Minutes of Meetings

COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the PLANNING COMMITTEE held at the

Community Room on Tuesday, 19^th May 2009 commencing at 7.30 pm

PRESENT: Cllr D. Fry (Chairman), M. Barnes (Vice Chairman)

Cllrs M. Brar, P. Brockwell, G. Harris, M. Innes, R. Piercey, D. Ricardo,

M. Wellman and H. J. Woodbridge.

ALSO PRESENT: PC Marc Chapman.

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OPEN FORUM: The Chairman welcomed PC Marc Chapman to the Parish Council meeting. PC Chapman apologised that this is the first time since he took over from PC Val de Haan that he has been able to attend our meeting. He spoke of the recent events on the Alfred Major and said that he had no leads so far in his investigations. His team have been building up a list of names associated purely with incidents on the Alfred Major. PC Chapman spoke of a rise in shed thefts in the Whyteladyes Lane area and a letter will shortly go out to residents offering advice on protecting property. Theft in cars has decreased recently. There is a police web site with more details of the police activities. PC Chapman then took a range of questions from the Councillors.

1. APOLOGIES AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Apologies were received from Cllrs John Stretton, Jean Stretton, M-L Kellaway and F. Hewer – who were all attending the Mayor-making Ceremony at the Town Hall. Cllr Coker was attending a school governors meeting. Cllr Piercey declared a prejudicial interest in Pln Appn 09/00832. Cllr Harris declared a personal interest in Pln Appn 09/00881 and Cllr Fry declared a personal interest in Pln Appn 09/00839.

2. PLANS CONSIDERED & DISCUSSED:

Planning Ref:	Current Planning Applications	Decision
09/00832 (27/04/09)	Proposed enclosure of existing recessed entrance porch. SAWFORDS GARAGE, Bigfrith Lane, Cookham Dean. Mr G. Jones	NO OBJECTION - on the condition that the bins are stored away from the highway apart from collection day. Also concern on the parking. VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 8, AGST 1
09/00839 (01/05/09)	Two storey side extension. TEDWARD COTTAGE, Bradcutts Lane, Cookham. Mrs Margaret Rawlinson Two earlier proposals were defeated. The first proposal was “Objection – over-development of the site” – defeated on a casting vote.	OBJECTION – Un-neighbourly. VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 8, AGAINST = 2. The second proposal was “No objection”- defeated 4 in favour, 6 against.
09/00849 (01/05/09)	Two rear dormers. MERLINS, Hills Lane, Cookham Dean. Mr and Mrs G. Welch	NO OBJECTION VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 9, ABSTENTION = 1
09/00891 (07/05/09)	Single storey front extension. BARN COTTAGE, The Pound, Cookham. Mrs K. Addis	NO OBJECTION VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 6, AGAINST = 4.
Planning Ref:	Amended Planning Applications	Decision
09/00376	Construction of a three storey office (use Class B1) Building with associated landscaping and car parking following demolition of existing buildings. FORMER STIEFEL LABORATORIES Whitebrook Park, Lower Cookham Road, Maidenhead.	OBJECTION – Same comments as previously.
Planning Ref:	Certificate of Lawfulness	For Information only – no response needed
09/00861 (01/05/09)	Certificate of Lawfulness for a proposed entrance porch. WILLOW BANK, Cookham Dean Bottom, Cookham Dean. S Varney Ltd	Although this Certificate of Lawfulness is a legal matter and does not require a response from the Parish Council, the Clerk was asked to find out about the process necessary to ensure that properties in the Conservation Areas of Cookham must apply for Conservation Area Consent rather than Certificates of Lawfulness.
Planning Ref:	Works to Trees in Conservation Area	Decision
09/00881 (05/05/09)	Works to Trees in Conservation Area. Notification to fell one Acer tree. CROMWELL COTTAGE, Alleyns Lane, Cookham. Mr John Bramm	NO OBJECTION VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Planning Ref:	Planning Decisions	Decision
09/00619	Notification to fell 2 Cypress trees and an Ash and pollard a Chestnut at 4m from ground level. AUSTINS, Warners Hill, Cookham. Roderick Baird Ltd	NO OBJECTION
09/00518	Single storey rear extension. GUISE COTTAGE, Berries Road, Cookham. Mr K Elstow	PERMITTED
09/00408	Single storey rear extension. GARLAND COTTAGE, New Road, Cookham Rise. JSA Architects	PERMITTED
09/00406	New dwelling following demolition of existing. HILLWAYS, Bigfrith Lane, Cookham. JSA Architects	PERMITTED
09/00609	Works to trees in Conservation Area. Notification to fell an Ash and reduce 3 taller Holly trees to same height as the rest of the Holly sceen. MINSIDE COTTAGE, Cookham Dean Common, Cookham Dean. Mr Knight	NO OBJECTION
09/00515	First floor side extension over existing garage. POUND END, Cedar Drive, Cookham. Mr L. Norris	PERMITTED
09/00584	Works to trees in Conservation Area. Notification to fell a Blue Cedar. HILL CREST, Hills Lane, Cookham. JSA Architects.	NO OBJECTION
09/00616	Works to Trees IN Conservation Area. Notification to fell an Apple tree. COURT COTTAGE, Dean Lane, Cookham Dean. Mrs Marion Elly	NO OBJECTION
09/00364	Single storey rear extension. CHERRY TREE COTTAGE, Popes Lane, Cookham Dean. JSA Architects	REFUSED – Contrary to Policies GB4, GB1, GB2 and H14 RBWM Local Plan.
09/00701	Single storey enclosed link between the existing house and the existing annex. THE HOLT, Stubbles Lane, Cookham Dean JSA Architects	APPLICATION WITHDRAWN ON 7^th May 2009.

3. CHANGE OF MEETING DATES TO ACCOMMODATE THE CLERK’S HOLIDAY – Cllr Woodbridge proposed accepting the changes to the meetings in July and August to ensure that the Clerk was available to take the Minutes. This was seconded by Cllr Innes and AGREED unanimously.

4. RESPONSE TO THE SCHOOLS SECTION IN THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT SUBMISSION OF THE REVISED COOKHAM PLAN – The general consensus was that this was a well-constructed report but contained very little that the Parish Council was not aware of. Cllr Ricardo felt that the staff cars caused more problems than the pupils. The suggestion of a feasibility study on moving parking from High Road to Broom Hill would simply transfer the problem. Cllr Wellman agreed that the parking was already bad at Broom Hill. The Councillors were keen not to open up the Alfred Major to a car park. Although permissible through the covenants, the general view was that a car park would begin to reduce this important green space in Cookham Rise and must be preserved at all costs. Cllr Brockwell felt that more pupils should walk or cycle to school and she queried what had happened to the cycle racks at the school.

It was AGREED to ask Nigel Topping why his Working Group had discounted the idea of a drop-off entrance off Sutton Road to ease the traffic in School Lane. The report would be discussed again once this answer had been obtained. Comments sent over to the Parish Office by Cllr Fiona Hewer would also be discussed at this point.

5. CHAIRMAN’S SUBMISSIONS – Cllr Fry would be meeting with Berkshire Taxis to formally accept the cheque for £100 towards repair of the damaged equipment in the Alfred Major. It was AGREED that the Parish Council would not send a representative to the MDC panel meeting to talk on the property “Butts Legh”. It was felt that the Officer determination for refusal should be accepted. It was AGREED to give permission for a Charity Football match in aid of the Air Ambulance on the Alfred Major this coming Saturday. The Chairman then said a few words at the end of his first meeting in the Chair. He hoped that members of the Council would move quickly towards decision-taking.

The meeting closed at 9.15pm.