Issue - meetings
24/02656/S73 Land East Of Garden Walk And North Of Newmarket Road, Garden Walk, Royston, Hertfordshire
Meeting: 24/02/2026 - Planning Control Committee (Item 135)
PDF 193 KBREPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER
Variation of condition 1 (revised plans) of planning permission 17/02627/1 granted 30.05.2018 for Application for approval of reserved matters comprising of access, landscaping, layout, scale and appearance of Phase 1 the development (pursuant to Outline application 14/02485/1 granted 07/12/2016) as amended by plans received on 22 December 2017; 30 January 2018; 27 March 2018; 18 April 2018; and 2 May 2018.
Additional documents:
Decision:
RESOLVED: That application 24/02656/S73 be GRANTED planning permission subject to:
A) The completion of a satisfactory deed of variation to the original s106 agreement or similar legal mechanism to ensure delivery of the agreed Heads of Terms; and
B) The applicant agreeing to extend the statutory period in order to complete the Deed if required; and
C) Granting delegation of authority to the Development and Conservation Manager to update conditions and informatives with minor amendments as required; and
D) Conditions from planning permission reference 21/02194/S73, as set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager.
Minutes:
Audio recording – 30 minutes 48 seconds
The Senior Planning Officer provided a verbal update on matters relating to Application 24/02656/S73 and advised that:
· It had been confirmed that VAT should not be added to the developer contributions, which meant that the contribution in the Deed of Variation should be £6,006, as detailed at paragraph 3.6.5 of the report.
· The date for the agreement of the Open Space Scheme and Open Space Programme and Management Plan in paragraph 1.4 should read 7 December 2018.
The following Members asked questions:
· Councillor Louise Peace
· Councillor Ruth Brown
· Councillor Nigel Mason
· Councillor Ruth Brown
· Councillor Val Bryant
· Councillor Tom Tyson
In response to questions, the Senior Planning Officer advised that:
· The developer had already paid £73K towards the restoration of the chalk grassland. However, the Green Space Team had obtained another quote to account for the steepness which came to £80K minus VAT, therefore, the £6,006 included in the report would cover this difference.
· The Local Lead Flood Authority (LLFA) and Highways Authority had no objections to the slope, and the developer had provided a ground stability report.
· The increase in material would be near the top of the hill and distributed evenly.
· The Estates Team would conduct due diligence when adopting the land.
· The slope may have been less steep before, but the steep section at the base of the slope was not part of this application.
· The quality of the material deposited would be secured through the Landscape and Ecological Management Plan, which formed part of the recommendations.
· The site would be used as a community open space, which would complement Therfield Heath in terms of natural environment.
· A footpath would go round the Meridian Gate site perimeter, and stairs and a level footpath would lead up to the chalk grassland. However, the open space had not been designed as a recreational space due to the gradients, and to preserve the ecological benefits of the chalk grasslands.
· There was an obligation for a footpath to go through Newmarket Road Recreation Ground in the original application for outline planning permission, which they had received developer contributions towards.
· There would be gated access to the community open space from Newmarket Road and the Green Space Team would use this to maintain the land.
· After assessment by Green Space, their contractor would be able to maintain the area for 15 years if cut twice a year, and 20+ years if cut annually, based on the funding available.
· The retaining wall had been agreed in a non-material amendment application.
In response to questions, the Development and Conservation Manager advised that:
· 6,500 HGV movements would be saved by keeping the material on-site.
· If the application was refused, the material would have to be moved elsewhere.
The Chair invited the Agent to the Applicant, Claire Newbury to speak in support of the application. Ms Newbury thanked the Chair for the opportunity and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation, and highlighted the following:
· The application was a ... view the full minutes text for item 135