09 November 2021 – Minutes

THAME TOWN COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the Planning & Environment Committee held on 9 November 2021 at 6:30pm in the Upper Chamber, Thame Town Hall.

Present:

Cllrs B Austin, N Champken-Woods (Deputy Mayor), P Cowell (Town Mayor), M Deacock, A Dite (Deputy Chairman), L Emery, H Fickling (Chairman), A Midwinter, H Richards, and T Wyse

Non-Voting

Cllr M Dyer

Officers

G Markland, Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Officer
L Fuller, Committee Services Officer

 

1 Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from Cllr Dodds (personal).

 

2 Declarations of Interest and Dispensations

Cllr Deacock declared an interest in planning application P21/S4438/HH as a neighbour. This was not a pecuniary interest and did not preclude Cllr Deacock from debating or voting on this item.

 

3 Public Participation and Public Questions

There was no public participation.
There were no public questions put to the Committee.

 

4 Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2021 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

 

5 Planning Applications

1497 – LAND BETWEEN PARK MEADOW FARMHOUSE & PARK MEADOW COTTAGE, THAME PARK ROAD

Proposed erection of three 3 bed houses, car parking and landscaping.
P21/S3982/FUL

OBJECTS

      • Unsafe Highways access.
      • Inadequate parking provision which is likely to result in vehicles parking on the verge or on Thame Park Road.
      • Impact on biodiversity, particularly with regards to the established hedgerow and two horse chestnut trees.
      • Out of character of the area.
      • Lack of access to the rear garden for the mid-terrace property.

Neighbourhood Plan Policies: H1, H5, H6, GA1, ESDQ11, ESDQ12, ESDQ16, ESDQ19, ESDQ22, ESDQ26, ESDQ27, ESDQ28, ESDQ29, D1
SODC Local Plan Policies: DES1, DES3, DES5, DES6, DES7, DES8, ENV1, EP3, H3, H16, STRAT1, STRAT5, TRANS5

1499 – TOWN FARM 6 & 8 OXFORD ROAD

Change of use from ancillary annexe to self-contained 1-bedroom dwelling and subdivision of plot to form of separate curtilage.
P21/S3639/FUL

OBJECTS

      • The committee did not support the subdivision of the Listed Building.
      • Inadequate provision of private outdoor amenity space.

Neighbourhood Plan Policies: H6, GA6, ESDQ16, ESDQ17, ESDQ20, ESDQ26, ESDQ28, ESDQ29
SODC Local Plan Policies: DES1, DES2, DES5, DES6, DES7, DES8, ENV6, ENV7, ENV8, TRANS5

1500 – 2 COTMORE GARDENS

Demolition of the existing rear extension and construction of a single storey side and rear extension.
P21/S4438/HH

SUPPORTS and has a RESPONSE

      • Subject to Thames Water being satisfied with the proposals, given the proximity to the pump house.

Comment: A member of the committee had previously resided at the property and obtained planning permission under P84/N0712 for a single storey extension, but Thames Water subsequently advised the household that proximity to one of their pipelines meant development was not possible.

Neighbourhood Plan Policies: H6, ESDQ16, ESDQ28
SODC Local Plan Policies: DES1, DES5, DES6, DES7, DES8, H20

 

6 Premises Licence Application – LAPREM/15433/21

Members considered the Premises Licence Application at 16 Cornmarket, Thame.

RESOLVED that:

  1. Thame Town Council supports Premises Licence Application LAPREM/15433/21.

 

7 Street Naming – Development of up to 129 new dwellings off Eastern By-pass, Thame (former DAF Trucks site)

Members were asked to consider street name suggestions for five street names for the new development on the former DAF Trucks Ltd site, Eastern By-pass. Officers had prepared a report with names that had either been previously suggested by the committee but not adopted by South Oxfordshire District Council, or names that had been suggested by local families since the last street name consultation.

Cllr Dyer presented the committee with another option, to honour Thame’s military heroes and circulated a proposal containing a list of names for consideration, which had been prepared with Thame Remembers, although further background information would be required if the committee supported the proposal. It was considered that having a theme for the sites was preferred.

It was suggested given Thame would receive further housing developments in the future, the Town Council should consider collating a list of names with strong connections to Thame for future street names to represent and commemorate what Thame represents now.

A motion to use the military names for the former DAF site street names was proposed and seconded, however on being put to the vote, the motion fell.

Overall, Members felt that it was more appropriate to use the names of local people and families, particularly those who had lived in the town for many years or contributed to the town.

RESOLVED that:

  1. Subject to approval from the respective families, the following names be submitted to the District Council for consideration as street names for the new development on the former DAF Trucks Ltd site, Eastern By-pass: Beatrice Dobie, Len Webb, Mike Welply, Nicholas Lievesley Stock, Geoffrey Chaplin, and Charles (Charlie) William Jones.

 

8 St Joseph’s Church and School Signage

The report was noted. The Committee Services Officer reported that since the last update to this committee in July 2019, the Acting Town Clerk and Community Project Support Officer had received confirmation from Oxfordshire County Council that they would fund 50% of the cost, with St Joseph’s Church funding the remainder. The project would now have no resource implication on the Town Council.

Cllr Wyse thanked Officers for progressing this project, which had been in discussion since 2017.

 

9 Tree Preservation Order – No. 21S18

The District Council has recently considered the preservation of two Horse Chestnut trees at Park Meadow Farmhouse, Thame Park Road, as it is of the view that the trees have significant amenity value. As a result, it has been decided to protect the trees by means of the above tree preservation order which came into force on 3 November 2021. The Town Council can make an objection, express support, or other representations to the order, before 1 December 2021.

RESOLVED that:

  1. The Town Council supports the Tree Preservation Order No.21S18 at Park Meadow Farmhouse.

 

10 For Information

The items for information were noted.

 

The meeting concluded at 7:22pm.

 

Signed …………………….

Chairman, 30 November 2021