Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 17th November 2025.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17th November 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 C Tevlin declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 42 (a) by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward she represented.

Councillor J Neish declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 42 (d) by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward he represented.

Councillor J Neish declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 42 (e) by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward he represented.

Councillor P Jordan declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 40 by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward she represented.

Councillor P Jordan also declared an Other Registrable Interest in Minute No 41 by virtue of the fact that the application related to the Ward she represented.

Proposed 2 No. replacement dwellings and 1 No. detached double garage - 3 Sheepwalk Cottages, Oundle Road, Elton, Peterborough, PE8 6SE.

Following receipt of further information relating to the application, it was

RESOLVED

that the application be not determined.

Proposed conversion of outbuilding to dwelling - 50 High Street, Brampton, Huntingdon, PE28 4TH.

Following the withdrawal of the application by the Agent, it was

RESOLVED

that the application be not determined.

Proposed conversion of outbuilding to dwelling - 50 High Street, Brampton, Huntingdon, PE28 4TH.

Following the withdrawal of the application by the Agent, it was

RESOLVED

that the application be not determined.

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

Reserved Matters Application relating to the approval of appearance, layout, landscape and scale following outline approval 20/00164/OUT in respect of the construction of 16 Dwellings - Land West of Wychwood, Church End, Hilton.

(Councillor P Balicki, Hilton Parish Council, and A Ahmed, Agent, addressed the Committee on the application).

See Minute No 38 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.

At 6.30 pm Councillor Wakeford took his seat at the meeting.

Residential development of 65 dwellings together with new access, open space, SuDs features and associated infrastructure - Land North of Aragon Place, Stow Road, Kimbolton.

(Councillor J Gray, on behalf of Kimbolton and Stonely Parish Council, Councillor J Gray, Ward Member, G Pierce, Objector, and D Joseph, Applicant, addressed the Committee on the application).

that powers be delegated to the Head of Planning, Infrastructure and Public Protection to approve the application subjects to conditions including final wording for a foul water drainage strategy condition and completion of a Section 106 obligation or 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; or if the applicant is unwilling to agree to the pre-commencement conditions specified in this report as being necessary to make the development acceptable.

At 7.52 pm the meeting was adjourned.

At 8.00 pm the meeting resumed.

Erection of 2 No. dwellings and associated works - 2 Queens Court, Eaton Socon, St Neots, PE19 8BZ.

(S Richardson, Agent, addressed the Committee on the application).

that the application be refused for the following reasons:

a)  The application site occupies a prominent corner position at the junction of Queens Court and Queens Gardens within an established residential area characterised by two-storey terraces set behind generally consistent building lines, open front gardens and soft landscaping which together create a pleasant, spacious street scene. By reason of its scale, massing, detailed design and, in particular, its siting substantially forward of the established building line on Queens Gardens, the proposed pair of dwellings would appear as an intrusive and incongruous extension of the existing terrace, eroding the open character of this corner and harming the visual relationship between Queens Court and Queens Gardens. The development would result in unusually small and cramped private garden areas that do not reflect the prevailing pattern, scale and proportion of gardens in the locality and would introduce a 1.8-metre close-boarded fence to Queens Gardens that is out of keeping with the generally open, landscaped front boundaries along the street.

b)  In addition, the layout would create an overly hard-surfaced, car dominated frontage to Queens Court, with an almost continuous run of parking spaces serving No. 2 Queens Court and the new dwellings, and limited opportunity for meaningful soft landscaping. This would materially diminish the existing pleasant, open aspect of this part of Queens Court and fail to reinforce the local distinctiveness and positive qualities of the area.

c)  Taken together, these factors amount to an overdevelopment of a constrained corner plot that fails to respond positively to its context, does not integrate successfully with the established form, layout and townscape character of Queens Court and Queens Gardens, and does not achieve a high quality, beautiful or locally distinctive place.

d)  The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies LP7, LP11 and LP12 of Huntingdonshire’s Local Plan to 2036, the Huntingdonshire Design Guide SPD (2017), in particular sections 3.3 (Place Making and Hierarchy of Movement) and 3.7 (Building Form), and Policy A3 (Design) of the St Neots Neighbourhood Plan, which together require development to respect local character, established building lines, garden patterns and boundary treatments. The proposal also conflicts with the National Planning Policy Framework (2024), notably Section 12 (Achieving well-designed and beautiful places), including paragraphs 131–135 and 140, which seek development that is sympathetic to local character and history, establishes or maintains a strong sense of place and creates visually attractive and well-designed environments. . If you would like a translation of this document, a large text version or an audio version, please contact us on 01480 388388 and we will try to accommodate your needs.

Change of use from day school to residential dwelling. Demolition of ancillary buildings to the rear and construction of new rear extensions with internal alterations - The Old Day School, High Street, Bluntisham.

(Councillor P Hope, Bluntisham Parish Council, and S Claridge, Applicant, addressed the Committee on the application).

See minute No 38 for Members’ interests.

that the application be refused for the following reasons:

a)  The proposed extensions by virtue of their siting, scale, mass, design and material finish would result in the addition of an incongruous form of development which would cause a high level of less than substantial harm to the Grade ll Listed building and less than substantial harm to surrounding the Bluntisham Conservation Area. In addition, it would fail to respond positively to its surroundings, contribute to the character and identity of the area, or successfully integrate with the host building. It is contrary to Policies LP2, LP11, LP12 (parts a, b and c) and LP34 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036, the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Act) 1990, the NPPF (2024) and parts C1, C2, I1 and I2 of the National Design Guide (2021).

b)  Insufficient detail has been provided to allow for an assessment of the impact on the trees to the northern boundary. In the absence of this information it cannot be confirmed that the proposed works could proceed without unacceptable harm to the adjacent protected trees, particularly as future works would likely occur within their root protection areas. The development therefore conflicts with Policy LP31 of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036.

Change of use from day school to residential dwelling. Demolition of ancillary buildings to the rear and construction of new rear extensions with internal alterations - The Old Day School, High Street, Bluntisham.

See Minute No 38 for Members’ interests.

that the application be refused because the alterations and proposed extensions by virtue of their siting, scale, mass, design and material finish would result in the addition of an incongruous form of development which would cause a high level of less than substantial harm to this Grade ll Listed building and less than substantial harm to the surrounding Bluntisham Conservation Area. In addition, it, it would fail to respond positively to its surroundings, contribute to the character and identity of the area, or successfully integrate with the host building. The proposed internal works to facilitate the conversion would also result in a high level of less than substantial harm to the heritage significance of the building and insufficient detail has been provided to allow Officers to fully assess all elements of the heritage impact, The public benefits of bringing the building back into use in this instance would not outweigh the identified harm. The scheme as a whole is contrary to contrary to Sections 66 and 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, Policy LP34 of Huntingdonshire's Local Plan to 2036, and Section 12 and 16 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2024).

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 one recent decision by the Planning Inspectorate. A copy of the report is appended in the Minute Book.

RESOLVED

that the contents of the report be noted.