Agenda and draft minutes

Mr Mallon proposed, Mr Shonk seconded and Members agreed that Mr Logen be elected Chair of the Committee.

The Chair proposed, Mr Mallon seconded and Members agreed that Mr Chapman be elected Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Apologies were received from Mr Chapman for whom Mr Eustace was present as substitute, and from Mrs Emberson for whom Mrs Palmer was present as substitute.

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 February 2026 were correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

There were no site visits scheduled.

Mrs Thompson advised the Committee of three matters:

1.    Legislation to amend the terms of reference of planning committees was before Parliament and would impact upon the Council’s delegated powers. Further detail would follow and a report would be submitted to a future meeting of the Selection and Member Services Committee.

2.    The revised National Planning Policy Framework was expected to be released in the summer.

3.    The application from Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School for a multiuse games facility, that had previously been the subject of a Committee site visit, had been withdrawn by the applicant.

There were no minerals and waste applications for consideration at the meeting.

1)    Mrs Palmer, Principal Planning Officer, outlined the report.

2)    It was proposed by Chair and seconded by Mr Brice:

That the officer’s recommendation be adopted, namely:

That PERMISSION BE GRANTED SUBJECT TO the imposition of conditions covering (amongst other matters) the following:

1. Development shall commence within 3 years of the date of the permission;

2. Development to be carried out in accordance with the submitted details;

3. The two mobiles classrooms shall be removed from the site prior to the occupation of the replacement building;

4. Measures to protect trees to be retained;

5. The submission of a detailed Landscape Scheme prior to commencement of the development;

6. The submission of a detailed Landscape Management Plan within 3 months of the date of planning permission;

7. The submission of a bat survey prior to the demolition of the mobile classroom located in Area B, to be carried out during the survey season and to include a Preliminary Roost Assessment, bat emergence survey, and overview of any mitigation required;

8. The submission of a lighting plan, to be designed following best practice guidance within Bat Conservation Trust/Institute of Lighting Professional’s ‘Guidance Note 08/23 Bats and Artificial Lighting at Night, and to include a site plan showing the location and types of lighting, downward facing lighting, and timings of the operational hours, within 3 months of the date of planning permission;

9. The submission of a site specific precautionary mitigation strategy the other species present within the site, to be submitted within 3 months of the date of planning permission;

10. The submission of a construction management plan prior to commencement of the development, to include routing of construction and delivery vehicles, parking and turning areas for construction and delivery vehicles, timing of deliveries, hours and days of working, provision of wheel washing facilities, measures to prevent the discharge of surface water onto the highway, temporary traffic management/signage and before and after construction highway condition surveys;

11. The submission of a Verification Report pertaining to surface water drainage system prior to the occupation of the development.

The development shall also be subject to the submission of a Biodiversity Gain Plan, prior to the commencement of development, in accordance with paragraph 13 of Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

3)    Upon being put to the vote the motion was declared CARRIED.

Mrs Thompson confirmed that no material objections had been received regarding application FH/25/0466 Land at Otterpool Park Development, therefore the application had been determined in accordance with the delegated functions detailed in the Council’s Constitution.

RESOLVED to note matters dealt with under delegated powers since the meeting on 11 February 2026 relating to:

E1 - County matter applications.

The importance of minimising highway disruption during works relating to application DA/24/985/R5,6 & 7 was highlighted.  It was thought that the application had conditions to help mitigate against highway disruption, however, this feedback would be passed on to the highways department. 

RESOLVED to note matters dealt with under delegated powers since the meeting on 11 February 2026 relating to:

E2 - County Council developments.

RESOLVED to note matters dealt with under delegated powers since the meeting on 11 February 2026 relating to:

E3 - Screening opinions under Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017

Mrs Thompson advised that applicants requested scoping opinions before an application was submitted.  The information was used to help develop a valid application.

RESOLVED to note matters dealt with under delegated powers since the meeting on 2 February 2026 relating to:

E4 - Scoping opinions under Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017.