Meeting documents

The Chairman welcome everyone to the meeting and stated the following:

"As you will be aware, the Wycombe District Local Plan has been adopted.

This means all policies in the 2004 Local Plan, Core Strategy and a number of policies in the DSA have been deleted.

A consolidated version of the current, approved, policies will be published on the WDC website very soon."

The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, also wished the Committee’s thanks be recorded to WDC officer Mrs Teresa Coppack who would shortly be leaving the council on maternity leave and also to WDC officer Mr Peter Miller who was leaving the council. The Chairman wished them both well in their new endeavours.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 24 July 2019 (attached).

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 24 July 2019 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no declarations of interest.

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 voted in favour of the motion to approve the application.

            RESOLVED: that the application be approved.

The Committee was addressed by Mr Andrew Woodruff in objection and Mr Geoff Armstrong of Armstrong Rigg Planning, on behalf of the applicant.

During the debate concerns were raised regarding the impact of the development. As a result a motion was proposed seeking refusal of the application, contrary to officer advice, for the following grounds:

That in the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposed development would result in:

a)    the loss of existing soft landscaping/wall and railings in the front garden and its replacement with a parking and bin storage dominated frontage, with little scope for any soft landscaping, and,

b)    awkward parking manoeuvres due to the relatively restricted width, depth and slope of the parking area.

As a consequence, the introduction of these flats into an area of predominantly family houses was considered to represent a level of intensification which would result in an incongruous development that would fail to achieve a high standard of design and layout.  It would therefore appear visually intrusive and would fail to respect the character of the immediate area.  As such the development conflicts with Policies CP9 (Sense of Place), DM23 (Other Residential Uses), DM35 (Placemaking and Design Quality) and DM36 (Extensions and Alterations to Existing Dwellings) of the Adopted Wycombe District Local Plan.

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

The Committee was addressed by Councillor Mrs Wassell, the local Ward Member.

Following a full debate, Members voted in favour of the motion to refuse the application.

            RESOLVED: that the application be refused.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor G Peart, the local Ward Member.

Members noted that no presentations had been booked for the pre-committee training session on Wednesday 18 September 2019. Unless a developer came forward in the meantime, it was agreed that the Planning Committee would start at 6.30pm.

To appoint Members to undertake site visits on Tuesday 17 September 2019 should the need arise.

RESOLVED: That in the event that it was necessary to arrange site visits on Tuesday 17 September 2019 in respect of the agenda for the meeting on Wednesday 18 September 2019, the following Members be invited to attend with the relevant local Members:

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

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.