The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 October 2020 were agreed as a correct record.

(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 eight planning appeals, 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 seven 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 a report on the following appeal decisions in Appendix 3 and in an update report:

190160 – ALEXANDER HOUSE, 205-207 KINGS ROAD

Demolition of existing office building and construction of new 182 bed student accommodation development, over 7 storeys of accommodation plus lower ground floor, together with ancillary landscaping, parking and amenity space.

Hearing.

Appeal dismissed.

191267 – 69 NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE

First floor rear/side extension to facilitate 1no additional self-contained flat. Resubmission of 190719. 

Written representations.

Appeal dismissed.

200169 – 35 NORRIS ROAD

Change of use from a C3 dwellinghouse to a small HMO (C4).

Written representations.

Appeal dismissed.

191312 – LAND ADJACENT TO 17 BERKSHIRE DRIVE, TILEHURST

Demolition of existing garage block and construction of one bedroom dwelling.

Written representations.

Appeal dismissed.

182114 – LAND ADJACENT TO THORPE HOUSE, COLLIERS WAY

Outline application for proposed residential redevelopment to provide 6 no. 3-bedroom dwellinghouses.

Written representations.

Appeal dismissed.

Resolved –   

(1)      That the new appeals, 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 and the update report be noted.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report giving details in Table 1 of 19 prior approval applications received, and in Table 2 of twelve applications for prior approval decided, since 24 September 2020.

The report also explained that it was still not clear how recent changes to the Use Classes Order which had taken effect from 1 September 2020 would affect the applications for change of use prior approvals.

Resolved –    That the report be noted.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking approval for the addition of five new street names to the Street Names Proposals List.  The report had appended the existing Street Name Proposals list.

The five new suggested names were Day, Barnes, Goldsmith, Jones and Hanley.

The report explained that checks had been undertaken for duplicate or similar names in Reading and only “Barnes” had been found to have similar existing street names.  It was therefore suggested that Barnes could be used in Tilehurst or Caversham localities to avoid confusion with existing streets.

Resolved –   

(1)      That the five new names be approved for adding to the Street Names Proposals list, to be available for selection by the Committee for future street name allocation, subject to (2) below;

(2)      That the name Barnes be allocated in Tilehurst or Caversham only.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking approval to the principle of revising the process and level of decision-making for placing buildings or structures onto the Local List of Reading’s important buildings. The report had appended:

Appendix 1 - Equality Impact Assessment

Appendix 2 – The current local listing process

Appendix 3 – Outline Local Listing Process under Option 1

Appendix 4 - Outline Local Listing Process under Option 2

Appendix 5 – The nominations form for local listing

The report stated that the current local listing process had been agreed by Cabinet on 18 February 2013 (Minute 129 refers) and the Committee had committed to a review of the process for local listing on 19 October 2019 (Minute 59 refers).

The existing procedure for assessing nominations was made internally by Council staff, checking against criteria set out in the Local Plan, through a delegation to officers in consultation with the Lead Councillor. However, there was a movement for the local community to be more actively involved in the planning process. A Conservation and Urban Design Officer had recently been appointed and a review of the procedure for adding an item on to the local list had been undertaken. The report set out details of the resulting four possible options for consideration by the Committee, summarised below:

Option 1:      To make the process more inclusive of the community, a sub-committee could be formed to assess and decide on local nominations. It would include six representatives:

·       2 x Councillors (Lead Members for Culture, Heritage and Recreation and Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport);

·       Conservation Officer plus a senior Planning Officer/Manager;

·       2 x local community representation from Conservation Area Advisory Committee (CAAC).

Representations would be invited from landowners, Ward Councillors and relevant local community groups prior to the decision, which would then be reported to Planning Applications Committee for information.

Option 2:      Assessment of the Local Listing nomination application could be done by the Conservation and Urban Design Officer in consultation with CAAC, landowners, Ward Councillors and local community groups as required. This would then be reported to Planning Applications Committee for decision.

Option 3:      This would be a combination of Options 1 and 2, in that the sub-committee could make a recommendation for endorsement by the Planning Applications Committee.

Option 4:      Continue with the current process, as set out in Appendix 2. This procedure was handled internally by Council staff, with little input by the local community. This option was not recommended.

The report recommended that Option 2, using the Planning Applications Committee as the decision body for local listing, should be pursued and that a more detailed proposal then be brought back to a future Committee meeting for approval.

The report stated that a panel similar to the sub-committee in Option 1 could be set up on an informal basis as a temporary working group to deal with the extensive list of existing suggestions, mainly from the CAAC. 

It was suggested at the meeting that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

Demolition of existing buildings and construction of 40 flats including provision of 30% of units as affordable housing with associated landscaping and parking. 

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting giving an update on affordable housing and details of revised plans submitted to attempt to deal with concerns regarding bin storage and parking.  The update report recommended an additional condition omitted in error from the original report and some amendments to conditions for clarification.  It was reported at the meeting that no further response had been received from the Access Officer and that the Environment Agency had responded that the application should be seen against standing advice and that they were not to be consulted.

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 201420/FUL subject to completion of a S106 legal agreement by 25 January 2021 (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 original 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 recommended in the original report, with the amendments and additional condition set out in the update report;

(4)      That the condition relating to materials, and particularly the red brick facing of the development, be agreed in consultation with the Conservation & Urban Design Officer and Ward Councillors.

Construction of three residential buildings (Use Class C3) ranging in height from 5 to 20 storeys above Broad Street Mall (Site E to provide 42 units, Site B to provide up to 134 Units and Site A to provide up to 148 units) and provision of a podium level amenity area. Site C - construction of 16 storeys above Broad Street Mall (total of 18 storeys from ground level on South Court) comprising ground and first floor retail (Use Class A1/A2/A3) and residential over upper floors (Use Class C3, to provide up to 98 units). Creation of ground floor retail units (Use Class A1/A3/A4) fronting Dusseldorf Way and ground floor retail (Use Class A1/A2/A3) fronting Queens Walk, all necessary enabling and alteration works required within the existing Broad Street Mall basement, ground and upper floors. Associated car park alterations, provision of servicing and refuse storage, cycle parking, public realm, landscape, and other associated works.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report to explain changes to the description of the above application to clarify the building heights involved and to seek approval of the landscaping condition for the car park deck. 

Comments were received and considered.

Gary Lewis and Paul Turner, representing the applicant, attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this application. 

Resolved –

(1)      That the amended description of development be noted;

(2)      That consideration of the landscaping condition be deferred for further discussions between planning officers, interested members of the Planning Applications Committee and the applicant about the details of the possibilities for greening of the car park.

Redevelopment to provide 15,080 sqm (GEA) of class B1(c), B2 or B8 floor space in four buildings, with associated external yards, car and cycle parking, landscaping, and all related and ancillary works (amended).

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting giving details of a letter received from the applicant (appended to the update report), further information on biodiversity and clarification on the watercourse near the development.  A verbal update was also given at the meeting on the planning officer’s view on biodiversity and woodland following the receipt of the latest information.

Comments and an objection 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 192054/FUL subject to completion of a S106 legal agreement by 29 January 2021 (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 original 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 recommended in the original report;

(4)      That the Landscape Management and Maintenance Plan and the SUDS plan be agreed in consultation with the Chair and Ward Councillors.