally, because you submitted a very small space but now, we have got the whole of the area which banks the river which would make it a lot stronger.