Planning Minutes – Tuesday 19th March 2013

5259  PLANNING APPEALS
12/02513 32 Llanvair Drive, Ascot, SL5 9HT
A side and rear extension, loft conversion and detached garage
The appeal was dismissed in part and upheld in part.

12/02681 The White Cottage, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7QE
Single storey side extension
The appeal will be decided on the basis of written representations, with comments to the Planning Inspectorate by 27 March.

5260  TREE PRESERVATION ORDERS
No matters were received.

5261  APPROVALS AND REFUSALS
Week ending 22 February
Application Number: 13/00048
Type: Full
Proposal: Single storey rear extension
Location: 13 Langdale Drive Ascot SL5 8TQ
Decision: Application Permitted
Parish Recommendation: No Objections

Application Number: 13/00283
Type: Non-material Amendment
Proposal: Non-material amendment to planning permission 12/00808 to amend Plot 1 by introducing living accommodation in loft space and reduce bedrooms on first floor from 4 to 3, and to replace the car port with a garage
Location: 1 – 6 Beechcroft Close Ascot
Decision: Refuse
No Parish Recommendation Required.

Week ending 1 March
Application Number: 12/03430
Type: Works To Trees Covered by TPO
Proposal: Oak T1, remove deadwood. Conifer T2, crown lift to 2.5m, branch lift to give up to 5.3m
clearance directly over the road, branch lift to give 4.5m clearance directly over the driveway.
Location: Old Mile House Kier Park Ascot SL5 7DS
Decision: Application Permitted
Parish Recommendation: Objections

Application Number: 12/03542

Type: Full

Proposal: Demolition of existing dwelling to allow the erection of 2 detached dwellings

Location: St Catherines Lodge St Marys Road Ascot SL5 9AY

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: Objections

Application Number: 13/00076

Type: Full

Proposal: Two storey side and rear extensions

Location: TheGarden House Titness Park London RoadSunninghill Ascot SL5 0PS

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: No Objections

Application Number: 13/00104

Type: Full

Proposal: Maintenance and improvement to car parking adjacent football club

Location:AscotUnitedFootball Club Winkfield RoadAscotSL5 7LJ

Decision: Permitted Development

Parish Recommendation: No Objections

Application Number: 13/00126

Type: Full

Proposal: Single storey side and rear extension. Extend front porch and canopy. Installation of a fire and

flue.

Location: 12 Huntsmans MeadowAscotSL5 7PF

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: No Objections

Application Number: 13/00186

Type: Works ToTreesCovered by TPO

Proposal: Fell 2 Pine trees

Location: 33 Hurstwood Ascot SL5 9SP

Decision: Refuse

Parish Recommendation: Referred to the Borough’s Tree Officer

Week ending 8 March

Application Number: 12/03477

Type: Full

Proposal: Construction of two detached dwellings with garages and parking following demolition of

existing house

Location: Ty-Gwyn The AvenueAscotSL5 7NB

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: No Objections

Application Number: 13/00014

Type: Full

Proposal: Two storey rear and side extension. Single storey front extension.

Location: 30 Armitage Court Ascot SL5 9TA

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: Objections

Application Number: 13/00065

Type: Full

Proposal: Refurbishment and ground and first floor extensions to provide new kitchen and dining facilities,

and provision of temporary dining facilities whilst works are completed

Location:St Marys School St Marys RoadAscotSL5 9JF

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: No Objections

 
Application Number: 13/00113

Type: Full

Proposal: Two storey part single storey side and single storey rear extension

Location: 17 Dorian Drive Ascot SL5 7QL

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: Objections

Application Number: 13/00181

Type: Full

Proposal: Two storey side extension, following demolition of existing garage, with single storey rear

extension. Two storey side extension with single storey rear orangery. Front porch. Detached

double garage. 1.5m fence to the front boundary.

Location: Bywell House St Marys HillAscotSL5 9AP

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: No Objections

Application Number: 13/00198

Type: Full

Proposal: Part refurbishment, part reconstruction of the car showroom and forecourt area. Glazed screens

to boundaries.

Location: Clover Leaf Cars Ltd Station HillAscotSL5 9EG

Decision: Application Permitted

Parish Recommendation: No Objections

Application Number: 13/00417

Type: Discharge of Condition

Proposal: Details required by condition 11 (construction management plan) of planning permission

11/03164 for consent to demolish the bungalow and two storey building containing three

dwellings, and erect four detached 4 bed houses with garages, access drives and associated works

Location: The Bothy And Land Adjacent To The Bothy AndWoolaway Cottage Wells LaneAscot

Decision: Approve Discharge of Condition

No Parish Recommendation Required

5262  DISCHARGE OF CONDITIONS AND NON MATERIAL AMENDMENTS
Discharges f Conditions

13/00512

Proposal: Details required by condition 3 (access and driveway arrangement) and 10

(construction management plan) of planning permission 12/01233 Construction of 2

detached houses following demolition of existing bungalow

Location:Cedar Lodge Bagshot RoadAscotSL5 9JL

13/00568

Proposal: Details required by condition 17 (tree protection) and 19 (landscaping arboriculture

method statement) of planning permission 11/03164 to demolish bungalow and two

storey building containing three dwellings, and erect four detached 4 bed houses with

garages, access drives and associated works

Location: The Bothy And Land Adjacent To The Bothy AndWoolaway Cottage Wells Lane Ascot

13/00625

Proposal: Details required by condition 3 (external material samples) 4 (hard surfacing samples)

5 (means of enclosure) and 17 (hard and soft landscaping works) of planning

permission 12/00455 for the erection of two blocks of 5 apartments with associated

works following demolition of existing dwellings

Location: Land At Rustlings AndKingsland London RoadAscot

13/00638

Proposal: Details required by condition 4 (management plan) of planning permission 12/00514

New 400m all-weather athletics track and hockey pitch with artificial lighting, fencing,

and ancillary store and a control hut; artificial lighting for existing hockey pitch; and

photovoltaic panels on the roof of the existing sports centre.

Location:St Marys School St Marys RoadAscotSL5 9JF
 Non-material Amendment

13/00550

Proposal: Non material amendment to planning permission 12/00808 to list the approved

drawings as a planning condition

Location: 1 – 6 Beechcroft CloseAscot

5263  OTHER BUSINESS

Councillor David Hilton raised a resident’s concern regarding the appearance of the former Little Chef, which would be discussed further at a full Council meeting.

 Councillor Peter Deason raised concerns about the compliance of planning conditions regarding the One Stop Shop in Sunninghill.  The Chairman asked him to raise the need for enforcement with Peter Comber, the Borough Councillor for Sunninghill.  He also expressed concern regarding the appropriateness of non-material amendments regarding the Beechcroft Close development.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.10pm

——————————————–

Councillor Barbara Hilton, Chairman

Ecological Notes for Planning Committee Meeting 19/3/13

A.            New Applications

13/00425 –BlacknestPark – Ecology Report

The Phase 1 habitat survey submitted to date is insufficient. The Phase 1 habitat survey states itself on page 1 that it does ‘not constitute a full survey for protected species to standard survey methodologies’, and therefore it is inadequate given the known presence of badgers (the survey report refers to active badger setts). A full survey for badgers needs to be submitted prior to the planning application being determined, in accordance with Natural England’s standing advice for badger protection (http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/Badgers_tcm6-21692.pdf).

The following extract from Natural England’s standing advice provides advice on what a badger survey should include:

‘Surveys for badger setts can be undertaken at any time of year although the optimum time is during spring or early autumn/winter. If there are setts it should be assumed that they are active unless a survey shows that there are no signs of badger activity in the area (they may be regularly occupied main setts or irregularly occupied outlying setts). A survey should consist of looking for sett entrances, badger paths, latrines, badger hairs on fences, bushes etc, scratching posts and evidence of digging for food. Putting down sand at the entrance of setts or putting sticks in sett entrances can be useful methods of indicating whether a sett is active. Monitoring of all sett entrances should take place over an extended period and can only be used to indicate not determine badger use.(p.5 Standing Advice Species Sheet: Badgers, Natural England)

With respect to the mitigation required, the standing advice states the following:

• ‘Impacts upon badgers or their setts should be avoided but where this is not possible, mitigation will be required. Please note that badger tunnels can extend to 20m from the entrance holes and are located between 0.2 and several metres deep, depending on the soil and topography. Excavation work and heavy machinery will be kept well away from where it could result in damage to the sett or disturbance to any badger occupying the sett;
• The following mitigation should also be adhered to avoid impacts on badger setts:
  • Foraging areas for badgers should be maintained or new foraging areas created.
  • Access between setts and foraging/watering areas should be maintained or new ones created.
  • Development that isolates a badger territory by surrounding it with roads or housing should be avoided as this can often result in problems such as increased road traffic collisions and badger damage to gardens and houses.
  • If main setts need to be demolished, an artificial badger sett can be created as close to the original sett as possible, however this should only be considered as an option as a last resort as natural setts are usually favoured over artificial ones.
  • Care needs to be taken when drawing up a mitigation strategy to ensure that habitat connectivity and any links to foraging habitats are maintained.

In preparing the full badger survey, heed should also be given to the following guidance:

‘Badgers and development: a guide to best practice and licensing’, Natural England, Interim Guidance Document, revised 12/11.

13/99508 – Hunters Lodge / 1 & 2 Ascot Lodge – Now withdrawn

It is considered that an insufficient ecological assessment has been undertaken in support of this planning application. The reasons for this statement are considered in two parts.

A. Bats

The only form of ecological report submitted in support of this planning application is a scoping bat survey undertaken in August 2012. This scoping survey detected bat dropping in one of the lofts, though the species responsible for this is unknown. The fact that bat droppings were found indicates that bats have previously used this loft space.

The company Jacobs is the official advisor to the Council on biodiversity issues. As noted in a letter from Jacobs to the RBWM Council (in relation to the Westbrook planning application (11/00682/FULL)):

‘NaturalEnglandguidance states that there is not ‘a tightly defined period within which bats need to have used a structure beyond which it is no longer regarded as a bat roost. A structure can be regarded as a bat roost even if not knowingly occupied by bats for a year or two’. The building should therefore be classed as a bat roost, even if only a single bat is considered to have been present.’

The scoping bat survey for the Hunters Lodge planning application states the following: ‘Although evidence of small scale use in the past, no evidence of bats present could be found’. On this basis, the report, firstly, does not recommend a follow-up bat survey or, secondly, any mitigation measures for the planned destruction of this roost. However, as demonstrated by the extract from Jacobs’ letter, the loft space needs to be considered as a bat roost and further survey work (in the form of an activity survey) should be undertaken. Appropriate mitigation measures then need to be developed based on the survey outcomes.

A data search provided by Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) demonstrates that bats have been reported near to the site (Brown Long-Eared & Pipistrelle). In addition, the tree reports supporting the planning application indicates there are 73 trees on-site. Any trees that are to be affected by the proposed development should be surveyed for the potential presence of bat roosts.

Based on Natural England standing advice for bats and knowledge of bats in this vicinity, the following additional bat survey work is considered necessary before this planning application can be determined:

1. 1.       A bat activity survey encompassing the existing buildings and trees;
2. 2.       A survey of the trees that are earmarked for removal to identify the likelihood of bat roosts;
3. 3.       Based on the results from 1) and 2), together with the scoping bat survey results, appropriate mitigation measures need to be proposed and considered.

B. A biodiversity survey

In accordance with RBWM’s pre-application guidelines, a wider biodiversity survey needs to be undertaken for this proposed development as the site is within 200m of a stream.

In addition, a data search provided by Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) demonstrates that, in addition to bats, the following protected species have been recorded within 200m of the site:

• Stag beetle
• Common lizard

Based on RBWM’s guidelines and records of protected species close to the site, a biodiversity survey needs to be completed before this planning application can be determined.

I request that RBWM’s ecological advisor, Jacobs, be asked to provide their assessment of this application.

13/00589 – 17 Holmes Close (Works to trees covered by TPO)

Recommendation:  Refer to Borough’s Tree Officer

13/00594 – Bellocchio House

Note that photos in Tree Survey report show that a number of trees had been felled prior to the tree survey (there were a number of stumps evident), and the garden had been stripped of all vegetation away from the boundary. 22 trees remaining on site, no TPOs.  5 further trees due for removal. Emphasise the need to check for birds nests & roosting bats.

13/00607 – 3 Spinney Close (Works to trees covered by TPO)

Recommendation:  In accordance with best practice guidance issued by the Bat Conservation Trust on bat surveys , trees scheduled for arboricultural work should be assessed for the presence of bats and for their potential to support bat roosts. Information supplied by applicant mentions the following points:

• A stream runs along the western boundary (by T13 & T12)
• The area around T10-T15 is heavily wooded
• T11, T12 & T13 show signs of decay and rot-pockets.

It is considered that the T11-T13 trees could (from the information provided) exhibit a significant potential for bat roosts. In accordance with best practice (as advocated by Natural England), a bat survey of the trees should be undertaken prior to permission for this work being granted.

13/00644 – Orchard House

The house is to be significantly altered, including the removal of the roof void. The site is within 30m of a stream and right next to a woodland. The details provided of the current build are brief but the drawings indicate that there may be areas of weather-boarding that are to be removed.

The age of the property is not known.

The Association of Local Government Ecologists in their ‘Validation of Planning Applications’ guidance document (as prepared in collaboration with Defra and Natural England), recommend that bat surveys will be required for the following types of development:

            ‘Proposed development which includes the modification conversion, demolition or removal of buildings and structures (especially roof voids) involving the following:

• all buildings with weather boarding and/or hanging tiles that are within 200m of woodland and/or water;
• pre-1960 detached buildings and structures within 200m of woodland and/or water.

Therefore, if the building is pre-1960s or has any areas of weather-boarding, a bat survey should be undertaken.

Lise Andreassen

Voluntary Bio-Diversity Adviser