Agenda item

Report by the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Strategy & Infrastructure Planning) (PN7)

This application is for the construction of a two storey residential children's home on an area of farmland outside of Thame. The building would provide short term accommodation for up to six young people aged between 12 and 17 who are at risk of entering the care system. The development is one of four proposed new children's home to enable more 'looked after' children to be accommodated within the County.

Objections have been received from Thame Town Council and CPRE and South Oxfordshire District Council have expressed significant concern about the location of the development in the countryside outside the built limits of the town.

There is some conflict with development plan policies aimed at protecting the countryside. However, these must be weighed against the need for the development which is proposed to meet a specific need and which is best met by a site outside of a town. The development is considered to be acceptable in terms of design, protection of amenity and highways.

The report describes why the proposals have been put forward and outlines the relevant planning policies along with the comments and recommendation.

It is RECOMMENDED that planning permission for application no. R3.0086/14 be granted subject to conditions to be determined by the Deputy Director for Environment and Economy (Strategy and Infrastructure Planning) to include the matters set out in Annex 1 to the report PN7 and to the submission of a satisfactory landscaping scheme.

The Committee considered (PN7) an application for the construction of a two-story residential children’s home on an area of farmland near Thame.

Also in attendance to answer questions were Jeremy Flawn – planning consultant for OCC Property & Facilities; Daniel Ruaux – Service Manager (acting) Children Education & Families and Matthew Edwards – Corporate Parenting Manager Children Education & Families

Presenting the report Mary Thompson confirmed that Thame Town Council had now withdrawn its objection.

Responding to questions from:

Councillor Handley who had raised issues of concern regarding the siting of the home and its suitability with regard to issues of integration within the community she confirmed that there was a footpath link with Thame but the home itself would function as an assessment centre and not a mainstream home.

Councillor Purse – the adjoining development was a farmhouse and the site was not in the flood plain.

Councillor Tanner – information regarding alternative sites which had been considered had been available on the Council’s website and also available to view at the meeting.

Responding to Councillor Bartholomew Mr Periam confirmed that land to the east of the application site had been identified in the Thame Plan but that this site was a green field site not designated in the Thame Plan for any development.

Responding to Councillor Phillips Mr Ruaux confirmed plans for four sites to provide a good geographical spread across the county and in addition to the one at Thame permission had been obtained for a site in Didcot with a third identified for Eynsham.  It was hoped to site the fourth in Witney, although that was still undergoing a viability study.

Responding to Councillor Cherry Mr Flawn confirmed parking provision on site had been agreed with the highway authority.

Councillor Tanner had some reservations regarding this development in the open countryside particularly having just refused an application for development in the open countryside elsewhere on this agenda. He recognised there was a need for these facilities but was worried that this could set a difficult precedent and felt further efforts should be made to find a brownfield site.  He moved that the application be refused on those grounds.  There was no seconder and the motion fell.

Councillor Greene then moved that the recommendation as printed in the officers report be approved. Seconding the motion Councillor Bartholomew pointed out that there were differences between this application and the previous one insofar as this site was on the borders of a village and contiguous to the village.

Councillor Purse still had some concerns although they had been reduced by Thame Town Council withdrawing its objection.

The motion was put to the Committee and –

RESOLVED: (by 10 votes to 1, Councillor Purse recorded as having abstained) that planning permission for application no. R3.0086/14 be granted subject to conditions to be determined by the Deputy Director for Environment and Economy (Strategy and Infrastructure Planning) to include the matters set out in Annex 1 to the report PN7 and to the submission of a satisfactory landscaping scheme.