Meeting documents

Planning & Regulation Committee
Monday, 24 February 2003

PN240203

______________________________________

________________________________

To Members of the Planning & Regulation Committee

Notice of Meeting

Meeting

PLANNING & REGULATION COMMITTEE

Date/Time

24 February 2003 at 2.00 pm

Place

County Hall, Oxford

Contact officer

Graham Warrington
(Tel: 01865 815321; E-mail)


Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

February 2003

Membership

Chairman – Councillor Mrs C. Fulljames

Councillors:

Alan Bryden

Julian Cooper

Dickie Dawes

Mrs M. Hastings

Mrs Diana Ludlow

Margaret MacKenzie

Roy Mold

Power

G.A. Reynolds

Leslie Sibley

Sylvia Tompkins

David Turner

Carol Viney

Harry Wyatt

 

 

The agenda follows. Decisions taken at the meeting will become effectiveat the end of the working day on 4 March 2003 unless called in by that date for review by the appropriate Scrutiny Committee.

AGENDA

  1. Apologies for Absence and Temporary Appointments

  2. Declarations of Interest

  3. Minutes

    4. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 2003 (PN3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

  4. Petitions and Public Address

  5. Speeding up the Processing of Planning Applications

    6. Report by Director of Environmental Services (PN5).

    The Government’s main Best Value Performance Indicator for the planning service relates to the speed at which planning applications are processed. Currently Oxfordshire’s performance is fairly slow, well short of the target of determining 60% of applications within 13 weeks. The report sets out measures designed to improve performance.

    The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

          1. authorise the Director of Environment & Economy (or Acting or Interim Director if applicable) to refuse applications for planning permission:

    (i) which are, in his/her opinion, clearly contrary to the development plan; or

    (ii) for which there is such a significant lack of information that, in his/her opinion, the application cannot be approved;

    (b) note and support the other measures set out in the report to speed up processing of planning applications.

  6. County Council Planning Applications

    7. Report by Director of Environmental services (PN6).

    The following current applications for County Council development, made under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992, are detailed in the Schedules appended to the report:-

    Application No: O.31/02 (detailed). Erection of a single classroom prefabricated building for a temporary period of five years, Pegasus First School, Field Avenue, Oxford.

    Application No: S.24/02 (renewal). Renewal of consent for one double prefabricated classroom Ref: E011 for a temporary period of five years, Aston Rowant C of E School, School Lane, Aston Rowant.

    Application No: V21/02 (detailed). Proposed Sure Start and Family Centre at Caldecott and Kingfisher Schools, additional car parking and landscaping (supersedes application No. V.18/02 which has been withdrawn), Kingfisher and Caldecott Schools, Caldecott Road, Abingdon.

    Application No: W.27/02 (detailed). Construction of new five classroom building, Marlborough School, Woodstock, Oxon.

    The Committee is RECOMMENDED that subject to consideration of any further representations received by the date of the meeting, the applications be determined as recommended in the schedules appended to this report, subject to the detailed wording of the recommended conditions being agreed by the Assistant Director (Land Use).

  7. Application for Integrated Working and Restoration Scheme for Limestone Extraction for Aggregate Production and Reconstituted Stone Products by at Burford Quarry (Formerly Beckstones) (Application No. W2001/1592).

    Report by Director of Environmental Services (PN7).

Ennstone Breedon have made an identical application to the one this committee resolved to refuse at their meeting on 29 July 2002. An appeal has been lodged against that decision and a Public Local Inquiry into the refusal is currently scheduled to take place in May 2003. As all the issues will be put before an Independent Inspector at the Inquiry there is no merit in determining this application now in advance of the Inquiry. Deferral of a decision is recommended until the Inspector’s decision is known.

It is RECOMMENDED that application W2001/1592 be advertised as a departure from the development plan and subject to the Secretary of State confirming that he does not intend to call in the application for his own determination, planning permission be granted for the proposed development subject to:-

          1. prior completion of appropriate legal agreements to the satisfaction of the Director of Environmental Services and Solicitor to the Council to secure:

              1. funding of long term maintenance of the restored quarry;

              2. monitoring of water levels in the quarry and restored area to ensure that no water bodies are created;

              3. necessary and reasonable highway improvements which include the following:

                  1. the implementation of the new junction design as approved in applications W97/0843 and W98/1392 for the North East Carterton development;

                  2. access arrangements and proposed passing bays along Burford Road.

              4. on going monitoring of blasting at the following properties: Lingermans and The Laithe.

              5. removal of the Blockworks at the end of extraction;

              6. extension of standard hours of operation to all activities within the quarry.

          2. conditions to be determined by the Director of Environmental Services to include:

            1. end date of 2020;

            2. removal of all buildings and structures and restoration by 2022;

            3. complete compliance with plans and particulars;

            4. standard working hours;

            5. noise limits and controls;

            6. controls of reversing bleepers;

            7. dust prevention measures;

            8. blasting controls;

            9. aftercare details;

            10. no mud on the public highway;

            11. limitation on number of HGV movements per day;

            12. monitoring and control of surface water discharge and dewatering within the site;

            13. no hedgerows to be removed during bird nesting season;

            14. erection of bunds at quarry margins;

            15. relocation of plant and stockpiles to the centre of the quarry;

            16. limiting height of stockpiles to 3 metres;

            17. submission of restoration plan; and

            18. warning signing of bridleway.

(c) if the agreements referred to in (a) are not completed within six months of the date of a decision to approve the application then the Director of Environmental Services be authorised to issue a certificate of refusal for this application for the reasons set out in paragraph 50 of this report.
  1. Installation of Inert Waste Recycling Facility for Secondary Aggregates at the Former Cement Works and Quarry, Shipton-on-Cherwell, near Kidlington, Oxfordshire (Application No. 02/02330/CM)

Report by Director of Environmental Services (PN8).

The report describes an application to provide an inert waste recycling facility at Shipton-on-Cherwell cement works. The site lies within the Oxford Green Belt. A similar proposal to the one now submitted was refused in January last year and is currently the subject of an appeal. The proposed development is supported by a number of development plan policies. However, no very special circumstances exist to warrant setting aside Green Belt policies to allow what would be inappropriate development. In addition, it is contrary to waste disposal policies in that there is no overriding need for the proposal and it is not in an area where permission would normally be permitted and it is considered that planning permission should be refused again for reasons similar to the earlier refusal last year.

It is RECOMMENDED that planning permission be refused for the installation of an inert waste recycling facility at Shipton-on-Cherwell Quarry (Application No. 02/02330/CM) for the following reasons:

          1. there are no very special circumstances to warrant a departure from normal Green Belt policy and as such the proposal is contrary to Policies G4 of the Oxfordshire Structure Plan 2011 and Policy GB1 of the Cherwell Local Plan and Policy W3 of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan; and

          2. the proposal is contrary to Policy W4 of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan as (1) no overriding need has been identified for the proposal and (2) the site is not one where permission would normally be permitted as it is part of a site where a land stabilisation operation takes place and not part of a mineral extraction or landfill site.

  1. Importation of Inert Waste for the Construction of Stabilisation Berm and Access Ramp, at the former Cement Works and Quarry, Shipton-on- Cherwell, near Kidlington, Oxfordshire (Application No. 02/02602/CM)

Report by Director of Environmental Services (PN9).

The report outlines a proposal to continue with the stabilisation works at Shipton-on-Cherwell Quarry which commenced in the mid-1990’s. The permission for stabilising the south west face of the quarry runs out next month. This application seeks consent for construction of an earth berm to stabilise the north west face of the quarry. The site is in the Green Belt and comprises a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. The report describes the details of the proposal along with comments received from consultees, recognises the need for such works, particularly to prevent a face collapse which could endanger the A.4095, and recommends that permission be granted for a temporary period of three years subject to a number of conditions to cover various environmental issues.

It is RECOMMENDED that planning permission be granted for the development proposed in Application No. 02/02602/CM subject to conditions to include:

          1. Detailed compliance.

          2. Temporary permission – 3 years only or when the berm is completed whichever is the sooner.

          3. Hours of operation to be:

            4. 07.00-18.00 hours Mondays-Fridays and

            07.00-13.00 hours on Saturdays.

            No Sunday or Bank Holiday working.

          4. Only inert waste to be deposited.

          5. No solid matter to be deposited so that it passes or is likely to pass into any watercourse.

          6. Any oil storage tanks to be suitably bunded.

          7. On completion of waste importation, haul road and any buildings/structures to be removed prior to restoration.

          8. Landscaping/restoration scheme to be agreed.

          9. Implement landscaping.

          10. No vehicle to leave site unless wheels cleaned to prevent mud being carried onto public highway.

          11. Wheel wash to be installed within one month of permission.

          12. Access ramp to be surfaced to agreed standard within one month of permission.

          13. Access road between access ramp and public highway to be surfaced and thereafter maintained in sound state of repair.

          14. Limit on waste importation to be maximum of 270,000 m3.

          15. Records of waste importation to be available for inspection.

          16. Before and during construction of berm, access to be made available for detailed geological monitoring and recording of quarry face.

          17. Geological monitoring and recording to take place at regular intervals.

          18. Qualified, competent geologist, to English Nature’s requirements, to undertake monitoring and recording.

          19. Results of geological monitoring and recording to be published in a suitable journal within the public domain.

          20. Tree/shrub protection whilst operations underway.

          21. Geotechnical survey to be undertaken, in conjunction with English Nature, or remaining quarry faces to assess stability and any possible remedial action required. Survey to be undertaken and results submitted within 6 months of permission being given.

          22. Dust suppression measures to be agreed.

          23. Local Liaison Committee to be set up to meet on a regular basis.

          24. No lighting except in accordance with scheme to be approved.

10. Hornton Grounds Quarry, Hornton

(1) Extension of the Saw Shed and Importation of Block Stone for Cutting and Finishing, and Relocation of Existing Processing Building (Ref: 02/02488/CM)

(2) To Continue Quarrying Without Complying with Condition 79 of Permission 1899/9/3 – To Allow the Temporary Retention of the Existing Saw Shed and Ancillary Facilities (ref: 02/02485/cm)

Report by Director of Environmental Services (PN10).

Two applications have been made at Hornton Grounds Quarry, Hornton. One is to retain a saw shed at the quarry, the other is to extend that saw shed, both are for another 10 years. The saw shed is used to saw and shape stone blocks. Stone would be imported from nearby Alkerton and Wroxton Fields Quarries as well as from the Cotswolds and Lincolnshire. However, lorry movements would be of the order of one a day as the total stone processed would be 2000 tonnes a year. The development would not give rise to noise and dust problems and is in compliance with Local Plan policies regulating the siting of such plant.

It is RECOMMENDED that planning permission be granted for:

          1. the extension of the saw shed and importation of block stone for cutting and finishing, and relocation of existing processing building, (Ref: 02/02488/CM); and

          2. continuation of permission 1899/9/3 without complying with condition 79 to allow the temporary retention of the existing saw shed and ancillary facilities (Ref: 02/02485/CM);

subject to conditions to be determined by the Director of Environmental Services but to include:

      1. end date of 2013;

      2. removal of all plant and buildings and restoration by 2014;

      3. complete compliance with plans and particulars;

      4. standard working hours;

      5. noise limits and controls;

      6. restoration and aftercare of the site;

      7. construction of a surface water drainage system to be approved by the LPA before application for the extension is implemented;

      8. volume of stone to be processed not to exceed 2000 tonnes per annum;

      9. no mud to be taken onto the road;

            c. all other existing conditions on Permission 1899/9/3 to remain in force.

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