MINUTES

ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING 25/03/2008

Present:   Cllrs Buckwell, Harries, Wilson, Liddiard, Pope, Nesbitt, Booth, Thompson, Ackworth Hudson
Minutes:  Lesley Blackwell

1. Apologies for absence

Chris Scorey

2. Declarations of Interest

Cllr Harries, Pope – Personal Acquaintance
Cllr Thompson – Neighbour to 27 Chilton way

3. Minutes of the meeting held on

The minutes were signed as correct By Cllr Booth. Proposed Cllr Harries, Cllr Pope, all in favour.

4. Planning Applications

08/00458/HOUSE          27 Chilton Way – Proposed single storey rear extension, new front
                                        porch, replace the existing UPVC cladding with timber weather
                                         boarding,, internal alterations and new 10000mm high timber pale
                                        fencing to the front garden boundary and replacement windows – Fence to be
                                        1 metre high.  No objections – Proposed Cllr Pope, seconded Cllr Booth, 9 in
                                        favour, 1 against – comments as follows -This is an open plan street scene. 
                                   There are some concerns about the introduction of fencing 100mm or 1000mm
                                        (two plans contradictory)

08/00468/HOUSE          26 Hamblin Meadow, Eddington – New rear extension – No objections –
                                        Proposed Cllr Ackworth, seconded Cllr Wilson, all in favour

08/00363/HOUSE          14 Fairview Road – Two storey rear extension – No objections – Proposed
                                        Cllr Ackworth, seconded Cllr Liddiard, all in favour.  This is a large extension
                                        with potential to be turned into a second dwelling.  We would like to see a
                                        condition restricting further redevelopment to second dwelling.

08/00321/FUL                Swangate, Charnham Park – Extension to existing building for
                                        storage and distribution – No objections – Proposed Cllr Booth, seconded Cllr
Wilson, 10 in favour, 2 abstentions.  No comments.

5. Case Officer’s Reports

06/02364/CERTE           1 Westbrook Close – Enclosure of land as part of garden cartilage
                                        within a fence line - Approval

08/00054/HOUSE          Linden Cottage, 21 Oxford Street – Demolition of existing                                                                           prefabricated garage and replacement with oak framed single garage
                                        and carport with studio/playroom above – Approval

08/00089/LBC2              2 Leverton – Conversion of store room to study – Approval

06/02448/FUL                Highclose Farm Shop, Bath Road – Extension to shop building and
                                        internal rearrangement to provide general purpose agricultural
                                        storage and ancillary storage, lavatories etc to farm shop – Granted

08/00112/HOUSE          12 South View, Fairview Road – Proposed two storey rear extension,
                                        single storey lean to front extension and lean to side porch - Granted

6. Affordable Housing

Cllr Thompson has received an e mail from Arlene Kersley, wants to bring Testway to review 6 sites with Cllrs and possibly 2010.  Need to agree dates with Arlene Kersley.  Agreed that Cllr Booth, Harries and Pope will attend meetings, 2 Cllrs to be at each meeting.

7. Parish Meeting

Cllr Harries advised all that there will be a LDF meeting, 2 places are booked for HTC, current date 6^th May but still to be confirmed.

Cllr Booth raised concerns re traffic in the housing development in the south of the town.  Need to get information out to people re the housing development, Cllr Thompson to contact David Piper (CHAIN) to see if an article can be put in the next publication.  Suggested that the houses should be built in small groups.

8. Railway Station Site Development

Item to be on future agenda, date for speaker to be confirmed, Cllrs Thompson and Hudson to check.

9. Allotments

Cllr Harries has spoken to the General Secretary of Allotments Association of Great Britain, local councils have to supply 16 allotments for every 1000 houses.  Central Government is looking at why open spaces money is not being used for provision of allotments.  Cllr Ackworth thanked Cllr Harries for speaking to the allotments association.  Cllr Pope advised all that there was an item in the Daily Mail re allotments, described a scheme where large gardens that the residents cannot do are used as allotments.   Cllrs Thompson and Harries have been to the Land Registry and are looking at identifying local land owners.  HEAT are keen to set up schemes for people to grow their own produce.  Suggested that sites identified for Affordable Housing and not used could be used for allotment sites.  Suggested that a sub-committee is set up for allotments and that Cllr Harries and Thompson are the Chair and Vice-Chairman, to be on the agenda for Full Council, all interested parties to form a group inc HEAT and Cllrs   Proposed that a sub-committee is formed to review and develop a plan for allotment provision.  Proposed Cllr Ackworth, seconded Cllr Liddiard, all in favour.  Cllr Harries to check with BALC whether allotments is a Planning or R & A item.  Item to be on the Full Council agenda. 

10. JOG School Fence

E mail received for Fiona Simmonds, meeting at the school, Mayor invited, Cllr Booth to attend meeting.

11. Litter Pick

Cllr Desmeules reminded all about the litter pick on Sunday 30th March.

Meeting finished at 8.15pm


Amendments:_____________________________________________________________________

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Signed:_______________________________   Chairman of Environment and Planning Committee

Date:________________________________