Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Trevor Egleton.

To agree the minutes of the Strategic Sites Committee meeting held on 24 November 2022.

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

Councillor Richard Newcombe declared a personal interest in item 6, application 22/06487/OUT, as he represented Buckinghamshire Council on the Chilterns Conservation Board which was responsible for the area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).  There was mention of the AONB in the report, notwithstanding the fact that it did not form part of the AONB.

Proposal:  Demolition of existing buildings on land at 30 - 34 Oxford Road and construction of seven storey further education building for Buckinghamshire College Group (6,618m²) to house the main College campus, with general teaching (maths/science/IT and networking etc.) and light practical teaching (arts/performing arts/ sciences) with associated works including retention of vehicular access off Bridge Street, provision of rear service area with 3 x car parking spaces for minibuses, drop off area, cycle parking, bin store and services shed, hard and soft landscaping.

A site visit was carried out on 16 January 2023.

Speaking on behalf of the application, Jenny Craig.

It was proposed by Councillor Jonathan Waters and seconded by Councillor Newcombe and agreed at a vote.

Resolved:  that the application be delegated and deferred to the Service Director of Planning and Environment for approval subject to the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (if the Council own the site at the time of completion of the agreement) to secure a travel plan (including monitoring payments) or if this is not achieved then the application be refused for such reasons as the Service Director of Planning and Environment considers appropriate and subject to the planning conditions set out in the report.

Proposal:  Demolition of existing buildings at Brook Street and construction of two storey further education building for vocational teaching and learning (1,581m²) to accommodate the Colleges construction and automotive curriculum.

A site visit was carried out on 16 January 2023.

Speaking on behalf of the agent, Peter Marsh.

It was proposed by Councillor Patrick Fealey and seconded by Councillor Ashley Bond and agreed at a vote.

Resolved:  that the application be delegated and deferred to the Service Director of Planning and Environment for approval subject to the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (if the Council own the site at the time of completion of the agreement) to secure a travel plan (including monitoring payments) or if this is not achieved then the application be refused for such reasons as the Service Director of Planning and Environment considers appropriate and subject to the planning conditions set out in the report.

Note 1:  A comfort break was taken from 14.27 to 14.35.

Proposal:  Outline application (including details of access, appearance, layout and scale) for demolition of existing Buckinghamshire College Campus (Amersham and Wycombe College) to provide up to 67 residential dwellings, car parking to serve adjoining sports pitches, hard and soft landscaping with other associated works.

A site visit was carried out on 16 January 2023.

Rebecca Jarratt, Senior Planner, advised that there were further updates to the conditions in addition to those listed in the update report as follows:

• Condition 5 after paragraph D:  Sentence added, ‘The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved phasing plan’.
• Condition 14 currently reads: ‘The development shall not begin until details of the adoptable estate roads and footways…..  It was proposed that the word ‘adoptable’ be removed and add ‘which shall be designed and constructed to an adoptable standard’ after the word ‘footways’,. 
• Condition 27:  to be amended to add ‘notwithstanding the provisions of the General Permitted Development Order, the buildings shown to be retained as a day nursery shall be retained as such and shall be used for no other purpose, including any other use falling within the use Class E’. 
• Condition 39:  The wording of the last sentence to be amended to read ‘The approved scheme shall be subsequently implemented and used to support an application for a European Protected Species Licence from Natural England.’

A statement was read out on behalf of the ward member, Councillor David Watson, by Sally Taylor, Senior Democratic Services Officer.

Speaking as a representative of Chepping Wycombe Parish Council, Councillor Alec Barron.

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, John McGrath.

It was proposed by Councillor Patrick Fealey and seconded by Councillor Jonathan Waters and agreed at a vote.

Resolved: that the application be delegated to the Service Director of Planning and Environment for approval subject to the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement to secure the obligations listed in the report and subject to the conditions listed in the report and update report and the further amendments to conditions 5, 14, 27 and 39.  If this is not achieved then the application be refused for such reasons as the Service Director of Planning and Environment considers appropriate.