Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2023.  

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 14 December 2023 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were made.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair of the Committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice Questions must be submitted prior to the commencement of the meeting on the cards provided. These are available the meeting. You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions.

No public questions were submitted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

(a)              To consider development applications where members of the public have attended the meeting in order to hear the Committee's deliberations.

(b)              To consider the remaining development applications.

NOTE: Councillors are requested to note that if they withdraw from the meeting during the consideration of a development application upon their return they should not participate any further in the deliberation or vote on that planning application.

Officer contact: Emma Curle on 0161 474 3542 or email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

Development applications were submitted.

(NOTE: Full details of the decisions including conditions and reasons for granting or refusing planning permission and imposing conditions are given in the schedule of plans. The Deputy Chief Executive is authorised to determine conditions and reasons and they are not therefore referred to in committee minutes unless the committee makes a specific decision on a condition or reason. In order to reduce printing costs and preserve natural resources, the schedule of plans is not reproduced within these minutes. A copy of the schedule of plans is available on the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/planningdecisions . Copies of the schedule of plans, or any part thereof, may be obtained from the Place Directorate upon payment of the Council’s reasonable charges).

Outline planning permission (access only) for up to 278 dwellings, retention of the existing Heald Green Community Theatre building, retention of the existing Clubhouse to facilitate its use as a community hub (sui generis) for flexible uses within Use Class E (a)(b)(e)(g(i)) and Class F2 (a)(b) (The combined retail and shop sales within Use Classes E(a) and F2(a) to be limited to a maximum of 200 sqm net floorspace), associated landscaping and open space and all user access from Pymgate Lane, Grasmere Road and Troutbeck Road and non-motorised user access from Styal Grove, Yew Tree Grove and Rose Vale Park.

The Planning & Highways Regulation Committee is recommended to authorise the Deputy Chief Executive to determine the application pending the applicant entering into an appropriate legal agreement.

Officer contact: Chris Smyton on 0161 474 3657 or email: chris.smyton@stockport.gov.uk

In respect of plan no. DC/081468 for outline planning permission (access only) for up to 278 dwellings, retention of the existing Heald Green Community Theatre building, retention of the existing Clubhouse to facilitate its use as a community hub (sui generis) for flexible uses within Use Class E (a)(b)(e)(g(i)) and Class F2 (a)(b) (The combined retail and shop sales within Use Classes E(a) and F2(a) to be limited to a maximum of 200 sqm net floorspace), associated landscaping and open space and all user access from Pymgate Lane, Grasmere Road and Troutbeck Road and non-motorised user access from Styal Grove, Yew Tree Grove and Rose Vale Park at Gatley Golf Club, Styal Road, Gatley, Cheadle, it was

RESOLVED – (For 7, Against 5) That planning permission be refused on the grounds that the proposed development would result in the loss of a large area of high quality strategic open space in an area of open space deficiency and the loss of an operational gold facility, which would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme when assessed against the development plan and NPPF when taken as a whole.  The application is therefore contrary policies UOS1.2 of the Unitary Development Plan Review, Policy CS8 of the Core Strategy and paragraph 103 of the National Planning Policy Framework. 

At 7.20pm

RESOLVED – That the meeting be adjourned.

The meeting reconvened at 7.25pm.

Extensions to ground floor and raising of the roof to accommodate an additional storey.

The Planning & Highways Regulation Committee is recommended to grant planning permission.

Officer contact: Aisling Monaghan by email: aisling.monaghan@stockport.gov.uk

In respect of plan no. DC/088870 extensions to ground floor and raising of the roof to accommodate an additional storey, it was

RESOLVED – That planning permission be granted.

Proposed three storey side extension (top floor roof void), two storey and single storey rear extensions, internal re-modelling and conversion of existing loft space to habitable space with new dormers to front and rear.

The Planning & Highways Regulation Committee is recommended to grant planning permission subject to conditions.

Officer contact: Anthony Smith on 0161 474 3569 or email: anthony.smith@stockport.gov.uk

In respect of plan no. DC/090581 Proposed three storey side extension (top floor roof void), two storey and single storey rear extensions, internal re-modelling and conversion of existing loft space to habitable space with new dormers to front and rear, it was

RESOLVED - That planning permission be granted subject to conditions.

Erection of replacement dwelling (Resubmission of planning application DC074161, to include dormer roof extension to rear elevation) (Part Retrospective).

The Planning & Highways Regulation Committee is recommended to grant planning permission.

Officer contact: Mark Burgess on 0161 474 3659 or email: mark.burgess@stockport.gov.uk

In respect of plan no. DC/090703, erection of replacement dwelling (Resubmission of planning application DC074161, to include dormer roof extension to rear elevation) (Part Retrospective) it was

RESOLVED - That planning permission be granted.

Demolition of existing mess room building and erection of replacement mess room building, to include restoration and repair of existing farmyard hardstanding.

The Planning & Highways Regulation Committee is recommended to grant planning permission.

Officer contact: Mark Burgess on 0161 474 3659 or email: mark.burgess@stockport.gov.uk

In respect of plan no. DC/0090379, for the demolition of existing mess room building and erection of replacement mess room building, to include restoration and repair of existing farmyard hardstanding, it was

RESOLVED - That planning permission be granted.

To consider a report of the Assistant Director Place Making and Planning.

The report provides an update on the activities relating to the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain through the Planning and Development Management process.

The Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Melanie Craven by email: melanie.craven@stockport.gov.uk

The Assistant Director Place Making and Planning submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the activities relating to the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain through the Planning and Development Management process.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·       Members enquired about the ‘habitat bank’ and the strategy going forward. In response, it was noted that anyone offering the ‘habitat bank’ would have to operate in a sort of commercial basis and from the local planning authority's perspective we would need to see those benefits realised as locally as possible.

·       Regarding minor applications relating to the small sites metrics, this will kick in from April 2024, however, regarding major planning applications and the 10% ‘biodiversity net gain’ (BNG) this can be achieved from Monday 12^th February 2024, so it won’t apply retrospectively and will be subject to the mandatory BNG condition.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The planning system in England has undergone a period of significant change over recent years. During this time multiple new types of applications have been introduced and most recently an increased focus is being placed on the importance of making timely decisions.

In light of the changes to the planning system and the increased emphasis placed on the speed and quality of planning decisions it is considered necessary to consider the need to make a number of changes to the scheme of delegation for the determination of planning applications. In parallel it is also considered appropriate to review the Planning Protocol to ensure that it reflects accurately long-standing custom and practice in how we exercise our planning powers.

The Committee is recommended to consider and comment on the proposed amendments in the attached documents.

Officer contact: Emma Curle on 0161 474 3542 or email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) related to significant changes to the planning system in England over recent years. During this time multiple new types of applications had been introduced and most recently an increased focus was being placed on the importance of making timely decisions.

 In light of the changes to the planning system and the increased emphasis placed on the speed and quality of planning decisions it was considered necessary to consider the need to make a number of changes to the scheme of delegation for the determination of planning applications. In parallel it was also considered appropriate to review the Planning Protocol to ensure that it reflected accurately long-standing custom and practice in how the council exercised its planning powers.

It was noted that a number of applications came to the Committee where they had received no objections, and where area committees were supportive of the proposal, but required this Committee’s approval because they fell within the green belt.  In response, it was stated that currently where a proposed development was contrary to the adopted UDP, these applications required committee-level approval.  However, a proportion of such applications would no longer require committee approval due to a proposed amendment to the Scheme of Delegation to allow officers to determine applications where a current policy of the Council was out of date.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Assistant Director - Legal & Democratic Governance.

The report summarises recent appeal decisions; lists current planning appeals and dates for local enquiries; informal hearings for planning appeals, and enforcement action by Area Committee area.

The Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Vicki Bates on 0161 474 3219 or email: vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Assistant Director for Legal and Democratic Governance (Monitoring Officer) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) summarising recent appeal decisions, listing current planning appeals and dates for local inquiries and informal hearings according to Area Committee.

It was reported that since the publication of the agenda, there had been a number of updates to the report as follows:-

·       That the appeal against the refusal of prior approval of permitted development rights for a proposed 5G telecoms installation HG3 15m street pole and equipment cabinets on the ‘area of grass verge, Belmont Way, Heaton Norris’ had been dismissed.

·       That the enforcement notice served on ‘19 Broadstone Road, Reddish’ had been complied with, but it should correctly read ’18 Broadstone Road, Reddish’.

·       That a new planning appeal had been submitted relating ‘Boden House, 30 Bowden Lane, Marple in the Marple Area Committee area. The appeal relates to the refusal to a variation condition of planning permission DC013748 regarding increasing the maximum number of children from 35 to 50 for the use of a floor of the building as part of day nurseries.

·       That a correction to ‘enforcement notice served’ on Elsa Waste Paper Ltd, 1-3 Station Road, North Reddish should correctly read Heatons and Reddish Area Committee and not Central Stockport.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.