Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Via MS Teams

Contact: Clare Gray 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome and Introductions

Minutes:

Ralph Bagge who had been appointed Chairman by the Leader of the Council welcomed everyone to the meeting and invited introductions.

2.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Paul Graham – Iver and District Countryside Association.

3.

Declarations of interest

Minutes:

Andrew Smith declared an interest as a Member of Buckinghamshire Council’s Growth Board.

4.

Minutes of the last meeting pdf icon PDF 496 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 10 March 2021 were agreed as a correct record.

5.

Revised terms of reference pdf icon PDF 541 KB

Minutes:

The revised terms of reference were agreed which were attached to the agenda.

6.

Proposals for work at the Five Points Roundabout and Seven Hills Road

Verbal update from Steve Bambrick Director of Planning and Environment

Minutes:

Steve Bambrick, Service Director for Planning and Environment gave the following update to the Group as follows:-

 

·       Pinewood Road connected with the A412 Uxbridge Road, the A412 Church Road, the A4007 Slough Road and Wood Lane at the Five Points Roundabout. This junction provided access to Slough to the west on A412 Uxbridge Road, Iver Heath and Uxbridge to the east on A4007, and Iver Heath and the M40 Junction 1 to the northwest on A412 Denham Road.

·       Sevenhills Road connected from Pinewood Road to the A412 Denham Road. It is a narrow single-track road that routes north-eastwards from Pinewood Road around the Pinewood East site boundary. It then widens to accommodate two-way movement more readily, and routes southeast over the M25 to the A412 Denham Road. There is no street lighting, and the road is subject to the national speed limit.

·       Pinewood Studios have an existing planning permission for expansion of the studio (13/00175/OUT). To mitigate the impacts arising from that development a number of highways/traffic improvements were required and secured via a Section 106 agreement. This included proposed works to Five Points Roundabout (FPR). This was part of the mitigation of the Pinewood Studios Development Framework which was submitted to the legacy South Bucks District in 2014.

·       The proposed works to Sevenhills Road were presented as an alternative to the Five Points Roundabout FPR scheme. The application had been assessed by the Highway Authority who considered that the Sevenhills Road scheme presented an acceptable alternative given the wider network benefits that were derived through traffic reassignment resulting in the release of capacity

·       Since the granting of the existing permission for the FPR scheme there has been local resident and political support for a revision of this requirement in favour of an alternative mitigation scheme to be delivered on Sevenhills Road. Recognising the strength of objection to the permitted FPR works, it was accepted by all parties to delay works which were required by the signed S106, in order to allow Pinewood to explore alternative options for development mitigation, recognising that, if no such alternative option was available, works to FPR would need to be implemented.

·       Pinewood’s preferred scheme is Five Points Roundabout. The Planning application for the roundabout would need to be resubmitted as the previous application had lapsed and the new planning application would be submitted imminently.

·       A legal agreement was signed by the Council and Pinewood in August 2021.

 

During discussion the following points were noted:-

 

·       With regard to Design Guidance this had changed since the original scheme was agreed. However, it had not changed materially but had been updated.

·       Walking and cycling improvements would be implemented as part of the Five Points Roundabout traffic scheme.

·       Some Local Members expressed disappointment at the choice of traffic scheme and expressed concern that there had not been adequate consultation. The Service Director of Planning and Environment reported that this had been discussed at the Strategic Sites Committee on 3 September 2020 and had been open and transparent. The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Progress from Pinewood pdf icon PDF 862 KB

Update to include Alderbourne Farm

Minutes:

Andrew Smith Corporate Affairs Director, Pinewood Studios, reported that it was the Studios intention that a contractor was brought in three times a  year to help maintain Alderborne Farm.

 

Jason Turner, Development Manager, Pinewood Studios, gave an update on Phase 3. Following a Strategic Sites Committee on 11 March 2021 planning consent had been obtained for the construction of 4 sound stages and a workshop building on PSDF development zone 4 and 4a. A meeting was being arranged with Buckinghamshire Council to present elevation material proposals for the cladding. Thereafter, a meeting would be arranged with residents who were visually impacted by the scheme. Reference was also made to the temporary stage which had been dismantled this year.

 

During discussion the following points were made:-

 

·       Concern was raised about construction noise during the weekend. The Development Manager reported that there was limited construction work at the weekend. Further information was supplied on noise starting at 4am which could have been related to a production returning from location. A suggestion was made to look at CCTV. The Corporate Affairs Director agreed to investigate this and write to the Chairman with a response which could be circulated. The Chairman suggested that details should be recorded of any noise such as date and time. The Corporate Affairs Director referred to some night recording relating to The Little Mermaid production where a letter had been sent out to all residents and noise monitors were used. There had also been a night screening for NHS frontline workers on 3rd September 2021.

·       In terms of Pinewood West  good progress had been made with the installation of pre-cast concrete walls and completion on the steel frames. The cladding material on the walls and roofs were currently being installed.

·       A Parish Councillor expressed concern about an employee using the road near Pinewood as a race track. The Corporate Affairs Director commented that it would be helpful if a number plate could be provided and if they were speeding to ring the local police.

·       A Councillor asked if Pinewood had purchased any further land and a negative response was received.

 

The report was noted.

8.

Annual Ecology Report

Verbal report from Pinewood Ecologist – Greg Nightingale

Minutes:

Greg Nightingale from LUC (planning, impact assessment, landscape design, ecology and geospatial consultancy) provided a short presentation on ecological monitoring.  He referred to the work being carried out on habitats and planting such as badger surveys, infra-red cameras ( a video was shown of foxes and badgers), reptile surveys, great crested newts (no recordings), breeding birds (a plan was shown) and bat activity surveys. The video showed active badger cubs and a family of foxes. Information was provided on slow worms in the grassland near The Clump and Pinewood East.

 

During discussion the following points were noted:-

 

·         Work on invertebrates were not listed in the year’s workplan commitments and they relied upon on incidental sightings. They could look to include this in the future. A request was made that this be carried out due to falling numbers.

·         In terms of deer again there were incidental records but no monitoring took place. Roe deer had been sighted. Hedgehogs had been seen via a dusk survey. The reptile underpass would help the hedgehog population but they would be looking to go into hibernation.

·         They were looking to provide replacements for any trees and planting that had failed. An update could be provided at the next meeting. A Parish Councillor referred to guidance from the RHS to plant trees that could help absorb carbon emissions. The Ecologist commented that he would discuss this with the Landscape Architect to see if they had the right environment to grow the trees. They would also look at pollinators. Some plants could be quite invasive.

 

The report was noted.

9.

Agenda Items for Next Meeting

Minutes:

A Parish Councillor asked if an item could be included on the agenda on feedback from the community. The Chairman replied that all the agenda items invited feedback from the Group. Pinewood Studios would provide an update on events etc that had been or were being planned e.g three outdoor screenings had been provided for the community. This could be included in the Pinewood update.

 

Ecology update on trees and planting

 

In terms of an update on Five Points Roundabout and drainage the Service Director for Planning and Environment would speak to the Service Director for Transport to provide a response to the Group.

 

A Parish Councillor asked for an update on any actions. The Corporate Affairs Director reported that after each meeting they would write a letter to the Chairman on any follow up actions which would be circulated to the Group.

10.

Date of Next Meeting

TBC

Minutes:

A date was suggested in early January 2022 to be confirmed.