Planning Committee Minutes – 11th April 2023

Date:

11^th April 2023

Time:    7.00pm

Place:

Bramley Room, Bramley Village Hall

Present:

Cllr Chris Flooks (Chair)

Cllr Malcolm Bell

Cllr Keith Oborn

Cllr Chris Tomblin

In attendance:

Maxta Thomas (Clerk)

0 members of the public

Apologies:

1

Apologies for Absence

As listed above. 

2

Declarations of Interest

Cllr Tomblin declared an interest in all new planning applications due to his position on the Borough Council Development Control Committee.  He took no part in any vote on planning applications.

3

Minutes of the Last Planning Committee Meeting

3.1

The minutes of the meeting held on 13^th December 2022 were unanimously agreed to be a true record of the meeting and were signed by the Chairman.

3.2

Matters arising

None.

4

Planning & Development

4.1

New Applications

a.

T/00092/23/TPO – Land To The Rear Of 52 Strawberry Fields And Bramley CofE Primary School Bramley Lane Bramley

2 Oak trees: Prune

·         Defer to tree officer unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

b.

23/00583/HSE – 8 Sims Close Bramley

Garage conversion

·         Parking does appear to be very tight.  However, no objection unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

c.

23/00658/RES – Land Adjacent The Street Bramley

Reserved matters application for the erection of 4 dwellings including appearance, landscaping, layout and scale (pursuant to outline planning application 20/01097/OUT)

·         No barn hipping on any of the dwellings.  NDP states that this would be preferable.

·         Would like to see an eco-heating system.

·         Bramley PC has concerns about the access arrangements, which will tangle with the exit from Cufaude Lane.

·         Sewerage and drainage arrangements need to be looked at very carefully given the ongoing issues with sewerage in Bramley.  Planners should take note of the Stocks Farm grampian conditions.    

·         Blue/black slate tiles on plots 3 and 4 are not in keeping with Bramley NDP.  The site is adjacent to the conservation area, so this is particularly important. 

·         Objections as above unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

d.

23/00690/FUL – Locksbridge Farm Cufaude Lane Bramley

Conversion of an existing barn into a residential dwelling

·         The site is outside the Settlement Policy Boundary, and is in the countryside. 

·         There is no mention of foul water arrangements, which for Bramley is particularly important given the ongoing sewerage issues.

·         Members would like to request a condition that all delivery vehicles are accommodated on site as there is no room for parking on Cufaude Lane.

·         Members are concerned that road and access are not suitable for construction material deliveries. 

·         This development would not be a contribution to the housing shortfall.

·         Objections unanimously agreed as above.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

e.

23/00751/ROC – Locksbridge Farm Cufaude Lane Bramley

Variation of Condition 1 of 21/00521/FUL – Erection of 1no. dwelling and associated parking – Increased Gnd and 1st Floor area and addition of carport

·         These proposals will make the proposed dwelling even more intrusive than it already is. 

·         The move of the whole dwelling within the site will have a detrimental effect on the neighbouring property, Ridgewell, which was already going to be severely impacted by the original proposals. 

·         Members stated that this should be a new application due to the change in size and positioning, and the addition of a car port.

·         Objections as outlined above unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process. 

Clerk

f.

23/00739/HSE – Cedarwood Silchester Road Bramley

Garage conversion

·         Members would like to request the removal of residential rights if the application is granted.

·         Otherwise no objection unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

g.

23/00741/HSE – Olivers Farm Olivers Lane Bramley

Conversion of loft to create additional living space, including creation of 2 no. dormers, interior alterations and addition of window to rear elevation

·         No objection unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

h.

23/00780/FUL – Cedarwood Silchester Road Bramley

Erection of 1 no. 4 bed dwelling and detached garage including associated landscaping and access following demolition of existing stables/home office

·         New plans represent a significant increase in size on previous permissions.

·         The proposals are overdevelopment of the site.

·         There is concern that the proposed dwelling is not far enough away from the tree canopy, and is less than the recommended 20 metres.

·         The height has increased significantly on the previously agreed plans – 1.6m higher. 

·         There will be sewerage issues as per other planning applications. 

·         Objections as outlined above unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

i.

23/00793/OHL – Land At Cufaude Lane 465001 157116 Cufaude Lane Bramley

Upgrade of 13 spans of HV overhead line

·         No comment unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

j.

Any other new applications

23/00757/HSE – 19 St James Close Bramley

Conversion of half of the garage

·         There is no side view or layout in the plans.

·         Parking is problematic – you can park two cars, but it would be very tight.

·         No objection, but comments unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

4.2

Approvals/Refusals/Pending (see appendix A)

These were noted. 

5.

Planning Appeals

a.

21/03758/OUT – Land At Stocks Farm The Street – Outline planning permission (with all matters reserved except for access) for the demolition of one dwelling and erection of up to 140 dwellings and a community building of up to 250sqm under Use Class E, together with sports and leisure facilities.

Planning Inspectorate reference APP/H1705/W/22/3302752

·         The Planning Inspector has allowed this appeal.  The primary overriding factor in this decision seems to have been the lack of 5 year housing land supply at Borough Council level.  Any adverse impact the development might have is overridden by the 5 year housing land supply.

6.

Water Issues

Cllrs Bell and Flooks have recently met with Thames Water.   Thames Water have decided on a solution, but it has not gone out to tender as yet, and the project has not yet been signed off to go ahead.  The engineer will pass on a work schedule to Bramley PC when it is available.  Work not likely to start for 18 months to 2 years minimum. 

7.

Minchens Lane s.106 issues

Clift Meadow lighting – the lights installed in September are still not operational, despite almost weekly chasing by the Clerk.  The last communication from Persimmon on 5^th April was that they have instructed a new contractor to resolve the issue with the solar powered lights, and that they will let the PC know when the contractor expects to have the lights operational.  The Clerk will continue to chase.

St James Park Allotments lease – the final work is now complete, and the finalisation of the lease is awaiting.  The Clerk is chasing hard for this.  Bramley PC’s contractor is on standby to complete the remaining work as soon as the lease is complete.

Clerk

8.

Local Plan Update

No update at present. 

9.

Neighbourhood Plan

No update at present. 

10.

Date of Next Meeting

The next Planning Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 9^th May 2023, to be held at the Bramley Room at Bramley Village Hall.

Meeting closed at 8.25pm.

1.        

22/03376/FUL – Meadow View Sherfield Road Bramley

Erection of two blocks of flats (4 no. flats per block) following the demolition of existing detached bungalow.

Refused

Objection

2.        

T/00551/22/TPO – 4 Churchlands Bramley

Tree works to include pruning and felling

Granted

Defer to tree officer

3.        

T/00552/22/TPO – Middle Farm Cottage The Street Bramley

T12 – Oak (T19 of TPO TTP/BDB/0130)

Crown clean removing any dead dangerous or broken / hanging / dysfunctional branches back to healthy growth.

Reason: To avoid branches falling and address a foreseeable health and safety concern

Granted

Defer to tree officer

4.        

T/00013/23/TCA – 34 Farriers Close Bramley

G1 – A mixture of species including Hazel (To be Coppiced) and Ash (To be Felled) located behind properties 34, 35 and 36. These are council owned tree that overhang the properties gardens.

Application Withdrawn

Defer to tree officer

5.        

23/00049/FUL – York Cottage Silchester Road Bramley

Erection of a single storey dwelling

Granted

Objection

6.        

T/00026/23/TCA – Hafod The Street Bramley

Tree 1: crown reduce and reshape as per photograph

Raise no objection

Defer to tree officer

7.        

T/00032/23/TCA – Honey Farm Vyne Road Bramley

·         T1 (apple tree): Crown thin and reshape crown, removing watershoots (see photo attached) as part of routine maintenance and to keep the fruit within reach

·         T2 (crab apple): Crown reduction/reshape to crab apple (see photo) as part of routine maintenance and to keep the fruit within reach

·         T3: (cherry tree): Remove crown of cherry tree to just above main union (see photo) in order to cause epicormic regrowth in the lower stem with the aim of making use of the fruit (which is currently out of reach)

·         T4 & T5 (greengage): Reduce height of 2x greengage by 1-2m (see photo) as part of routine maintenance to maintain at manageable height

·         G6 (hazel): Coppice approximately 20 hazel stools scattered around the property to roughly 30cm above ground level

T7 (holly): Reduce height of holly tree by approximately 2m and trim remainder into rounded shape as part of routine maintenance to reduce overhang over the roof of the outbuilding

Raise no objection

Defer to tree officer

8.        

23/00176/HSE – 2 Minerva Road Bramley

Erection of a single storey rear extension

Granted

No objection

9.        

23/00192/HSE – 2 Consort Drive Bramley

Single storey rear extension and First floor side extension over attached garage

Granted

No objection

10.    

23/00283/HSE – Renaire Coopers Lane Bramley

Erection of a single storey rear and side extension

Granted

Objection

1.        

T/00583/20/TPO – Middle Farm The Street Bramley

T1, T2, T3 – Western Red Cedars: prune.

Defer to tree officer

2.        

20/03204/VLA – Land At Minchens Lane Bramley

Variation of Section 106 agreement attached to 14/01075/OUT to enable the transfer of the Equipped play area, northern kick about and southern kick about areas to the existing management company instead of the Parish Council

No comment as PC has interest in application

3.        

22/01703/VLA – Land At The Street The Street Bramley

Variation of section 106 agreement attached to 15/02682/OUT to insert mortgagee in possession clause

No comment

4.        

22/03067/FUL – Land Adjoining Clift Surgery Minchens Lane Bramley

Formation of highway access and erection of 2no two-bed; 3no three-bed; and 1no four-bed houses with garaging, carports, landscaping and associated works

Objection

5.        

22/03076/LDPO – Land Known As Plot 4 Cufaude Lane Bramley

Certificate of Lawfulness for the proposed use of an area of established hardstanding. This is shown on the Block Diagram.

An access has been established to Cufuade Road. This is shown on the Block Plan.

The works took place in about 2017.

The access has been identified as being safe and does not increase flood risk. The hardstanding is not and has not been used residentially, and is semi permeable

Objection

6.        

22/03224/ROC – Land At Silchester Road Silchester Road Bramley

Variation of condition 1 of 20/00319/FUL to make design changes required for ease of maintenance and build costs associated with affordable units and other design changes

Objection

7.        

22/03407/OHL – Land At Upper Cufaude Farm Cufaude Lane Bramley

Replacement of electricity poles

No objection

8.        

22/00744/FUL – Bramley Garage Sherfield Road Bramley

Demolition of existing garage and bakery buildings, erection of two buildings comprising a Class E commercial unit and 9 residential flats, change of use of land to residential use associated with Spring Fields, change of use of parts of residential curtilage of Spring Fields to form part of new development, associated car parking, servicing and landscaping.

Objection

9.        

23/00063/ROC – Land At Latchmere Green Ash Lane Latchmere Green Little London

Variation of condition 1 of 21/01147/FUL to amend drawing numbers to allow for change in design and alterations to front porch, additional rooflights and adjustment to elevational window locations

No objection

10.    

23/00279/FUL – Land At Bramley Corner House Bramley Corner Bramley

Erection of a lifetime home and garage

No objection, comments