PITSTONE PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE
Minutes of the Parish Council Planning Committee held on 21 July 2016 
in the Millennium Room at the Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm and 
concluding at 8.50pm

22PC/16	ATTENDANCE AND APOLOGIES
		
COUNCIL PRESENT:  Cllr Mrs Crutchfield (Chair of Planning Committee), Cllr Nicholls, 
Cllr Starling, Cllr Blunt and Cllr Weber

OTHERS PRESENT:  Clerk: Laurie Eagling.   Rob McCarthy, Aldbury Parish Council.  
The two applicants for 11 The Pightle.  Two residents of Vicarage Road.

	APOLOGIES:  Cllr Stack

23PC/16	QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

The objections of two residents from Vicarage Road had been circulated to members prior to the meeting, and had no further comments to add.  The applicant had no comments to express at this point. 

24PC/16	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE MEETING

Cllr Starling declared two interests (non pecunary) as (1) a resident of Vicarage Road and (2) a trustee for Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity as another trustee had submitted objections to the 11 The Pightle application.

25PC/16	APPROVE MINUTES

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2016 were a true and correct record of the meeting and the Chair was duly authorised to sign on behalf of the council.

26PC/16	PLANNING MATTERS

1)	Applications:
	11 The Pightle, 16/02340/APP, change of use of adjoining land into residential garden.   It was RESOLVED to accept further comments from the residents and the applicants.  Following a lengthy discussion it was RESOLVED to oppose the application on the following grounds:

a.	The loss of the publicly accessible open space resulting from the conversion of this land to residential garden would fall against the policies contained within the made Pitstone Neighbourhood Plan, in particular in relation to the preservation and extension of green infrastructure and public open space within the parish.
b.	The application would result in a potential loss of privacy to 46 and 48 Vicarage Road.
c.	There was a lack of consultation prior to the public open space being restricted into private access, mature trees were removed and the area fenced despite concerns being raised by neighbours with the applicant.
d.	The works undertaken by the applicant, without permission, have had a negative effect on the natural environment.  Mature trees and shrubbery have already been removed from an area of open space previously accessible to the public.  There has been no opportunity for any body/council to assess the impact on flora and fauna, or submit objections prior to the work being undertaken.
e.	The Inspectorate appeal decision relating to number 10 The Pightle is not applicable to the situation at number 11 in most parts due to different facts and circumstances and should be given very limited weight.  
f.	Furthermore, within his report the Inspector strongly intimated that the decision relating to number 10 should not be utilised to set a precedent for other development along the woodland walk.  
g.	There are a number of properties currently bordering the woodland walk all along Vicarage Road and within Castlemead, and this number will be increased when the new development occurs.  The parish council is concerned that any grant of permission for this application, will set an undesirable precedent for other properties to also seek to unlawfully extend their boundaries into public open space.
Whilst not a material planning consideration, could AVDC please conduct their own measurements of the overall ‘ownerless’ site and fenced areas, as it is believed that the percentage of open land that has been removed from public use is of a significantly higher proportion than that portrayed within the application.

2)	Decisions: 
2 Railway Cottages, Marsworth Road, 16/01594/APP, two storey and single storey rear extension.   AVDC approved (PPC tendered no objections)

3)	Other: 
Victor House, Pitstone Green Business Park, Westfield Road, 16/01704/APP (full planning) and 16/01705/ALB (listed building).  Heritage comments received.

27PC/16	REPORTS

Cllrs Crutchfield, Starling and Weber attended the AVDC VALP Parish Council Consultation Event held on 13/7/16.  Cllr Starling advised that it was made very clear that the non-strategic policies contained within a made NDP can’t be superceded by the VALP and that the only thing it could overide was the housing target.   The categories of village had changed in the most recent consultation (medium had been introduced following feedback from initial survey) but councils were welcome to suggest viable alternatives if they were in disagreement.   The difference between the VALP and the Pitstone NDP relate mainly to the use of the charity site off Marsworth Road (the NDP seeking D1 use for leisure and education etc, the VALP designating it as potentially suitable for residential development).  There had been much discussion relating to the 12k residential dwellings included in the plan to satisfy the predicted unmet need from neighbouring councils and members were challenging other counties to robustly demonstrate their need.  Both VALP and NDP must be reviewed regularly eg every 5 years, and these review points would enable AVDC to update and revise the document when final figures were available from their neighbouring counterparts.  No account has been taken of any need arising out of London.

It was RESOLVED to accept comments from Rob McCarthy of Aldbury Parish Council.

It was RESOLVED that Cllr Weber and the planning committee would prepare and circulate a draft response to the VALP consultation for consideration, amendment and subsequent approval at the full council meeting on 1/9/16.

28PC/16	CLOSURE OF MEETING

	There being no further business to be transacted, the Chair closed the meeting at 8.50pm.

Signed:			Date:	________________
	 Chair