Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading RG1 2LU (there will be a very limited number of socially distanced seats available for the public in the Council Chamber)

Contact: Nicky Simpson - Committee Services Email: (nicky.simpson@reading.gov.uk)  0118 9372112

Media

Items
No. Item

8.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 113 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 2 June 2021 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

 

Further to Minute 5 of the previous meeting it was agreed to circulate the Council’s final response to the consultation on changes to permitted development rights for electronic communications infrastructure to all members of the Committee.

9.

Questions pdf icon PDF 87 KB

Minutes:

Councillor Josh Williams asked the Chair of the Planning Applications Committee:

 

Heritage Assets

 

Reading's Local Plan says, ‘The Council will monitor buildings and other heritage assets at risk through neglect, decay or other threats, proactively seeking solutions for assets at risk … and, as a last resort, using its statutory powers.’ Can the Chair please tell us which at risk buildings the Council is currently monitoring, and what proactive solutions it is seeking for those buildings? Can the Chair also tell us what are, in the last resort, the Council's statutory powers?

 

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

 

I thank Cllr Williams for his question.

 

Reading Borough Council currently has two buildings on Historic England’s ‘heritage at risk register’, and one Conservation Area.

 

The buildings are: (1) a small part of the Abbey Ruins (arch) and (2) Chazey Farm Tithe Barn.

 

We are expecting that the Abbey Ruins should be able to come off the list with all elements having been restored.

 

Monitoring of Chazey Farm Barn has taken place since the work to protect the structure was carried out last year after a warning notice was served on the relevant parties.

 

The Conservation Area at risk is the Castle Hill/Russell Street/Oxford Road area. We have recently adopted a reappraisal and enlargement of this area and initiatives are currently being looked at through the High Street Heritage Action Zone programme with support from Historic England to remove the area from being at risk.

 

In terms of other privately-owned buildings at risk, using the resources that we have, discussions between Council Officers and the agents for the owners and internal inspection by officers would be carried out. If urgent works are needed to weatherproof and protect the building, using powers provided by section 54 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, a schedule of works required for the urgent preservation of the building is drawn up and sent to all parties with an interest in the building putting them on notice to carry out these works.  This is an Urgent Works Notice.  If no action is taken, section 55 of the same Act allows the Council to undertake the works and to then recover the costs from the interested parties. 

 

Other options include:

1.       listed building enforcement notices under s38 and prosecution for any failure to comply under s43; and

2.       s215 (untidy site) notices;

3.       Compulsory Purchase Order for a listed building in need of urgent works.

10.

Planning Appeals pdf icon PDF 123 KB

Minutes:

(i) New Appeals

 

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a schedule giving details of a notification received from the Planning Inspectorate regarding a planning appeal.  It was reported at the meeting that this was not a new appeal and had been listed in error.

 

(ii) Appeals Recently Determined

 

The Executive Director for Economic Growth 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 was attached as Appendix 2 to the report.

 

(iii) Reports on Appeal Decisions

 

There were no appeal decision reports submitted.

 

Resolved –   

 

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

11.

Site Visits

Minutes:

At the meeting it was proposed and agreed that site visits be arranged for the applications relating to Bristol & West Arcade and Reading Golf Club. For future meetings of the Committee officers would submit a list of applications for potential site visits in line with previous practice prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Resolved

 

(1)           That the under-mentioned application, together with any additional applications which the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services might consider appropriate, be the subject of an accompanied site visit:

 

210163 – Bristol & West Arcade, Market Place

Demolition of vacant former Bristol & West Arcade (173-175 Friar Street) and redevelopment of site including minor excavations at basement level to provide an 8-storey building to provide a hotel (C1 use) of up to 182 beds, creation of a bar/restaurant/gym at ground floor associated with the hotel and the provision of ancillary facilities including outdoor terrace, demolition of rear parts of 29-31 and 32 Market Place, the change of use of the retained units at 27-28, 29-31 and 32 Market Place at first, second and third floors to provide 8 residential units, retention of flexible Class E uses at ground and basement floors.

 

(2)           That the under-mentioned application, together with any additional applications which the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services might consider appropriate, be the subject of an unaccompanied site visit:

 

210018 – Reading Golf Club, Kidmore End Road, Emmer Green

Outline planning application, with matters reserved in respect of Appearance, for demolition of the existing clubhouse and the erection of a new residential-led scheme (c3 use to include affordable housing) and the provision of community infrastructure at Reading Golf Club

 

12.

Applications for Prior Approval pdf icon PDF 236 KB

Minutes:

13.

200142/FUL - 109B Oxford Road pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Proposal

Change of use from Sui Generis (betting shop) to Class E restaurant with ancillary Sui Generis takeaway and replacement shopfront (Part retrospective) 

Recommendation

Application Permitted

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Change of use from Sui Generis (betting shop) to Class E restaurant with ancillary Sui Generis takeaway and replacement shopfront (Part retrospective)

 

Further to Minute 91 of the meeting held on 31 March 2021, the Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting which set out additional information on design/materials and kitchen extraction.

 

It was reported at the meeting that information had been received on the day of the meeting which indicated that the specification of the odour control equipment at the premises was not as stated in the application.  In consultation with officers in Environmental Protection it had been agreed that it was not safe to proceed with consideration of the application and that it should therefore be deferred to allow further investigation.

 

Resolved –

 

          That consideration of application 200142/FUL be deferred to allow further investigation of the odour control equipment.

14.

210223/FUL and 210224/LBC - 1-15 Queen Victoria Street and 147-148 Friar Street pdf icon PDF 4 MB

Proposal

Part demolition of rear of site. Repair and refurbishment of listed building. Change of use of upper floors from office (Use Class E(g)) to apart hotel (Use Class C1). Erection of a three - storey rear extension with mansard. Erection of a part-single, part-two storey rear addition (Use Class E(a) or (b)). Alterations to ground floor principle façade. Creation of public square, and associated works. 

Recommendation

210223/FUL - Permitted subject to Legal Agreement

210224/LBC - Application Permitted

 

Minutes:

Part demolition of rear of site. Repair and refurbishment of listed building. Change of use of upper floors from office (Use Class E(g)) to apart hotel (Use Class C1). Erection of a three - storey rear extension with mansard. Erection of a part-single, part-two storey rear addition (Use Class E(a) or (b)). Alterations to ground floor principle façade. Creation of public square, and associated works.

 

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

 

Comments were received and considered.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)           That the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to grant full planning permission for application 210223/FUL subject to completion of a S106 legal agreement by 30 July 2021 (unless a later date be agreed by the Assistant 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 Assistant 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 report;

 

(4)      That listed building consent for application 210224/LBC be granted, subject to the conditions and informatives recommended in the report.

15.

210584/LBC - 61 Baker Street pdf icon PDF 526 KB

Proposal

Listed Building Consent for proposed repairs to windows

Recommendation

Application Permitted

 

Minutes:

Listed Building Consent for proposed repairs to windows

 

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

 

Comments were received and considered.

 

Resolved –

 

          That listed building consent for application 210584/LBC be granted, subject to the conditions and informatives as recommended in the report.

16.

201842/FUL & 201853/FUL - Brunel Retail Park, Rose Kiln Lane pdf icon PDF 3 MB

201842/FUL

 

 

Proposal

Continued use of Units 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5 and 6a within Class E providing a ground floor area of 11,329 square metres following consolidation of the Retail Park 

Recommendation

Application Permitted

 

 

201853/FUL

 

 

Proposal

Demolition of existing buildings. Erection of 2no. buildings for use within Classes E(g)(iii), B2 and B8, along with access and servicing arrangements, car parking, landscaping and associated works. 

Recommendation

Application Permitted

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

201853/FUL - Demolition of existing buildings. erection of 2no. buildings for use within Classes E(g)(iii), B2 and B8, along with access and servicing arrangements, car parking, landscaping and associated works.

 

201842/FUL - Continued use of Units 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5 and 6a within Class E following consolidation of the Retail Park (amended description)

 

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above applications.  An update report was tabled at the meeting which set out amended and additional information on transport, noise, sustainability, SuDS and amended plans submitted. The report also set out a late neighbour consultation response and explained that it had been agreed with the applicant that the description for application 201842 be amended, to remove reference to the overall floorspace for the retained retail units.  An amended condition on visibility spays and an additional condition on tree replacement were recommended.

 

Comments and objections were received and considered.

 

Objector Adam Boulding, from Kennet Island Reading Residents Management Company, submitted a written statement, in lieu of speaking to the Committee, which had been circulated with the update report. Tim Rainbird, the applicant’s agent, addressed the Committee.

 

At the meeting the following were proposed and agreed:

·       An additional condition to require a net gain in biodiversity were only Phase 1 of application 201853/FUL to be implemented;

·       An additional condition to control the hours of use for testing of alarms and maximum noise from alarms;

·       Amendment of the proposed construction method statement condition to include any measures required to prevent the use of Kennet Island as a route to and from the site;

·       An additional condition for a delivery management plan to include measures to prevent the use of Kennet Island as a route to and from the site.

 

The additional conditions to be agreed in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee and Ward Councillors.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)      That planning permission for application 201853/FUL be granted subject to the conditions and informatives as recommended in the original report, with the amended and additional conditions as recommended in the update report and the additional and amended conditions agreed at the meeting;

 

(2)      That the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee and Ward Councillors, to finalise the proposed additional and amended conditions agreed at the meeting;

 

(3)      That planning permission for application 201842/FUL be granted subject to the conditions and informatives as recommended in the original report.