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.

Mr Ben Williams asked a public question regarding parking standards for houses in multiple occupation.  The Chair responded at the meeting indicating that Officers would respond to points raised during their presentation of the item.

In respect of application numbered S /OUT/20/0356/TB - Outline application for the erection of 1 No. dwelling - access not reserved, 17 The Lodge, Swindon Road, Highworth, Swindon the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Alan Bishop                          Ward Councillor

            Steve Weisinger                   Ward Councillor      

            Dan Norman                         Applicant

Councillors Alan Bishop, Malcolm Davies, Nick Martin and Jane Milner-Barry spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        The application sought outline planning permission with all matters reserved apart from access for one detached dwelling on land at 17 The Lodge, Swindon Road, Highworth.

·        The dwelling will be located on part of the existing back garden to the south of the Lodge which is considered to be of significant local interest and therefore a heritage asset.

·        The result of the siting of the dwelling so close to the gatehouse lodge building would be that the development would reduce the historic value of this heritage asset and its existing status.

·        The development would also represent uncharacteristic development creating an out of keeping residential frontage and create an urbanising effect.

·        Future residents of the dwelling would suffer from poor amenity with the small garden being overshadowed by nearby trees.

Submissions in support of the application can be broadly summarised as:

·        The wider setting of the application was a town of 9,000-10,000 people which was rapidly growing, particularly to the east.

·        The town clerk of Highworth Town Council had forwarded the application to 15 Town Councillors for comment, two supported it and three opposed it.  Since this time many things had changed with a nearby development of 70 houses on the opposite side of the road being approved, this development would be visible from the main road.

·        Road works including a nearby roundabout on the A361 had been agreed for a nearby development.

·        The development approved opposite the site had also seen the removal of a hedge to facilitate that development.

·        A further 12 existing houses are located approximately 250 yards to the south of the site.

·        This meant that this was not a standalone development.

·        There was also a 125 development planned to be sited off Shrivenham Road, a far busier road with an application for a further 250 properties off Shrivenham Road which was recommended for approval.

·        The Lodge, bought in 1958 was small and had been the subject of a number of alterations/extensions including a kitchen, three bedrooms, on-suite shower room and a four car garage. This removed any historical value.

·        It was understood that there were no heritage or highway objections.

·        The dwelling would sit on a larger plot of land than other local developments provided with its own access off Swindon Road.

·        The applicant would be willing to provide screening  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

In respect of application S /20/1198/PEKO - Erection of 1no. dwelling (Retrospective), Costow Farm Cottages, 3 Track To Costow Lane, Wroughton, Swindon the Committee considered: -

            Name                                      Address/Organisation

            Councillor Brian Ford          Ward Councillor

            Councillor Cathy Martyn     Ward Councillor      

            Stuart Rackham                   Agent

            David Martyn                         Parish Councillor

Councillors Nick Burns-Howell, Matthew Courtliff, Paul Dixon, Jenny Jefferies, Nick Martin, Carol Shelley and Peter Watts spoke in respect of this application.

The application can be broadly summarised as:

·        The Application was brought to Committee at the request of Ward Councillors as there were specific local circumstances that should be considered by the Planning Committee.

·        The proposal was for the retention of a new build dwelling at Costow Farm that was being built without planning permission.

·        In 2018 permission had been given to the conversion of an office building, itself being a former agricultural building, into a dwelling under the prior approval regime.

·        Instead the former building had been demolished and a new building erected in its place.

·        There is no part of the former building to convert therefor the prior approval that was granted is extinguished and is no longer valid.

·        The site does not have any consents or approvals that can be lawfully implemented for any purpose including residential use.

·        The agent has provided Members with photographs of the former and current premises. The isolated location is also identified.

·        Costow Farm is located well away from any settlement and not in a location where new settlement would be encouraged and as such is contrary to national and local planning policy.

·        In correspondence the agent refers to the fall-back position but the former building has been removed and therefore the prior approval cannot be implemented there is no fallback position or consents relating to that site that can be implemented.

·        The Parish Council have not objected but expressed displeasure at the development and design of the building.

·        Financial stress to the applicant was not a material planning consideration on this application.

·        The design is inappropriate due to its scale and appearance with no empathy to its surrounding, and which would be more in place in a business park setting.

·        An identical application to retain the building was refused in 2019 and this decision was not appealed; rather the application was re-submitted and is before Members.

·        Planning history is a material consideration which is set out in paragraphs 10 to 18 of the report with this building appearing to be the third built on site with retrospective permission sought later. However, the fact that the application was retrospective was not a material planning consideration.

·        Paragraph 12 shows the former office building now demolished took place without the benefit of planning permission and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

The Committee considered (a) Service Manager – Transport Planning, Development and Street Works Management seeking approval for an updated Parking Standards document, and (b) issues raised during Public Question Time relating to parking requirements for houses in multiple occupation.

Resolved - (1) That the further work undertaken to refine the Parking Standards Document (Supplementary Planning Document), along with the associated amendments to the document since it was presented to Planning Committee in May 2019 be noted.

(2) That the revised draft Parking Standards as a development management

Document be approved.

(3) That the Service Manager - Transport Planning, Development and Street

Works Management be authorised to make the necessary minor typographical corrections to the document required in advance of publication, in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee.