Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting and went through some general housekeeping arrangements for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R H Siddall and S White.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 8 October 2025 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 08 October 2025 be approved and confirmed.

To disclose the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registrable interests and Non-Registrable Interests relating to items of business on the agenda having regard to paragraph 9 and Appendix B of the Code of Conduct for Members.

(Members are reminded that they are also required to disclose any such interests as soon as they become aware should the need arise throughout the meeting).

Councillor M F L Durham CC declared a pecuniary interest as the agent on the application for Agenda item 7 - 25/00022/FUL - Land at The Warren Lodge Park, Herbage Park, Herbage Park, Woodham Walter.

To consider the report of the Director of Place, Planning and Growth, (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

The Officer informed the Committee that there was no discussion or presentation for this item as it was returning to the Committee after the Constitutional brake was invoked at the previous meeting following Members indicating they would be minded to refuse this application. Also indicating that if they were still minded to refuse they would have to agree on the reasons for refusal.

Councillor M F L Durham then proposed that the Committee agree the reasons for refusal as laid out in the report and refuse this application. This was duly seconded.

In accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) the Chairperson requested a recorded vote. He then put the proposal to refuse the application, and the voting was as follows:

For the recommendation: 

Councillors M F L Durham, J C Hughes, C P Morley, E L Stephens and L L Wiffen.

Against the recommendation: 

None.

Abstention: 

Councillors S J N Morgan and M E Thompson.

Following this Councillor Wiffen nominated herself and Councillor Morgan to represent Maldon District Council. This was duly approved.

RESOLVED

25/00473/OUTM: This application had been appealed so no decision could be issued. However, Members were minded to REFUSE permission for the reasons as set out in the report.

25/00474/OUTM: that this application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1          The Council's strategic policies seek to focus growth in the District's main settlements of Maldon, Heybridge and Burnham on-Crouch as they constitute the most suitable and accessible locations in the District. The proposal would introduce residential development beyond the settlement boundary of Purleigh, identified as a 'smaller village' in Policy S8 which provides limited services, facilities and employment opportunities, where the principle of the proposed development is not supported. The site is not well located in terms of access to and provision of public transport and access roads to and from the village are constrained and narrow. The majority of journeys to and from the site would be reliant on travel by private car. Accordingly, the proposal would result in unsustainable development. Paragraph 11d)ii of the National Planning Policy Framework provides that applications should not be granted where any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. In this case, the proposal:

·        is contrary to key policies for directing development to sustainable locations, and

·        in the absence of a legal agreement, does not provide affordable homes.

The adverse impacts of the development would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the policies in the LDP and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 326.

To consider the report of the Director of Place, Planning and Growth, (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

A Members’ Update was distributed before the meeting containing details regarding Heritage Assets, Tree considerations, further consultation responses received, and additional letters of objection.

The Officer presented the report. Following this an Objector Paul Guppy addressed the Committee.

A Member then recalled that a similar application on the same site was recommended for refusal a year ago and questioned the Officer on what the differences were between the current application and a previous one. The officer advised that the National policy Planning Framework had changed in December 2024, which gave different weight to aspects of the site, additionally the Applicant had mitigated some of the objections to the site in regards to the Recreational disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy payments and Trees.

Councillor S J N Morgan then proposed that the application be refused, contrary to Officers’ recommendation. This was duly seconded.

Councillor Morgan suggested that the reasons for refusal would be based on what the application was called in for which was as follows:

·        The site being outside the settlement boundary, contrary to Local Development Plan (LDP) Policy S8.  

·        Over-development of the site, contrary to LDP Policy D1.  

·        The proposals would result in the urbanisation of an area currently rural in nature and erode the character and appearance of this part of the village, contrary to LDP Policy H4.

·        The development would have a detrimental impact on the wildlife and existing trees, contrary to Policies D1 and N2 and Policy WBEn 02 of the Wickham Bishops Neighbourhood Plan.

A discussion then ensued regarding the reasons for refusal. The Officer highlighted that there were no grounds to refuse based on overdevelopment or wildlife and environment. That the site was adjacent to the settlement boundary and in terms of urbanization this was considered harm, but the weighting tipped the planning balance in favour of the application.

In accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) the Chairperson requested a recorded vote for the proposal to refuse the application  ...  view the full minutes text for item 327.

To consider the report of the Director of Place, Planning and Growth (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

At this point in the meeting Councillor M F L Durham declared he would step down Chairperson after the presentation and public speaking as the agent on this item.

Following this the Officer presented their report and then Mr Durham, the Agent addressed the Committee.

Further to his earlier declaration, Councillor Durham left the chamber at this point.

IN THE CHAIR : COUNCILLOR M E THOMPSON

A Member commented that the application could facilitate better enforcement outcomes on the site by having a permanent presence there and suggested that condition 5 be removed as this stopped the site from being a year-round dwelling.

Councillor S J N Morgan proposed that the Committee approve the application with the removal of condition 5. This was duly seconded.

In accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) the Chairperson requested a recorded vote and put the proposed approval in the name of Councillor Morgan to the Committee. The voting was as follows:

For the recommendation:

Councillors J C Hughes, S J N Morgan, C P Morley, E L Stephens, M E Thompson and L L Wiffen.

Against the recommendation:

None

Abstention:

None

RESOLVED that the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1. The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission. 

2. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans and documents: Location Plan, WLP-WL05 Rev C, WLP-WL01 Rev F and WLP-WL02. 

3. The lodge hereby permitted shall only be used by a manager or an employee or a designated contract worker of the Warren Estate and shall not be used as a person's sole or main place of residence. 

4. The lodge hereby permitted shall be clearly signposted to ensure that it is recognised as the single point of out of hours contact. 

5. The lodge hereby permitted shall not be available for short or long term holiday purposes or offered for rent, lease or sale. 

6. With the exception of any building or structure required to be provided by conditions on a site licence issued under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, no structures, tents, garden paraphernalia, or similar items shall be erected or placed on the site without the prior approval in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 328.