Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Harry Davies, Andrea Fraser and Chris Mitchell.

Councillor Sarah Nelmes substituted for Councillor Harry Davies, Councillor Lisa Hudson substituted for Councillor Andrea Fraser and Councillor Narinder Sian substituted for Councillor Chris Mitchell.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency. The Chair to rule on the admission of such items.

There were no items of other business.

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 21 November 2024 are attached for information only, as a reminder of the Committee’s discussions.

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 21 November 2024 were included on the agenda for information only, as a reminder of the Committee’s previous discussions in relation to the application.

22/1945/FUL: Hybrid application for the creation of a Film Hub to include detailed approval for demolition of a number of existing buildings including children's farm buildings and change of use of Langleybury House and Aisled Barn for filming and the construction of a cafe within the Walled Garden, new car parking area to north of site, alterations to existing access points along Langleybury Lane, change of use of the L Shaped Barn (to multi purpose use including cycle hub, showers and vehicle storage) and change of use of ground floor of the existing Laundry to reception facility, together with outline planning approval (matters reserved: Scale, Layout, Appearance and Landscaping) for change of use of site to a Film Hub to include Craft Workshop buildings, Sound Stages, Support Workshops, Production Offices, Backlots, Film and Television Training Facility Building, Offices, Ancillary Buildings, parking areas and relocation of Langleybury Children's Farm including new farm buildings. Alterations to existing cycle path and pedestrian network within the site, to include provision of a new pedestrian/cycle access within the site to the A41 at Land to the East of Langleybury Lane, including Langleybury House Estate, Langleybury Lane.

Recommendation: that planning permission is refused.

The application was a hybrid application for the creation of a Film Hub to include detailed approval for demolition of a number of existing buildings including children's farm buildings and change of use of Langleybury House and Aisled Barn for filming and the construction of a cafe within the Walled Garden, new car parking area to north of site, alterations to existing access points along Langleybury Lane, change of use of the L Shaped Barn (to multi purpose use including cycle hub, showers and vehicle storage) and change of use of ground floor of the existing Laundry to reception facility, together with outline planning approval (matters reserved: Scale, Layout, Appearance and Landscaping) for change of use of site to a Film Hub to include Craft Workshop buildings, Sound Stages, Support Workshops, Production Offices, Backlots, Film and Television Training Facility Building, Offices, Ancillary Buildings, parking areas and relocation of Langleybury Children's Farm including new farm buildings. Alterations to existing cycle path and pedestrian network within the site, to include provision of a new pedestrian/cycle access within the site to the A41 at Land to the East of Langleybury Lane, including Langleybury House Estate, Langleybury Lane.

The application was before the Committee as it had been called in by three members of the Planning Committee due to effect on the Green Belt and traffic issues.  In addition the proposal represented a departure from the Development Plan.

The Planning Officer provided updates as follows:

·         One neighbour objection had been received since the Committee’s previous consideration of the application.  The resident had objected to the provision of more sound stages in the area; loss of Green Belt; and that there was no consideration to biodiversity, wildlife and the environment.  The objector considered that increased traffic and emissions would endanger children’s safety.  They had no objection to the redevelopment of the Mansion and outbuildings or knocking down the old school, nor an objection to the development of the buildings if they were sympathetically designed to enhance the area.  The comments raised were similar to others which had been addressed in the original committee report.

·        An addendum report had been provided which included conditions and Heads of Terms which Members, without prejudice, had requested at the 21 November Committee Meeting.  The addendum covered the changes in the 2024 NPPF which were relevant to the application.  It was considered that the weight attached to the benefits of the scheme as set out in the November committee report still did not amount to benefits which outweighed the harm to the Green Belt (and other harm resulting from the proposed development, including heritage harm).  As such, very special circumstances were not considered by officers to exist.  Officers also considered that regardless of the position on Green Belt policy, the less than substantial harm to heritage assets was not sufficiently outweighed by public benefits.  The officers’ reasons for refusal as set out in Section 9 of the Committee Report (Appendix A) were therefore considered to still be relevant and unchanged  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC107/25