Minutes of Meetings

GARDENS IN BLOOM 2003 – Cllr Harris presented certificates to the winning gardens throughout Cookham. Mrs Betty Bond of Elm Cottage won the Cookham Dean award with Mrs and Mrs Taft of Orchard Cottage as the runner-up. Mr and Mrs Spooner of Gainsborough won the Cookham Rise award with Mr and Mrs Smyth of Whyteladyes Lane as the runner-up. The winner for Cookham village was Mrs K. Hill of The Malt Barn.

ALLOTMENT AWARDS 2003 – The Chairman then announced the winners of the Best Kept Allotment awards for 2003. The winner for Cookham Rise was Mr B. Jones, for Sutton was Mrs R. Howell and for Cookham Dean, Mr M.Little.

PC de Haan gave a summary of the crime figures for Cookham. Burglaries had risen possibly due to the hot weather and more people leaving windows open. Car keys were taken and cars – however a group of youths have been arrested for three of these offences. Car crimes are still a major problem. The CCTV cameras has seen a reduction in offences in the High Street however incidents have risen in Sutton Road and School Lane; Dean Lane and Lower Road in the Rise. PC de Haan spoke about other local disturbances and said he would like to recruit another Special Constable to spread patrolling duties. Mr Smyth of Whyteladyes Lane queried the 30mph sign and asked why it had not been replaced. PC de Haan said he would look into this matter.

Sergeant David Freer then spoke to raise his concerns about the negative press that the police has been receiving. He announced that he was in the process of restructuring the beat policemen to give a more thorough coverage to all areas. He said the Area Beat Officers would work as a team and support each other to give a better service. Mrs Betty Bond asked about traffic wardens and was told that Maidenhead has just one and a half wardens and Cookham is promised a traffic warden for one day a month. The Chairman thanked both policemen for taking the time to come to the meeting.

OPEN FORUM – Mr Alan Jay spoke to query the status of Appn No: 03/40701 Tudor Cottage in Cookham Dean. He was concerned that work had already started at the property. Cllr Wellman said that work had begun from previous permission and the new tennis court was on the plans of the original permission granted earlier this year. Mr Jay also mentioned the lack of information about the Cookham Dean Mains Drainage work. He asked the Parish Council to get some more information and asked if Councillors were aware of the limitations of the scheme. He said that phase 2 had been dropped and as a result a large part of Cookham Dean will not be covered by the work.

Mr Nicholas Flowerdew then spoke on behalf of the residents of Cookham Dean to summarise the many objections to Appn No: 03/40655 at Hardings Farm. Both he and his neighbours, Mr and Mrs Campin, have instructed solicitors to make a legal objection. He said the change of use of the redundant barn would detract from the conservation area, would be intrusive to the privacy of himself and Mr Campin. Both houses would have direct views into the development from their windows. The noise and disruption would destroy the peace of the area and the corner of Hills Lane would quickly become an accident blackspot in the village. Mr Ray Brown of Byways, Hardings Green then spoke to say that the parking for just ten cars was totally inadequate, road safety for pedestrians would be put at risk and emergency access would also be placed in jeopardy if the application is allowed to go ahead. He said the plans contravene the GB8 policy and would have a devastating effect on the village. Sawfords Garage and the associated parking problems would be further exacerbated by these latest plans for offices at Hardings Farm. The Chairman thanked everyone for coming to the meeting and invited them to stay if they wished.

1. APOLOGIES AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Apologies were received from Cllr A. Prichard. Cllr Harris declared a prejudicial interest in appn no: 03/40679 and left the room during the discussion.

2. LATEST ADVICE ON FLOOD PLAIN MAP : The Chairman said there was no further advice at this stage as to why the Environment Agency had withdrawn the latest Flood Plain map. The Parish Council should continue to use the map from 2001 for any future planning applications.

3. PLANS CONSIDERED & DISCUSSED

03/40655	Conversion of a redundant barn to B1 use. HARDINGS FARM, Hardings Green, Cookham Dean. (Change of use) Mr P. Richards	OBJECTION
	The Clerk had received approx. 98 letters of objection from residents. Cookham Parish Council wish to minute their strong OBJECTION to this application. It is contrary to policy GB8 which refers to the erection and use of farm buildings with a proven agricultural need for the building; Policy GB2 against re-development or replacement of buildings in the Green Belt; and GB11 which refers to the re-use of redundant buildings to be small in scale.
03/40547	First floor rear extension. SUNNYCOTE, The Pound, Cookham. Mr and Mrs Furlong-Johns. Deferred from 12^th August Meeting	NO OBJECTION
03/40588	Part two-storey part single storey rear/side extension. MAY COTTAGE, School Lane, Cookham. Mr and Mrs Lindley. Deferred from 12^th August Meeting	NO OBJECTION
03/40706	Two storey rear extension and conversion of loft. 1, THE GABLES, Hardings Green, Cookham Dean. V. Fenner and D. Kendall.	OBJECTION
	Cookham Parish Council OBJECT to this application – contrary to GB4 – over-development in a Green Belt area. Vote: IN FAVOUR = 10, AGAINST = 1, ABSTENTION = 1.
03/40657	Single Storey Rear Extension. COOKHAM DEAN VILLAGE HALL, Church Road, Cookham Dean. Cookham Dean Village Hall Club Committee.	NO OBJECTION
03/40679	Replacement farm equipment store. WINTERHILL FARM, Winter Hill, Cookham. Mr John Copas.	NO OBJECTION
03/40643	Outline application for erection of detached three bedroom house and demolition of garage and outbuildings. (Outline Planning) Land adjacent to 21 SOUTHWOOD ROAD, Cookham. Mr Fraser John McNeilly.	OBJECTION
	Cookham Parish Council OBJECT to this application – policy DG1 – it would cause harm to the character of the surrounding area through development which is cramped and unneighbourly.
03/40701	Demolition of existing house and outbuildings and construction of detached house enlarged driveway and vehicle hard standing. TUDOR COTTAGE, Grubwood Lane, Cookham Mr and Mrs Moher	NO OBJECTION
O3/40690	Construction of single storey front extension and dormer In front roof slope. WHYTE GLEN, Maidenhead Road, Cookham Mr and Mrs G. Walter	NO OBJECTION
03/40692	Single Storey Rear Extension 15 BURNT OAK, Cookham. Mr D. Harrison.	NO OBJECTION
03/40661	Erection of rear conservatory. WALNUT HOUSE, Dean Lane, Cookham Dean. Mr and Mrs Williams.	NO OBJECTION
03/40723	Construction of ground floor rear extension and change of use from residential to part residential, part chiropractors surgery. (Change of Use) YEW LODGE, Maidenhead Road, Cookham. Mr and Mrs Galpin.	OBJECTION
	Cookham Parish Council OBJECT to this application – contrary to policy H7 and H12 – in appropriate development in a residential site and policy H 14 the development would be un-neighbourly and an invasion of privacy for surrounding properties.

03/40529	Consent to remove a hedge to two sides of paddock. DANES MANOR FARMERY, Danes Gardens, Cookham. (Deferred from 12^th August meeting) Mr Paul Pearson.	OBJECTION
	Cllr Harris says the hedge is shown on the 1847 map. It is a feature of the countryside and a haven for wild life. He recommends removing the elder and regenerating the hawthorn.
03/40639	Consent to fell a Gleditisia. (Works to trees in Conservation Area). LISTON BANK, Dean Lane, Cookham Dean. Mrs Meakin.	NO OBJECTION
03/40684	Consent to prune branches of a horse chestnut overhanging Quarry Cottage, Gibralter Lane. (Works to trees in Conservation area) SHINING STAR, Gibralter Lane, Cookham Dean. Mr Darrin-Victor-Evans.	OBJECTION
	Cookham Parish Council is concerned about the steep bank. Any pruning could make the tree lop-sided and unstable. The tree is about 80 years old and should be visited by the tree officer for a possible TPO.
03/40696	Consent to crown reduce a Cherry Tree. (Works to trees in Conservation Area). CHERRYCROFT, Popes Lane, Cookham. Mrs Turner.	NO OBJECTION
03/40694	Consent to crown reduce 3 lime trees. (Works to trees covered by TPO) CAMELFORD, Bradcutts Lane, Cookham. Mr Grundy.	NO OBJECTION

PLANNING DECISIONS

03/40424	Single Storey Side Extension. 11 PENLING CLOSE, Cookham Rise.	PERMITTED
03/40284	Demolition of existing 4 bay garage and erection of a 2-storey extension and detached single garage. THE COACH HOUSE, Mill Lane, Cookham.	PERMITTED
03/40455	Rear Conservatory. 25, WHYTLADYES LANE, Cookham Rise.	PERMITTED
03/40487	Single storey rear extension for disabled use. 2, PENLING CLOSE, Cookham Rise.	PERMITTED
03/40501	Consent to fell a robinia. (Works to trees in Conservation area). OLD BARTONS, Alleyns Lane, Cookham Dean.	NO OBJECTION
03/40532	Consent to reduce two Eucalyptus and two Ash trees. (Works to trees in Conservation area) QUINNIES, High Street, Cookham.	NO OBJECTION

4. Minutes and Matters arising from Planning Meetings held on 1^st July, 22^nd July and 12^th August 2003: The minutes of the Planning Meeting on 1^st July were circulated and duly received with no amendments. The minutes of the Planning Meeting held on 22^nd July were circulated and received with several amendments. On Page 730, 3^rd and 4^th paragraph, Mr D. Mathews should be spelt Mr D. Matthews. The fifth paragraph contained two errors, Dean Cottage should be Dean Farm Cottage and an ‘r’ inserted to read, “brought to the attention of the Royal Borough.” On Page 731, Declarations of interest were “Declarations of personal interest” and on the same paragraph, the sentence should end after 03/40487 – as the councillors concerned did take part in the discussion. The minutes of the Planning Meeting held on 12^th August 2003 were circulated and duly received with one amendment. On Page 739, Cllr John Stretton’s full comments could be found on pages 724, 725 and 726.