Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 16th June 2025.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 16th June 2025 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary, other registerable and non-registerable interests in relation to any Agenda item. See Notes below.

Councillor B Pitt declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 17 (b) by virtue of the fact that he had participated in the debate when the application was considered at a meeting of St Neots Town Council's Planning Committee, left the room and took no part in the discission or voting on the application.

Councillor B Pitt also declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 17 (c) by virtue of the fact that he had participated in the debate when the application was considered at a meeting of St Neots Town Council's Planning Committee, left the room and took no part in the discission or voting on the application.

Councillor R Slade declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 17 (b) by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward he represented and that he was Chair of St Neots Town Council’s Planning Committee, left the room and took no part in the discussion or voting on the item.

Councillor R Slade also declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 17 (c) by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward he represented and that he was Chair of St Neots Town Council’s Planning Committee, left the room and took no part in the discussion or voting on the item.

Outline planning permission with all matters reserved for the construction of up to 120 homes (Use Class C3) with associated public open space, landscaping, play areas, surface water attenuation, roads, car parking, pedestrian and cycle routes, utility infrastructure and associated works - Land Between Houghton Grange And The How, Houghton Road, Houghton.

(P Riley-Smith on behalf of Houghton and Wyton Parish Council, Councillor M Whewell, Hemingford Abbots Parish Council, Councillor N Wells, St Ives Town Council, Councillors D Keane and D Dew, Ward Members, C Butterworth, objector, and J Strike, agent, addressed the Committee on the application).

With the aid of a report by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management) the Committee considered an application for outline planning permission with all matters reserved for the construction of up to 120 homes (Use Class C3) with associated public open space, landscaping, play areas, surface water attenuation, roads, car parking, pedestrian and cycle routes, utility infrastructure and associated works on land between Houghton Grange and The How, Houghton Road, Houghton.

Members were acquainted with the views of the Section 106 Agreement Advisory Group on the proposed obligation. They then discussed various aspects of the application including the proposed housing density, the application of tolerance in housing numbers, concerns about coalescence of Houghton and Wyton and St Ives and the extent to which the proposals were design-led. Having taken into account relevant local and national planning policies, it was

RESOLVED

  that powers be delegated to the Head of Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection to approve the application subject to conditions to include those listed in paragraph 8 of the report now submitted and to the completion of a Section 106 obligation, or to refuse the application in the event that the obligation referred to above has not been completed and the Applicant is unwilling to agree to an extended period for determination, or on the grounds that the Applicant is unwilling to complete the obligation necessary to make the development acceptable.

At 9.06 pm the meeting was adjourned.

At 9.14 pm the meeting resumed.

To consider reports by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management).

The Planning Service Manager (Development Management) submitted reports (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book) on applications for development to be determined by the Committee. Members were advised of further representations, which had been received since the reports had been prepared. Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

Construction of a Solar Farm and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) together with all associated work, equipment and necessary infrastructure, including a substation and underground cable to provide a connection to the grid - Solar Farm, Rookery Farm, Kimbolton Road.

(Councillor J Matthews, Stow Longa Parish Council, Councillor J Gray, Ward Member, and J Selwyn, applicant, addressed the Committee on the application).

that powers be delegated to the Planning Service Manager (Development Management) to approve the application subject to conditions to include those listed in paragraph 8 of the report now submitted and to an acceptable unilateral undertaking to secure Biodiversity Net Gain monitoring fees.

Change of Use, and partial demolition of former Public House to 9 residential units - 7 - 9 Market Square, St Neots.

(Councillor V Hitchen, St Neots Town Council, addressed the Committee on the application).

See Minute No15 for Members’ interests.

that the application be approved subject to conditions to be determined by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management) to include those listed in paragraph 8 of the report now submitted.

Change of Use, and partial demolition of former Public House to 9 residential units - 7 - 9 Market Square, St Neots.

See Minute No 15 for Members’ interests.

that the application be approved subject to conditions to be determined by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management) to include those listed in paragraph 8 of the report now submitted.

To consider a report by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management).

The Committee received and noted a report by the Planning Service Manager (Development Management), which contained details of four recent decisions by the Planning Inspectorate. A copy of the report is appended in the Minute Book.

RESOLVED

that the contents of the report be noted.