Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor P Redgate.

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 2026 (copy enclosed). 

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 2026.

AGREED:

That the minutes be signed as a correct record.

(Where a Councillor has a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest the Councillor must declare the interest to the meeting and leave the room without participating in any discussion or making a statement on the item, except where a Councillor is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of dispensation.)

Councillor Hutchinson declared an interest in item 8 as a member of Holbeach Parish Council.

Councillor Tyrrell declared an interest in item 7 as the owner of the land contained within the application.

There were none.

Full application for development of 57 Affordable Dwellings with associated access, open space and drainage at Land South of Wignals Gate, Holbeach, Spalding (report of the Development Manager enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Manager upon which the above application was to be determined, including their recommendations, copies of which had previously been circulated to all members.

Members debated the matter fully, with the following comments being raised:

• Concern was expressed that, whilst the benefits of affordable housing were recognised, a 100% affordable housing scheme conflicted with the principle of creating mixed and balanced communities. Reference was made to previous discussions on other schemes where concerns had been raised regarding the concentration of affordable housing.
• Concern was raised about the design and layout of the development, and that the scheme appeared to facilitate future expansion through roads terminating at the site boundaries without the support of a wider masterplan. It was also considered that the development failed to provide a sympathetic transition to the countryside, relying heavily on close-boarded fencing rather than softer landscaping measures.
• Further concerns were raised regarding the site entrance, which was viewed as lacking a clear focal point and being dominated by an attenuation basin, whilst drainage features were not considered to be fully integrated into the overall design.
• Concern was also expressed regarding the lack of a clear street hierarchy, the extensive use of hard surfacing and the presence of large parking courts with limited landscaping.
• It was raised that the proposal would fail to respect the character of Wignals Gate, fail to establish an appropriate rural edge and fail to deliver a high-quality design solution.
• It was suggested that, should planning permission be granted, additional conditions be imposed to secure enhanced landscaping throughout the site, including native hedgerows, additional tree planting, and landscaping within parking courts. Further improvements were requested in relation to hard surfacing proposals, the design and quality of open spaces, adequate bin storage provision and the implementation of a comprehensive lighting scheme to ensure both safety and visual amenity.
• Concerns were raised regarding the density of the development, estimated at approximately 13 dwellings per acre, and whether this reflected the character of surrounding development.
  • Officers confirmed that the development would have a gross density of approximately 34.5 dwellings per hectare.
• Concern was also expressed regarding the absence of contributions sought by the NHS and Lincolnshire County Council for education provision, with the view that any resulting funding gap would ultimately need to be met through public resources.
• Further concerns were raised that the density and scale of development appeared out of keeping with surrounding residential properties and that the proposal could result in a large estate adjoining existing housing and open countryside.
• Clarification was provided that the application site formed part of a wider reserve allocation with an indicative capacity of 70 dwellings. The allocation covered a larger area of land than the application site and had originally envisaged a mixed-tenure development.
• Concerns  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Full application for Change of use from Class F1 (Church) to E(f) Day Nursery at 10 Haverfield Road, Spalding (report of the Development Manager enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Manager upon which the above application was to be determined, including their recommendations, copies of which had previously been circulated to all members.

Members debated the matter fully, with the following comments being raised:

• Concerns were raised regarding the highway implications of the proposal, particularly the adequacy of the six on-site parking spaces, the potential impact of up to 15 staff members, and existing congestion on Haverfield Road during school drop-off and pick-up periods. Doubts were expressed regarding the Highway Authority's conclusion that the site was in a sustainable location and that a proportion of staff and parents would travel by walking, cycling or public transport.
• It was noted that the building had previously operated as a church and community facility, generating significant levels of vehicular and pedestrian activity, and that nursery arrivals and departures would be spread throughout the day rather than occurring at fixed times.
• Reference was made to the site's town centre location, its proximity to public car parks and its accessibility to local residents on foot.
• A request was made for an additional condition to secure the retention of the existing parking spaces for parking purposes in perpetuity to prevent their loss and avoid overspill parking on the highway.
  • Officers advised that planning controls already existed over most forms of development within the parking area but agreed that an additional condition could be explored and included under delegated powers if Members were minded to approve the application.

AGREED:

That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined at section 9.0 of the report.

(Moved by Councillor Casson, Seconded by Councillor Barnes)

S73A Continuation application for Change of use of part of existing garden centre (Class E) to use Classes E, F1 & F2 – Retrospective – approved under H11-1210-25. Modification of Condition 2 to amend opening hours and days and modification of Condition 3 relating to garden centre buildings at Silverwood Garden Centre, St James Road, Sutton Crosses (report of the Development Manager enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Manager upon which the above application was to be determined, including their recommendations, copies of which had previously been circulated to all members.

Members debated the matter fully, with the following comments being raised:

• Concern was expressed that the proposal could have a similar impact on Long Sutton town centre to that experienced by Spalding following the development of Springfield, with reference made to previous visits to shopping centres in Bicester and Street where strong physical links existed between the town centres and retail developments. It was considered that the distance between the application site and Long Sutton town centre could adversely affect the vitality of the high street, and support was expressed for the concerns raised by Long Sutton Parish Council and local residents.
• It was noted that the proposed uses were ancillary to the existing garden centre and that the businesses subject to the application were already operating on the site without any significant issues having been identified.
• Concerns were raised regarding the highly restrictive opening hours proposed for the community use element of the development. It was suggested that the proposed hours appeared unnecessarily limited for a use unlikely to result in significant disturbance to neighbouring properties.
  • Officers advised that the Committee could only determine the application as submitted.
• Views were expressed that concerns regarding the future development of the site and comparisons with larger retail developments were exaggerated and that the site had operated successfully for several years with a mix of uses.
• Discussion took place regarding the wording of the proposed planning condition controlling the uses on site, particularly the use of the word “ancillary” and the potential for differing interpretations of that term. It was suggested that greater clarity could be achieved by amending the condition to specifically refer to the existing hairdresser, tanning salon and café rather than relying on broader ancillary-use wording.
• Concerns were raised that the reference to ancillary uses could create ambiguity in the future regarding the scale and nature of activities that may be permitted on site without further planning consent.
• Questions were raised regarding whether other businesses, including concessions operating from the site, were already present and whether a fuller understanding of all uses should be obtained before determining the application.
  • Officers advised that the current application before the Committee related only to the specified uses and that any additional uses may require separate investigation to establish whether they were lawful, required planning permission or would need to be regularised through a future application.
• Consideration was given to deferring the application  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Full application for demolition of existing domestic bungalow and garages and erection of tractor storage shed for use to maintain Holbeach Parish Council Park and surrounding areas of Holbeach at Park Bungalow, Park Road, Holbeach (report of the Development Manager enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Manager upon which the above application was to be determined, including their recommendations, copies of which had previously been circulated to all members.

Members raised no comments on the application.

AGREED:

That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined at section 9.0 of the report.

(Moved by Councillor Barnes, Seconded by Councillor Brewis)

Advertisement application for Proposed Information Board relating to Cattle Sculptures at Pavement Adj. 5 New Road, Spalding (report of the Development Manager enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Manager upon which the above application was to be determined, including their recommendations, copies of which had previously been circulated to all members.

Members raised no comments on the application.

AGREED:

That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined at section 9.0 of the report.

(Moved by Councillor Casson, Seconded by Councillor Brewis)

Advertisement application for Proposed Information Board relating to Sheep Sculptures at Pavement Adj. 1 Sheep Market, Spalding (report of the Development Manager enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Manager upon which the above application was to be determined, including their recommendations, copies of which had previously been circulated to all members.

Members raised no comments on the application.

AGREED:

That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined at section 9.0 of the report.

(Moved by Councillor Brewis, Seconded by Councillor Tyrrell)

To provide members with an overview of the implications of water infrastructure issues on planning decisions (report of the Assistant Director – Planning and Strategic Infrastructure).

Consideration was given to the report of the Service Director – Planning and Strategic Infrastructure which provided members with an overview of the implications of water infrastructure issues on planning decisions.

Members raised the following comments:

• It was suggested that understanding the capacity limits of pumping stations would assist Members in assessing development proposals and infrastructure constraints.
• A question was raised as to whether Anglian Water had provided similar briefings relating to surface water drainage, rights of connection and water supply capacity issues, particularly in relation to information provided to other Local Planning Authorities.
  • Officers advised that no equivalent briefing had been received on those matters but confirmed that the position would be checked with Anglian Water.
• It was interesting that Anglian Water had recently changed their methodology in calculating water capacity.

AGREED:

That the contents of the report be noted to assist members at Planning Committee with decision-making in relation to applications for planning permission.

To provide an update on recent appeal decisions (report of the Development Manager enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Manager which provided an update on recent appeal decisions.

Members were advised to contact the relevant case officer should there be any queries or points of clarity required on any of the appeal decisions included within the report.

AGREED:

That the report be noted.

There were none.

There were none.