Agenda item

Application Number: 19/2141 - 50 Windsor Road, Chobham, Woking, Surrey, GU24 8LD

Minutes:

The application was for the demolition of the existing building and the erection of a new club building and 9 dwellings, access roads, car parking and landscaping.

 

The amended submission would have normally been determined under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation. However, it had been reported to the Planning Applications Committee at the request of Councillor Victoria Wheeler. The original submission for 10 dwellings constituted a major development and so would have automatically been reported to Planning Applications Committee.

 

Members were advised of the following updates on the application:

 

Amended wording for condition 23 as follows:

 

The development hereby approved shall not be first occupied unless and until space has been laid out within the site in accordance with the approved plans (Drawing No. P102 V) for vehicles to be parked. Thereafter the parking areas shall be retained and maintained for their designated purpose”.

 

As the application had triggered the Council’s public speaking scheme, Mr and Mrs Brian and Jennifer Lewis shared a public speaking slot and spoke in objection to the application. Ms Suzanne Duke and Mr Kevin Scott shared a public speaking slot and spoke in support of the application on behalf of the applicant and agent.

 

Whilst Members acknowledged that the appearance of the scheme complimented the existing streetscene in respect of 79-81 Windsor Road, the Committee felt the proposal failed to fit in with the Windsor Road and Fowlers Mead streetscenes as a whole. In addition, Members felt that the quantum of the proposal was also out of keeping with the streetscene and constituted overdevelopment of the site.

 

There were also reservations in respect of the effect of the proposal on the green corridor entrance to Chobham village in respect of the Chobham Conservation Area. Furthermore, Members opined concerns in respect of the scheme’s insufficient amenity space.

 

As there was no proposer and seconder for the officer’s recommendation, the officer’s recommendation fell.

 

An alternative proposal to refuse the application for the reasons below was proposed by Councillor Morgan Rise, seconded by Councillor Cliff Betton and put to the vote and carried.

 

A further vote was conducted in order to confirm that an additional reason for refusal would be included in respect of the absence of a SAMM agreement; and was carried unanimously.

 

RESOLVED that

                     I.        application 19/2141 be refused for the following reasons:

 

·         failure to meet the Council’s minimum design standards in respect of amenity space

·         quantum of built form and overdevelopment of the site

·         out of keeping with the existing street scene

·         negative impact on the green corridor in respect of the entrance to the Chobham Conservation area. 

·         absence of a section 106 legal agreement and SAMM contribution; and

                    II.        the wording of the reasons for refusal be finalised by the Head of Planning after consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman of the Planning Applications Committee and the Ward Councillors.

 

Note 1

It was noted for the record that:

                     I.        Councillor Victoria Wheeler declared that:

a.    she had been contacted by local residents who abut the site, as well as the applicant;

b.    she had been contacted by Chobham Parish Councillors whom were involved with the applicant; and

c.    she had sat through a number of Parish Council debates in respect of the application

                    II.        Councillor Edward Hawkins declared that all members of the Committee had received various pieces of correspondence in respect of the application.

 

Note 2

In accordance with Part 4, Section D, paragraph 18 of the Constitution as Councillors Peter Barnett, Mark Gordon and Valerie White were not present for the entire consideration of the item, they did not vote or participate in the debate on the application.

 

Note 3

In accordance with Part 4, Section D, paragraph 18 of the Constitution, the voting in relation to the application was as follows:

 

Voting in favour of the alternative recommendation to refuse the application:

 

Councillors Cliff Betton, Edward Hawkins, David Lewis, Robin Perry, Darryl Ratiram, Sashi Mylvaganam, Morgan Rise, Graham Tapper and Victoria Wheeler.

 

Voting in abstention in respect of the alternative recommendation to refuse the application:

 

Councillor Graham Alleway.

 

 

Supporting documents: