Meeting documents

Laura-Lee Briggs – Fiona Bull attending in her place.

Item 4 – New Denham Quarry.  Mr D Martin declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was a Director of the Colne

Valley Park Community Interest Company and the Buckinghamshire County Council representative on the Board of Directors

Item 4 – New Denham Quarry.  Mr R Reed declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was the Local Member and also sat on the quarry Liaison Committee

Item 5 – Westcott Venture Park.  Mr A Huxley declared a non-pecuniary interest due to previously having a business on the site for 15 years.

Mrs N Glover declared an interest as Deputy Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment.

Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 22 November 2016, to be confirmed as a correct record

The minutes from the 22 November 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Mr A Sierakowski, Planning Consultant gave an overview of the application which sought agreement for an extension to the north of the existing quarry.

The Committee received a presentation showing the site plans and photographs. 

Members of the Committee also attended a site visit to the Quarry on Friday 20February.

Mr Sierakowski highlighted the following points:

Ø  There would be four main phases of extraction followed by a fifth phase which was part of the existing permission and then a sixth and final phase of restoration of the site

Ø  There was a total reserve of 1.6m tonnes of mineral for extraction, which would extend the life of the quarry by 5-6 years

Ø  The site was currently used for agricultural grazing with an area of woodland sat within the site, part of which would be retained.  The brook running through the site would be worked around

Ø  Existing crossing point into the existing quarry access would be retained  There would be a new access created as part of the northern extension and a new crossing point

Ø  The gravel would come out via conveyor across the new track and therefore no disruption to the pedestrian users of the footpath

Ø  The nearest building to the extraction area was Brickfield Cottage and there would a buffer zone placed around that

Ø  Comments were included in the report from the Public Rights of Way (RoW) officer regarding investment upgrading the footpath. Mr Sierakowski stated that in the report he had outlined points that disagreed with the RoW officers’ comments and that those Members that attended the site visit had seen that the footpath was maintained to a high standard.

Public Speaking

Mr Stephen Bowley, Planning Consultant for the applicant, Summerleaze Ltd attended the Committee to speak in favour of the application.  Mr Mike Lowe, Company Development Director was also in attendance in the public gallery. 

Mr Bowley highlighted the following points for the Committee to consider:

1.    The application was for a northern extension to New Denham Quarry.  The northern extension was required to maintain the supply of high quality aggregates for the local construction industry, including concrete.  Demand for aggregates was now strong following a long period in recession

2.    The site had been nominated for inclusion in the forthcoming Minerals Sites Plan, and had scored highly in previous evaluations by the County Council

3.    He thanked Members of the Committee for attending the site visit and emphasised the following points:

·         The application was self-contained and completely separate from an application to relocate the Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre (HOAC) to New Denham Quarry

·         That Summerleaze Ltd was not prepared to make any financial contribution towards the improvement of the footpath since this request was considered unreasonable and unnecessary

·         The proposal was an extension of an existing quarry and complied with both Local and National planning policies that support extensions in preference to totally new quarrying sites

4.    There had been remarkably few objections to this major minerals development –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Mrs A Herriman, Senior Planning Officer gave an overview of the application which sought agreement to increase the throughput of waste from 48,000 to 96,000 tonnes, per year, increase in delivery and associated weighbridge operating hours and increase in vehicle movements (including those on Sundays and Bank Holidays)

The Committee received a presentation showing the site plans and photographs.  Mrs Herriman confirmed that contrary to information in the report, there was only one Local Member, Mr P Irwin.

Mrs Herriman highlighted the following points:

Ø  The nearest property to the site was approximately 550m away

Ø  Photographs were shown of the entrance to the site from both directions and the vehicle access

Public Speaking

Councillor P Irwin, Local Member attended the Committee to speak against the application.

Mr Irwin highlighted the following points:

Ø  The photos in the presentation of the main entrance were incorrect and showed an entrance passed the main entrance, which to his knowledge was off the A41

ØThat with reference to Bucks Recycling there were conditions as part of that application that were not being adhered to and the impact of the Westcott Venture Park was not fully felt by villagers due to the noise and disruption from Bucks recycling.  Currently no work takes place on Sundays and Bank Holidays, however by extending the hours and vehicle movements for this application members of the village would have no respite

Ø  That he was the Chairman of the Bucks Recycling Liaison Group which had little assistance from the County Council.  In particular the bund that was asked to be put in had yet to be completed

Ø  Concerns regarding the junction where there had already been a number of reported accidents at the junction including one fatality.  Discussions had taken place with Westcott Venture Park about putting in a roundabout but without success.

The Committee asked Mr Irwin to confirm the conditions that he believed were not being adhered to and Mr Irwin confirmed that this was in relation to the bund at Bucks Recycling that had been delayed for a number of years. 

Mr Irwin urged the Committee to agree that a Liaison Group needed to be set up for the Westcott site as a whole with support from BCC Officers.  He also made reference to the responsibility for policing vehicle movements through the village.  Mr Reed confirmed that the issues highlighted regarding Bucks Recycling were a separate issue and could be picked outside the meeting.

Mrs E Catcheside, Planning and Enforcement Team Leader responded to the points raised by Mr Irwin.  She confirmed the following:

Ø  It was discussed at the previous Committee the need to have liaison groups at many of the mineral and waste sites and this was an action that was being taken forward.  Mrs Catcheside would add Westcott Venture Park to the list and confirmed that the groups would have BCC officer support

Ø  Those relating to the Shanks site application being discussed, she was unaware of any breaches on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Mrs G Crossley, Development Management Officer gave an overview of the application which sought agreement for proposed retention of existing composting building at Little Marlow Sewage Treatment Works, subject to amended and additional conditions as set out in the report.

The Committee received a presentation showing the site plans and photographs.

Mrs Crossley highlighted the following points:

Ø  The composting building lay on the southern boundary of the site

Ø  The building was originally used for the composting of sewage sludge but was currently being used for storing the sewage composting before being taken offsite, to Oxford treatment works.

Ø  Condition 5 set out that the cessation of the composting in the building would result in the demolition of the building and this application related to permission to retain the building for a different use

Ø  The application highlighted that if the application was denied and the building demolished it would mean the sewage would be stored outside the building onsite which could enhance odour emissions

Ø  There were no rejections from statutory consultees, but rejections had been received from local residents, a number of which related to the odour impact.  Planning Officers had therefore sought further odour improvements from the applicant, in particular loading of the vehicles in the building

Ø  The applicant had since carried out an assessment of the improvements required to the building to allow loading within the building.  These improvements would take 6-8 months to implement

Mrs Crossley advised the Committee that since the reports had been submitted there had been some further amendments to draft conditions.  Please see attached supplement report highlighting these changes.

The Chairman invited questions from the Committee.  The following points were raised and discussed:

Ø  Why it was a retrospective application.  Mrs Crossley confirmed that it was submitted in June, not long after the submission deadline, and there was a 12 month window before the condition started

Ø  Whether the odour problem could be reviewed over the summer months to make sure the issue was being reduced by the loading of the lorries inside the building.  Mrs Crossley confirmed that this could be included in the monitoring review plan

Ø  Mrs Crossley also confirmed that the number of objections had dropped considerably so the measures already put in place had improved the situation

Recommendation

The Development Control Committee is invited to APPROVE application number CM/24/16 for the proposed retention of existing composting building by variation of conditions 4, 5, 9 and 10 attached to consent W/98/6313 at Little Marlow Sewage Treatment Works, subject to amended and additional conditions as set out in the report and the supplementary report

DECISION:  Members of the Committee unanimously AGREED application CM/24/16

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded for the following item which is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to an individual

Confidential minutes from the meeting held on 22 November to be agreed and signed

The confidential minutes from the 22 November 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To be presented by Mrs O Stapleford.

13 February 2017, Large Dining Room, Judges Lodgings, Aylesbury

The date of the next meeting will be 13 February held in the Large Dining, Judges Lodgings, Aylesbury

Meeting closed at 11.23