Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Sally Taylor 

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Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence

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Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Nic Brown, Councillor Jackson Ng and Councillor Mohammad Fayyaz.  Councillor Trevor Egleton attended as a substitute for Councillor Ng.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 414 KB

To agree the minutes of the strategic sites committee meeting held on 24 February 2022.

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Minutes:

Resolved:  the minutes of the meeting held on 24 February 2022 were agreed as an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman.

3.

Declarations of interest

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Minutes:

The following personal interests were declared:

 

Councillor Patrick Fealey stated that he lived in Grendon Underwood and, as Chairman of the North Area Planning Committee, he was well aware of the importance of not having any involvement in applications which came to the Strategic Sites Committee.  Councillor Fealey declared that he had not been involved in the application, he would listen to the evidence and come to a decision.  Councillor Fealey also declared that his wife had recently joined Grendon Underwood Parish Council.

 

At 15.36 pm, during the discussion on item 4, Councillor Peter Cooper commented that he knew Mr Phil Cronshaw as Mr Cronshaw was a member of the Parish Council in Councillor Cooper’s ward.    Councillor Ashley Bond also declared that he knew Mr Cronshaw.

 

At 15.38 pm, Councillor Richard Newcombe declared that he represented Buckinghamshire Council on the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel and the Chilterns Conservation Board. 

4.

Application Number 21/02851/AOP - HM Prison Grendon, Springhill Road, Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0TL pdf icon PDF 6 MB

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Minutes:

Proposal:  Outline Planning Application with all matters reserved except for access, layout and scale for the construction of a new Category C prison (up to 67,000 sqm GEA) within a secure perimeter fence together with access, parking, landscaping and associated engineering works.

 

Danika Hird, Senior Planner, advised that an update had been circulated.  The matters relating to great crested newts had been addressed resulting in the matter being removed from reason for refusal 6 which could be found on page 67 of the agenda pack.  

 

[6. Insufficient information has been submitted regarding species specific assessments and mitigation relating to Great Crested Newts, Bats and Black Hair Streak butterflies. Had the above overarching reasons for refusal not applied, the Local Planning Authority would have sought further information in relation to the potential impact of the proposal in order to ensure that any harm would be satisfactorily assessed and mitigated if necessary. In the absence of this information the proposal the Local Planning Authority is unable to determine the full effects of the proposal on these species, including a European Protected Species. The proposal has failed to demonstrate that there would not be an adverse impact to these species and as such is contrary to the requirements of NE1 of the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan and paragraph 180 of the National Planning Policy Framework.]

 

Therefore, the recommendation was that the proposal be refused for the reasons outlined in Section 21 of the report which started on page 66 of the agenda pack and subject to the proposed change outlined within the update.

 

A site visit was carried out on 22 March 2022.

 

Speaking as local member, Councillor Frank Mahon.

 

Speaking as local member, Councillor Angela Macpherson.

 

Speaking as local member, Councillor Michael Rand.

 

Speaking as a representative of Edgcott Parish Council, Councillor Peter Harper.

 

Speaking as a representative of Grendon Underwood Parish Council, Councillor Paul Jackman.

 

Speaking as an objector, Greg Smith, MP for Buckingham.

 

Speaking as an objector, Rod Baker.

 

Speaking as the agent, Clare Lucey.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Bond and seconded by Councillor Newcombe and agreed at a vote

 

Resolved:

 

that permission be refused. 

 

Note 1:  A break was taken between 16.20 and 16.30 pm.