Agenda and minutes

Resolved: That Councillor J Waters be appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Strategic Sites Committee for the ensuing year 2022-23.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor M Fayyaz.

To agree the minutes of the strategic sites committee meeting held on 12 May and 18 May 2022.

Resolved: The minutes of the meetings held on 12 and 18 May 2022 were agreed as an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman.

Councillor R Newcombe declared a personal interest in application 21/07902/FUL as one of Buckinghamshire Council’s representatives on the Chilterns Conservation Board. The Chilterns Conservation Board had not made any representations on the application, however some of Councillor Newcombe’s comments throughout the meeting may be relevant to the role. Councillor Newcombe confirmed that he had not attended any meetings where the application had been discussed and had not pre-determined the application in any way.

Proposal: Change of use of southern corner of existing air park for use as filming site, construction of 2 x sound stages and 4 x workshop buildings with associated access and infrastructure and parking for a temporary period of 5 years (part retrospective) at Land at South Corner, Wycombe Air Park, Clay Lane, Booker, Buckinghamshire

A site visit was carried out on 7 June 2022.

Ms Emma Crotty, Principal Development Management Officer, listed the corrections/amendments to the report as provided in the committee update which was published on 8 June 2022 and highlighted the additional objections received. Ms Crotty also advised the Committee of the following:

• It was proposed that condition 15 be removed as the restoration aspect was covered by condition 1 and the biodiversity aspect would be covered by the legal agreement. The Committee was content with this.

In the ensuing discussion, the below additional conditions and amended condition were proposed:

• That condition 19 be amended to remove the words ‘without the prior written consent of the Local Planning Authority’ as the Committee heard that no live filming requiring an audience would take place.
• That a condition be added restricting overnight stays on the site.
• That a condition be added to define an area on site for the stationing mobile WC, catering and other welfare facilities.

Speaking as the agent, Mr Oliver Bell, accompanied by Mr James Enright, CEO of Stage Fifty (the Applicant) and Mr Richard Crockett, Aviation expert representing the Gliding Club.

Resolved:

It was proposed by Councillor J Waters and seconded by Councillor N Marshall and agreed unanimously that the Committee was minded to grant temporary permission subject to the completion of a Planning Obligation and the inclusion/amendment of the conditions noted above. It was agreed that delegated authority be given to the Service Director of Planning and Environment to grant Conditional Temporary Permission provided that a Planning Obligation is made to secure the following matters:

-          Travel Plan and monitoring fee; Monitoring and Management of impacts; and financial contributions towards any additional Travel plan measures

-          10% biodiversity enhancement over baseline conditions, following the mitigation hierarchy, on the expiration of the temporary permission

or to refuse planning permission if a Planning Obligation cannot be secured.