The Minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2019 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The following question was asked by Evelyn Williams:

Double Sided LED Digital Smart Screen, Station Approach

There are two issues relating to this planning application (180410) which was approved on 28 June 2018:

1. After installation of the screen the site was dug up again and a raised plinth built which appears to support the angled stand.  This is not part of the design in the planning application; it is not what the applicant said they would do.

2. There appears, to date, to be no evidence of any of the purported community benefits claimed by the applicant, which was a major selling point of the scheme based on their experience in other towns; Section 6.5 of their Planning Statement – see below. None of the voluntary groups which attended the Art and Heritage Forum in January, apart from CAAC / RCS members, were aware of the proposed Public Benefits of the screens. None were aware of any mechanism by which Community groups were able to place “adverts” on the screen.

Clarity is sought:

1. Should any action be taken re the variance of implementation versus approved design?
2. Has the company taken any action at all to make community groups aware of how they can advertise themselves?
3. How can voluntary groups across Reading, and more widely, apply to advertise themselves, their events and projects.

REPLY by the Chair of the Planning Applications Committee (Councillor Maskell):

1.     Advertisement consent (ref. 180410) was granted for a double sided LED digital smart screen at planning applications committee in June 2018. The screen, as installed, includes a small plinth at the base which is not shown on the approved plans. The screen operator has advised that the plinth was added to the structure to make entry into the ground of the stand supporting the screen appear neater and more aesthetically pleasing.

The plinth is modest in size at 1.87m in width, 0.82m in depth and 0.3m in height (only marginally larger than the stand itself in terms of area) and has been constructed of pavers to match the existing station concourse area and does not appear to be a prominent addition to the screen structure. Officers do not consider that the plinth results in any harm to visual amenity or public safety, which are the relevant considerations for advertisement consent applications. Officers therefore do not recommend that any further action is required by either the applicant or the Council as Local Planning Authority.

2.     The supporting statement submitted as part of the advertisement consent application for the screen makes reference to its potential community benefits through opportunities for local businesses, charities and community groups to advertise on the screen for free or at discounted rates. However, there is no condition on the advertisement consent decision requiring that the screen must be made available for such uses so this is at the discretion of the screen operator.  With applications for advertisement consent the only relevant considerations are the impact of the advertisement upon amenity and public safety. Therefore,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted, at the meeting, a schedule of applications to be considered at future meetings of the Committee to enable Councillors to decide which sites, if any, they wished to visit prior to determining the relevant applications.

Resolved -   

That the under-mentioned applications, together with any additional applications which the Head of Planning, Development and Regulatory Services might consider appropriate, be the subject of accompanied site visits In June 2019:

(i)      New Appeals

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a schedule giving details of notification received from the Planning Inspectorate regarding a planning appeal, the method of determination for which she had already expressed a preference in accordance with delegated powers, which was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

(ii)     Appeals Recently Determined

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted details of a decision that had been made by the Secretary of State, or by an Inspector appointed for the purpose, which were attached as Appendix 2 to the report.

(iii)       Reports on Appeal Decisions

There were no reports on appeal decisions.

Resolved –   

(1)      That the new appeal, as set out in Appendix 1, be noted;

(2)      That the outcome of the recently determined appeal, as set out in Appendix 2, be noted.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report giving details in Table 1 of eight pending prior approval applications, and in Table 2 of five applications for prior approval decided between 22 March and 10 April 2019.

Resolved –     That the report be noted.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report setting out details of performance in development management (applications, appeals, enforcement and associated services) during 2018/19.

Resolved -      That the report be noted.

Erection of a part 13-storey, part 23 storey building comprising 338 apartments in a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units, residents' lounges, tech-hub, dining room, and cinema room, various rooftop outdoor amenity spaces, concierge/reception with coffee meeting area, gym, residents' storage facilities, postroom, ancillary back-of-house facilities, 338 secure cycle parking spaces, car parking spaces, landscaping, and associated works (revision to planning permission 162166 dated 23/11/2017) (Part Retrospective).

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting which gave information on revised plans received and an update on affordable housing.

Comments and objections were received and considered.

Objectors Gillian Irvine and Richard Stainthorp, and James Croucher and Hugo Haig on behalf of the applicant, attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this application.

Resolved –    That the application be refused for the reasons set out in the original report, with the informatives as recommended in the original report.

Erection of two storey sports facility with external viewing gallery and associated parking.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application. 

Comments were received and considered.

Resolved -

(1)      That the Head of Planning, Development and Regulatory Services be authorised to grant planning permission, subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement by 30 May 2019 (unless a later date be agreed by the Head of Planning, Development and Regulatory Services), to secure the Heads of Terms set out in the report;

(2)      That, in the event of the requirements set out not being met, the Head of Planning, Development and Regulatory Services be authorised to refuse permission;

(3)      That planning permission be subject to the conditions and informatives recommended in the report.

Change of use to 6 bedroom HMO, single storey rear extension and garage conversion.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  Attached to the report at Appendix 1 were amended plans for bicycle and bin store and car parking and at Appendix B was the report submitted to the meeting held on 3 April 2019, when the application had been deferred.

Comments and objections were received and considered.

Resolved –

That planning permission for application 182152/FUL be granted subject to the conditions and informatives as recommended in the report, with an additional informative clarifying that the C4 use was limited use to six persons only and an additional condition regarding hours of construction work and deliveries.

Proposed construction of 12 apartments (1 x 1 bed, 11 x 2 bed) with associated car parking, landscaping and open space, and infrastructure provision.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting which gave information on a further consultation response received.

Comments and objections were received and considered.

Resolved -

(1)      That the Head of Planning, Development and Regulatory Services be authorised to grant planning permission, subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement by 31 May 2019 (unless a later date be agreed by the Head of Planning, Development and Regulatory Services), to secure the Heads of Terms set out in the original report;

(2)      That, in the event of the requirements set out not being met, the Head of Planning, Development and Regulatory Services be authorised to refuse permission;

(3)      That planning permission be subject to the conditions and informatives recommended in the original report.