CUMNOR PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting of the Planning Committee
held at the United Reformed Church Hall, Cumnor
on Monday 30 March 2015
Present: Harry Dickinson, Chairman, Vanessa Cheel, Philip Hawtin (Council Vice-chairman), Brian
Stops (Council Chairman), Judy Roberts, Steve Viner and Tina Brock, Clerk.
18/15 Apologies for Absence. Peter Bowell (unwell), Richard Clarke (prior commitment) and John
Griffin (unwell). These apologies were received.
19/15 Declarations of Interest. None.
20/15 Minutes of the Meeting of the Planning Committee held on 16 March 2015 were agreed and
signed by the Chairman as a correct record.
21/15 Matters arising not on the agenda. Brian Stops informed the Committee that the
Communications Team, VWHDC had issued a press release with the heading ‘New West Way scheme
for Botley as appeal is withdrawn’ on 13 March 2015. A quote on behalf of the Council was given
which included the paragraph ‘There was a view in Cumnor Parish Council’s own discussions that
with an adverse unanimous decision of 0-13, in a widely witnessed consideration by the Vale Planning
Committee, it would be difficult to identify a prima facie case for partial exclusions’.
PLANNING
22/15 Submitted Planning Applications. The appended applications were discussed and
observations have been submitted to the VWHDC by the Council:
i
P15/V0479/FUL
2 Oaklands, Oxford Road, Farmoor, Oxford OX2 9NW
Demolition of existing dwelling and detached garage. Erection of new three
bedroom dwelling.
ii
P14/V2727/FUL
10-14 Arnolds Way, Cumnor Hill, Oxford OX2 9JB
Demolition of 14 Arnolds Way and erection of 5 detached two-storey properties,
creation of a new access, together with associated infrastructure and landscaping.
(As amended by the agents email dated 4/3/2015 and amended plans P01D, P02B,
P03D, P04C camera 2WLR.)
iii P15/V0468/FUL
3 Tilbury Lane, Botley, Oxford OX2 9NB
Change of use of 3 Tilbury Lane from C3 to C2.
Steve Viner informed the Committee that paperwork sent with the application was
incorrect. He had informed the VWHDC Plan Officer who had then emailed the
correct paperwork and allowed a time extension until the 14 April 2015. The
Committee agreed that Steve Viner should contact all the neighbours to inform them
of the proposed change of use of the property.
23/15 Tilbury Lane Development Update. David Buckle, CEO, VWHDC had responded to the
Council's formal letter of complaint dated 11 March 2015, regarding the inadequate response from
Adrian Duffield concerning the gate at Tilbury Lane (condition 6 of planning application
P07/V0741/O), and had asked whether ‘an automatic gate was really necessary’. Philip Hawtin drew
the Committee's attention to paragraphs within the Council's response which explained the history and
issues surrounding the gate and why an automatic closing gate was necessary. The Clerk would email
the Council's response to David Buckle tomorrow.
DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
24/15 A following meeting would take place at 7.30pm on Monday 27 April 2015 (provisionally) in
the United Reformed Church Hall, Leys Road, Cumnor.
25/15 Any Other Important Information. None.
The meeting closed at 8.25pm.
Signed …………………………… Dated …………………....2015
41
CONSULTATION WITH CUMNOR PARISH COUNCIL
Officer:
Amended
plans:
Abbie Gjoka
Application
reference:
Application
type:
Address:
P15/V0479/FUL
Proposal:
Demolition of existing dwelling and detached garage. Erection of new three
bedroom dwelling.
Minor
2 Oaklands, Oxford Road, Farmoor, Oxford OX2 9NW
CUMNOR PARISH COUNCIL:
1.

FULLY SUPPORTS this application for the following reasons.
2.
 has NO OBJECTIONS to this application.

3.

has NO OBJECTIONS to this application but wish the following comments to
be taken into account.

OBJECTS to this application for the following reasons.
4.
Signed by ……T Brock……………………………
Clerk to Cumnor Parish Council
42
Dated 31 March 2015
CONSULTATION WITH CUMNOR PARISH COUNCIL
Officer:
Amended
plans:
Charlotte Brewerton
Yes
Application
reference:
Application
type:
P14/V2727/FUL
Address:
10-14 Arnolds Way, Cumnor, Oxford OX2 9JB
Proposal:
Demolition of no 14 Arnolds Way and erection of 5 detached two-storey
properties, creation of a new access, together with associated infrastructure
and landscaping (as amended by the agents email dated 4/3/2015 and
amended plans Arnolds Way P01D, P02B, P03D, P04C camera 2WLR).
Minor
CUMNOR PARISH COUNCIL:
1.
2.

considers that this application should be APPROVED for the following
reasons:
 considers that this application should be REFUSED for the following

reasons:
The amended plans show minor changes which do not address the Councils previous
objections. There has been some redrawing of the plots with improved landscaping but,
frankly, not much more than that. The essence of CPCs problems with this proposal is that
4 dwellings in the back gardens is quite simply too many. It gives a density of 20 dwellings
per hectare which is out of keeping in this location. CPC therefore reiterate its previous
comments as follows:
Cumnor Parish Council (CPC) has no objection in principle to the proposal to locate new
houses in the rear gardens of nos.10-14 Arnold's Way, at the same time demolishing and
re-building no.14 Arnold's Way in order to allow an access road. However CPC makes the
following comments in response to this particular proposal:
1. Density: The proposal for 5 detached properties is too intense a development and out of
character in this location just off Cumnor Hill, which is designated (in the Vale's Draft
Design Guide, October 2014, p.121, para 6.1.2) as being a lower density area
"characterised by residential properties set in relatively large, often well landscaped
grounds". In contrast, in this proposal the four dwellings in the rear gardens are laid out
cheek-by-jowl with a mere 2m between them (and not the 3m described in the D & A
Statement), 2m being in CPC's opinion far too small a gap for detached houses. The D & A
Statement claims that the proposed dwelling density of 20 per hectare is good for the area
but makes comparison with the recent development at 15 Arnold's Way (opposite) which
has a density of only 11 per hectare. CPC would wish to see a proposal with a density
more in line with that at 15 Arnold's Way.
2. Amenity space: As a consequence of the density of the proposal, amenity space for
each of the new dwellings at the rear is limited to a mere 30 m². This is completely
inadequate, considering that the current plots (10-14 Arnold's Way) have 156-168 m². The
amount of amenity space would be improved by reducing the number of dwellings in the
proposal.
3. Drainage - run-off and groundwater: By building on back gardens there will be an
43
increase of between 50% and 70% in impermeable land cover, depending on the efficiency
of the SUDS. Run-off and groundwater from the proposed properties will drain towards
Arnold's Way and Cumnor Hill. The site is to be drained by soakaway. It is very noticeable
that, since the land at 15 Arnold's Way was de-forested prior the submission of the
planning application and the subsequent building on that site, there are now significant
safety issues for pedestrians on Cumnor Hill as a result of ground water issuing from
properties on the south side of Cumnor Hill. One of the conditions of planning permission
being granted for 15 Arnold's Way was that a hydro-geological survey be undertaken prior
to construction. CPC did not see or comment on that survey. No ground survey has been
done in relation to the present application. CPC requests that a full hydro-geological
survey of the site be undertaken as part of this or any other application in relation to
this site and before any building work in this location is allowed to proceed, and
further asks to be provided with a copy of any resulting survey.
4. Access and parking: CPC has some concerns about the access, bearing in mind that
Arnold's Way is a relatively narrow residential road serving as a bus route and providing
the only vehicular access to Matthew Arnold School. There are real highway safety issues
for children walking to school, with too many junctions for them to cross in too small a
space, and this proposal can only add to the hazard and frankly will be dangerous for the
children. Careful thought needs to be given as to how this hazard can be managed.
There is no visitor parking allocation in the proposal.
5. Sewage: The development would significantly increase foul sewage on an 'upgraded'
sewage system not intended for additional discharge. Thames Water 'upgraded' the
sewage system to cope with the additional increase from the Timbmet development and
did not allow for additional developments within the area.
6. Sustainability: The sustainability statement bears no relation to the site and current
building options. For example the roofs, although ideally orientated, have not been
designed for solar panels. Surface treatment of car parking will only seek to use
permeable materials to reduce surface run-off. The use of permeable materials should be
a condition of any planning permission in relation to this site.
Council requests that the views of the neighbours are taken into consideration.
In summary: For all of the above reasons CPC OBJECTS to this proposal
Signed by ……T Brock……………………………
Clerk to Cumnor Parish Council
44
Dated 31 March 2015