Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Raj Khiroya and Stephen Cox.

Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst replaced Councillor Raj Khiroya for this meeting only.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 18 June 2026.

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 18 June 2026 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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 urgent business.

To receive any declarations of interest.

Councillor Reena Ranger declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 8 (26/0639/RSP – 38 Bedford Road, Moor Park, Northwood) as she lived within the neighbour consultation area for the application.  Councillor Ranger left the meeting whilst the application was considered and did not participate in the debate or vote.

Councillor Chris Mitchell declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 9 (26/0678/FUL – 16A Copthorne Road, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth) as he was a friend of a resident of a neighbouring property.  Councillor Mitchell left the meeting whilst the application was considered and did not participate in the debate or vote.

Part retrospective: change of use of land for the stationing of caravans for residential purposes for 5 no. gypsy pitches (10 statics) including formation of hardstanding and landscaping at Little Lily, Toms Lane, Kings Langley.

Recommendation: that part-retrospective planning permission be approved.

The application was part retrospective for change of use of land for the stationing of caravans for residential purposes for 5 no. gypsy pitches (10 statics) including formation of hardstanding and landscaping at Little Lily, Toms Lane, Kings Langley.

For the benefit of the committee, the Planning Officer summarised that the application followed the grant of planning permission in 2025 for a change of use of land for the stationing of caravans for residential purposes for five pitches with a brick-built day room.  When assessed against national planning policy at the time, the development was considered to comprise inappropriate development in the Green Belt.  However, there were Very Special Circumstances which led to its approval, subject to a personal condition to named individuals and their resident dependents. The principle of the use of the land as a traveller site had therefore already been established.

With regard to the current application, the site was no longer considered to be inappropriate in the Green Belt following the introduction of the December 2024 version of the NPPF.   Instead, the site was considered to be Grey Belt whilst also meeting paragraph 155 of the NPPF. On this basis, the officer recommendation excluded the personal condition, as personal circumstances were no longer material to the acceptability of the scheme. 

In terms of the differences between the previously permitted scheme and the current application, the Planning Officer clarified that there would be no increase in the number of pitches, which would remain at five.  However, each pitch would no longer include one static caravan and one touring caravan, but instead two static caravans, with one providing residential accommodation and the other ancillary day room facilities. Accordingly, the previously permitted brick-built day room was no longer proposed as part of this application.  In total the application sought to permit ten static caravans across the application site, equating to the five pitches as previously permitted, with recommended conditions to control the use and number of caravans.

Committee Members asked questions about the details of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included the following:

·        Concerns had been raised locally about both the number of caravans and the number of people who would be residing at the site.  The Planning Officer confirmed that an existing enforcement case was open, and additionally that the site would likely be subject to ongoing monitoring by Environmental Health as part of the regular licencing arrangements for traveller sites.  In the event that it was found during such a visit that residency or accommodation limits were being exceeded, then the recommended conditions would enable the local planning authority to serve breach of condition notices, against which there was no right to an appeal.  The Planning Officer also commented that the site layout was constrained by the distances between the caravans themselves.  Any additional caravans above the permitted number for the site would potentially breach fire safety regulations and result in enforcement action on the grounds of fire safety concerns.

·        With  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC160/25

Listed Building Consent: refurbishment of existing K6 telephone kiosk including minor repairs, replacement of glazing, reinstatement of missing signage, installation of removable transparent stained-glass-effect community artwork panel to the internal face of glazing at K6 Telephone Kiosk, Opposite All Saints Church, Croxley Green.

Recommendation: that listed building consent be granted.

The application was for listed building consent for refurbishment of existing K6 telephone kiosk including minor repairs, replacement of glazing, reinstatement of missing signage, installation of removable transparent stained-glass-effect community artwork panel to the internal face of glazing at K6 Telephone Kiosk, Opposite All Saints Church, Croxley Green.

There was no officer update.

Parish Councillor Guy Parks of Croxley Green Parish Council spoke in favour of the application.

Points raised by the speaker included that the proposal, which had been produced by members of Croxley Green Parish Youth Council who had been involved with all aspects of its inception and development, would re-purpose the telephone kiosk as a community art installation; the project had given youth council members valuable experience of local democracy, heritage conservation and project management, while enabling them to make a lasting contribution to their community; a community art competition would be held following the restoration of the kiosk inviting local children and young people to create stained glass inspired designs celebrating the heritage, landscape and culture of Croxley Green; the proposal would enable the unused asset to be transformed into an attractive and welcoming landmark; and the installation would be entirely reversible, ensuring no harm to the Grade 2 listed asset and allowing future generations to refresh the artwork.

Committee Members were supportive of the proposal, which was considered to be a worthwhile project which would bring a welcome new purpose to the asset.

Councillor Mitchell moved, and Councillor Ranger seconded, that listed building consent be granted subject to conditions.  On being put to the vote this was carried, the voting being unanimous.

RESOLVED:

That listed building consent be granted subject to conditions.

Construction of part single, part two storey front and side extension, single storey rear extension, installation of windows to side elevation at 63 Watford Road, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth.

Recommendation: that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.

The application was for construction of a part single, part two storey front and side extension, single storey rear extension, and installation of windows to side elevation at 63 Watford Road, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth.

There was no officer update.

Parish Councillor Guy Parks of Croxley Green Parish Council spoke against the application.

Points raised by the speaker included: the old crossover had not been removed and was still in use in addition to the new crossover.  Therefore, there had been a change to parking arrangements which was not reflected in the application; by bringing the extension right up to, or within 300m of, the boundary with a new blank elevation with only one upper window to a habitable room, the wide aspect and original harmonious street scene of Dickinson Square would be lost; the setback and wide aspect should be retained and the house should continue to have windows facing Dickinson Square; and extensions to the house could be carried out in other less aesthetically damaging ways further back from the pavement.

Committee Members asked questions about the details of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included:

·      In response to the comment made by the speaker about the status of the original crossover, a Committee Member commented that the Highways Authority had raised the dropped kerb and therefore it had potentially been included in the plans in error.  The Planning Officer clarified that the acceptability of the scheme was not dependent on the removal or closing up of the dropped kerb.

·      It was noted that the Conservation Officer had no objection to the proposal.

Councillor Morris moved, and Councillor Whately-Smith seconded, that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.  On being put to the vote this was carried, the voting being 6 in favour, 0 against, 2 abstentions.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to conditions.

Part retrospective: construction of single storey side extension to create a garage, and installation of solar panels at 38 Bedford Road, Moor Park, Northwood.

Recommendation: that part retrospective planning permission be granted subject to conditions.

Councillor Ranger left the meeting.

The application was part retrospective for construction of a single storey side extension to create a garage, and installation of solar panels at 38 Bedford Road, Moor Park, Northwood.

There was no officer update.

Committee Members asked questions about the details of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included:

·       A Committee Member commented on the design of the existing gates, which were not considered to be aesthetically pleasing, although it was acknowledged that they did not form part of the application under consideration and were lawful.

·       A Committee Member highlighted that the addition of the garage would result in a plot width coverage 87.5%, as opposed to the 80% maximum set out in the Moor Park Conservation Area Appraisal.  Additionally, the Moor Park Conservation Area Appraisal stipulated that there should be a 1.5m gap between the closest edge of the structure and the boundary, whereas in this application it was significantly less than that.  The Planning Officer confirmed that that the Conservation Officer had no objection to the proposal.

Councillor Whately-Smith moved, and Councillor Cooper seconded, that part-retrospective planning permission be granted subject to conditions.  On being put to the vote this was carried, the voting being 6 in favour, 0 against, 1 abstention.

RESOLVED:

That part-retrospective planning permission be granted subject to conditions.

Councillor Ranger re-joined the meeting.

Demolition of existing garage and outbuilding, construction of two storey front and side extensions; single storey side and rear extensions; omission of rear balconies and replacement with rear Juliet balconies, internal alterations and alterations to fenestration; alterations to driveway; extension of rear patio area; alteration of external materials including render and cladding; alteration of front entrance at 16A Copthorne Road, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth.

Recommendation: that planning permission is granted subject to conditions.

Councillor Mitchell left the meeting.

The application was for demolition of existing garage and outbuilding, construction of two storey front and side extensions; single storey side and rear extensions; omission of rear balconies and replacement with rear Juliet balconies, internal alterations and alterations to fenestration; alterations to driveway; extension of rear patio area; alteration of external materials including render and cladding; alteration of front entrance at 16A Copthorne Road, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth.

The Planning Officer provided an update that following publication of the report, officers had undertaken a site visit to the neighbouring property, 18A Copthorne Road, in order to further review the relationship between the application site and the neighbouring property. Observations from the visit had been considered, and officers were satisfied that the assessment and conclusions as set out in the report remained unchanged.

A neighbouring resident spoke against the application.

Parish Councillor Guy Parks of Croxley Green Parish Council spoke on the application.

Points raised by speakers against the proposal included: there would be a harmful impact on the neighbouring property in terms of reduction in daylight, unbalanced mass, outlook, openness and a sense of enclosure; there had been no BRE daylight assessment, sunlight study or other quantitative analysis; and there was a lack of evidence to demonstrate that the harmful impacts which had been identified were no longer harmful following the amendments made during the course of the application.

Committee Members asked questions about the details of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included the following:

·     In response to points raised by speakers, the Planning Officer reported that whilst concerns had been raised at the pre-application stage with regards to depth, height and spacing to the boundary, it was the view of officers that these concerns had been addressed through the amended plans received during the course of the application. The height of the single storey rear extension had been reduced, and the two storey built form was set down from the ridge with the first floor being set back from the ground floor footprint.  Officers acknowledged that the proposal would be visible from habitable windows of the neighbouring property. However, two of the affected rooms benefitted from dual aspects being at the ground floor, which reduced the reliance on the outlook in the direction of the proposed extension. The remaining window served a room identified as an office / bedroom.  Whilst the proposal would inevitably introduce some additional built form into the outlook from this window, having regard to the separation distance set down from the ridge and the overall scale and design of the extension, officers did not consider that the visual impact would be so significant as to result to unacceptable harm to the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers.

·     The Planning Officer clarified that the c1.5m gap to the flank boundary with 18A was in excess of the Council’s design criteria and also confirmed that a 45 degree assessment had been made as set out in section 7.2.7  ...  view the full minutes text for item PC164/25

Removal of single storey front extension and, construction of single storey side/rear extension, removal of chimneys; alteration to fenestration including relocation of entrance door, external materials including render at 42 Marlin Square, Abbots Langley.

Recommendation: that planning permission be refused.

Please note: subsequent to publication of the agenda this item has been withdrawn and will no longer be considered at the Planning Committee.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda prior to the meeting.