Issue - meetings

Outline planning application for up to 256 homes (C3 use class) (including affordable and self/custom build housing), housing with care (C2 use class), a children's home (for looked after children) (C2 use class) together with associated access (including off-site highway works), parking, open space and landscaping (appearance, layout, landscaping and scale as reserved matters) at Land East of Oxhey Lane, Carpenders Park.

Recommendation: that the application be delegated to the Head of Regulatory Services to grant outline planning permission 25/1020/OUT subject to:

1)       the completion of a Section 106 Agreement to secure the Heads of Terms set out in section 7.15 of the report;

2)       the planning conditions set out at section 8.2 of the report;

and

3)       the authority to make any minor amendments to the Heads of Terms and planning conditions be delegated to the Head of Regulatory Services in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee.

The application was for outline planning permission for up to 256 homes (C3 use class) (including affordable and self/custom build housing), housing with care (C2 use class), a children's home (for looked after children) (C2 use class) together with associated access (including off-site highway works), parking, open space and landscaping (appearance, layout, landscaping and scale as reserved matters) at Land East of Oxhey Lane, Carpenders Park.

The Planning Officer provided the following updates:

·        Since the publication of the agenda, 104 further objections had been received.  These had reiterated objections previously received and summarised in the committee report at section 4.2.

·        Additionally, a number of submissions had been made by a Ward Councillor. These included an objection letter with 502 residents’ signatures; an objection letter citing the most recent opinions provided by Lord Banner KC; an objection letter relating to the canvassing undertaken by the applicant; and an objection letter relating to flooding matters.

·        A correction was required to paragraph 7.2.53 of the report which referred to Green Belt parcel S02 of the Stage 2 and 4 Green Belt reviews and which should instead refer to S03.

·        Herts Ecology had provided updated comments which had been circulated to Members.  It did not object to the scheme subject to recommended conditions.  These already formed part of the officer recommendation, with the exception of Condition 7 which required amendment as shown below:

The CEMP shall include details of the mitigation proposed in the March 2026 Ecological Assessment for protected species, including breeding bird mitigation if required following the completed breeding bird surveys and GCN Non-Licensed Method Statement.

The CEMP shall include details of trees with potential to support roosting bats, construction exclusion zones, a pre-works re-inspection (if any works take place within proximity to the trees), ecological watching brief and method statements.

·         Finally, in a letter dated 18 March 2026 from Matthew Pennycook MP, the government had directed the Council via the powers in section 21(1)(a) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, to include the application site (NCFS12 Land East of Oxhey Lane) within the emerging Local Plan. The site would therefore be an allocated site for the purposes of the future Regulation 19 Consultation.  As the Regulation 19 process had not yet commenced officers were currently applying limited weight to the emerging Local Plan. However, Members were advised of the need to strongly consider the likelihood that the site would form an allocated site in the future Local Plan.

It was noted that following the preliminary report which had been discussed at the 23 October 2025 Planning Committee meeting, members of the committee had visited the site on 14 February.

A member of Carpenders’ Park Residents’ Association spoke against the application.

The applicant spoke in favour of the application.

Councillor Rue Grewal spoke on the application.

Councillor Christopher Alley spoke on the application.

Hertfordshire County Councillor Vishal Patel spoke on the application.

Matters raised by speakers against the proposal included: highways concerns and the cumulative impact on traffic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 113