Agenda and minutes

The Committee is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 14th December 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14th December 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

No questions were submitted.

No questions were submitted.

The following disclosures were made:

(i)              by Councillor Palmer – in respect of planning application P/23/0668/2 (Land at Watermead Business Park, Thurmaston) who had a non-registrable interest in the item and came to the meeting with a closed mind.  She left the meeting room for the duration of the item.

(ii)             by Councillor Lowe – in respect of planning application P/23/0668/2 (Land at Watermead Business Park, Thurmaston) who was a member of Thurmaston Parish Council but had not taken part in the debate and confirmed that he came to the meeting with an open mind.

(iii)           by Councillor Snartt – in respect of planning application P/23/0645/2 (Lady Jane Park, Bradgate Road, Newtown Linford) who had called-in the application and would be speaking on the item.  He sat in the public gallery for the duration of the item.

(iv)           by Councillors Charles, B. Gray, Lawrence, Lennie, Lowe, Monk, Northage, O’Neill, Palmer and Snartt – in respect of planning application P/23/0668/2 (Land at Watermead Business Park, Thurmaston) as recipients of e-mail correspondence in relation to this application, but all came to the meeting with open minds.

A query was raised as to whether Councillors needed to declare their interests in the e-mail correspondence in respect of planning application P/23/0668/2 (Land at Watermead Business Park, Thurmaston) due to it containing information that was already in the public domain via the online planning portal. 

It was clarified that for transparency it was helpful to declare interests where correspondence had been received.

The list of planning applications to be considered at the meeting is appended.

Reports of the Head of Planning and Growth, setting out applications P/23/0668/2 and P/23/0645/2 were submitted (item 5 on the agenda filed with these minutes).  An Extras Report in respect of both applications was also submitted (also filed with these minutes).

There was a late request to speak from Mr James Lightfoot (objector) in respect of application P/23/0645/2.  There was already a registered speaker for the item, Mr Richard Palmer (objector), who had agreed to share his three minutes’ speaking time.  The Chair and members of the Committee were in agreement for the request to be granted.

In accordance with the procedure for public speaking at meetings, the following objector, applicants or their representatives and representative of a parish council attended the meeting and expressed their views:

(i)       Mr Steve Lewis-Roberts (on behalf of the agent) in respect of application P/23/0668/2;

(ii)      Mr Richard Palmer and Mr James Lightfoot (objectors) in respect of application P/23/0645/2;

(iii)      Ms Ellie Smith (on behalf of the applicant, William Davis) in respect of application P/23/0645/2;

(iv)     Cllr Rob Haylock (on behalf of Newtown Linford Parish Council) in respect of application P/23/0645/2.

In accordance with the procedure for Borough Councillors speaking at Plans Committee meetings, the following Councillors attended the meeting and expressed their views:

(i)       Councillor Snartt (call-in) in respect of application P/23/0645/2.

This item had been previously considered by Plans Committee on 28th September 2023 and had been deferred in order for the applicant to be invited to consider amendments to the scheme.  The item had returned to Plans Committee on 14th December 2023, however the Committee was inquorate for the item, with only 8 members of the Plans Committee present who originally considered the application in September.  The item was therefore deferred to the January Plans Committee meeting.

A query was made at this meeting with regard to whether the item was now quorate.  The Committee was reassured that the agenda report had been newly prepared and therefore did not require the same members as were present at the September meeting.  It was therefore confirmed that the item was quorate.

RESOLVED that in respect of application P/23/0668/2 (Land at Watermead Business Park, Thurmaston) planning permission be granted subject to completion of Section 106 planning obligations and planning conditions for the reasons set out in the report of the Head of Planning and Growth and amendments to conditions 3 and 14 as set out in the Extras Report, and that the Head of Planning and Growth be given delegated authority to determine the final detail of the planning conditions in consultation with the Chair of the Plans Committee.

RESOLVED that in respect of application P/23/0645/2 (Lady Jane Park, Bradgate Road, Newtown Linford) planning permission be granted subject to planning conditions for the reasons set out in the report of the Head of Planning and Growth and amendment to the recommendation as set out in the Extras Report.

A list of applications determined under powers delegated to officers for the period from 5th December 2023 to 16th January 2024 is attached.

A list of applications determined under powers delegated to officers for the period from 5th December 2023 to 16th January 2024 was submitted (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).