Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Apologies for non-attendance were received from Councillors Lora Lawman, Graham Lawman, Ken Harrington and Steven North.  

It was noted that Councillors Jonathan Ekins and Dorothy Maxwell were present as substitutes.  

Apologies for non-attendance were received from Councillors K Harrington, G Lawman, L Lawman and S North.

It was noted that Councillors Ekins and Maxwell were present as substitutes.  

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 November 2024 be approved as a correct record of the meeting.

The chair invited members to declare any interests on items listed on the agenda.

No declarations were made.

The chair asked members to declare any interests on items present on the agenda.

No declarations were made.

Resolved that:

(i)           planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions listed in paragraph 11 of the report, including the amendment to condition 10 (g) to include the words ‘first occupation of the first building’ and subject to the completion of an acceptable Section 106 agreement which secures appropriate planning obligations;

(ii)          in the event that an acceptable Section 106 agreement not be completed by 11 March 2025, or by any further extension of time agreed in writing between the applicant and the local planning authority, that it be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Economy to refuse planning permission.

The committee considered an application for outline planning with all matters reserved, aside access, for a proposed residential development of 72 dwellings details of which were set out in the Principal Development Management Officer, Lisa Greenwood’s report.

Principal Development Management Officer, presented the report to committee, detailing the proposal, full description of the site, the planning history, relevant planning priorities, outcome of consultations and assessment of the proposal.

It was recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions contained in the report and subject to the completion of an acceptable Section 106 agreement, to secure appropriate planning obligations.

A request to address the meeting had been received from agent Dean Wishart of CC Town Planning, on behalf of the applicant.  The chair permitted him to speak for three minutes.

In summary he detailed the application before committee and explained that considerable work had been undertaken regarding ecology aspects of the application and all technical issues had been satisfied.  The proposed Section 106 would be controlled through the conditions detailed in the report and within the heads of terms. The work that had been undertaken had resulted in the original objection from Rushden Town Council being withdrawn and a reduction in the number of proposed properties.

The chair invited members to ask questions of clarity.

The committee asked about the Section 106 agreement and requested details of how the site would be managed in the future. It was confirmed that at this stage, details were not known and was not something that the committee would decide on.  

Reference was made to 5.5 of the report where it stated that the site had been quarried and later landscaped and a request was made for further detail of what was proposed regarding land levels at the site. 

The agent clarified that the land levels varied on the site due to previous activity and this was covered within the conditions, he also clarified that there would be some removal of trees on the northern corner of the site.  The agent also clarified that there would be additional planting on the site.

Other questions were asked about how the country park area would be maintained and at what stage the affordable housing of 32% would be viable.

The agent clarified that this was only outline application and that this information and detail would be provided in the full application.

For the purpose of debate and in accordance with the council’s constitution, meeting procedure rules 19.2 and 19.21 the chair moved the recommendation that:

(i)            planning permission be granted subject to the conditions listed in paragraph 11 of the report and

(ii)          should an acceptable section 106 agreement securing appropriate planning obligations not be completed by 11 March 2025, or any further extension of time agreed in writing between the applicant and the local planning authority, that it be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Economy to REFUSE planning permission.

This was seconded by Councillor Bone.

The chair invited the committee to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

There being no further business the chair closed the meeting at 8.15pm.