Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded Councillors to declare any known interests in any of the matters to be considered by the Committee.  No such declarations were made.

To receive the minutes of the meetings held on 28^th May and 9^th June 2020.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meetings held on 28^th May and 9^th June 2020, be confirmed and signed.

There were no public questions

In respect of application numbered /20/0088/CHHO - Erection of two-storey and first floor extensions and change of use to from 14no. flats, erection of 6no. bedroom multi occupancy care unit and associated works, Lanterns, Revell Close, Upper Stratton the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Mr Satra                                   Agent

            Ms Lisa Smith                        Local Resident

Councillors John Ballman, Jenny Jefferies, Vinay Manro, Stan Pajak, Carol Shelley and Vera Tomlinson spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        This application is brought before the Committee for consideration at the request of Stratton St Margaret Parish Council due to the concerns of local residents, existing drainage/flood issues within the vicinity, quality of housing proposed and potential light pollution.

·        The application sought the redevelopment of the former Lanterns care home site set in its own grounds and surrounded by residential properties.

·        The application sought a change of use of the existing building including two storey and first floor extensions to create 14 one and two bed flats.

·        The existing footprint of the Lanterns building was to be retained with first floor extensions above the existing single storey western wing and connecting central wing and a two storey extension to the south of the existing western wing to correspond the existing two storey eastern wing to complement the existing built form.

·        The proposed scale and massing of the development would complement the surrounding built form, including the nearby residential dwellings and the Parkview apartments, and would not appear as an over-dominant or overbearing structure, in considering both the scale and separation distances achieved.

·        The application also seeks to deliver a 6 bed multi-occupancy care unit for individuals with learning difficulties and autism to the west of the site.

·        The setting of the proposed care home within an existing residential community would fulfil the principle of inclusive design and community living.

·        Access to the site would remain as existing via Revell Close with highway officers confirming this was safe and suitable with adequate vehicle and cycling parking provision.

·        The scheme would offer a good level of amenity to future occupiers and was located within an existing residential community with good access to local shops, services and facilities and public transport.

·        The scheme design protected the privacy of local residents.

·        There had been a number of revisions during the course of the application in response to concerns from local properties around overlooking from first floor windows in the south-east elevation.

·        The lead flood agency has considered the plans and recommended the scheme for approval.

·        Concerns raised around the light pollution would addressed with screening works and a condition requiring external lighting to be submitted for review.

·        The application would bring back into use vacant and therefore underutilised building, significantly  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

In respect of application numbered S/HOU/19/1797/ABB - Erection of a two storey side and rear extension, 3 South Lodge, The Avenue, Stanton Fitzwarren, Swindon the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Mr Marc Willis                         Agent

            Councillor Steve Weisinger Ward Councillor

            Councillor Alan Bishop         Ward Councillor

            Ms Anish Harrison                Local Resident

            Antonio De Sciscio                Local Resident

            Tom Charnock                       Parish Councillor

Councillors Matthew Courtliff, Jenny Jefferies, Nick Martin, Stan Pajak and Carol Shelley, spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        The application was for a 2 storey extensions to No. 3 South Lodge, Stanton Fitzwarren.

·        The application was brought before the Committee at the request of the Parish Council.

·        A revised plan had been submitted to amend the roof, and to clarify the neighbours rights to the communal drainage system would be maintained.

·        The main concerns raised relate to the impact upon a non-designated heritage asset and the scale of the additions to the property and their affect upon the neighbour’s amenity.

·        The property was originally a small lodge and it has been substantially altered and extended and converted over many years - as explained in paragraph 40 of the report such that it does not resemble its original form. The Conservation officer acknowledges this.

·        The proposals do further extend the building but in such a way that officers feel does not undermine the fact that it was a lodge and is still in an isolated position remote from the house it served and the village.

·        The addition will not affect this nor do they cause harm to or adversely affect the setting of any listed building or the conservation area. In all probability the works will only be seen from the neighbouring property due to the extensive tree screening around the site.

·        The roof as proposed is no higher than the roof of the existing building and sympathetic materials are proposed.

·        The concerns from the neighbours are acknowledged but material to this application are the distances away from affected areas and the orientation. The relationship between No 3 and No. 1 is unusual in that part of the upper floor of No.3 oversails the ground floor of No.1.

·        The roof of the extension has been hipped, as referred to in Paragraph 37 and the plan attached to the report. Officers considered that this overcomes the concerns from the resident at No.2 regarding the impact upon their outdoor space.

·        Officers concluded that due to the orientation of the proposed extension and the relation and distances to other properties any adverse impact will not be so material or harmful to justify refusing planning permission.

Submissions in support of the application can be broadly  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

In respect of application numbered S/OUT/18/1943 - A Hybrid Planning Application for a Science Park and associated works to include full details of 33,507 sqm (GIA) of Use Class B1c (light industrial), with associated access, parking, landscaping and drainage and an outline proposal for up to 32,281 sqm (GIA) of Use Class B1b (research and development) and up to 16,400 sqm (GIA) B1c (light industrial), with associated access, parking, landscaping and drainage (all matter reserved), Inlands Farm, The Marsh, Wanborough, Swindon, the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

Councillor Gary Sumner      Ward Councillor

Councillor David Renard      Leader of the Council

Councillor Garry Perkins      Borough Councillor

Councillor Oliver Donachie Borough Councillor

Councillor Emma Faramarzi  Borough Councillor

Martin Tedham                       Applicant

Tony Smith                             Employee

Cate Earl                                 Employee

Stephen Cox                          Local Resident

Justine Norman                     Local Resident

John Warr                               South Swindon Protection Group

Bob Gill                                   South Swindon Protection Group

Les Durrant                            Swindon Chamber of Commerce

Councillor Robert Biggs       Parish Councillor

Councillor Gordon Wilson    Parish Councillor

The Chair advised the meeting that under the Council’s Planning Protocol that governs the meeting he had decided to use his discretion to depart from the normal protocol to allow Members who are not Ward Councillors or Members of the Committee to speak on the application for up to five minutes each subject to points already made not being repeated. He would also use his discretion to allow registered public speakers to speak for up to 2 and a half minutes each instead of ten minutes split between them and unused time may not be allocated to another speaker. The Chair decided to exercise his discretion as the application was of strategic importance and whichever way it was decided would have an impact on the whole of the Borough. In the interests of fairness it was important to extend the time available to speak on this application to ensure the public’s views are fully heard. The Chair noted that a number of speakers were employed by the company and that in the interests of fairness and transparency he would allow these speakers to address the Committee. Ward Councillor would still have unlimited time and the Parish Council five minutes to speak. During his tenure and prior to it the Committee had allowed Councillors not serving on the Committee to address it. In exercising this discretion he was ensuring consistency.

Councillors John Ballman, Nick Burns-Howell, Jenny Jefferies, Vinay Manro, Nick Martin, Jane Milner-Barry, Stan Pajak, Carol Shelley, Vera Tomlinson and Peter Watts spoke in respect of this application.

The application could be broadly summarised as:

·        The application before members was a hybrid application, part a full application for phase 1 (employment facility) and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

In respect of application numbered S/OUT/17/1990 - Outline planning application (with means of access to the A420 not reserved) for up to 1,550 homes; education provision including a 10 form entry secondary school and a 3 form entry primary school with attendant sports pitches; a sports hub and open space; a park and ride; a local centre up to 1,000sqm including classes A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and D1 uses; public open space/green infrastructure; new informal and formal recreation spaces and the formation of a new permanent access from the A420, Great Stall East, land south of A420 South Marston, Swindon (Ward: St Margaret and St Marston (DSD) the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Councillor Russell Holland  Ward Councillor    

            Councillor Gary Sumner       Cabinet Member

            Jamie Lewis                            Agent

            Sylvia Brown                          Parish Council

            Bill Giles                                  Local Resident

            Julian Jones                           Local Resident

The Chair advised the meeting that under the Council’s Planning Protocol that governs the meeting he had decided to use his discretion to depart from the normal protocol to allow the Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Transport & Planning to speak on the application for up to five minutes. The Chair decided to exercise his discretion as the application was of strategic importance

Councillors Jenny Jefferies, Jane Miner-Barry, Stan Pajak and Peter Watts spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        The application was the final strategic application for the New Eastern Villages development.

·        The application for Great Stall East is located east of Symmetry Park and south of the A420 and links into Lotmead to the south and Symmetry to the west.

·        The development included a number of key elements of infrastructure serving the new eastern villages including a secondary school site and park and ride site which affected the land available for residential development and would likely limit the number of homes to 1,550. This in turn affected the level of developer contributions

·        This was a unique site and Section 106 contributions were bespoke to the site and took into account its contribution to the wider development infrastructure.

·        The scheme was challenging with some issues still to be resolved but it was reasonable to condition these and defer to the reserve matters stage.

·        This outline application which sought to establish the principle parameters and illustrative design for the development and officers considered that subject to the conditions set out in the report that the application was acceptable.

·        The application formed part of the New Eastern Villages strategic allocation and is for a mixed use development, which included up to 1,550 homes, two schools, a Park and Ride site, a local centre, a sports hub and open space. It is an outline application with all matters reserved apart from the means of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Director of Strategic Development submitted a report setting out details of the Conservation Area Review undertaken for Swindon Railway Area and seeking approval of Committee to progress to formal public consultation of a revised and enlarged conservation area boundary.

Resolved – (1) That the recommendations set out in the Swindon Railway CAAMP report, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

(2) That the results of that consultation exercise and a final draft of the document be submitted to this Committee for formal adoption subject to any required amendments as a development management document in the form of Supplementary Planning Document.

(3) That the draft Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan specifically promote:

(i) A merger of two separate conservation areas (Swindon Railway Village and

Swindon Railway Works Conservation Area) as a single ‘Swindon Railway

Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan’;and

(ii) An amendment in the form of additions (enlargement) to the designated

Conservation Area boundary.

The Director of Startegic Planning submitted a report seeking authorisation to extend the life until of Local Development Orders in respect of the Swindon BMW Plant, Dorcan Industrial Estate, Groundwell Industrial Estate, South Marston Industrial Estate, Blagrove and Keypoint previously approved by this Committee.

Resolved – That authorisation be approved for the extension of the end dates of the Swindon BMW Plant, Dorcan Industrial Estate, Groundwell Industrial Estate, South Marston Industrial Estate, Blagrove and Keypoint Local Development Orders until 31 August 2022.