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Present

Members:      

  • Cllr Mahmood Ebrahimjee
  • Cllr Sue Hendrie (Chairman)
  • Cllr Mark Hoskins
  • Cllr Ros Lester

Officers:         

  • Luke Whitcomb, Meetings Officer

Others:           

  • 2 members of the public
  • 0 members of the press

 

69/23     MEETING PROTOCOL

The Chairman read out the protocols that should be followed in the conduct of the meeting.

70/23     APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from Councillors Hughes (Vice-Chairman) and Beauchamp (The Mayor) and District Councillor Barlow.

District Councillor Keats-Rohan did not attend.

71/23     DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

No interests were declared.

72/23     MINUTES

It was proposed by Councillor Lester, and seconded by Councillor Mark Hoskins, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2023 be approved as a correct record and the Chairman is authorised to sign them

73/23     ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

The Committee reviewed progress on ‘open’ actions agreed at previous meetings.

It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, and seconded by Councillor Ebrahimjee, and RESOLVED that the Committee’s recommendation (Minute 28/23) to submit a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request to South Oxfordshire District Council to discover the number of enforcement visits during the past year, be not proceeded with, as the Chairman and District Councillor Keats-Rohan believed there were now ways of obtaining this information without using FOI.

74/23     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

An applicant attended and took questions as part of the item minuted as 75/23(a) below.

75/23     PLANNING AND TREE WORKS APPLICATIONS AND APPEALS

It was proposed by Councillor Lester, and seconded by Councillor Ebrahimjee and RESOLVED that Planning Application P23/S1686/FUL be considered first in view of the applicants attendance at the meeting

(a)         Land off Winterbrook Road, Winterbrook, Wallingford

P23/S1686/FUL

Erection of five two storey dwellings, along with associated vehicle/pedestrian access off Winterbrook Road, including part demolition/reinstatement of boundary wall at White Cross House, together with garaging, parking, landscaping, and all enabling works; as well as proposed agricultural access to existing field (to rear of plots 4 and 5).

The applicant, who attended the meeting, took questions from members of the Committee.

It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, and seconded by Councillor Lester, and

RECOMMENDED that the application be refused on the following grounds:

(i)              to develop this edge of settlement site in a key location at the entrance to the Town, IS NOT in accordance with Development Plan policies, in terms of national planning advice in NPPF, adopted policies in SOLP 2035 and the Made Wallingford Neighbourhood Plan (WNP) adopted in 2021 after extensive consultation with the local community.

(ii)             the site falls within the built up area of the Town as indicated by the South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) pre-application advice and the planning agent. As this matter is in dispute the following reasons are given for rejecting this application. Even if the site does fall within the built up area of the Town, its development with high value detached housing and garaging does not fulfill the housing need identified by Chameleon in the WNP and fails the tests in WNP Policy WS3

(iii)           Wallingford is included in the Natural England Character Assessment, Thames Valley. Their Statement of Environmental Opportunity points out that existing green space should be maintained and new green infrastructure created to reduce the impact of development on flooding issues. The Winterbrook flood risk map shows the eastern end of the site as low and medium risk of flooding but this map is based on risk to properties and does not show actual areas of flooding. We have photographic evidence that this low lying site does flood significantly. Mitigation measures would involve further hard landscaping and damage to the land and archaeology. This application fails the tests in SOLP Policy EP4.

(iv)           The site is a significant link in the Wallingford Green Network identified in Map 7 of the WNP lying on the south side of the Town and linking with the Wallingford to Goring Conservation Target Area (flood plain land). This proposal would be contrary to Policy ENV5 of the SOLP and Policy EV1 of the WNP. The erection of five detached houses together with garaging and hard surface areas would reduce the quality and biodiversity value of this green space and fail to protect and enhance existing Green Infrastructure around the Town.

(v)             Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust have included the site in Oxfordshire’s Nature Recovery Network Core Zone (green), an area already of high value for wildlife.

(vi)           The site lies within 300 metres of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) (the boundary of which runs along the Wallingford river bank), and is open agricultural land surrounded by mature trees and hedgerows. This proposal to erect five detached houses will fail to enhance the setting of the AONB and would have an unacceptable impact on the landscape setting of the Town contrary to Policy EV1 of the WNP and Policy WS3 and Policy ENV5 of the SOLP. Even with the proposed mitigation, it is inevitable that the green character of this site will ultimately be eroded if this proposal is allowed.

(vii)          Furthermore a poor quality living environment will be provided for the occupiers of the new dwellings due to proximity to noise and disturbance from the busy well trafficked Winterbrook Roundabout and the proximity of this site to the new site entrance to Winterbrook Meadows . This is contrary to Policy WS3 of the WNP.

(viii)        The site is located in an area of considerable archaeological interest. Wallingford Town Council supports the recommendation from Oxfordshire County Council Archaeology that prior to the determination of any application on the site by SODC, the applicant should be responsible for the implementation of an archaeological field evaluation in accordance with NPPF 2021, paragraph 194.

(ix)           The Town Council requests the application be called in.

Wallingford Town Council have instructed Wallingford Ward Councillor, Katharine Keats Rohan to request the application be called in for determination by Committee.

COMMENT NO. 247254

(b)         Winterbrook Nursing Home 18 Winterbrook Wallingford OX10 9EF

P23/S1498/FUL

Creation of a temporary vehicular and pedestrian access for sales staff and visitors (for up to 24 months) associated with the construction of new dwellings being created pursuant to planning permission P21/S1415/FUL.

It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, and seconded by Councillor Lester, and RECOMMENDED that the application be granted, with the acceptance of the applicant’s commitment to reinstate

COMMENT NO. 247255

(c)           3 Greenfield Crescent Wallingford OX10 0PA

P23/S1608/HH

Single storey rear extension, with minor alterations to ground floor roof.

It was proposed by Councillor Ebrahimjee, and seconded by Councillor Mark Hoskins, and RECOMMENDED that this application be granted

COMMENT NO. 247256

(d)          Second Floor of 6 St Mary’s Street Wallingford OX10 0EL

P23/S1609/FUL

Change of use from office to taxi office

It was proposed by Councillor Mark Hoskins, and seconded by Councillor Hendrie, and RECOMMENDED that this application be granted

COMMENT NO. 247257

(e)         61 Barley Close Wallingford OX10 9BX

P23/S1705/HH

Proposed rear extension (Joint extension with 62).

It was proposed by Councillor Lester, and seconded by Councillor Mark Hoskins, and RECOMMENDED that this application be granted

COMMENT NO. 247258

(f)           62 Barley Close, Wallingford,  OX10 9BX

P23/S1706/HH

Proposed rear extension (Joint extension with 61)

It was proposed by Councillor Lester, and seconded by Councillor Mark Hoskins, and RECOMMENDED that this application be granted

COMMENT NO. 247259

(g)          Land At Rear Of 99 High Street, Wallingford, OX10 0BW

P21/S3606/FUL

Removal of dilapidated building and erection of two storey dwelling. (As clarified by Archaeological Evaluation dated November 2019 and as amended by drawing no 20123-10D received 12 August 2022 and revised Arboricultural report received 12 August 2022 showing sill heights to windows in the eastern elevation raised, clarifying boundary details to east and reducing footprint to accommodate adjacent tree).

This was a planning appeal consultation.

It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, and seconded by Councillor Lester, and RESOLVED that the rejection of this application by South Oxfordshire District Council be fully supported

COMMENT SUBMITTED TO PLANNING INSPECTORATE ON 8 JUNE 2023

(h)        Bullcroft Park, Wallingford

P23/S0105/FUL

Proposed demolition of existing pavilion, erection of replacement pavilion, new NEAP playground, removal of existing children’s playground, installation of adult exercise area, and installation of access bridges/steps. (As amended by information received 6 February 2023 and 16 May 2023).

Because the Town Council, working through Bluestone Planning as an agent, was the applicant, no comment was made.

(i)            St Anthony’s Lodge, Bear Lane, Wallingford, OX10 8DR

P23/S1624/TCA

Yew-1.5m Height reduction and 1.5m lateral spread reduction. Tree has outgrown its position and is sheading large amounts of berries onto the patio of 88B High Street, Wallingford.

The Committee NOTED that this had already been determined.

76/23     STREET NAMES

The Committee considered a request by the District Council for five names for the Winterbrook (Site E) housing development.

The Committee recognised the long and close association of the novelist Agatha Christie with Winterbrook.

It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, and seconded by Councillor Lester, and RECOMMENDED that the streets be given the following names:

  • Christie (for the spine road)
  • Marple
  • Poirot
  • Mallowan
  • Orient

and that the District Council also be offered ‘Hastings’ in the event that any of the other names were not accepted

77/23     OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (OCC) CONSULTATION

There were no matters to consider.

78/23     PLANNING DISCHARGES

There had been no recent discharges by the South Oxfordshire District Council.

79/23     PLANNING DECISIONS

The Committee NOTED recent decisions taken by the South Oxfordshire District Council which were in line with the Committee’s recommendation.

80/23     FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

The Committee identified the following items for future meetings:

  • Update on enforcement action by SODC

 

The meeting ended at 8.05 pm

Minutes of the Planning Committee, 7 June 2023, signed as a correct record

Chairman

2023-06-07 PLA minutes PUBLIC