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Issue - meetings

25/02401/OP Land South Of Turnpike Lane, Ickleford, Hertfordshire

 

 

Meeting: 21/04/2026 - Planning Control Committee (Item 167)

167 25/02401/OP LAND SOUTH OF TURNPIKE LANE, ICKLEFORD, HERTFORDSHIRE pdf icon PDF 561 KB

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Erection of up to 100 dwellings with means of access from Turnpike Lane including associated landscaping, drainage, car parking; infrastructure and all ancillary and enabling works following demolition of all existing structures (all matters reserved except means of access).

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED: That application 25/02401/OP be GRANTED planning permission subject to:

 

a)           The completion of a satisfactory legal agreement and the Applicant agreeing to extend the statutory period in order to complete the agreement if required; and

 

b)           Providing delegated powers to the Development and Conservation Manager to:

 

(i)           Resolve outstanding matters and financial contributions including a late request from Ickleford Parish Council; and

(ii)          Update conditions and informatives with minor amendments as required; and

 

c)           The conditions as set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manger.

Minutes:

Audio recording – 4 minutes 29 seconds

 

N.B. Councillor Louise Peace declared an interest as Member Advocate Objector and moved to the public speaking gallery.

 

The Senior Planning Officer provided a verbal update on matters relating to Application 25/02401/OP and advised that:

 

·             S106 requests had been received from Ickleford Parish Council, which had been published with the supplementary documents.

·             The recommendations should be amended to include the provision of delegated powers to the Development and Conservation Manager to review the S106 requests and agree payment for any Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) compliant requests.

·             The Applicant had circulated a briefing note directly to Members, and this was available to view on the Council website.

·             A new neighbour representation had been received, which provided neutral comments and did not raise any new issues that had not been addressed in the report.

 

The Senior Planning Officer then presented the report in respect of Application 25/02401/OP accompanied by a visual presentation consisting of plans and photographs.

 

The following Members asked questions:

 

·             Councillor Daniel Allen

·             Councillor Ruth Brown

·             Councillor Mick Debenham

·             Councillor Martin Prescott

·             Councillor Caroline McDonnell

·             Councillor Nigel Mason

 

In response to questions, the Senior Planning Officer advised that:

 

·             Horses grazed on the land, but the space was not used for agriculture.

·             There was approximately 70 metres between the most southern point of the site and the Hitchin settlement boundary.

·             The report concluded that the site was classified under the Green Belt despite the Applicant making a submission that the land was Grey Belt.

·             Keeping the southern half of the site free of built form carried significant weight in favour of the application under the Green Belt Assessment.

·             On-site open space would be gained through this application as most of the site was currently inaccessible to the public.

·             It was roughly 150 metres from the first dwelling on Old Hale Way to the last dwelling on Arlesey Road, although the nearest dwelling to Hitchin was likely to be in Ickleford Bury.

·             An active travel pathway would run through the development and link the east and west sides of the site.

 

In response to questions, the Development and Conservation Manager advised that:

 

·             The Illustrative Masterplan would be a material planning consideration in any future reserved matters application, and a Master Compliance Statement would be required by recommended condition, but granting outline planning permission would not tie reserved matters to the Illustrative Masterplan.

·             The extent of built form was set out in the submitted Parameter Plan, which would be an approve plan.

·             This scale of development should be deliverable within 5 years, but it would depend on several factors including the approval of reserved matters.

·             As it had been designated as Green Belt land in the Local Plan, the site would remain Green Belt until any Green Belt Review and new Local Plan determined otherwise.

 

In response to questions, the Principal Planning Officer advised that:

 

·             There would be 200 metres between the onsite developable area and the Hitchin settlement boundary, which was defined by the playing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 167