Minutes of the meeting of the Environment and Planning committee held on Monday 12th May 2008 at 7.00pm in the Corn Exchange complex, Hungerford.

Present:  Cllrs Acworth, Thompson, Hudson, Wilson, Gaines, Liddiard, Booth

1. Apologies for absence

            Cllrs Harries, Bullock, Buckwell, Werrell

2. Declarations of Interest

            None

3. Appointment of chairman and deputy chair for the coming year

            Cllr Liddiard proposed Cllr Booth as Chairman;  seconded by Cllr Wilson, all in favour

Cllr Booth said that she was pleased to take on the role of chairman for all general business, but felt that the 'big issues' such as the LDF should be handled by those with a greater knowledge of them such as Cllrs Thompson, Gaines and Hudson.  She thought a good idea would be to have a sub-committee to debate these issues, which would report to this committee.  She thanked Cllr Thompson for his expert chairmanship of the past year.

Cllr Thompson proposed Cllr Buckland as Deputy Chairman (although he was absent from this meeting, he had agreed to his name being put forward before going on holiday);  seconded by Cllr Wilson, all in favour.

4. Minutes of the meeting held on  28th April 2008

Correction to the minutes:  add Cllr Acworth to those present.  With this correction, the minutes were proposed by Cllr Liddiard, seconded by Cllr Thompson, 1 abstention, 6 in favour;  they were then signed as a true record.

5. Planning Applications

08/00346/HOUSE              Orchard Cottage, 7 Newtown – Construction of wooden outbuilding.

No objections.  Proposed by Cllr Thompson, seconded by Cllr Liddiard, all in favour.

08/00574/ADV Thresher Group, 25 High Street – Replacement non illuminated fascia sign and projecting sign.

No objections.  Proposed by Cllr Hudson, seconded by Cllr Wilson, all in favour.

08/00575/LBC2  Thresher Group, 25 High Street – Replacement non illuminated fascia sign and projecting sign.

No objections.  Proposed by Cllr Hudson, seconded by Cllr Wilson, all in favour.

08/00728/FUL                    The Bear Hotel – Erection of a single storey extension to provide additional space for the Riverside Conference Room.

No objections.  Proposed by Cllr Liddiard, seconded by Cllr Thompson, all in favour.

08/00730/LBC2  The Bear Hotel – Erection of a single storey extension to provide additional space for the Riverside Conference Room.

No objections, with a note added to the response form that, since the application came under listed buildings consent, the committee felt sure that the planning officers would give particular attention to maintaining the look of the building in the use of brick, tiles and timber.  Proposed by Cllr Liddiard, seconded by Cllr Acworth, all in favour.

08/00735/HOUSE              2 Church Way – Extension to Conservatory.

No objections.  Proposed by Cllr Thompson, seconded by Cllr Wilson, all in favour.

08/00789/FUL                    Smart Kids, Unit 3 Industrial Estate, Station Road – Proposed entrance canopy/first floor balcony to north side of existing industrial building.

No objections.  Proposed by Cllr Wilson, seconded by Cllr Gaines, all in favour.

08/00812/ADV                  UPS Systems plc, 31A Charnham Street – Oval signage to replace existing.

No objections.  Proposed by Cllr Thompson, seconded by Cllr Acworth, all in favour.

6. Reports on the progress of the affordable housing project and LDF Rural conference.

Cllr Thompson said that there should be coordination with 2010 committee;  WBC is the leading rural service centre, and Hungerford and Theale have been highlighted for extra housing.  He said the following points should be taken into consideration:

(1)       the essential background of the town and the effect which a large increasing in housing would have;

(2)       1,500 houses over the whole of rural west Berkshire, with a potential disproportionate amount of additional housing earmarked for Hungerford (and Theale);

(3)       infrastructure and associated costs:  £10m under S106 payments;

(4)       Brian Lyttle, WBC Transport and Policy Manager should come and talk to the Council;

(5)       Cllr Harries has written letters to MPs;

(6)       a meeting should be called to include all interested parties to consider a coordinated response to the two documents.

We have to 'mobilise' Hungerford and get as many people as possible to fill in the Response Form:  the Newbury Weekly News is to do an article;  there is to be an article on Open Door and on the web page;  and local radio are also to be involved.  Cllr Thompson also said that individual 'networking' is also valuable.

Two documents have been published, Options for Development in the Rural Areas and A Rural Settlement Hierarchy for West Berkshire, and responses to these two documents are required by 13th June.  Not mentioned in these two documents are 'proportionality' and nor is the social impact.  It was suggested that the response forms be available outside Somerfields on Saturday morning. 

Cllr Thompson proposed that a sub-committee be formed which would report back to the Council via the E&P committee;  seconded by Cllr Liddiard, all in favour.

Affordable housing.  The various sites were discussed.  Cllr Thompson reported that Arlene  has not come back to him yet with an answer from Testway. 

The meeting closed at 8.25 pm

Amendments...................................................................................................................

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Signed…………………………………  Chairman of Environment and Planning Committee

Date…………………………………..