532. PRESENT
Councillors:
- Mrs M Turner (Chair)
- Mrs S Crowther (from Minute 536, application P08/W0167)
- Mr L Elias
- Mrs M Flood
- Capt J Flood
- Mrs M Davies
- Mr W Service
Officers:
- Mr S Carter (Deputy Town Clerk)
533. APOLOGIES
Councillor Mrs A Service (work)
534. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS
Members were reminded to declare any personal or prejudicial interests on any item on the agenda in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct.
There were no declarations of interest.
535. MINUTES
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 19th March 2008 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.
536. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
RESOLVED that the following decisions be notified to the appropriate authority in accordance with Standing Order 54, which gives delegated authority to consider and respond to planning applications:
Application Number: P07/W1384, 143 Broadway
Amendment: No
Proposed amendment
No observations
Application Number: P07/W1431, 8 AbbotsRoad
Amendment: 2
Proposed end terrace house and detached garage with studio over
No strong views
Application Number: P08/W0167, 64 Edwin Road
Amendment: 1
First floor extension to provide bedroom and en-suite, amended
No strong views
Application Number: P08/W0190, Didcot Health Centre (Lloyds Pharmacy) Britwell Road
Amendment: No
Siting of new air conditioning condensers
No observations
Application Number: P08/W0235, 94 Edwin Road
Amendment: 1
Single storey rear extension (as amended)
No strong views
Application Number: P08/W0242/LD, 116 Loyd Road
Amendment: No
Loft conversion with box dormer to the rear
No observations
Application Number: P08/W0284, 18 Blenheim Close
Amendment: No
Two storey and single storey side and rear extensions and widen exisiting access
No strong views
Application Number: P08/W0285, 132 Queensway
Amendment: 1
Conservatory to rear (as amended)
No strong views
Application Number:P08/W0316, 8 Fairacres Road
Amendment: No
Two storey side extension to side and rear of property
The letter of objection was NOTED at this point.
No strong views
Application Number: P08/W0326, 45 High Street
Amendment: No
Conversion of exisiting house into 2 x 1 bedroom flats. Two storey extension to accommodate 2 x 1 bedroom flats.
Refuse. Over development, further increase the parking problems, out of keeping with the street scene, various safety issues regarding the highway.
Application Number: P08/W0334, 17 Wheatfields
Amendment: No
Widening of exisiting tarmac drive to double width and widening of drop kerb with double width
Approve
Application Number: P08/W0337/A, The Orchard Centre
Amendment: No
Erection of two digital illuminated display structures and three illuminated display units on replacement units
Refuse, based on the positioning of the two digital display structures. Not acceptable in the market square or the ampitheatre as they would detract from the useage of these two areas.
Application Number: P08/W0344, 7 Blakehope Burn
Amendment: No
Loft conversion and remove exisiting rear conservatory and add single storey rear extension
No strong views
Application Number: P08/W0279, 29 Teescroft
Amendment: No
First floor extension above garage
Refuse, as is not subservient to the original building
Application Number: P08/W0357, 89 Kynaston Road
Amendment: No
Single and two storey rear extension with porch extension to front
No strong views
Application Number: P08/W0367, SODC Car Park Broadway East, Didcot
Amendment: No
Use of car park as weekly market on Sundays, 7am to 1pm
Approve
Application Number: P08/W0251, Royal Berkshire Court
Amendment: No
Demolition of existing building and erection of 26 two storey semi detached and terraced houses and two storey block of 6 flats
RESOLVED to defer the decision on this application to the next meeting as there were a lot of plans to consider and this application had only come in the day before
537. APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED
- P07/W1254/RAD Access road to Old Power Station Club off North Perimeter Road
- P07/W1354 10 East Street
- P07/W0062 7 Richmere Road
- P08/W0089 152 Loyd Road
- P08/W0099/A The Glass Tower, 6 Station Road
- P08/W0171 68 Lydalls Road
- P08/W0192 13 Elbourne
- P08/W0202 16 Campion Hall Drive
- P08/W0211 35 Longford Way
- P08/W0235 94 Edwin Road
NOTED
538. STREET LIGHTING ALONG THE A4130 DIDCOT PERIMETER ROAD
A report was circulated that had been compiled by Oxfordshire County Council and detailed how they were proposing to turn off many of the street lights along the A4130 between 12 midnight (GMT) and 5 – 5.30am in order to cut down the County Council’s carbon emissions. It would exclude street lights that were considered too dangerous to switch off, such as ones at roundabouts and junctions. It was explained how Thames Valley Police and the County Council’s road safety team had been consulted and that they had no objection to this proposal.
RESOLVED that the proposal to turn off the street lighting along the A4130 between midnight and 5 – 5.30pm be rejected for the following reasons:-
(a) Road safety would be compromised as this route which is a main trunk road to the various industrial estates in and around Didcot is used by cyclists and pedestrians early in the morning to go to work.
(b) It would deter night deliveries to the aforementioned industrial estates and that night deliveries are preferential to day deliveries as they keep the roads clearer.
(c) Security of the neighbouring houses, it may well cause local residents to install security lights which would detract form the aim of the project.
539. SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE DESIGN GUIDE REVIEW
A draft response to the South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) Design Guide was circulated and is attached at appendix A.
RESOLVED that the draft response to the South Oxfordshire District Council Design Guide be submitted to SODC as part of their consultation process.
540. CORRESPONDENCE
(a) Shorewell Developments Limited and SODC
Request to reconsider the naming of new development in Manor Crescent
RESOLVED that the request to reconsider the name is rejected and that a letter is sent to the Chief Executive of SODC outlining the belief that the Town Council feel strongly that it should have a large say in the naming of roads and developments and that the person whom the developers would like the road to be named after in this case is not a Didcot person.
(b) South Oxfordshire District Council, Legal and Democratic Services
Town and Country Planning – Tree Preservation Order 08/2008
NOTED
(c) South Oxfordshire District Council, Legal and Democratic Services
Request for Temporary Road Closure-Didcot Christmas Street Fair
NOTED
(d) South Oxfordshire District Council, Planning Services
P08/W0204 Prince of Wales Public House
Amendment for information only
NOTED
(e) South Oxfordshire District Council, Planning and Building Control
P07/W0235 19 & 21 Sinodun Road
DOE Appeal Ref: APP/Q3115/A/07/2044959/NWF
Informal hearing to be held on 13th May 2008 at 10am at South Oxfordshire District Council offices
NOTED
(f) Oxfordshire County Council, Environment & Economy
Disabled Persons’ Parking Place – Consultation, Barnes Close.
No objections were raised.
NOTED
(g) Oxfordshire County Council, Environment & Economy
Disabled Persons’ Parking Place-Consultation, Hamble Road
No objections were raised.
NOTED
(h) Letter of objection from local resident
P08/W0316 8 Fairacres Road
NOTED
(i) The Planning Inspectorate, Temple Quay House, Bristol
P07/W0872 85 Bowmont Water
Appeal Ref: APP/Q3115/A/08/2062219
Appeal is allowed
NOTED
(j) The Planning Inspectorate, Temple Quay House, Bristol
P07/W082 Land adjoining 23 Newlands Avenue
Appeal Ref: APP/Q3115/A/07/2042830
Appeal is dismissed
NOTED
The Meeting commenced at 7.30pm and closed at 8.30pm
Chair
Appendix A
South Oxfordshire District Council Design Guide
Didcot Town Council - Response
General:
As a guide to development in and around the historic Market Towns and villages it is an improvement on the previous edition and gives excellent guidance and advice. Unfortunately, as a guide to large scale developers around Didcot where there are no traditional materials it lacks punch.
In view of the expected thousands of new dwellings in and around Didcot, a separate section or a second Design Guide should be considered.
The illustrations are overwhelmingly of Wallingford with a spattering of Henley and Nettlebed, The boundary walls illustrations of brick and flint are not appropriate in the context of the Didcot area.
Cemetery Provision
This should be included where appropriate; it is of great concern that it is not mentioned.
Section 1.4 – The Design process
Section 1.4.5 welcomed on Landscape design being submitted concurrently.
Section 2 – Responding to the Setting
This section misses the opportunity to address the setting of Didcot’s major developments. 2.4.2 and 2.4.1 should be written positively with sound examples, rather than the uninspiring and negative approach.
Section 3 – Establishing the Structure
This section is welcomed.
Section 3.3, Cars and Parking – Consider residents only parking in streets/roads that are in close proximity to Town Centres and Railway Stations.
Section 3.6, Public Realm – is particularly welcomed, but it mainly features Wallingford, and whilst pleasing would be quite impossible to achieve in a large modern estate. Signposts should indicate distances, ie: Station 1 km.
Section 4 – Sustainable Development
This is welcomed, would section 2.3 (Sustainable Resources) be more appropriate in this section.
Section 4.1.3 needs strengthening for the allotments provision, “consider” should be deleted.
Section 4.3.1, water, needs strengthening – too weak.
Section 5 – Building Design
This is welcomed and gives generally sound advice but again with the emphasis on traditional materials (see general comments above).
Section 6 – House Holder Advice
Advice to house holders is helpful, but photos 6.19 and 6.23 are identical and it is not immediately obvious what they illustrate.
Section 7 – Building Conversion
Gives good advice, but why is it illustrated by photo 7.5 which pops up regularly throughout the guide, including the cover, and would be very difficult to emulate on a barn conversion.
Appendices
A to G are useful as is the glossary.
Trees and Development – Best Practice Guidance
Useful and welcome guidance.
Dominic Stapleton
Town Clerk
8th April 2008
