Meeting documents

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 7 March 2017 (attached).

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 7 March 2018 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor M Asif: Application number 17/08165/FUL. Declared a personal non-pecuniary interest in the item. Councillor Asif explained he attended the Jubilee mosque but had no financial interest in the application mosque and did not receive anything from the application mosque.

Councillor Ms A Baughan: Application number 17/08165/FUL. Declared a personal non-pecuniary interest in the item due being a Ward Member and having worked on drama lessons and attended church that abutted the site. She also declared that she was a personal friend of the librarian. Councillor Baughan declared she had an open mind and therefore had not predetermined the application and would come to a decision after listening to the debate.

Councillor A Collingwood: Application number 16/08327/FUL. Declared a personal non-pecuniary interest in the item due to his son having played hockey at the application site.

Councillor T Lee: Application number 16/07347/FUL. Declared that he had pre-determined the application with the comments that had been made public. He stated that he would speak as a Ward Member and then leave the Chamber before the debate and voting on the item occurred, thus taking no further part.

Councillor N Marshall: Application number 16/08327/FUL. Declared an interest in the item due to having donated his Ward Budget towards the scheme (which he felt might have been perceived as bias). He stated he would leave the Chamber before the debate and voting on the item occurred, thus taking no part.

Councillor S Raja: Application number 17/08165/FUL. Declared that although he was a Muslim he had no affiliation with the application mosque and did not attend prayer sessions there.

RESOLVED: that the reports be received and the recommendations contained in the reports, as amended by the update sheet where appropriate, be adopted, subject to any deletions, updates or alterations set out in the minutes below.

Members noted a revision of the recommendation which was set out on the Update sheet and also noted amendments to several Conditions.

Members voted in favour of the motion that the revised Officer recommendation be approved and that the Head of Planning and Sustainability be given delegated authority to grant Conditional Permission provided that a Planning Obligation was made to secure an Affordable Housing Contribution, or to refuse planning permission if an Obligation could not be secured.

              RESOLVED: that the application be delegated to the Head of Planning and Sustainability for the reasons outlined above.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor T Lee, the local Ward Member who, having declared an interest, then left the Chamber and took no part in the debate or voting on the item.  

Members noted the Update sheet, in particular the addition of Condition 18:

            The second floor of the building hereby permitted shall only be used for storage and to accommodate plant as shown on approved drawing number 1482/03 Rev A.

            Reason: to prevent an over intensive use of the site and thereby reduce the likelihood of on-street parking in the surrounding area in order to minimise danger, obstruction and inconvenience to users of the adjoining highway and the amenity of local residents.

Following a lengthy debate, Members voted on a motion to refuse the application which Members voted against. Members then voted in favour of the motion to approve the application in line with officer’s recommendation with the addition of the following amended Condition:

The use of the pavilion building hereby permitted shall be restricted to the hours of 0700 to 2300 hours on any day unless different hours of use are formally permitted by a licence granted by the Licensing Authority pursuant to the Licensing Act 2003 (or any Act, Order or Regulation amending or revoking and re-enacting the Licensing Act 2003)

Reason: in the interests of the amenities of adjoining neighbours

            RESOLVED: that the application be approved with the additional Conditions stated above.

Councillor N Marshall declared an interest and left the Chamber at the beginning of the item and did not take part in the debate or voting on the item.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor A Collingwood, the local Ward Member.

The Committee was addressed by Mrs Sally Stafford in objection and Mr Martin Grey, the applicant.

Members voted unanimously in favour of the motion to refuse the application for the following reasons:

1.      In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority, the proposed development would result in a dominant feature within the locality due to the scale, massing and design of the dwelling proposed which was not of a scale, form and design comparable to the adjoining development. The proposal would therefore adversely affect the open character of the Green Belt and the visual amenities of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Therefore in the absence of any other material considerations, the proposal represented an inappropriate form of development in the Green Belt and a visually intrusive addition to the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  As such the development would conflict with Policies GB4 (Built up Areas in the Green Belt), L1 (The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), G3 (General Design Policy) and G8 (Detailed Design Guidance and Local Amenity) of the Adopted Wycombe District Local Plan to 2011 (as saved, extended and partially replaced);  Policies CS9 (Green Belt), CS17 (Environmental Assets) and CS19 (Raising the Quality of Place-Shaping and Design) of the Core Strategy DPD (Adopted July 2008); and the Chilterns Building Design Guide.

2.     In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposed development would result in an un-neighbourly form of development by virtue of the proximity to the boundary with 1-4 The Cottages. The excessive mass and form of the dwelling would result in undue loss of outlook from the rear of the neighbouring properties and be dominant and overbearing in appearance to the detriment of its occupiers.  The proposal was thus considered to be contrary to Policies G3 and G8 of the adopted Wycombe District Local Plan to 2011 (as saved, extended and partly replaced) and Policy CS19 of the Adopted Core Strategy Development Planning Document.

            RESOLVED: that the application be refused for the reasons given above.

The Committee was addressed by Ms Eleanor Hurrell and Parish Councillor Neil Watson on behalf of Stokenchurch Parish Council in objection.

Members voted in favour of the motion to refuse the application.

            RESOLVED: that the application be refused.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor Ms A Baughan and Councillor M Knight, the local Ward Members.

Councillors Ms A Baughan, M Asif and S Raja declared personal interests and remained in the Chamber for the debate and voting on the item.

Councillor S Raja left the meeting following this item.

Members voted in favour of the motion that the Committee was minded to approve the application in contravention of the advice set out in the Chilterns Building Design Guide as the gates conserved the special character and appearance of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and did not impact adversely on the street scene in this location.  So in accordance with the constitution the application was deferred to allow those objecting the opportunity for public speaking at a future meeting.

            RESOLVED: that the application be deferred to a future date.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor D Knights and Councillor A Turner, the local Ward Members.

RESOLVED: As the meeting was still sitting at 22:00 hours, the Chairman moved that the meeting continue until the finish of business.

The Committee noted that there would be no pre-Committee training/information session. The Chairman therefore agreed that if no request was forthcoming in the next two weeks, the next Committee meeting could start at 6.30pm.

To appoint Members to undertake site visits on Tuesday 29 May 2018 should the need arise.

RESOLVED: That in the event that it was necessary to arrange site visits on Tuesday 29 May 2018 in respect of the agenda for the meeting on Wednesday 30 May 2018, the following Members be invited to attend with the relevant local Members:

Councillors: Mrs J A Adey, S Graham, C B Harriss, D A Johncock, T Lee, N B Marshall, Mrs C Oliver, N J B Teesdale, A Turner, P R Turner and C Whitehead.

Members noted the Delegated Action Authorised by the Planning Enforcement team.

Submission of the file of actions taken under delegated powers since the previous meeting.

The file on actions taken under delegated authority since the previous meeting was circulated for the Committee’s attention.

The Chairman remarked that this would be the last Planning Committee meeting of this current Municipal Year before Annual Council which was to be held on 14 May 2018. The Chairman wished for his thanks to be noted to his committee and to the Planning Officers for their time, dedication and advice. The Chairman also wished his thanks to be noted to the support officers from the Legal and Democratic Services departments. The Committee unanimously agreed and also thanked the Chairman.