Issue - meetings

The Director for Place recommended that in respect of application 3/25/0917/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out at the end of the report.

The Principal Planning Officer set out the context of the application and the application site in the wider area in and around Stocking Pelham. He said that the application had been accompanied by a landscape and visual impact assessment.  The Principal Planning Officer summarised in detail the proposed development.

Members were presented a series of visuals, elevation drawings and photos that showed the views and location of the site. The Principal Planning Officer explained that some trees and hedgerows would need to be cut back and managed to facilitate access and visibility splays.

The Principal Planning Officer set out the intending routing for construction vehicles and said that there would no vehicles heading westwards through Stocking Pelham. He drew members attention to the risk management plan and the outline battery safety management plan. He also commented on the assessment of the application against the national fire chief council guidance on fire safety.

Members were updated in respect of the drainage strategy for the site, and the strategy had been reviewed by the LLFA, and they were no satisfied subject to conditions in the report. The Principal Planning Officer summarised the late representations that had been received and Members were updated on a number of amendments to the heads of terms in respect of the Section 106 legal agreement.

Ian DeBurgh-Marsh addressed the committee in objection to the application.

Jonathan Cooper addressed the committee in support of the application. He was asked questions by the Development Management Committee.

Councillor Colin Berthoud and Dani Fuimicelli addressed the committee on behalf of Stocking Pelham Parish Council. They were asked questions by the Members of the Development Management Committee.

Councillor Geoffrey Williamson addressed the committee as the local ward Member.

In reply to a question regarding the Crabbs Lane (Crabbs Green) site by Officers, where an application for a BESS had been refused in 2025, the Principal Planning Officer set out the main planning considerations as to why that planning application had been refused by officers.

Members asked a number of questions regarding noise, heritage impact, the route to be taken by HGVs involved in the implementation of these proposals, fire safety and the shutting down of equipment in the event of fire and contaminated water and the cumulative impact of five BESS schemes in this area.

The Principal Planning Officer said that this application was different in that Environmental Health had not objected to the application at Dellows and application site at Crabbs Green was closer to more residential properties in Stocking Pelham and Crabbs Green. Members were advised that Dellows was further from residential receptors and there were less of them.

Members were advised that the noise mitigations at Crabbs Green had been a lot more substantial to achieve worst result than would be the case at Dellows. The planning balance on this application was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 332