Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

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.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ruth Brown, Val Bryant and Caroline McDonnell.

Audio recording – 1 minute 35 seconds

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ruth Brown, Val Bryant and Caroline McDonnell.

To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 20 November 2025.

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 20 November 2025 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair.

Audio Recording – 1 minute 53 seconds

Councillor Nigel Mason, as Chair, proposed and Councillor Ian Mantle seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 20 November 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.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 36 seconds

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 that Item 6 – 25/01766/OP had been withdrawn from the agenda.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 41 seconds

(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 that Item 6 – 25/01766/OP had been withdrawn from the agenda.

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.

The Chair confirmed that the registered speakers were in attendance.

Audio recording – 5 minutes 2 seconds

The Chair confirmed that the registered speakers were in attendance.

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Outline application with means of access for residential development of up to 30 dwellings (including affordable housing); following demolition of all existing structures; associated landscaping, drainage, car parking; infrastructure and all ancillary and enabling works (all matters reserved except means of access).

The Chair confirmed that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda.

Audio recording – 5 minutes 7 seconds

The Chair confirmed that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda.

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Outline planning permission for up to 200 dwellings (including affordable housing), structural planting and landscaping, informal public open space and children's play area, surface water flood mitigation, vehicular access point and associated ancillary works. All matters reserved except for means of access.

RESOLVED: That planning permission is resolved to be GRANTED subject to the completion of a satisfactory legal agreement or similar mechanism, with details of delivery of the planning obligations identified at Table 3 and the following conditions and informatives, with any changes to the wording of the conditions or transfer of conditions to S106 planning obligations delegated to the Development and Conservation Manager, and the applicant agreeing to extend the statutory period in order to complete the agreement.

Audio recording – 5 minutes 41 seconds

The Senior Planning Officer provided a verbal update on matters relating to Application 23/01552/OP and advised that:

·       Two further neighbour objections were received; both were available on the public access hub. The points raised were already addressed in the report.

·       There were three errors in the report at Table 3 which needed correcting. Firstly, the land cost for secondary education was not included as part of the Heads of Terms and should be removed, however the overall contribution was stated correctly. Secondly, the project description of 5 to 11 year old childcare contribution should be to increasing facilities at the new primary school or provisions serving the development. Thirdly, the Herts County Council monitoring fee should be £420 per distinct trigger.

·       In response to a query raised by Councillor Louise Peace regarding the comparison between the journey times to Lister hospital, with one taking a different route through Stevenage. Having used the same route for both the current and proposed journey time, following the closure of Swangley’s Lane, both took 14 minutes.

The Senior Planning Officer then presented the report in respect of Application 23/0152/OP accompanied by a visual presentation consisting of plans and photographs.

The following Members asked questions:

·       Councillor Dave Winstanley

·       Councillor Ian Mantle

·       Councillor Tom Tyson

·       Councillor Martin Prescott

·       Councillor Louise Peace

·       Councillor Bryony May

·       Councillor Nigel Mason

In response to questions, the Senior Transport Policy Officer advised that:

·       The bollard-controlled route would be locked by padlock not automatic and would likely be maintained by HCC Highways.

·       Any comparison between 2020 and current traffic levels would not be representative due to the Covid lockdowns in 2020.

·       The applicant’s transport consultant had provided a potential explanation for the increase in westbound morning traffic on Watton Road in the new development at Bradbury End, and other traffic diverting to Watton Road to avoid congestion elsewhere on the road network.

·       There were historic concerns around Swangley’s Lane, but this was not material to this planning application.

·       Potential future scenarios for the road through the development would be dealt with if they arose but were not material to this planning application.

·       The ratio of flow to capacity (RFC) in 2028 of the Watton Road arm of the B197 roundabout would increase from 0.79 with other committed development to 1.01 with this development, i.e. over capacity. Other arms would be under capacity, so the appropriate mitigation would be to re-balance flows, perhaps with traffic signals.

·       The Bell Close crossing was included to join up footways. The final location and detailed design have yet to be agreed with the Highway Authority.

·       There was no space in Swangley’s Lane to add a footway.

·       The issue of turning heads for larger vehicles within the development site was a reserved matter issue.

·       The applicant has suggested a Schools Street on Swangley’s Lane to stop parking outside the school during school start and end. Parents would still be able to park, for instance, at St Martins Road car park for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111.