Minutes of a meeting of the Planning Committee held on Wednesday, 17 November 2010 at 6.30pm in the Town Hall, Banbury.
Present: Councillor Ilott (Chairman)
Councillors: Cullip, Harrison, Khaliq, Milne Home and Parish.
Officers: Anne Greenway (Deputy Town Clerk)
PL.57/10 Apologies
Councillors: Ahmed, Gregory and Wren.
PL.58/10 Declarations of Interest
Councillor Milne Home declared that as a Member of the Planning Committee of Cherwell District Council, any views expressed at the meeting would be based on the information currently available and that his final decisions, which in the light of further information, might differ from previous views, would be made at the Local Planning Authority Meeting. This declaration was repeated by Councillors Cullip and Parish as frequent alternate Members of the Committee.
All Members and the Deputy Town Clerk declared a personal and prejudicial interest in application 10/01583/TPO as this was a Town Council application and a response of “No Comment as this was a Town Council application” was forwarded to the Planning Authority.
PL.59/10 Minutes
IT WAS RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
PL.60/10 Planning Applications Considered
The Committee considered various planning applications that had been referred to the Town Council for consideration by Cherwell District Council and were matters that had been delegated to the Planning Committee or where a Ward Member had referred a delegated application.
IT WAS RESOLVED that the comments, as set out in Appendix 1, be forwarded to the Local Planning Authority.
PL.61/10 Planning Applications Delegated to the Town Clerk
The Town Clerk had submitted a schedule containing details of planning applications which had been delegated to him in consultation with the Chairman, setting out the observations that had been forwarded to Cherwell District Council.
IT WAS RESOLVED that the report be noted.
PL.62/10 Decision Notices
The Town Clerk submitted a schedule containing details of Decision Notices where the decision of the Planning Authority was contrary to the observations of the Town Council.
IT WAS RESOLVED that the report be noted
PL.63/10 Bus Shelters
The Committee considered the report of the Administrative Officer responsible for Bus Shelters. They noted that the bus shelter in Withycombe Drive had been installed and that it had attracted a 50% grant from Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) as it was on a “premium route”. OCC were currently evaluating a request for a shelter on Masefield Road. However plans to install a shelter on Hanwell Fields had been deferred to next year, as the roads were not yet adopted as public highway, and surrounding green areas had yet to be transferred to the Town Council. The two “heritage style” shelters in Horsefair had been repainted to match the District Council’s street furniture.
IT WAS RESOLVED to note the report.
PL.64/10 Revised Revenue Estimates 2010/11 & Draft Revenue Estimates 2011/12
Members considered the revised 2010/11 estimates and draft estimates for this Committee for the year 2011/12.
Cost Centre 201 Bus Shelters
Savings in the revised 2010/11 estimates related to the installation of two rather than three bus shelters as outlined at PL.55/10 above. It was proposed to install two shelters in 2011/12.
Cost Centre 202 Salt Bins
Members noted that following the bad winter of 2009/10, the Council had earmarked £5,280 for Grit Bins. Over 30 bins had now been erected around the Town in 2010/11 utilising these funds. They noted that OCC were not prepared to install bins on the roads on Hanwell Fields as they had yet to be adopted as public highway. However, following the recent icy weather a new tranch of requests had been made. The Resources Committee had also suggested that the Planning Committee should consider requesting additional salt bins for the Town (Minute R.30/10 refers).
IT WAS RECOMMENDED that Council approve the revised estimates for 2010/11.
IT WAS RESOLVED to refer the draft estimates for 2011/12 to the Grants and Budget Sub-Committee with a request for the provision of a further 15 Grit Bins at an additional cost of £2,400 (making £3,200 in total for cost centre 202/4107), for in depth examination, to be brought back for consideration at the December meeting.
PL.65/10 Oxfordshire County Council – Consultation on concessionary fares scheme
Members considered the proposed changes to concessionary fares in Oxfordshire following the Government’s decision for this to sit with the County rather than District Council as set out in their letter of 26 October. They noted that most Banbury residents would benefit from the proposed change to a 9am weekday start time. However, they noted that the withdrawal of National Travel Tokens, which were used by disabled people who could not use public transport to pay for taxis, would cause isolation to an already vulnerable group.
IT WAS RESOLVED to forward the comments as outlined above to the County Council.
PL.66/10 Oxfordshire County Council, Draft Local Transport Plan 2011 - 2030 (LTP3)
The final Draft LTP3 had been published in October for consultation. The County hoped it reflected the priorities and long term aspirations of Oxfordshire’s residents and the Council. It also set out the policies and strategies for developing transport across the county for the next 20 years. The draft plan was divided into two sections:
1 Transport in Oxfordshire (Transport Policies); and
2 Area Strategies (Implementation Plan)
A copy of the Strategy for Banbury had been circulated to Members and the whole document could be viewed at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ltp. It was anticipated that OCC Officers would make a short presentation at the Banbury Traffic Advisory Committee on Wednesday, 1 December. The deadline for the consultation was Sunday 9 January 2011. The Deputy Town Clerk reported that she had yet to receive any comments from Members.
Members noted that the document was much less than had been envisaged following the earlier, staged consultation process. They noted that this was due to uncertainties around funding and that public funds for transport improvement would be limited in the first few years of the plan and that this would also limit progress towards meeting the challenges identified.
IT WAS RESOLVED that a response would be drafted for consideration at the next Planning Committee on 15 December 2010.
The meeting ended at 7.23pm.
Appendix 1
Planning Applications considered by the Planning Committee
Application Number / Applicant / Location / Proposal / Observations10/01540/F / Triumph Developments / Land To The Rear Of 95 And 97 Withycombe Drive Adj Hastings Road / Erection of 3no. Dwellings / Object, C28 & C30 this is overdevelopment of the site, the density is out of keeping with the street scene and it would provide very little amenity space for 2 of the 3 properties.
10/01535/F / Oxford & Cherwell Valley College / Oxford And Cherwell Valley College South Site Broughton Road / Refurbishment of Block F including removal of part of the east end of the lower part of Block F. 40m2 single storey extension to form new entrance. New hard landscaping around the building. Removal of 2 trees adjacent to the building. / No objections, but would prefer the ventilation shafts to be in a less vibrant colour.
10/01519/CAC / B & P Properties Ltd - Mr M Ponting / 5 Butchers Row / Demolition of the rear section of the existing building. / No objections
10/01575/OUT / Standard Life Investments / Formerley Sapa Profiles UK Southam Road / Re-development of former factory site for employment uses (Use classes B1, B2 and B8) with associated car parking, servicing and landscaping. / No objections, welcome the redevelopment of this site for employment, but would like to see the retention of the locally listed Gatehouse. Re-development must have due regard to the Listed Office Buildings.
10/01600/F / Lexington Continental Traders Ltd / Ground Floor Oriel House Broad Street / Change of use from A1 Commercial to C3 Residential - Conversion of the existing retail unit to 2no. Apartments. Removal of signs fixed to the east elevation. / Object to the change of use. The ground floor should remain retail/commercial use.
10/01569/ADV / Specsavers / Specsavers 29 Bridge Street / 2no. Internally illuminated fascia panel signs / No objections
10/01583/TPO / Banbury Town Council / Horton View Sports Ground Horton View / Various tree works - subject to TPO 4/2000 / No comment as this is a Town Council Application
10/01641/F / Banbury Madni Mosque / Banbury Mosque Merton Street / Variation of condition 15 of planning permission 07/01808/F - Retention of temporary building until completion of development. / No objections provided for a further limited period only.
10/01518/F / B & P Properties Ltd - Mr M Ponting / 5 Butchers Row / Demolition of the rear section of the existing building. Change of use of the ground floor front section to A1 retail. Creation of 1 additional flat within the existing building and the construction of 7 single bedroom flats. / No objections
10/00291/TCA / Mr Craig Beck / Ivydene 1 The Leys / T1 x broadleaf - Fell / No objections