Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded Councillors to declare any known interests in any of the matters to be considered by the Committee.

Councillor Peter Watts made a personal and prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of applications numbered S/18/1781/SASM and S/18/1782/SASM as the agent was a close friend of a family member and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

Councillor Nick Burns-Howell, Matthew Courtlifff, Jenny Jefferies, Nick Martin and Tim Swindon made a personal declaration of interest in respect of application numbered S/RES/19/1852/TB as they had friends living in the vicinity. As they had not discussed the application with these friends and as the interest was not prejudicial he participated in the discussion and voting thereon.

Councillor Tim Swinyard made a personal declaration of interest in respect of application numbered S/RES/19/1852/TB as he had a friend living in the vicinity. As the interest was not prejudicial he participated in the discussion and voting thereon.

Councillor Cathy Martyn made a personal declaration of interest in respect of application numbered S/RES/19/1852/TB. As the interest was not prejudicial she would speak on the item in her capacity as Ward Councillor.

Councillor Tim Swinyard made a personal declaration of interest in respect of application numbered S/18/1781/SASM as he was a season ticket holder for Swindon Town Football Club. As the interest was not prejudicial he participated in the discussion and voting thereon.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 25^th August 2020.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held 25^th August 2020, be confirmed and signed.

See explanatory note below.  Please phone the Committee Officer whose name and number appears at the top of this agenda if you need further guidance.

There were no public questions

In respect of application numbered S/RES/19/1852/TB - Erection of 103no. dwellings and associated works - reserved matters pursuant to planning permission, Land East Of Marlborough Road, Wroughton, Swindon - reserved matters pursuant to planning permission S/OUT/15/0912S/OUT/15/0912 the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Councillor Cathy Martyn       Ward Councillor

            Councillor Brian Ford            Ward Councillor    

            Mr Dan Holland                     Agent

            Mr Tony Jeffrey                      Local Resident

            Mr Damon Murphy                Local Resident

Councillors Nick Burns-Howell, Matthew Courtliff, Paul Dixon, Jenny Jefferies, Vinay Manro, Nick Martin, Jane Milner-Barry, Stan Pajak and Peter Watts spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        This application sought permission for the reserved matters of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale at land east of Marlborough Road, Wroughton.

·        Outline planning permission had been granted following an appeal in 2017 for up to 103 dwellings at the site.

·        The means of highway access into the site, via means of a new junction off of Marlborough Road was also permitted at this stage.

·        The principle of a residential development had therefore already been established, as has the new access and are therefore not up for consideration here.

·        The proposals before Members was the subject of several revisions during the course of the application as the applicant attempted to address issues raised as part of the consultation stage.

·        As well as changes to the layout further details have been provided regarding areas such as drainage and ecology.

·        Officers were of the opinion that the layout now proposed is an improvement on that originally submitted in terms of safeguarding and appreciation of protected trees and the protection of neighbouring amenity in terms of at least meeting minimum separation distances.

·        With regard to drainage, following the submission of further supporting information the Local Lead Flood Authority are now satisfied subject to detailed conditions that the development will discharge at greenfield run-off rates. To clarify this will mean that the development will not increase flooding in the area.

·        Matters of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale are deemed to be acceptable and the application was recommended, subject to the conditions set out in the report, for approval. 

·        Planning condition needed to be reasonable, enforceable and relevant to the development.

·        Replacement railings and the Pitchens could not be directly related to the site. Risk assessments for flooding was covered under different legislation and the use of a spur road to future developments was not the subject of development and would be the subject of a future application.

·        The parking of construction vehicles and access to the site was the subject of a proposed condition and would be included in the outline consent.

·        Future development conditions had been included where these were deemed to be appropriate and reasonable.

·        Surface water drainage was covered in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

The Chair noted that applications S/LBC/20/0465/RACH and S/HOU/20/0464/RACH would be considered together but that each application would be subject to a separate vote.

In respect of (a) application numbered S/LBC/20/0465/RACH - Works to a fire damaged Grade II listed building comprising reinstatement of thatch (different to pre-fire state) to the two and a half storey component; change in roof covering (from the pre-fire state) from thatch to tile for the two storey component; from thatch to lead over the single storey component; and the removal of a thatched porch for and the erection of a front porch with timber posts and a lead canopy; Internal floor layout and finishes (including staircase); creation of doorway to West Elevation; blocking up of window to east elevation; structural repairs to walls; window replacement; structural frame to floors and roofs, Brook House, 12 The Pitchens, Wroughton, and (b) S/HOU/20/0464/RACH - Reinstatement including alterations to part of the roof of a fire damaged Grade II listed building comprising change in roof covering (from the pre-fire state) from thatch to tile for the two storey component; from thatch to lead over the single storey component; and the removal of a thatched porch for the erection of a front porch with timber posts and a lead canopy, Brook House, 12 The Pitchens, Wroughton the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Councillor Cathy Martyn       Ward Councillor

            Councillor Brian Ford            Ward Councillor    

            Nigel Henham                        Agent

Councillors Alan Bishop, Nick Burns-Howell, Matthew Courtliff, Nick Martin, Jane Milner-Barry, Stan Pajak and Peter Watts spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        The applications were brought before the Committee at the request of Councillors Brian Ford and Cathy Martyn (Ward Councillors).

·        The application was for a Grade II Listed Building situated within the Wroughton Conservation Area.

·        The site is located on the Pitchens, on the north side and below the stream and pathway that runs alongside. This relationship of the thatched cottage to The Pitchens delivers a unique appreciation close-up of this historic asset which has a time-capsule like appearance which has been utilised in postcards advertising Wroughton. Brook House contributes strongly to the character and appearance of the designated Wroughton Conservation area in this location within The Pitchens.

·        The building contains three main components, a two and a half storey component that incorporates a third level within the roof space; a two-storey component that contains elements of a later extension and a single storey component to the rear.

·        Brook House was Grade II listed in 1979. The listing describes the building as being of brick, stone and some modern construction with a thatched roof. In March 2019, Brook House was subject to an arson attack whereby fire engulfed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

In respect of application numbered S/18/1781/SASM - Erection of Football Training Centre/ Headquarters building and ancillary accommodation, single storey equipment store building, re-grading of ground levels and laying out of grass football pitches, construction of all-weather pitch and associated works including a pumping station, Twelve Oaks, Lechlade Road, Highworth the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Councillor Alan Bishop         Ward Councillor

            Danielle Wyatt-Bond             Developer

            Julie Murphy                           Parish Council

            Mr Damon Murphy                Local Resident

Councillors Nick Burns-Howell, Nick Martin, Jane Milner-Barry, Stan Pajak spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        The application has been brought to Planning Committee at the request of Highworth Town Council.

·        The site closed as a golf club and course in 2015 and this application sought permission to redevelop a large part of the site including the existing buildings and golf course into a new training facility. There is also a current application for an equestrian facility on the western part of the site.

·        The application sought the creation of 8 grass training pitches, an all-weather training pitch, training centre building, new car park and associated development. It would be located on the central and eastern part of the site and would consist of over 12 hectares out of a total area of the former Golf Club of over 22 hectares. 

·        It is located outside the rural settlement boundary of Highworth in respect of Local Plan Policy SD2 and Highworth Neighbourhood Plan Policy 3.  Policy SD2 supports development in rural and countryside locations where it is in accordance with other policies of the plan permitting specific development in the countryside. 

·        There is some conflict with Local Plan Policy TR2 which seeks that development should be located to reduce the need to travel and to encourage the use of sustainable transport alternatives. However, almost inevitably, facilities of this scale are likely to be located outside a settlement.

·        The Local Plan does not contain a policy specifically supporting the development of facilities for professional sport in the countryside, but Policy EC1 identifies leisure as one of the key employment sectors, the opportunity to develop which will be particularly supported. 

·        Therefore while the Local Plan does not specifically support the creation of sport and training facilities in this location, it does provide support for leisure industry development.  It is necessary to look at other material considerations. It is also material to recognise that the golf course represents an existing and lawful sport and recreation use of the land, with golf and football both falling within Use Class D2 ‘indoor or outdoor sports and recreation’.

·        National policy supports leisure developments in the countryside and recognises that sites for local businesses may have to be found beyond settlement boundaries. It is considered that the nature  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

In respect of application numbered S/18/1781/SASM - Erection of Football Training Centre/ Headquarters building and ancillary accommodation, single storey equipment store building, re-grading of ground levels and laying out of grass football pitches, construction of all-weather pitch and associated works including a pumping station, Twelve Oaks, Lechlade Road, Highworth the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Councillor Alan Bishop         Ward Councillor

            Danielle Wyatt-Bond             Developer

            Julie Murphy                           Parish Council

            Mr Damon Murphy                Local Resident

Councillors Nick Burns-Howell, Matthew Courtliff, Vinay Manro, Nick Martin, Jane Milner-Barry spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        This application has been brought to Planning Committee at the request of Highworth Town Council.  

·        The site closed as a golf club and course in 2015 and the application seeks permission for an Equestrian Training Facility which comprises a courtyard barn of 20 stables, ancillary rooms, stable hand accommodation and an American barn of 30 loose horse boxes. Also a hay store, all weather gallop, other training structures and paddocks - all on the western part of the golf club site.

·        The site area is just over 10 hectares out of a total area of the former Golf Club of about 22 hectares.

·        The application is partly retrospective since the gallop and other works for training of horses have already been carried out and are operational.

·        The site is located outside the rural settlement boundary of Highworth for the purposes of Swindon Local Plan Policy SD2 and Highworth Neighbourhood Plan Policy 3. The Local Plan does not contain a policy specifically supporting the development of equestrian facilities in the countryside, but Policy EC1 (Economic Growth through Existing Business and Inward Investment) identifies leisure as one of the key employment sectors, the opportunity to develop which will be particularly supported. 

·        While the Local Plan therefore does not specifically support the creation of equestrian facilities in this location, it does provide support for leisure industry development.  

·        National policy supports leisure developments in the countryside and recognises that sites for local businesses may have to be found beyond settlement boundaries.  In officers opinion it is considered that the nature of the facilities proposed is such that they could not realistically be accommodated within settlement boundaries. It is a use commonly found in the countryside.

·        However the scale of the proposed buildings and their use and the impact on local highway matters and any impact on the landscape and residential amenity are important considerations. These impacts have been considered as set out in the report and in summary the Highways Officer has no objections to the proposal and there are no objections subject to conditions from the County Archaeologist, the Drainage Engineer, the Contaminated Land Officer and the Council’s Ecologist.

·        The Landscape Officer has no objection  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

The Director of Strategic Development submitted a report seeking the Planning Committee’s approval of the protocol for the dealing with planning and related applications.

Resolved – (1) That the procedures set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved for the purpose of consulting upon and determining planning and related applications with the addition of the following wording to paragraph 21 ‘Appeal decisions are circulated to members of the Planning committee.’

(2) That the consultation protocol be circulated to all Borough Councillors for information and that they be reminded of the obligation that where they request an application be determined by the planning committee that they do so in writing within the prescribed timescales and the request must give reasons for the request.

(3) That the consultation protocol be circulated to all Parish and Town Councils for information and that they be reminded of the obligation that where they request an application be determined by the planning committee that they do so they do so in writing within the prescribed timescales and that reasons are given for the request as to why a particular application is considered to raise significant planning issues or is locally controversial.

(4) That the Director of Strategic Development be authorised to make any minor or typographical changes as may be necessary.

(5) That the Director of Strategic Development be requested to inform all Members of the Planning Committee in respect of Planning Inspectorate appeal decisions.