Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Chris Blow and Angela Goodwin.  Councillors Bob McShee and Cait Taylor attended as substitutes for Councillors Chris Blow and Angela Goodwin respectively.

In accordance with the local Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda.  Any councillor with a DPI must not participate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and they must also withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, you must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

Councillors are further invited to disclose any non-pecuniary interest which may be relevant to any matter on this agenda, in the interests of transparency, and to confirm that it will not affect their objectivity in relation to that matter.

There were no disclosures of interest declared.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 October 2021 which are to follow.  A copy of the minutes will be placed on the dais prior to the meeting and published as part of the supplementary sheets.

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 6 October 2021 were approved and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman of the Committee.

The Committee noted the procedures for determining planning applications.

The Committee considered the above-mentioned full application for residential development.  Demolition of barn and erection of a mix of 35 dwellings, including 14 affordable with associated access from Green Lane along with pedestrian and cycle access from Ockham Road North and all associated works. 

Prior to consideration of the application, the following persons addressed the Committee in accordance with Public Speaking Procedure Rules 3(b):

·         Mr Guy Murray (West Horsley Parish Council) (to object);

·         Mr Andrew Long (to object) and;

·         Mr Chris White (Applicant) (in support)

The Committee received a presentation from Specialist Development Management Applications Officer, Becky Souter.  The Committee noted the supplementary late sheets which included the correct proposed block plan and further details on the drainage.  The residential dwelling known as Oakland Farm was outside of the application site and would be retained.  The site included an outbuilding which had been connected with the maintenance and use of the existing fields and would be demolished as part of the proposal.  The access point which currently served the site would be retained and utilised for the development once widened. 

The site formed part of the local plan allocation A39 and was split into three parcels of land.  One of the land parcels had permission to build four dwellings and an application was due to be considered for a further five dwellings.  The application site adjoined the Horsley Caravan and Camping Club to the south which was a leisure facility not a residential caravan park.  There was a copse of trees to the west, fields to the north and a small close of residential dwellings to the north-east.  The development would provide 35 homes with a broad mix of units, 14 of the dwellings were to be affordable which equated to 40% of the scheme and would be in the required tenure split.  The design had been amended throughout the application process to reduce the dominance of parking within the street scene which now allowed for the first four plots to face onto the access road which improved their street presence.  The proposal had also been designed to respect the setting with smaller dwellings at the northern end and larger ones to the south.  The arrangement and layout of built form meant that the development would address the adjoining land parcel rather than turning its back on it and precluding any future opportunities for connectivity into this wider allocated site.  There was also a pedestrian access onto Ockham Road North.  The design of the buildings included a variety in terms of style and material palette.  The dwellings at the rear of the site were predominantly larger units and traditionally designed.  The slightly taller units were situated further away from the neighbouring Shepherd’s Cottage which allowed for a step up in height.  The apartments had been designed to appear as a single dwelling to respect the surrounding character. 

The site was at risk of both fluvial and surface water flooding.  The northern part of the site was within flood zones 2  ...  view the full minutes text for item PL5

Committee members are asked to note the details of Appeal Decisions as attached at Item 6.

The Committee noted and discussed the appeal decisions.