Meeting documents

Venue: Mezzanine Rooms 1 & 2, County Hall, Aylesbury

Contact: Maureen Keyworth, Democratic Services Officer 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence / Changes in Membership

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Brian Roberts.  Lin Hazell substituted for Mr Roberts.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To disclose any Personal or Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Minutes:

Lin Hazell and Jean Teesdale declared an interest in Item 6 because they are both members of the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee (Ms Hazell is the Chairman)

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 159 KB

of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 September 2013, to be confirmed as a correct record

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 September 2013 were agreed as a correct record.

 

The following was noted:

 

Item 6 Enforcement Update

Moorward Farm

The Enforcement Officer informed the Committee that the Environment Agency had conducted an interview under caution with the director of the Company that owns the land and were taking forward the investigation under the Environment Protection Act.  Officers met with the landowner who has removed 150,000cubic metres of material at a cost of £100,000.  The landowner felt he should not have to remove any further waste and has said he would prefer to face prosecution. He has requested relaxation of the Enforcement Notice.  The Planning Officer has stated that this request needed to be made in writing, together with supporting information.  The Development Control Manager can present a recommendation to the Committee and it is envisaged that this will be presented at the December meeting as part of the Enforcement Report.  The Chairman agreed that he would like to see this recommendation presented to the Committee.

 

White Lodge

Members were informed that the ownership of the land is not registered with the Land Registry.  The Enforcement Officer had visited the site several times since the last Committee meeting and it was noted that whilst there was no one present, it appeared that the land was not being used for waste storage, only skips.  The Enforcement Officer stated he would continue to try and find a resolution.

4.

Chiltern View Nurseries, Wendover Road, Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire HP22 5GX pdf icon PDF 275 KB

Proposed extension to waste and recycling transfer station at Chiltern View Nurseries, Wendover Road, Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire HP22 5GX.

APPLICATION NO:  13/20003/AWD

Electoral Division: Aston Clinton and Bierton

Local Member:  Bill Chapple OBE

Parish/Town Council: Stoke Mandeville

Report of the Planning Manager

Additional documents:

Minutes:

APPLICATION NO: 13/20003/AWD

 

Members received the report of the Planning Manager, which sought determination of the application.

 

The Committee received a presentation showing photographs of the site and site plans. The Committee also received a revised recommendation which they were asked to consider.

 

The following members attended the site visit:  Roger Reed, David Schofield, Netta Glover, Andy Huxley and Chaudhary Ditta.

 

The Chairman reminded members that there was public speaking in relation to this item and welcomed to the meeting Adrian Hoy, agent for the applicant, who spoke in support of the application as follows:

·         The original planning application was withdrawn and resubmitted following a letter from the PAC Service Lead Officer, Compliance. Members were provided with a copy of this letter and given time to read its contents

·         The Case Officer then decided to refuse the application before looking at the detail of the letter, stating with regard to Policy CS10 that a need would have to be demonstrated.  Mr Hoy suggested that an additional 386,000 of waste material was sufficient demonstration of need. If the policy was applied as intended it would accord with all the aims of the application.

·         The Case Officer’s report does not mention the letter from the PAC Service Lead Officer, nor Policy CS10.

·         Mr Hoy suggested that the Committee should not make a decision if it was in doubt and he could provide further information in relation to Policy CS22 and LPP36 if needed.

·         The Core Strategy suggests an over reliance on landfill

·         The applicant is seeking to be self-sufficient with no public funding for the operation.

 

In response to Mr Hoy’s representation to the Committee, the Chairman stated that it was the Committee that made the decisions, the Planning Officers made recommendations and in this case it was to refuse the application.     He asked the Planning Officer for clarity regarding comments relating to Policy CS10, and the suggestion that the report undermined the aims of the Core Strategy and LPP36.

 

The Planning Officer made the following comments:

·         Policy CS10 is referred to in the report. It is not disregarded and is one of the reasons for recommending refusal.  It covers the County requirement to provide for waste and recycling and transfer stations and should be read in conjunction with other Planning Policies and not in isolation.

·         It was noted that the Minerals and Waste Core Strategy and Policy CS10 related to the area required for hardstanding to process amount of materials on site, not the amount of waste in relation to population

·         LPP36 sets out development control principles and is the overarching policy for development management practice for determining planning applications and how the Authority approaches planning applications.

 

A member considered whether the application should be deferred but the Chairman stated that all members should read the information put before them in relation to this application before coming to any decision.

 

With regard to the letter from the PAC Service Leader, it was noted this was not from the Planning Lead Officer,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Wye Valley School, New Road, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire SL8 5BW pdf icon PDF 242 KB

Proposed retention of temporary classroom unit at The Wye Valley School, New Road, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire SL8 5BW.

APPLICATION NO: CC/16/13

Electoral Division:  The Wooburns, Bourne End and Hedsor

Local Member:  Mike Appleyard

Parish/Town Council:Wooburn & Bourne End)

Report of the Planning Manager

Minutes:

Members noted that the application had been withdrawn by the applicant on 28 October 2013.

6.

(A) Land between Westbourne Street and West Wycombe Road, High Wycombe
(B) Land at former gas works site between Suffield Road, Rutland Street and Desborough Road, High Wycombe
pdf icon PDF 358 KB

(A) New link road between Westbourne Street and West Wycombe Road

(B) New link road across former gas works site between Suffield Road and Desborough Road

APPLICATION NO:  CC/21/13 and CC/22/13

Electoral Division:  Abbey

Local Member: Lesley Clarke

Town/Parish Council:  Unparished

Report of the Planning Manager

Minutes:

APPLICATION NOS:  CC/21/13 and CC/22/13

 

Members received the report of the Planning Manager, which sought determination of the two applications above.

 

The committee received an update, together with notice of an additional condition to the recommendation which was being added after consultation with the applicant and the Environment Agency.  It was noted that the High Wycombe Society had stated they had no objection, but this had not yet been confirmed in writing.

 

Members received a presentation showing photographs of the site and site plans.

This item related to two applications.  The Chairman said some members of the Committee had received a presentation in relation to these schemes and the subsequent site visit had helped to put these applications into context, particularly in relation to the lack of kerbs in the new scheme. 

 

The Chairman informed members that there was public speaking in relation to these schemes and welcomed to the meeting Peter Major the Project Lead Officer and Lesley Clarke, the Local County Councillor for the area.  Both spoke in support of the applications and the following points were made:

 

·         This was part of a master plan to implement the future vision for the Town Centre and had received widespread support as an alternative route to bypass the Town Centre. 

·         It allowed for pedestrian links to connect all areas in the Town Centre.

·         It was developed on the basis of a wide consultation exercise and the designs were based around lack of traffic signals and slower speed limits, which complied with Local and National Planning Policies.

·         Funding for the work had been received through S106 monies as well as funding from Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council.  Additional funding was being sought to complete the remaining work.

·         The new links created were a first step in the economic regeneration of High Wycombe Town Centre

 

The Local Member was fully supportive of the Schemes but expressed some concerns around parking and air quality and noise impact.  There was a need to look at traffic issues on all the roads because they are heavily used.  With regard to parking it was noted that some spaces would be lost on Westbourne Street and concern was expressed that the small businesses in that area may be affected.  The impact of noise and air quality on Suffield Road was raised and a request made to attempt to reduce this as much as possible by any means suitable. Parking issues on Suffield Street were also raised.   With regard to the use of plane trees to reduce pollution, the Member asked whether consideration could be given to other trees in light of the fact that these trees emitted a black sticky residue which could stain the new pavements in the area.

 

It was noted that in paragraph 64 of the report reference should have been made to Desborough Road, not Desborough Avenue. (Addendum:  subsequent to the meeting it was confirmed that it should be Desborough Avenue and not Desborough Road.)

 

In answer to a member’s question  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Decisions made under delegated powers pdf icon PDF 157 KB

Report of the Planning Manager.

Minutes:

 

Members received the report of the Senior Manager, the purpose of which was to inform members of the decisions taken under delegated powers in the period between 7 September 2013 and up to 24 October 2013.

 

The Committee NOTED the Report.

8.

Introduction to PSD Lead Officer for Minerals & Waste

Briefing from Lester Hannington, PSD Lead Officer for Minerals and Waste.

Minutes:

 

This item was deferred to the December meeting of the Committee

9.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday 17 December2013. The site visit will be held on Thursday 12 December 2013.  Dates of Future Meetings:

 

Meeting Date

Site Visit

21 January

16 January

11 March

6 March

29 April

23 April (note change)

10 June

5 June

22 July

16 July (note change)

9 September

4 September

21 October

16 October

2 December

27 November

 

Minutes:

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday 17 December2013. The site visit will be held on Thursday 12 December 2013.  Dates of Future Meetings:

 

Meeting Date

Site Visit

21 January

16 January (changed to 15 January)

11 March

6 March

29 April

23 April (note change)

10 June

5 June

22 July

16 July (note change)

9 September

4 September

21 October

16 October

2 December

27 November