Agenda and decisions

Members are required to notify any substitutions by midday on the day of the meeting.

Late substitutions will not be accepted and Members attending as a substitute without having given the due notice will not be able to take part in the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence received.

To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on the 11 December and 18 December 2025.

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meetings of the Committee held on 11 December and 18 December 2025 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair.

Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.

(1)   The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be recorded.

(2)   The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.

(3)   The Chair clarified matters for the registered speakers.

(4)   The Chair confirmed the procedure for moving to debate on an item.

(5)   The Chair advised that Section 4.8.23(a) of the Constitution applied to the meeting.

(6)   The Chair confirmed the cut off procedure should the meeting proceed at length.

(7)   The Chair advised of a change to the order of the Agenda and that Agenda Item 10 would be taken before Agenda Item 8.

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.

The Chair confirmed that the registered speakers were in attendance.

RESOLVED: That application 25/02115/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the conditions set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager, with additional Conditions 10 to 13 as follows:

‘Condition 10

No development shall take place, including any works of demolition, until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to, and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The statement shall provide for:

a)    the parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors.

b)    loading and unloading of plant and materials.

c)     storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development.

d)    the hours of construction works.

e)    wheel washing facilities.

f)      measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during construction.

The approved construction Method Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period for the development.

Reason: In the interests of the amenities of the area and in accordance with Policy D3 of the North Hertfordshire Local Plan 2011 to 2031.

Condition 11

Prior to the installation of external lighting, full details including height, hours of operation, design, location of lighting, intensity and shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The lighting scheme shall preclude the inclusion of motion sensors. The lighting installation shall then be carried out in accordance with the approved details and retained as such thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of the appearance of the locality within the countryside and protection of neighbour amenity in accordance with Policies NE4 and D3 of the North Hertfordshire Local Plan 2011 to 2031.

Condition 12

Notwithstanding details of proposed boundary treatment in the submitted landscaping scheme (Drawing No. 164 LD 01) prior to occupation of the development hereby permitted details of the height of proposed boundary treatment shall be submitted to and approved in witing by the local planning authority, and  the boundary wall with Kirby Manor farmhouse  will be no less than 2.5metres measured from the highest point along the boundary within the neighbouring property and constructed in Arlesey White bricks. The boundary treatment shall be completed in accordance with the approved details before the buildings are occupied.

Reason: To safeguard and enhance the appearance of the development and the amenity of the locality and to comply with policies D1 and D3 of the North Hertfordshire Local Plan 2011 to 2031.

Condition 13

Notwithstanding the details in the submitted drawings, the development shall not include red external render. Details and/or samples of materials to be used on all external elevations and the roof of the development hereby permitted shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before any works above ground level are commenced. The approved details shall be implemented on site and thereafter retained.

Reason: To ensure that the development will have an acceptable appearance which better reflects and does not detract from the appearance and character of the surrounding area and to comply with Policy D1 of the North Hertfordshire Local Plan 2011 to 2031.’

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

To update Members on appeals lodged and any decisions made.

The Development and Conservation Manager provided an update on Planning Appeals.

INFORMATION NOTE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

To provide Members with an update of planning enforcement activity in 2025.

The Conservation and Planning Enforcement Team Leader presented the Information Note entitled ‘Planning Enforcement Annual Report 2025 – Part 1’.

To consider passing the following resolution: That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

INFORMATION NOTE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

To provide Members with an update of planning enforcement activity in 2025.

The Conservation and Planning Enforcement Team Leader presented the Information Note entitled ‘Planning Enforcement Annual Report 2025 – Part 2’.