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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Planning Committee B |
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Date |
9 September 2025 |
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Present |
Councillors Merrett (Chair), Cullwick (Vice-Chair), Moroney, Orrell, Vassie, Warters, Wilson, Widdowson (Substitute) and Melly (Substitute) |
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Apologies
Officers Present |
Councillors Fenton and Nelson
Gareth Arnold, Development Manager Jodi Ingram, Lawyer |
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17. Apologies for Absence (4.30 pm)
Apologies were received and noted from Cllrs Fenton and Nelson. Cllr Fenton was substituted by Cllr Widdowson and Cllr Nelson was substituted by Cllr Melly.
18. Declarations of Interest (4.32 pm)
Members were asked to declare at this point in the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registrable interests that they might have in the business on the agenda, if they had not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.
In relation to Item 5a, St Olaves School, Cllr Moroney noted, for transparency, that he had relatives who attended St Olaves.
19. Minutes (4.33 pm)
Resolved: That the minutes of the last meeting held on 15 July 2025 were approved as a correct record, subject to a correction to the text at minute 15, paragraph 11, where it should have said ‘Following debate, the Chair formally proposed the officer recommendation to refuse the application.’
20. Public Participation (4.34 pm)
It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
21. Plans List (4.35 pm)
Members considered a schedule of reports of the Development Manager, relating to the following planning applications, outlining the proposals and relevant policy considerations and setting out the views of consultees and officers.
22. St Olaves School, Queen Annes Road, York, YO30 7AA [24/00703/FUL] (4.35 pm)
Members considered a full application by St Peters School for the erection of 8 no. 15metre-high sports flood light columns.
The Development Manager gave a presentation on the plans and provided an update which contained a revision to planning condition six, the lighting design, and also removed informative two.
In response to questions from members, he confirmed the picture included in the lighting assessment was a visualisation provided by the applicant. He explained that the lighting design must conform to the guidance note contained in the update and the informative had been removed as the regulations did not apply to proposals below 25 square metres; the calculation had been provided by the agent for the applicant. The location of the tree line planting was also confirmed to members.
Public Speaker
Jeremy Walker, the applicant and Headmaster of St Peter’s School, explained that the floodlights would provide more opportunities for students of the school and members of the public to take part in sport, noting that it would also reduce the number of coach journeys currently undertaken, thus reducing traffic in the area. He stated that there had been no complaints regarding the existing temporary flood lights and that they were keen to make the ecological improvements to the site with the tree planting.
In response to questions from members, he confirmed that they had not received any complaints in relation to the flood lights or related generators. His associates confirmed that onsite parking was available for those members of the public using the pitches and the hours of use had been agreed up to 8pm. They also explained that the new lights would be 15m tall, to reduce light spill and meet the requirements of hockey’s national governing body.
Following debate, Cllr Warters proposed the officer recommendation to approve the application, subject to the tabled amendment to condition six and the deletion of informative two as outlined in the update. Also, a variation to condition five was required to specify that the bat boxes were sited on existing trees with the trigger point for this to be delegated to the Development Manager. Condition two also required amendment to include reference to the floodlighting plan and the floodlight elevation plan. The Chair seconded the proposal. On being put to a vote, members voted unanimously in favour, and it was:
Resolved: That the application be approved, subject to the amendments outlined above.
Reason: The proposal would provide sport and curriculum benefits to students of the school in line with Policy HW3 of the Local Plan enabling students and visiting teams to play hockey into the early evening as part of the school curriculum and as part of local leagues. The proposal would also potentially free-up pitch use at other sites currently used by St Peters School which is of minor benefit. There is not considered to be any harmful impacts on the setting of the conservation area or the listed buildings within the school estate. Regard has been given to the withdrawal of the proposed floodlights when originally considered in 2008, however there is no written appraisal of the harm that they identified by the then Conservation Officer. The current application is accompanied by a Heritage Impact Assessment. The floodlights would introduce 15m high engineered columns into the area of the school estate which is a sensitive location forming part of the landscaped river corridor of the River Ouse flood plain which is characterised by its sense of openness. The location is adjacent to existing school buildings, and the existing pitch and fencing has an engineered appearance. The lighting is designed to be limited to the pitch to limit light spill and skyglow. On balance whilst there would be some harm to the landscape character of the River Ouse corridor and erosion of the open character of the site, the impact of the floodlights would not be so harmful as to justify the refusal of the application.
Other matters including ecology, impact on residential amenity and highways and access are considered to be acceptable and where necessary mitigated by recommended planning conditions.
23. Hemplands Kids Club, Burnholme Youth Centre, Bad Bargain Lane, York, YO31 0LW [25/01168/GRG3] (5.15 pm)
Members considered a general regulations (Reg3) application by City of York Council for the erection of a boundary fence of 2.4 metres high.
The Development Manager gave a presentation on the plans and confirmed that there was no update to the officer’s report.
Public Speaker
Jon Webb, a resident, spoke in objection to the application stating that the space at the entrance of the kids’ club was not an appropriate space for dropping off and collecting children, the position of the space did not allow for a safe route for the children to the car or the building. The clash of closing time for both the football and kids’ club meant that there were often cars parked on the pavement at 6pm, this was likely to worsen once Burnholme Green housing development was fully occupied. He also stated that the fence was out of keeping with the area.
In response to questions from Members, he explained that it would not be safe for children to have to squeeze past parked vehicles to exit on to a busy road.
For member’s benefit, the Development Manager showed the pedestrian gate on the plans. Following a discussion on the siting of the pedestrian gate, and the location of the fence, he confirmed that the decision on the application, following a discussion with the applicant, could be delegated to officers, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair, under delegated powers.
Cllr Warters moved that the formal decision on the application should be delegated to officers, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair, with the view to achieving a safer location of the pedestrian entrance and situating the fence behind the existing hedge. This was seconded by the Chair.
Members voted unanimously in favour of this proposal, and it was therefore:
Resolved: That the application be approved in principle, with the decision delegated to the Development Manager, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair, for the reasons outlined above.
Reason: The proposal would have an acceptable impact on visual amenity and highway safety. The proposed scheme complies with The City of York Local Plan, and The National Planning Policy Framework.
As the meeting came to a close, the Chair took the opportunity to thank members of the committee for their service, noting that the committee was unlikely to be meeting again, following proposals to be voted on at the next meeting of full council.
Cllr D Merrett, Chair
[The meeting started at 4.30 pm and finished at 5.35 pm].