Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

8.       Land Adjoining And North Of Playing Field The Bourne Hook Norton

          Councillor Amanda Watkins Other Registerable Interest, as a local resident.

10.     Oxford South Depot, 1 Woodstock Road, Yarnton, OX5 1NY

Councillor Fiona Mawson, Other Registerable Interest, as a member of Yarnton Parish Council.

The Chairman to report on any requests to address the meeting.

Please note that the deadline for requests to address the meeting is noon on the working day before the meeting. Addresses can be made virtually or in person.

The Chairman advised that requests to address the meeting would be dealt with at each item.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 February 2025.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2025 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

The Chairman advised that, following discussion with the Head of Planning and Development and Democratic and Elections, due to a number of applications requiring determination by Planning Committee in April and May, to ensure the applications were dealt with in the required timeframe, it had been agreed to hold additional Planning Committee meetings: 4pm on Thursday 10 April and 4pm on Thursday 15 May. Meetings requests would be sent to Committee members and named substitutes.

With regards the 15 May meeting. Members were advised that the membership of the Committee would remain without change until the Annual Council meeting on 21 May 2025. At this meeting Committee memberships for the 2025/2026 municipal year would be confirmed. At the conclusion of the Annual Council meeting, Committees would hold short meetings to appoint their Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the 2025/2026 municipal year.

There were no items of urgent business.

The Committee to consider requests for and proposed pre-committee site visits.

Any requests or recommendations for site visits will be published with the written update.

There were no proposed pre-committee site visits.

Approved in line with officer recommendation, subject to conditions, completion of a S106 legal agreement and overcoming objections from local

Lead Flood Authority and Nature Space. Details to be set out in the minutes. 

The Committee considered application 24/01948/OUT, a full application for an outline application for up to 71 dwellings (Use Class C3) with associated

open space and vehicular access at The Bourne, Hook Norton for L&Q Estates, Helena Paula Clarke, James William Cl.

Councillor Eddie Reeves addressed the committee as Local Ward Member.

Liz Sparrow, on behalf of Hook Norton Parish Council addressed the Committee in objection to the application.

Richard Crosthwaite addressed the Committee as the Applicant in support of the application.

It was proposed by Councillor Rogers and seconded by Councillor Brant that application 24/01948/OUT be refused, contrary to the officer recommendation, for the reasons that there was a lack of a S106 agreement, that the proposed development would be unsustainable as well as cause harm to the surrounding village and contrary to policy reasons Village 1, Village 2, ESD13 and ESD15.

The proposal was debated. On being put to the vote, the motion was lost and therefore fell.

It was subsequently proposed by Councillor Conway and seconded by councillor Thornhill that application 24/01948/OUT be approved, in line with the officer recommendation. 

In reaching its decision the Committee considered the officer’s report and presentation, written updates and the addresses of the public speakers.

Resolved

That, in line with the officer’s recommendation, authority be delegated to the Assistant Director for Planning and Development to grant permission for application 24/01948/OUT subject to:

(a)      No objections from nature space and lead local flood

Authority

(b)      The entering into a s106 to include the contributions and

Infrastructure as set out in the annex to the minutes (as set out in the minute book) (and to the

Conditions set out below (and any amendments to those

Obligations as deemed necessary); and

(c)      The conditions set out below (and any amendments to

Those conditions as deemed necessary)

CONDITIONS

Time Limit

1. Application for approval of all the reserved matters shall be made to the Local Planning Authority before the expiration of one year from the date of this

permission and the development hereby permitted shall be begun either before the expiration of two years from the date of this permission or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved whichever is the later.

Reason: To comply with the provisions of Section 92 of the Town and Country

Planning Act 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and Article 5(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure (England)) Order 2015 (as amended).

2. Details of the layout, scale, appearance, access, and landscaping (hereafter referred to as 'the reserved matters') shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before any development takes place and the development shall be carried out as approved.

Reason: To comply with the provisions of Section 92 of the Town and Country

Planning Act 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory  ...  view the full minutes text for item 123.

Refused against officer recommendation. Reasons to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application 24/00572/F for the demolition of existing bungalow and construction of two houses – resubmission of 23/02203/F at Fourways, North Street, Islip, OX5 2SQ for Mr Paul Bell.

Councillor Gemma Coton addressed the committee as Local Ward Member.

Sami Cohen addressed the committee as a local resident and on behalf of Islip Parish Council in objection to the application.

Paul Southouse addressed the committee as the applicant in support of the application.

It was proposed by Councillor Parkinson and seconded by Councillor Conway that application 24/00572/F be refused, against the officer recommendation, as it was contrary to policies ESD15, saved policies C28 and C30 (exact wording for reasons for refusal to be delegated to officers).

In reaching its decision the Committee considered the officers report and presentation, addresses from the public speakers and the written updates.   

Resolved 

That, contrary to the officer’s recommendation, application 24/00572/F be refused for the following reason:

1.     By virtue of the topography of the surrounding area and its exposed isolated location, the proposed solar farm, which would be visible from several public vantage points, would have a significant adverse landscape impact. The benefits of the scheme do not outweigh the harm identified. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies ESD5, ESD10, ESD13, and ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1, saved Policy C28 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996 and the National Planning Policy Framework.    

Approved in line with officer recommendation, subject to conditions, details to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application 24/02872/F for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility and associated infrastructure at Oxford South Depot, 1 Woodstock Road, Yarnton, OX5 1NY for Renewable Connections Developments Limited.

Jack Halstead, the applicant, addressed the Committee in support of the application.

In reaching its decision the Committee considered the officers report and presentation, addresses from the public speakers and the written updates.  

Resolved

That, in line with the officer’s recommendation, authority be delegated to the Assistant Director for Planning and Development to grant permission for application 24/02872/F subject to:

(a)      No objections from the council’s ecologist following

Receipt of final ecology report and

(b)      The conditions set out below (and any amendments to those conditions as deemed necessary)

CONDITIONS

Time Limit

1. The development to which this permission relates shall be begun not later than

the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

Reason - To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country

Planning Act 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory

Purchase Act 2004.

Compliance with Plans

2. Except where otherwise stipulated by conditions attached to this permission,

the development shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the form and

following approved plans: RCN 1016 SP 01 rev 4, RCN 1016 DZ 01 rev 5, RCN

1016 220 rev 1, RCN 1016 221 rev 1, RCN 1016 226 rev 1, RCN 1016 230 rev

0, RCN 1016 222 rev 1, RCN 1016 232 rev 0, RCN 1016 250 rev 1, RCN 1016

255 rev 1, RCN 1016 231 rev 0, RCN 1016 PLE 02 rev 10, 8127 ASP4 LSP rev

E, 1676 TCP 001 rev A, 1676 TPP 003 rev B, 1676 AIP 002 rev B, and

unnumbered drawing ‘Hydrant tank 228m3 effective capacity’.

Reason – For the avoidance of doubt, to ensure that the development is carried

out only as approved by the Local Planning Authority and comply with

Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy

Framework.

Temporary Permission

3. The permission shall expire no later than 40 years from its first operational use.

Written confirmation of the date of the first operational use shall be provided to

the Local Planning Authority no later than one calendar month after the event.

Reason - In order to safeguard the amenities of the area and to comply with

Policy ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1 and saved Policy

C28 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996 and Government guidance contained

within the National Planning Policy Framework.

4. Not later than 24 months before the end of this permission, a decommissioning

and site restoration scheme shall be submitted to and approved by the Local

Planning Authority, such scheme to include the management and timing of any

works and traffic management plan to address likely traffic impact issues during

the decommissioning period. The approved scheme shall be fully implemented

within 12 months of the expiry of this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 125.

Report of Assistant Director Planning and Development

Purpose of report

To keep Members informed about planning appeal progress including decisions received and the scheduling of public inquiries and hearings for new and current appeals.

Recommendations

The Planning Committee resolves:

1.1           To note the position on planning appeals contained within the report.

Resolved 

(1)      That the position statement be accepted.

The Assistant Director Planning and Development submitted a report which informed Members about planning appeal progress including decisions received and the scheduling of public inquiries and hearings for new and current appeals.

Resolved

(1)          That the position statement be accepted.