Meeting documents

     PLANNING ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

     Minutes of the reconvened meeting of the Committee held on

     18 June 1998

     PRESENT

     Cllr R J Nagle (in the Chair)

Cllr J M Blanksby

Cllr D E Done

Cllr Mrs K M Draper

Cllr A A Dunford

Cllr Mrs A E Hardy

Cllr M D Huddy

Cllr Mrs E M Lay*

Cllr Mrs V A Letheren

Cllr P J Moore

Cllr C B Oliver

Cllr Mrs K M Peatey MBE JP

Cllr Mrs J Riddington*

Cllr Mrs J E Teesdale

(Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A Dunn, S H Graham, Mrs C C Martens and D A C Shakespeare).

* Standing Deputies

The Committee=s approval was sought for the Park and Ride site allocation for the District.  Park and Ride formed an essential part of the Wycombe Transportation Strategy and would be a necessary element of future town centre development, particularly for the Western Sector.

The Pre-Deposit Issues Paper had sought the public=s views on Park and Ride sites to serve each of the main transport corridors into the town based on an examination of some 15 potential sites undertaken by the Council=s Consultants, Halcrow Fox.  Public consultation had raised a number of issues and concerns and, as a result of this a further 12 sites had been examined.  The following sites had now been identified for inclusion in the Deposit Local Plan:-

Northern Corridor - Queensway Site, Hazlemere

Western Corridor - Slough Lane, (Wests Yard), Saunderton (Park and Rail)

Eastern Corridor - Wooburn Moor; and

Southern Corridor - Existing Cressex Island Car Park (on an interim basis).

Members discussed the advantages and disadvantages of various sites and a number of concerns were raised.  Firstly, it was considered that, with regard to the Western Corridor site Slough Lane, Saunderton any associated development would have an adverse impact on traffic levels and may result in the need for junction improvements at this location.

Members were advised that no junction improvements had been identified at this site as traffic movements were not considered to be sufficient.  This situation would however, be reviewed.

Concern was expressed with regard to the use of the Cressex Island  site in terms of its impact on Junction 4 of the M40 Motorway (Handy Cross).  Members noted that ministerial approval was still awaited for the proposed study by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR)/Highway Agency of the junction.

It was noted that a possible shared use site at the cinema was favoured in Cressex.  This would optimise the use of land and ensure a location to serve the Southern Corridor that would not have any strategic land use implications.  The position could then be reviewed in the light of the proposed DETR Study if a further or replacement site or sites needed to be brought forward to serve this corridor.

RESOLVED: (i) That the following Park and Ride sites be identified in the Deposit Local Plan:-

Northern Corridor - Queensway Site, Hazlemere;

(Councillor Mrs J E Teesdale requested that her name be recorded as voting against this part of the resolution)

Western Corridor - Slough Lane (Wests Yard) Saunderton (Park and Rail);

Eastern Corridor - Wooburn Moor; and

Southern Corridor -Existing Cressex Island car park on an interim basis;

(Councillor Mrs J E Teesdale requested that her name be recorded as voting against this part of the resolution);

(ii)  that the policy for the Saunderton site should allow for associated development in so far as it is necessary to facilitate the park and rail proposal and to accommodate displaced businesses as appropriate with the detailed policy brought back to the September meeting of the Planning, Environment and Transportation Committee as part of the Transportation Chapter;

(Councillor C B Oliver requested that his name be recorded as voting against this resolution).

(iii) that the Deposit Local Plan should make clear that the park and ride strategy would cater for the four main corridors, and that the District Council would pursue longer term solutions for the Southern Corridor in collaboration with the Highway Agency; and

(iv)  that Officers seek to negotiate for the acquisition, as appropriate, of the sites identified with progress to be reported back to the Committee.

The Committee considered this section of the report on safeguarded land which outlined the principle of establishing long-term land banks to meet future development needs.  This point was emphasised in Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG)3 and had already been identified in the Wycombe District Local Plan 1991 to 2001 through Policy C3 on Areas of Special Restraint.  Policy C3 would therefore need to be incorporated into the Deposit Local Plan.

In order to ensure the long-term future of the Green Belt boundaries the policy of safeguarding land for longer term development should be applied to those areas not required for release in the Local Plan period up to 2011.  These were:-

The issue of redefinition of Areas of Special Restraint as safeguarded land to meet longer term development need was discussed and Members considered a wording change to clarify that safeguarded land is defined as land, which may be required to meet longer term development needs.

Some Members expressed concern about the inclusion of the Lane End Road and Grange Farm sites in the list of sites to be retained and their deletion was therefore proposed.

The Committee voted on this proposal and the vote was lost.  (Councillors Mrs K M Peatey MBE JP and Mrs J E Teesdale requested that their names be recorded as voting against the decision).

A proposal was also put to the meeting for the removal of Gomm Valley from the list.  The Committee voted on this proposal and the vote was lost.

(Councillors Mrs J E Teesdale, C B Oliver and Mrs E M Lay requested that their names be recorded as voting against the decision).

RESOLVED: (i) That the principle of identifying land between the urban areas and Metropolitan Green Belt to provide a long term land bank to meet future potential development needs as established in Policy C3 AAreas of Special Restraint of the Adopted Wycombe District Local Plan@ (July 1995) be rolled forward into the Deposit Local Plan;

(ii) that in order to ensure a degree of permanence to Green Belt boundaries the policy of safeguarding land for longer term development need be applied to all the remaining land designated as AAreas of Special Restraint@ in the Adopted Local Plan, not proposed for release during the Local Plan period to 2011;

(iii) that AAreas of Special Restraint@ be redefined as ASafeguarded Land which may be required to meet longer term development need@ to more accurately reflect the terminology in Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG)3 Green Belts; and that a detailed policy be brought to the July meeting of the Planning, Environment and Transportation Committee to this effect, as part of the Green Belt Chapter; and

(iv) that the District=s safeguarded land be reviewed when the new Regional Guidance for the South East is approved and has been translated through the new County Structure Plan, when future development needs for the period post 2011 would become clear.

The Committee received a report on proposals to secure the provision of a bus route through the G Plan/Spring Gardens site.

In order to achieve this provision it would be necessary to authorise the acquisition, by agreement, of the site of part of the busway in the vicinity of the bridleway for planning purposes under Sections 226(1)(b) and 227 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, that land being required for a purpose which it is necessary to achieve in the interests of the proper planning of the area, that is, to secure the proper implementation of the busway.

Such acquisition would be on terms to allow the developer to construct the road/busway across the land and to secure its eventual adoption as public highway.  The acquisition would be on terms that the developer would take responsibility for the Council=s legal costs and indemnify the Council against any compensation claims arising by virtue of Section 237 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as a result of the construction of the busway and interference with any private rights of way.  Otherwise, the Council would take the land free or at least for no more than a nominal consideration.

RESOLVED: (i) That pursuant to Section 226(1)(b) and 227 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 the Council acquire by agreement only a part of the G Plan development site as shown approximately on Plan 2 as submitted such land being required for a purpose which it is necessary to achieve in the interests of the proper planning of the area, i.e. to secure the proper implementation and construction of an express busway between London Road and High Wycombe railway station; and

(ii)  that the terms of such acquisition include:

3.     PLANNING MATTERS GUIDANCE NOTE

Members were reminded of their earlier consideration of this issue at the meeting of the Committee on 23 March 1998.  Since that time the Guidance Note had been considered by the former Committee Systems Working Party and Policy and Resources Committee and suggestions were made to modify Paragraph 5.1 and Section 6.

The request for these amendments was referred back to this Committee by full Council on 11 May 1998 and details of these were presented for Members= approval.

RESOLVED: That the revised Planning Matters Guidance Note set out at Appendix A to these minutes be adopted.

The Committee received a report giving an update on the Document Management Strategy which identified the need for further resources. The Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 27 April 1998 had resolved, subject to a detailed report being made to this Committee, that provision be made in the sum of ,18,900 for non recurring expenditure in the 1998/99 financial year in this Committee=s estimates for the purchase of the following equipment to expand this system:-

Optical Jukebox to extend system storage     ,16,235

Access licences          ,2,725

RESOLVED: That expenditure for the purchase of additional equipment in the sum of ,18,900 from within the Committee=s approved budget for 1998/99, in order to progress the Document Management Strategy, be approved.

5.     APPOINTMENTS TO OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS

The Committee received the annual report on Appointments to Outside Organisations detailing various changes together with the recommendations of the former Committee Systems Working Party.

The Committee was advised that the Committee Systems Working Party had asked individual Committees to consider whether or not they wished appointments to be made for a period of one year or four years, whether or not Standing Deputies should be appointed to all organisations as a matter of course and specific changes to the membership and payments for a variety of individual organisations.

RESOLVED: (i) That in future appointments be for a period of four years unless there are special circumstances dictating otherwise;

(ii) that no changes be made to the current scheme of Standing Deputies; and

(iii) that having considered the recommendations of the former Committee Systems Working Party, the Committee was not minded to change the current arrangements in respect of:-

Chilterns Conference

Bucks Waste Strategy Forum

Wycombe Mediation Management Committee

National Society for Clean Air

Wycombe Area Access for All

6.     WYCOMBE JOINT TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY PANEL

The Committee was requested to consider nominations for eight Members and eight Standing Deputies to serve on the Wycombe Joint Transportation Strategy Panel.

Details of the current membership were reported and Members expressed the view that no changes should be made until September 1998 when further details of the agenda of the joint Panel would be known.

RESOLVED: That the following Members remain on the Wycombe Joint Transportation Strategy Panel until the membership is reviewed in September 1998:-

Full Members

Cllr J M Blanksby

Cllr P J Cartwright

Cllr D E Done

Cllr S H Graham

Cllr Mrs A E Hardy

Cllr M D Huddy

Cllr Mrs V A Letheren

Cllr Mrs K M Peatey MBE JP

Standing Deputies

Cllr Mrs F W Alexander

Cllr D J Coe

Cllr R B Colomb

Cllr A A Dunford

Cllr Mrs E Hall

Cllr Mrs P I O=Rourke

Cllr Mrs J E Teesdale

7.     INFORMATION SHEETS

The Committee received Information Sheets insofar as they affect this Committee since the last meeting.

(Issue Nos. PET 25/98, 26/98, 31/98, 40/98, 41/98, 42/98, 43/98, 44/98 and 45/98).

The Committee received a file on action taken under delegated powers since the last meeting.

(File Sheet Nos: 48 to 52)

(The Meeting reconvened at 7.00pm and concluded at 8.45pm)

     __________

     CHAIRMAN

The following Officers were in attendance at the meeting

Mr C A Swanwick - Director of Planning, Transport and Development

Mrs J N F Child - Principal Administrator Committee Services Section

Mr M Fish - Principal Engineer

Mr D Turner - Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development

Mrs B Watson - Senior Accountant

Mr G Zanré - Principal Policy Officer