Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Michael Rand.  Councillor Alan Turner had also sent his apologies to the Committee but was in attendance speaking as the local ward member.

To agree the minutes of the Strategic Sites Committee meeting held on 1 September 2022.

Resolved:  The minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2022 were agreed as an accurate record.

Councillor Alan Turner had previously declared a prejudicial interest in application 22/06910/R9FULE.

Councillor Richard Newcombe also declared a non-prejudicial interest in application 22/06910/R9FULE and stated he was a Buckinghamshire Council representative on the Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB) which was responsible for areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).  The application area was not within an AONB but the CCB had provided a submission and were mentioned in the report.  Councillor Newcombe advised that he had had no part in the submission and that he was not pre-determined in the matter.

Proposal:  Creation of 750m two lane, single carriageway link road between Picts Lane, near junction with Goodearl Place to its termination point to north of the former Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal site, incorporating existing adopted highway with improvements, new section of road through former Whiteleaf Furniture Site and W.E Blacks development site and a connection point for the future Princes Risborough Expansion Area. Demolition of existing buildings within former Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal site, new signalised junction at Station Approach/ Summerleys Road/Station Road, construction of new underpass (bridge) under Princes Risborough to Aylesbury railway line to north of Firs Court with new priority junction to north and other associated engineering, drainage and landscaping works including a 2.0m footway and 3.5m shared footway cycleway, surface water detention basin and swales, foul and surface water drainage and pumping stations, sections of reinforced embankment and retaining wall structures and pedestrian crossings.

A site visit was carried out on 15 November 2022.

Speaking as local ward member, Councillor Alan Turner.

Speaking as local ward member, Councillor Gary Hall.

Speaking as local ward member, Councillor Matthew Walsh.

A written statement was read out by Sally Taylor, Senior Democratic Services Officer, on behalf of Councillor Robert Carington.

Speaking on behalf of Bledlow-cum-Saunderton Parish Council, Councillor Simon Breese.

Speaking as objectors, Ewan Nelson, Stephen Brownlie and Philip Hayes.

Speaking as the applicant and agent team, John Callaghan and Daniel Hayes.

Resolved:

It was proposed by Councillor Richard Newcombe, seconded by Councillor Patrick Fealey and agreed at a vote that the application be delegated to the Director of Planning and Environment for approval subject to:

1)       The completion of a Memorandum of Understanding to secure:  

a.      A scheme to deliver 10% biodiversity net gain;  

2)       Any further conditions/measures necessary arising from the officer consideration of the comments of the Environment Agency;  

3)       If the Environment Agency have not commented by whichever is the later of 2nd December 2022 or the date when the Local Planning Authority is otherwise able to issue the planning permission, then the permission shall be issued without waiting for the Environment Agency to comment. 

4)       If an objection on flood risk grounds is received from the Environment Agency before a decision is issued, which cannot be resolved by discussions, then the application shall be referred to the Secretary of State for their determination as to whether the application should be called in (in accordance with The Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2021).

and subject to Condition 4 being amended to read: 

Prior to the commencement of development, a Construction Traffic Management Plan detailing the management of construction traffic (including vehicle types, frequency of visits, expected daily time frames, use of a banksman, on-site loading/unloading arrangements and parking of site operatives’ vehicles) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the Highway Authority. The Construction Traffic Management Plan shall make explicit provision to:

a) minimise the use of Shootacre Lane by construction traffic; and

b) prevent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.