Country park at The Academy - The South Buckinghamshire, Stoke Poges

What was proposed

The application proposed a country park with footpaths, landscaping, land re-profiling, imported soil, a play area, café, toilets and overflow parking.

“Application Number: PL/25/3172/FA Proposal: Proposed Country Park to incorporate general footpaths and associated landscaping (including land re-profiling with importation of soil), a new children's play area, change of use of existing clubhouse building to be utilised as a cafe with an associated outdoor toilet block and an area for informal overflow car parking (Part Retrospective) Site Location: The Academy - The South Buckinghamshire, Stoke Road, Stoke Poges, SL2 4NL…”

Officer report

The site

The 23-hectare site was a former golf academy in open countryside and the Metropolitan Green Belt, with existing access, public paths and a clubhouse.

“Planning permission was previously granted in 2018 for its redevelopment as a country park with a focus on cycling (18/00922/FUL). At that time, it had been disused for around 2 years; it is now approximately 10 years since it was last in use for golf. It lies in open countryside to the north of Slough and is within the Metropolitan Green Belt.”

Officer report

Earlier permission and works

A 2018 country park permission allowed cycling facilities, a replacement building and major earthworks, while soil importation had begun before this revised application.

“Relevant Planning History 3.1 The previous planning application and associated discharge of conditions are relevant planning history for this application: 18/00922/FUL – Conditional Permission, 15 November 2018 - Proposed Country Park involving the demolition of the driving range and remodelling of the former golf course and driving range with creation of a sculptured landscape with informal and formal sports and recreational facilities, including construction of…”

“(Proposed Country Park involving the demolition of the driving range and remodelling of the former golf course and driving range with creation of a sculptured landscape with informal and formal sports and recreational facilities, including construction of Mountain Bike Trail, BMX Pump Trail, Bike Circuit, Children's Play Area and Amphitheatre.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval subject to an acceptable habitat management and monitoring plan, or refusal if agreement was not reached within six months.

“To secure the creation/enhancement and long-term management of the site the implementation of a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan is recommended via a condition to any approval granted. The pond is considered a new pond because the existing pond has silted up to the extent that it no longer functions as a permanent pond.”

“Due to the unusual circumstances of this application and the timing and part- proposed nature of the development, grant of planning permission will result in a technical breach of these conditions with immediate effect. Because statutory BNG conditions require submission of the BGP and HMMP before commencement, and elements of the development have already commenced, the LPA must secure these documents prior to issuing the decision to ensure no breach occurs.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A speaker addressed the committee on behalf of the applicant.

The vote and decision

Members voted to defer and delegate approval to the Director of Planning and Environment, subject to the habitat plan and reported conditions.

“Members voted in favour of the motion to defer and delegate the application to the Director of Planning and Environment to Approve subject to the submission of Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan that is acceptable to Planning and…”

“Resolved: to defer and delegate the application to the Director of Planning and Environment to Approve subject to the submission of Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan that is acceptable to Planning and Ecology Officers and subject to the conditions set out in this report or to refuse if a satisfactory Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan is not agreed within a period of 6 months.”

Minutes