Agenda and minutes

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

Councillor Jenny Jefferies made a declaration of interest in respect of application numbered S/18/1783/SASM as she had previously worked with the agent over ten years previously. As the interest was personal but not prejudicial the Councillor remained in the room during the discussion and voted on the application.

Councillor Tim Swinyard made a declaration of interest in respect of application numbered S/18/1783/SASM as he was a season ticket holder at Swindon Town Football Club. As the interest was personal but not prejudicial the Councillor remained in the room during the discussion and voted on the application.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th December 2020.

Resolved – That, subject to Minute 30(d) being amended to read:

“(d) Information from the applicant circulated to Members prior to the meeting, which the Director of Strategic Development advised could not be used as a reason for approval”, the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th December 2020, be confirmed and signed.

There were no public questions

In respect of application numbered S/18/1783/SASM - Erection of 18no. dwellings with parking, open space, landscaping, cycle access and associated works, Twelve Oaks Golf Club, Lechlade Road, Highworth the Committee considered: -

(e)          The comments at the meeting of the following interested persons:-

Name                                                 Address/Organisation

Councillor Steve Weisinger            Ward Councillor

Councillor Alan Bishop                   Ward Councillor

Councillor Maureen Penny            Ward Councillor

Danielle Wyatt Bond                       Agent

Julie Murphy                                     Parish Councillor

Sarah Freeman                                Local Resident

Councillors Matthew Courtliff, Nick Martin, Jane Milner-Barry, Stan Pajak and Carol Shelley spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        The application had been brought before the Committee at the request of Highworth Town Council for the reasons set out within the agenda report.

·        The golf course and driving range closed in 2015 and the application sought to re-develop part of the club and construct 18 dwellings with vehicular access from Lechlade Road to the north of the site and separate pedestrian/cycleway access from Lechlade Road.

·        A food retail store had been given planning permission to the south of the site and there are two detached dwellings facing Lechlade Road to the east.

·        A change of use of land for the siting of 18 holiday let lodges had been allowed on appeal September 2015. The applicant’s agent confirmed that this permission has been commenced and remains extant and could be fully implemented although no Certificate of Lawfulness application has been made to confirm this.

·        However the appeal decision for the grant of planning permission for the holiday lets was based upon polices for rural tourism development and did not support the creation of housing in this location to which different policies applied.

·        The development did not fit in any of the categories for development in the countryside permitted in the countryside by the Local Plan and therefore the principle of development is in conflict with the adopted Local Plan.  It was necessary to ask whether any other material considerations outweigh that conflict with local policy and indicate in favour of the grant of permission.

·        In relation to residential development in the countryside, Paragraph 78 of the National Planning Policy Framework supports housing in rural areas where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. Officers considered that 18 dwellings on this site could contribute to enhancing the vitality of Highworth in terms of supporting local shops, services and schools.

·        Paragraph 11 (part d) of the National Planning Policy Framework states that where there are no relevant development plan policies, or the policies which are most important for determining the application are out-of-date, permission should be granted unless, (i) the application of policies in this Framework that protect areas or assets of particular importance provides a clear reason for refusing the development; or (ii) any adverse impacts of doing so would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.