Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made.

The Committee will be asked to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2025 as a correct record.

The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2025 as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

Minute 43. Declarations of Interest

Amended to: 6.1 (4 Cundy Close, Plymouth, PL7 4QH)

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

The Chair introduced a statement relating to changes announced by the Government earlier in the week and discussed:

a)     On 16 December, the Government had published, for consultation, a major update to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as part of a wider suite of reforms to the planning system;

b)    The new NPPF constituted a full rewrite, going further than the revisions issued the previous December, and that the document had been split into two distinct sections covering plan?making and development?management decision?making;

c)     Although the NPPF was only a draft statement of national planning policy, it was a material consideration in the determination of planning applications before the Committee. However, as a draft document out for consultation, it carried limited weight, and existing NPPF policies continued to prevail until replaced;

d)    The new NPPF represented a significant landmark shift intended to simplify and accelerate planning delivery through a more rules?based approach, forming part of the national response to the housing crisis and commitments to growth and renewal;

e)     The framework aimed to make it easier and faster to develop Local Plans and to support local authorities in setting strategic visions for housing and growth;

f)      The Committee, as the local planning authority’s primary decision?making body, would be directly impacted by the reforms, which would influence decision?making going forward, particularly in the context of delivering the objectives of the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan (2019);

g)     The preparation of the next Plymouth Local Plan would begin in the new year, setting policies to guide development in the city to 2050;

h)    The following twelve most significant reforms within the draft NPPF which members should note:

                     i.         a permanent presumption in favour of suitably located development within urban areas;

                   ii.         support in principle for development of land around rail stations within existing settlements, and around well?connected train stations outside settlements;

                  iii.          driving urban and suburban densification, supporting higher?density development in sustainable locations with good access to services;

                  iv.         securing a more diverse mix of homes, including stronger requirements for accessible housing for older and disabled people, and greater flexibility in market-sale unit mix;

                   v.         making it easier to bring forward small sites, streamlining local standards to provide greater certainty for applicants;

                  vi.         encouraging economic growth by giving substantial weight to business growth, especially in sectors referenced in the Industrial Strategy: AI growth zones, logistics, town centres, and agricultural and rural development;

                 vii.          anticipating new policies relating to Plymouth’s designation as the National Centre for Marine Autonomy, the potential for a new town in the city centre, and the projected need for a substantial number of new homes across the city;

               viii.         ensuring adequate provision for minerals extraction, embedding a vision?led approach to transport, moving away from a “predict and provide” model that created car?dominated environments;

                  ix.         strengthening approaches to climate?change mitigation and adaptation, and enhancing the protection of natural and heritage assets;

i)      The Planning and Infrastructure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

The Chair will receive and respond to questions from members of the public submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures. Questions shall not normally exceed 50 words in length and the total length of time allowed for public questions shall not exceed 10 minutes. Any question not answered within the total time allowed shall be the subject of a written response.

There were no questions from members of the public.

The Service Director for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure will submit a schedule asking Members to consider Applications, Development proposals by Local Authorities and statutory consultations under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

The Committee considered the following applications, development proposals by local authorities and statutory consultations submitted under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990, and the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservations Areas) Act, 1990.

Ethan Bell (Planning Officer) presented the report.

The Committee agreed to grant the application conditionally, as set out in the report.

For (11)

Councillors: Allen, Freeman, Goslin, Loveridge, McCarty, McNamara, Ney, P.Nicholson, Penrose, Stevens, and Tuohy.

Against (0)

Abstentions (0)

Absent / Did Not Vote (2)

Councillors: M.Smith and Darcy

Please note, a site visit for this application was undertaken on 17 December 2026.

Emily Godwin (Planning Officer) presented the report.

A statement was read on behalf of Councillor Ricketts, in collaboration with Councillor Holloway.

Rob Heard spoke to the application in the capacity of ‘Agent’.

In response to questions from the Committee, clarifications were provided by Emily Godwin (Planning Officer) and Chris Dawson (Natural Infrastructure Officer).

The Committee agreed to grant the application conditionally, as set out in the report, subject to the following amendments:

1.     Amendment of Condition 3 (Construction Management Plan) so that the detailed Construction Management / Construction Traffic Management Plan, including proposals for construction traffic routes, site access, parking for contractors, working hours, and measures to protect residential amenity, would be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the Drake Ward councillors before commencement of development, and implemented as approved for the duration of the construction phase;

2.     Amendment of Condition 20 (Code of Practice / Public Protection) to a pre?commencement condition requiring the submission and approval of a site?specific Code of Practice for construction and demolition (covering, as a minimum, working hours, deliveries, noise, dust, mud on the highway and any piling operations), with the details to be agreed by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the Drake Ward councillors, and thereafter adhered to throughout the construction period.

For (11)

Councillors: Allen, Freeman, Goslin, Loveridge, McCarty, McNamara, Ney, P.Nicholson, Penrose, Stevens, and Tuohy

Against (0)

Abstentions (0)

Absent / Did Not Vote (2)

Councillors: M.Smith and Darcy

The Service Director for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure, acting under powers delegated to him by the Council, will submit a schedule outlining all decisions issued from 21 October 2025 to 08 December 2025, including –

1)  Committee decisions;

2)  Delegated decisions, subject to conditions where so indicated;

3)  Applications withdrawn;

4)  Applications returned as invalid.

Please note that these Delegated Planning Applications are available to view online at: http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/planningapplicationsv4/welcome.asp

The Committee noted the report from the Strategic Director for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure on decisions issued since the last meeting.

A schedule of decisions made by the Planning Inspectorate on appeals arising from the decision of the City Council will be submitted.  Please note that these Delegated Planning Applications are available to view online at:

http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/planningapplicationsv4/welcome.asp

The Committee noted the schedule of appeal decisions made by the Planning Inspectorate.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) … of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

There were no items of exempt business.