Agenda and minutes

Venue: Online meeting via Microsoft Teams

Contact: Simon Hill - Committee Services Email: (simon.hill@reading.gov.uk)  0118 9372303

Link: Link to observe meeting

Media

Items
No. Item

139.

Protocol for online meetings of the Planning Applications Committee pdf icon PDF 188 KB

The Chair will outline the arrangements for online meetings of the Planning Applications Committee. The attached protocol is due to be considered at the meeting of the Policy Committee on 27 April 2020.

Minutes:

The Chair reported that the Coronavirus Act 2020 had paved the way for temporary changes to Regulations governing public meetings held by local authorities, including those held by local planning authorities, to allow the meetings to be conducted using media systems to be attended remotely by officers, members and the public and press during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

At its meeting on 27 April 2020, the Policy Committee had considered a report containing proposed protocols for holding online meetings of the Policy Committee, Planning Applications Committee and Licensing Applications Sub-Committees 1 and 2.  The Policy Committee had approved the online meeting protocols (Minute 90 refers) and a copy of the Planning Applications Committee protocol had been included in the papers for the Planning Applications Committee on 29 April 2020. 

The Protocol outlined some changes to facilitate successful online meetings of the Planning Applications Committee, by reducing the number of participants and the complexity of the meetings, including amendments to public participation and attendance.  The meeting would consist of ten members and would include members from all political groups represented on the Council. 

The Policy Committee had also agreed the following amendment to the Protocol:

That current members of the Policy Committee and Planning Applications Committee not included in the reduced memberships be entitled to act as substitutes on the Committee in place of a member of their Group; and where a Group had only one member of the Policy Committee or Planning Application Committee appointed in the current year (2019/20), the Group Leader be entitled to nominate a substitute member, in the event that their Group member was unable to attend the Committee and the Assistant Director of Legal & Democratic Services be authorised to appoint that Councillor as a substitute member of the relevant Committee (and this substitute provision be included in the meeting protocols for Policy Committee and Planning Applications Committee).

In order to reduce the amount of business required to be decided by the Planning Applications Committee during the pandemic, the Policy Committee had also approved an increase to officer delegations to determine some minor planning applications and Tree Preservation Orders, as set out in Appendix B to the Policy Committee report.  It had agreed that a schedule of those applications where delegations had been changed would be presented to each Planning Applications Committee for information. 

Resolved –    That the report be noted.

140.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 154 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2020 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

141.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Councillor Ennis declared an interest in Items 146 (190848/REG3 – 73 Brunswick Street) and 148 (190706/REG3 – 76 Circuit Lane) as Lead Councillor for Housing.

142.

Potential Site Visits for Committee Items pdf icon PDF 116 KB

Minutes:

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report which explained that, normally, the report would accompany a list of sites where, due to the sensitive or important nature of the proposals, Councillors were advised that a site visit might be appropriate before the meeting of the next Committee (or at a future date) and to confirm how the visit would be arranged.  It stated that, with the current measures to enforce social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, it would not be appropriate for officers to recommend that Councillors make any site visits for the time being. 

It was explained at the meeting that, where appropriate, officers would circulate a combination of photographs and video footage to Councillors in place of site visits prior to applications being considered at the Committee.

Resolved -   

That no site visits take place until the current social distancing measures were lifted and, where appropriate, officers circulate information to Councillors in place of site visits.

143.

Planning Appeals pdf icon PDF 128 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(i)       New Appeals

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a schedule giving details of notification received from the Planning Inspectorate regarding one 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 Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted details of six decisions 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

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted reports on the following appeal decisions in Appendix 3:

190544/TPO – 2 FERNDALE CLOSE, TILEHURST

To fell one Lawson Cypress (T10 of TPO) in the rear garden.

Written representations.

Appeal dismissed.

191031/TPO – 7A DELLWOOD PARK, CAVERSHAM

Fell one Oak tree in the rear garden.

Written representations.

Appeal dismissed.

191592/TPO – BLAGRAVE HOUSE, UPPER WARREN AVENUE

Fell one False Acacia in the front garden.

Written representations.

Appeal dismissed.

Resolved –   

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

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

(3)      That the reports on the appeal decisions set out in Appendix 3 be noted.

144.

Applications for Prior Approval pdf icon PDF 226 KB

Minutes:

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report giving details in Table 1 of 17 pending prior approval applications, and in Table 2 of six applications for prior approval decided between 19 March and 20 April 2020.

Resolved –    That the report be noted.

145.

Annual Performance Monitoring Report - Development Management Service 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 171 KB

Minutes:

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 2019/20.

It was reported at the meeting that, in paragraph 4.3 of the report, the date of the most recently published performance tables should have read 25 March 2020.

Resolved -    That the report be noted.

146.

190848/REG3 - 72 Brunswick Street pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Proposal

Extension of  existing apartment building, conversion of redundant laundry, bin store and cycle storage space to create a one-bedroom apartment and provision of new communal refuse and cycle storage facilities. Resubmission of application 181853 

Recommendation

Application Permitted

 

Minutes:

Extension of existing apartment building, conversion of redundant laundry, bin store and cycle storage space to create a one-bedroom apartment and provision of new communal refuse and cycle storage facilities. Resubmission of application 181853.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application. 

Comments were received and considered.

Resolved –

(1)      That the Deputy Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to grant full planning permission for application 190848/REG3, subject to completion of a unilateral undertaking by 29 May 2020 (unless a later date be agreed by the Deputy Director of Planning, Transport 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 Deputy Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to refuse permission;

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

(Councillor Ennis declared an interest in this item, made a statement as Lead Councillor then abstained in the vote.  Nature of interest: Councillor Ennis was the Lead Councillor for Housing and been involved in the development of the scheme).

147.

191757/HOU - 10 Pegs Green Close pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Proposal

Two storey side/rear extensions and single storey front entrance porch, loft conversion with new dormer window and two Velux windows 

Recommendation

Application Permitted

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Two storey side/rear extension and single storey front and rear extensions, loft conversion with new dormer window and two Velux windows.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting that gave details of planning conditions and an amended plan received (appended to the update report).  It also addressed five statements of objection received from local residents and one statement received from the applicant, in lieu of public speaking, and copies of the statements were appended to the update report.  The recommendation had been amended to remove condition 4 as a result of receipt of the amended plan.

Comments and objections were received and considered.

Resolved –

 

That application 191757/FUL be refused for the following reasons:

(1)      By virtue of the prominent position of the application site within the street the combined width of the proposed two-storey side extension and large proportions of the proposed porch would have the cumulative effect of appearing out of scale with and not subservient to the design and proportions of the main house.  This would have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the street and by reducing the gap at the side would introduce a terracing effect in a street characterised by semi-detached properties.  This would be contrary to policies CC7 (Design and the Public Realm) and Policy H9 (House Extensions) of the Reading Borough Local Plan 2019;

(2)      The size, scale and position of the proposed two-storey rear extension would fail to appear as a suitable subservient addition to the host building by dominating the appearance of the rear of the house and would have an overbearing impact on adjacent neighbours and would harm their outlook contrary to policies CC8 (Safeguarding Amenities) and Policy H9 (House Extensions) of the Reading Borough Local Plan 2019.

148.

190706/REG3 - 76 Circuit Lane pdf icon PDF 549 KB

Proposal

Erection of one two bedroom dwelling.

Recommendation

Application Permitted

 

Minutes:

Erection of one two bedroom dwelling.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application. 

Comments were received and considered.

Resolved –

(1)      That the Deputy Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to grant full planning permission for application 190706/REG3, subject to completion of a unilateral undertaking by 29 May 2020 (unless a later date be agreed by the Deputy Director of Planning, Transport 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 Deputy Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to refuse permission;

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

 

(Councillor Ennis declared an interest in this item, made a statement as Lead Councillor then abstained in the vote.  Nature of interest: Councillor Ennis was the Lead Councillor for Housing and been involved in the development of the scheme).

149.

200339/FUL - Burghfield Road, Southcote pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Proposal

Removal of the existing 15m mast and erection of a new 25m lattice tower with a total of 12No. antenna (6No. EE and 6No. Huawei)  along with ancillary equipment mounted on a newly formed concrete foundation measuring 5.5m x 5.6m. The existing site compound would be retained and enlarged by a further 6.6m to an overall size of 13.2m x 6.6m all enclosed by a 2.5m high Palisade fence to match that of the existing. 

Recommendation

Application Permitted

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Removal of the existing 15m mast and erection of a new 25m lattice tower with a total of 12No. antenna (6No. EE and 6No. Huawei) along with ancillary equipment mounted on a newly formed concrete foundation measuring 5.5m x 5.6m. The existing site compound would be retained and enlarged by a further 6.6m to an overall size of 13.2m x 6.6m all enclosed by a 2.5m high Palisade fence to match that of the existing.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting which gave details of outstanding consultation responses received, had appended a copy of the appeal decision which had allowed the existing monopole on the site and corrected an error in the original report regarding the Reading Borough Council application number for that decision.

Comments and objections were received and considered.

The Committee requested that more information on the planning context of 5G masts, including on international guidelines for public exposure to non-ionising radiation and how these were enacted, be provided for a future meeting.

Resolved –

(1)      That consideration of application 200339/FUL be deferred, in order to obtain more information on the visual impact of the new structure on the surrounding area and to allow discussions with the applicant on how this impact might be mitigated and whether they would be agreeable to a pre-commencement condition to achieve this amelioration;

(2)      That an information report be prepared for a future meeting of the Committee on the planning context of 5G masts, including on information on how international guidelines for public exposure to non-ionising radiation were enacted.