The minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2022 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted 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, and a list of previously agreed site visits.

Resolved –

(1)      That the under-mentioned applications, together with any additional applications which the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services might consider appropriate, be the subject of unaccompanied site visits:

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

(i)       New Appeals

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report stating that there had been no notifications received from the Planning Inspectorate regarding planning appeals.

(ii)      Appeals Recently Determined

There had been no decisions made by the Secretary of State, or by an Inspector appointed for the purpose.

(iii)     Reports on Appeal Decisions

There were no reports on appeal decisions.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report giving details in Table 1 of four prior approval applications received, and in Table 2 of three applications for prior approval decided, between 23 September and 24 October 2022.

Resolved –    That the report be noted.

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report asking the Committee to select a street name for a development of seven properties on the site of the former Gardener’s Arms Public House, Surley Row. A plan of the site detailing the street layout was attached at Appendix 1.

The report listed four suggested appropriate names that had been consulted on with or suggested by Ward Councillors and the report stated that, if none of the proposed names were considered suitable, the Committee should select an alternative from the Approved Street Names List which was attached to the report at Appendix 2. 

Resolved -    That the new road be named The Gardeners.

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on how the Planning Service had performed over the first two quarters of 2022/23 in terms of meeting government-set targets for dealing with planning applications, success at planning appeals and other measures. Details of the types of applications handled and other services provided, including Building Control, for Quarters 1 and 2 (April - September 2022) were provided with comparison data from the previous year.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

Proposal

The provision of a Cycle Hub in a vacant Retail Unit at 32-41 West Street, Reading RG1 1 TZ, requiring an application for Change of Use involving Cycle Parking/Storage and maintenance.

Recommendation

Application Permitted.

The provision of a Cycle Hub in a vacant Retail Unit at 32-41 West Street, Reading RG1 1 TZ, requiring an application for Change of Use involving Cycle Parking/Storage and maintenance.

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

Comments were received and considered.

The Committee noted that the planned opening hours were only 7am to 7pm but there was no proposed condition restricting opening hours, so it was suggested that an additional informative should be added to encourage the venue to be mindful of the impact of noise and disturbance on local residents.

Resolved –

That, pursuant to Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992, the carrying out of the development 220304/REG3 be authorised, subject to no substantive objections being received by 7 November 2022, subject to the conditions and informatives as recommended and an additional informative regarding noise and disturbance issues.