ECCLESHALL PARISH COUNCIL – PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES

November 19^th 2025

 DRAFT

A meeting of Eccleshall Parish Council Planning Committee was held on November 19^th2025, at Eccleshall Community Centre at 8.05pm, following the Parish Council meeting.

 240/25).   Present were:

Councillor B. Delanchy (Chairman)          Councillor G. Dale

Councillor R. Langford                                Councillor S. Kean

Councillor S. Mifflin                                     Councillor D. Hill

Councillor C. Wilkins                                   Councillor S. Perren

Councillor D. Hall                                         Councillor R. Taylor

Councillor D. Feneysey

Mrs Stacey Worden (Clerk)

One member of the public

 241/25).  Apologies:

Apologies were received from Cllrs. Reid, Ryan-Bloor, Jones and Gosling.

 242/25).  Declarations of Interest and Councillor requests for dispensation relating to items on the agenda

There were no requests to receive, and no declarations of interest were made.

 243/25).  Public Participation

There was no public participation.

 244/25). To approve the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 5^th November 2025

The minutes, which had been previously circulated, were agreed and signed.

 245/25).  Planning Decisions of Stafford Borough Council

25/40745/HOU – Two storey side/rear extension; including minor alterations. Ivy Cottage Cash Lane Garmelow. Approved.

246/25)   Planning Applications for consideration

25/41120/OUT – Outline planning permission with details of access for the development of up to 71 dwellings (Use Class C3) with associated infrastructure and a country park | Land To The North The Burgage Eccleshall Stafford Staffordshire.

The Parish Council’s Planning Consultant from UVE Consultancy joined remotely at this point to provide advice on this application.

Members received and considered the draft representation prepared by UVE consultancy, which detailed material consideration to be reviewed in relation to this application. The report also provided a series of bullet points for use by residents wishing to send in their own responses to the Borough Council.

It was resolved to strongly object to this application.

Key points highlighted in the report included:

• Paragraph 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework, December 2024 makes clear that “The presumption in favour of sustainable development does not change the statutory status of the development plan as the starting point for decision-making.”
• The proposed development is outside of the settlement boundary and would set a precedent, leading to further incremental encroachment into the open countryside. It would also harm the rural and village character of the area, encroaching further into the open countryside.
• Acceptance of greenfield development would create further challenges to the viability of vacant brownfield or allocated housing sites within the borough.
• There are already infrastructure deficiencies including health, transport, drainage and secondary education. The proposal must be assessed in the context of other applications and allocations; if infrastructure is already under stress, additional development will obviously exacerbate problems.
• The proposed form and layout, even with mitigation, would result in intrusive visual impact, owing to the prominent location of an active flood plain in the open countryside.
• The proposed development fails to apply the sequential test in relation to flood risk with potential development within areas of high flood risk from the River Sow.
• Development on previously undeveloped land will have a negative impact on surface water drainage and the wider water and flood management of the locality. Surface water flood issues are already a significant problem for Eccleshall, and this will exacerbate these by reducing the capacity for natural surface water management in the catchment area for the River Sow on an active flood plain.
• The development would result in harm to the character of the Eccleshall Conservation Area and potential harm and loss of heritage assets within the application site.
• It is contrary to national, Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plan policies as set out later in the representation.

Concerns were raised in relation to activity on the proposed site – diggers and contractors have been recorded on site on the 18^th November felling trees in one of the locations included in the Arboricultural Assessment. It was resolved to write to Stafford Borough Council to raise concerns about the activity and request confirmation that the work is related to trees already marked for removal.

It was also noted that this site has serious issues relating to the blind junction to access the Burgage and the increased vehicle movements on an already busy road.

25/41263/HOU – Proposed first floor side extension, single storey rear extension and front timber storm porch. 33 Green Lane Eccleshall. There were no objections to this application.

25/41225/HOU and 25/41335/LBC – Erection of new Padel Court. Wetwood Manor, Fairoak Road, Wetwood. There were no objections to this application.

23/37100/OUT – Amended Application. Outline Application ( all matters reserved ) – new dwelling in association with existing equestrian business. Land Adjacent Bramble Cottage Wincote Lane Wootton. It was resolved to continue to object as it is a new dwelling in the countryside and as such, contrary to Policy C5 of the Plan for Stafford Borough.

247/25).  To consider any further applications

There were no further applications for consideration.

248/25).   Any Other Planning Matters

• To provide any other updates on the work to date with Urban Vision Enterprise planning consultancy
  • There are no further updates to report.

249/25).   Correspondence

• There was no correspondence for consideration.

250/25).    Date and venue for next meeting

Wednesday 3^rd December 2025, at Eccleshall Community Centre, 7.30pm.

There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.40pm.