Mr Martin spoke with regard to the planning application for a hotel at the Ageas Bowl, formerly the Rose Bowl, which had been approved in 2008.  The Council had subsequently provided funding of £30M to enable the project, which would provide local jobs and secure test match cricket at the site, to be progressed.  Other issues had since arisen and Mr Martin considered that the project had now become very complex and was unreasonable to pursue, particularly in the current financial crisis, when test match cricket was losing money at other locations.  The Chairman thanked Mr Martin for his comments.

To consider the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2012.

RESOLVED -

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2012 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to Resolution 8 of Minute 9 (Community Investment Priorities in Hedge End) being amended to read: “That £2,000 be allocated to the Hedge End Village Hall Committee for planned refurbishments and £10,990 to Hedge End Town Council for improvements at the Hedge End Youth and Community Association building (HEYCA) using DC F/09/64658 Southcott Homes, the Fountain Inn, 24 St Johns Road.”

Councillors Bloom and House declared a personal interest in agenda item 6 (Planning Application - Ageas Bowl, Botley Road, West End).  They have received hospitality at the Ageas Bowl.

Councillor Kyrle declared a personal interest in agenda item 8 (Allocation of Developers' Contributions).  He is a member of Hampshire County Council and Hedge End Town Council

Councillor Mrs Fraser declared a personal interest in agenda item 9 (Botley Air Quality Management Area).   She is a member of Botley Parish Council.

Councillor Kyrle declared a personal interest in agenda item 9 (Botley Air Quality Management Area). He is a member of Hampshire County Council and Botley Parish Council.

The Chairman sought and was granted the Committee’s approval for this additional item to be included on the agenda.

Youth Update: A grant of £3,500 had been released to Hedge End Town Council as the Committee’s contribution towards building alterations at The Box Youth Centre.  A team of youth workers had been recruited to run the Centre, as well as extra staff for West End and Botley Parish Councils.  The transition to the Committee’s running of local youth services appeared to have been successful, although the County Council’s funded detached project was still to get fully up to speed.  The Fairthorne Manor challenge project had concluded last week with eight young people successfully completing the course.  The Chairman was grateful to instructors, volunteer staff and Hamble Valley Rotarians for the continued support of this project.

Community Safety: The Committee had been working with residents in Kennet Close who had attended the Community Safety Forum following a series of lead thefts and an assault.  Substantial progress had been made with extra police patrols and clearing footpaths, and funding had been secured to install additional street lighting on a key route to Townhill Farm district shopping centre.  The Community Safety Forum was to meet at 7pm on Monday 18 June at St Lukes Church.   The meeting would include an annual review of local community safety issues and Members were welcome to attend.

Land Transfers: Final tree works had been completed to both West End Copse and Chartwell Copse, enabling the land transfer to West End Parish Council to be completed.  The scheduled date for completion was 29 June 2012.  The transfer agreement included a £12,000 commuted sum being passed on to the Parish Council for ongoing maintenance.

Street Lights for New Route: £10,000 had been secured from Safe Routes to School funding and orders had been placed to install street lighting on the new shared cycleway joining Nelsons Gardens to Wellstead School.  The route had been designed to meet County Council adoption standards to ensure ongoing maintenance.

Street Nameplate Replacement:  The Chairman and Vice Chairman had reviewed the waiting list for replacement street nameplates.  Transport and Engineering staff had been advised to give priority to replacing damaged nameplates and to locations where residents had difficulty receiving deliveries or visitors.  The list was to be e-mailed to Members for comments and suggestions.

Park Sport Summer Holiday Activities: A £750 contribution had been approved towards the cost of this year’s Park Sport summer holiday programme.  This year, coaches would make regular visits to eight locations within the local area and brochures would be distributed to all local schools.

Locations for Speed Limit Reminder Devices: Transport and Engineering staff had circulated a list of local roads and locations where the Speed Limit Reminder devices should be deployed.  The Chairman asked Members to review the list and pass any comments direct to Engineering and Transportation services.  Work had commenced on building the new play area next to the High Barn Visitor Centre.

Development Control staff gave a short presentation on guidelines that had to be taken into account when determining planning applications; in particular the issues that could, and could not, be taken into account.  This was set against the broader policy framework.

(NOTE: A member of the public spoke with regard to this item, stating that he had concerns regarding a previous meeting of this Committee, as he considered that Councillors who had received hospitality at the Ageas Bowl, formerly Rose Bowl, were biased and should not be determining planning applications at this site.)

F/11/69451 – Construction of four bed dwelling with associated access and parking

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Development Control (Agenda item 5) concerning an application for the construction of a four bed dwelling with associated access and parking (Ref: F/11/69451).

The Committee was advised that (a) the application was now for a three bed dwelling; (b) condition 16 had been amended to read “east” and not south; and (c) condition 3(b) had been amended to included hedges.

In considering the application, Members expressed concern regarding the proposed access to the site and considered that the construction traffic management plan, and plans for hedges and fences, should be submitted and considered before determining the application.

RESOLVED –

That the application be DEFERRED for consideration at a future meeting, pending receipt of (a) a construction traffic management plan and (b) plans for the alignment, height and materials of hedges and fences.

(NOTE: Two members of the public spoke in objection to the application, raising issues including the difficult access to the site, concerns that the development would not be built to the plans, and safeguarding of the protected trees.) 

X/12/70787 - Relief of conditions 13 & 17 of planning permission 30368/22 to enable four concerts to be staged at the Ageas Bowl stadium over a two year period with an audience of up to 35,000

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Development Control (Agenda item 6) concerning an application for the relief of conditions 13 & 17 of planning permission 30368/22 to enable four concerts to be staged at the Ageas Bowl stadium over a two year period with an audience of up to 35,000 (Ref: X/12/70787).

The Committee was advised that (a) no objection had been received from West End Parish Council, Hampshire Fire Service or the Head of Planning Policy and Design; (b) no objection had been received from Hampshire County Council Highways, subject to an additional condition; (c) Network Rail had no observations to make; (d) no additional comments had been received from neighbours; (e) with regard to paragraph 36 of the report, residents’ notification this year was to be via the Borough News, Parish Council publications, and the Ageas Bowl website; and (f) two additional conditions were recommended, concerning a Concert Traffic Management Plan and the conditions relating to planning permission 30368/22.

RESOLVED -

That permission be GRANTED, subject to:

(1)          The following additional conditions:

(a)   Prior to each concert, a Concert Traffic Management Plan is to be submitted to and approved by the local planning authority in consultation with the Highway Authority, and the approved details are to be implemented throughout each event.  Reason: In the interests of pedestrian and highway safety; and

(b)   With the exception of the concerts hereby approved, all other developments pursuant to the grant of planning permission 30368/22 shall comply with the conditions imposed on this planning permission.  Reason: To ensure properly planned development; and

(2)          The recommended conditions and reasons.

(NOTES: (1) Councillors Bloom and House declared an interest in this application.  Councillor House had left the meeting by the time the application was considered and Councillor Bloom remained in the room, spoke and voted.  (2) Members requested that Hedge End Town Council be added to the list of consultees in future and that certain roads in the local area be included in the traffic management plan.  (3) A member of the public spoke with regard to this application, querying why the permission needed to be temporary and also raising traffic issues.)

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services to report:-

(a)          that the following appeals have been lodged:-

U/12/70225 – Unit 2, Hedge End Retail Park, Charles Watts Way, Hedge End – appeal against refusal of application for a lawful development certificate for a proposed unrestricted A1 retail use (removal of condition 9 of planning permission 19545/009) (delegated decision).  The appeal will follow the Public Inquiry procedure

F/11/70119 – The Bungalow, Woodhouse Lane, Botley – appeal against refusal of application for the construction of replacement dwelling with detached triple garage/store and first floor storage (amended design) (delegated decision)

F/11/70116 – 17 Alexandra Road, Hedge End – appeal against refusal of application for the addition of pitched roof to previously approved front dormer window (delegated decision)

F/11/70091 – 43 Upper St Helens Road, Hedge End – appeal against refusal of application for alteration to garage, including insertion of 3no. side roof lights and conversion to 1 no. two bed annex (delegated decision)

(b)          that the following appeal has been allowed on ground (f) only of grounds (a), (c), (f) and (g) of section 174 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended, on which the appeal proceeded, and the enforcement notice has been varied by the deletion of requirement (ii) of the notice and the substitution of a new requirement (ii).  Subject to this variation, the enforcement notice is upheld:-

E/09/13609 – 140 Winchester Street, Botley – appeal against an enforcement notice to remove a concrete hardstanding foundation base

(c)          that the following appeal has been dismissed:-

T/11/69618 – 6 Pardoe Close, Hedge End – appeal against refusal of application to fell and remove an oak tree at rear (delegated decision)

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services reported:-

(a)          that the following appeals had been lodged:-

U/12/70225 – Unit 2, Hedge End Retail Park, Charles Watts Way, Hedge End – appeal against refusal of application for a lawful development certificate for a proposed unrestricted A1 retail use (removal of condition 9 of planning permission 19545/009) (delegated decision).  The appeal will follow the Public Inquiry procedure

F/11/70119 – The Bungalow, Woodhouse Lane, Botley – appeal against refusal of application for the construction of replacement dwelling with detached triple garage/store and first floor storage (amended design) (delegated decision)

F/11/70116 – 17 Alexandra Road, Hedge End – appeal against refusal of application for the addition of pitched roof to previously approved front dormer window (delegated decision)

F/11/70091 – 43 Upper St Helens Road, Hedge End – appeal against refusal of application for alteration to garage, including insertion of 3no. side roof lights and conversion to 1 no. two bed annex (delegated decision)

(b)          that the following appeal had been allowed on ground (f) only of grounds (a), (c), (f) and (g) of section 174 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended, on which the appeal proceeded, and the enforcement notice had been varied by the deletion of requirement (ii) of the notice and the substitution of a new requirement (ii).  Subject to this variation, the enforcement notice was upheld:-

E/09/13609 – 140 Winchester Street, Botley – appeal against an enforcement notice to remove a concrete hardstanding foundation base

(c)          that the following appeal had been dismissed:-

T/11/69618 – 6 Pardoe Close, Hedge End – appeal against refusal of application to fell and remove an oak tree at rear (delegated decision)

RESOLVED -

That the report be noted.

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Transportation and Engineering with the Head of Development Control and Head of Financial Services (Agenda item 8) concerning the release of unallocated developers’ contributions held by the Council to fund local transport schemes. 

Appendix 1 to the report contained TSI 633 (Chapel Road/High Street, West End), which the Committee was asked to approve as a high priority scheme, in order to allocate developers’ contributions towards the undertaking of safety improvement measures.

It was also requested that TSI 666 (Kenilworth Gardens highway improvements), contained in Appendix 2 to the report, be prioritised as high, in order to allocate developers’ contributions towards undertaking highway works.

Appendix 3 to the report contained the Committee’s Transport Scheme Inventory (TSI), a list of prioritised transport schemes agreed by the Committee, matched with funding from developers’ contributions.  Approval of the TSI would enable schemes to be programmed for feasibility and progressed to implementation where appropriate.

It was further requested that TSI 191 (Cycle link on Lower Northam Road, Hedge End) be given approval to proceed, as this had exceeded the £25,000 limit for delegated powers.

RESOLVED -

(1)          That TSI 633 (Chapel Road/High Street, West End junction be prioritised as ‘high’ given the details of the scheme provided in the report and shown in Appendix 1;

(2)          That TSI 666 (Kenilworth Gardens Highway improvements) be prioritised as ‘high’ given the details of the scheme provided in the report and shown in Appendix 2;

(3)          That the allocation of developers’ contributions held within this Committee’s Community Investment Programme for feasibility and implementation of prioritised transport schemes, as listed in Appendix 3, be approved; and

(4)          That the allocation and spend of £313,080 (£27,080 Hampshire County Council (HCC) feasibility/£260,000 HCC/£26,000 Eastleigh Borough Council) for TSI 191 – cycle link on Lower Northam Road, Hedge End be approved.

(NOTE: Councillor Kyrle declared an interest in this item, remained in the room, spoke and voted.)

The Committee considered a report of the Area Co-ordinator in consultation with the Clerk to Botley Parish Council, Head of Housing and Environmental Health and Head of Finance (Agenda item 9) concerning the designated Botley Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

Approval was sought to invest £9,000 in monitoring equipment to enable accurate measurement and real-time display of nitrogen dioxide levels in the AQMA and for the Corporate Communications Manager to be tasked to develop and install appropriate signage raising awareness of the AQMA. 

Grants were being offered to eligible local authorities by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to invest in monitoring equipment and projects to raise awareness and tackle air quality problems.  It was further recommended that a grant application should be submitted to DEFRA, which could be used to defray some of the costs of the projects quoted in the report. 

RESOLVED -

(1)          That £9,000 be allocated from the Committee’s revenue reserve to purchase air quality monitoring equipment to provide accurate, real-time data on air quality in Botley;

(2)          That the Corporate Communications Manager be requested to develop appropriate signage for the A334 corridor, raising awareness of the Air Quality Management Area; and

(3)          That the Head of Housing and Environmental Health, in consultation with the Area Co-ordinator, be requested to submit a grant application to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to seek funding towards air quality monitoring equipment and promoting public awareness and participation on air quality issues affecting Botley.

(NOTE: Councillors Kyrle and Mrs Fraser declared an interest in this item, remained in the room, spoke and voted.)

The Committee considered a report of the Chairman, in consultation with the Area Co-ordinator, which provided a summary of key performance indicators reflecting the outputs of the Committee during the financial year 2011/12.

Appendix 1 to the report contained the Chairman’s report, which gave an overview of the Committee’s performance, summarising progress on local projects and decisions taken by the Committee.  In particular, two major projects, the Go-Ape course at Itchen Valley Country Park and The Berry Theatre, had been delivered in April 2011.

Appendices 2, 3 and 4 contained project summaries for each of the parished areas.  The report had been presented by the Chairman at the recent Annual Assemblies of local Town and Parish Councils. 

Updating the report, the Area Co-ordinator advised that the appendices to the report had been revised to identify both corporate and Local Area Committee priorities associated with projects.  The revised document was available on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED -

That the report be noted.

(NOTE: A member of the public spoke with regard to this item, particularly referencing the proposals for Woodhouse Lane and Boorley Green in the Local Plan and confirming that a by-pass for Botley was required.)

Hedge End, West End and Botley Community Safety Forum

North Whiteley Development Forum

Wildern Community Management Committee

Wildern Education Trust

RESOLVED -

That appointments to Outside Bodies for 2012/13 be made as follows:

Hedge End, West End and Botley                     Councillor Mrs C Fraser

Community Safety Forum

North Whiteley Development Forum                Councillor Mrs C Fraser  

Wildern Community Management                     Councillor J Hughes

Committee                                                               

Wildern Education Trust                                      Councillor K House

Regulatory Panel – to deal with Licensing issues not covered by the Licensing Act 2003 or Gambling Act 2005.  Previously the Committee has nominated all Members to serve as a ‘pool’, from which three Members could be called upon

Community Grants Sub-Group (2011/12 representatives: Councillors Mrs Fraser, Goodall, Kyrle and Pretty)

RESOLVED -

That appointments for 2012/13 be made as follows: