Agenda and minutes

Councillor Surti assumed the position as Chair of the Planning and Development Control Committee.

The Chair welcomed those present.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed on the Agenda.

Members will be aware of the Code of Practice for Member involvement in Development Control decisions. They are also asked to declare any interest they might have in any matter on the committee agenda and/or contact with applicants, agents or third parties. The Chair, acting on advice from the Monitoring Officer, will then determine whether the interest disclosed is such to require the Member to withdraw from the committee during consideration of the relevant officer report.

Members who are not on the committee but who are attending to make representations in accordance with the Code of Practice are also required to declare any interest.  The Chair, acting on advice from the Monitoring Officer, will determine whether the interest disclosed is such that the Member is not able to make representations.  Members requiring guidance should contact the Monitoring Officer or the Committee's legal adviser prior to the committee meeting.

Members were asked to declare any interests they had in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Moore declared an interest in the second item – 41 Raywell Road, as they have strong views and an ongoing interest in children with special needs as the Chair of the Advisory Board of Millgate School. However, it was clarified that the views held were not in relation to material planning considerations and retained an open mind.

Members are asked to confirm that the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Development Control Committee held on 15 April 2026 and 6 May 2026 are a correct record.

It was raised by Governance Services that there be an amendment to the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th May, where reasons referred to section 100B (4)(a) of the legislation for the acceptance of a late item for consideration at the Committee.

This should be amended to section 100B (4)(b) of the legislation.

Therefore, the agreement of the minutes will be inclusive of the above amendment.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Planning and Development Control Committee held on 15^th April and 6^th May  be confirmed as a correct record, subject to the amendment raised by Governance Services.

Members are asked to note the Membership of the Planning and Development Control Committee for 2026-27, as detailed on the front of the agenda.

The Membership of the Planning and Development Control Committee was noted.

Members are asked to note the dates for Planning and Development Control Committee meetings for 2026-27:

·         Wednesday 1 July 2026

·         Wednesday 22 July 2026

·         Wednesday 12 August 2026

·         Wednesday 2 September 2026

·         Wednesday 23 September 2026

·         Wednesday 14 October 2026

·         Wednesday 4 November 2026

·         Wednesday 25 November 2026

·         Wednesday 16 December 2026

·         Wednesday 20 January 2027

·         Wednesday 10 February 2027

·         Wednesday 3 March 2027

·         Wednesday 24 March 2027

·         Wednesday 14 April 2027

The meeting dates of the Planning and Development Control Committee for 2026/27 were noted.

The Committee is asked to consider the recommendations of the Director, Planning, Development and Transportation contained in the attached reports, within the categories identified in the index appended with the reports.

Ward: Humberstone & Hamilton

Proposal: Construction of five two-storey houses (2x3 beds, 3x4 beds) with associated landscaping, cycle and waste storage, boundary treatment, parking and access (amended plans)

Applicant: Sehaj Real Estate Ltd

The Planning Officer presented the report.

Councillor Joel joined the meeting and due to having missed the report, removed themselves from discussion on the item.

Mr Alex Prowse, Planning Consultant on behalf of the applicant, addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application.

Mr Zaheer Osman addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

Councillor Bonham addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

Members of the Committee considered the report and Officers responded to the comments and queries raised by the Committee.

The Chair summarised the application and points made by Committee Members. The Chair moved that the application be approved as per officer recommendations and this was seconded by Councillor O’Neill.

Upon being put to the vote, it was noted that 4 were in favour and 6 were against, therefore the motion was lost,

Councillor Moore moved that the application be refused on the grounds of negative impacts upon the amenity of neighbouring occupiers due to comings and goings via the narrow access to the site. This was seconded by Councillor Modhwadia and upon being put to the vote, 6 were in favour and 4 were against.

With a majority in favour, the motion was carried and the application was refused. It was noted that the detailed wording of reasons was to be delegated to officers in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair.

RESOLVED: The Planning application was REFUSED. The proposal, by reason of the narrow access into the site, would result in increased comings and goings between number 24 and 26, which in turn would result in an increase of general disturbance and loss of privacy to existing neighbouring residents to the detriment of their amenity. The proposal would therefore be contrary to 2026 Local Plan policy DQP06 and paragraph 135(f) of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Ward: Humberstone & Hamilton

Proposal: Change of use from dwellinghouse (Class C3) to children's care home (max 2 children) (Class C2)

Applicant: Nompumelelo Dube

Councillor Joel rejoined the meeting.

The Planning Officer presented the report.

Mr Yasini Mfunda addressed the Committee virtually and spoke in favour of the application.

Mr Muhammad Varda addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

Members of the Committee considered the report and Officers responded to the comments and questions raised.

The Chair summarised the application and the points raised by Members of the Committee and moved that in accordance with officer recommendation, the application be approved. This was seconded by Councillor Mohammed and upon being put to the vote, eight members voted in favour and three voted against. With the majority in supporting the motion, the motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED: permission was granted subject to conditions

            CONDITIONS

1.         The development shall be begun within three years from the date of this permission. (To comply with Section 91 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990.)

2.         The use hereby permitted shall be carried on only by Nozinhle Dube Ltd (company number 13782186). When the premises cease to be operated by Nozinhle Dube Ltd, the use hereby permitted shall cease and the property reverted back to a family house (Class C3). (To ensure the use addresses the qualitative need evidenced by the Social Care Team and Local Housing Needs Assessment and is in accordance with Leicester Local Plan 2026 policy Ho03).

3.         The premises shall not accommodate any more than 2 residents in care at any one time, unless otherwise approved in writing by the local planning authority. (To enable consideration of the amenity of residents and parking impacts of a more intensive use, in accordance with Leicester Local Plan 2026 policies DQP06 and T07.

4.         Development shall be carried out in full accordance with the following approved plans:

            - Block Plan, Received 08.12.2025

            - Proposed Floor Plans, 086, Received 08.12.2025

            (For the avoidance of doubt).

            NOTES FOR APPLICANT

1.         There are statutory exemptions and transitional arrangements which mean that the biodiversity gain condition does not always apply.

            Based on the information available, this permission is considered to be one which will not require the approval of a biodiversity gain plan before development is begun because the following statutory exemption/transitional arrangement is considered to apply:

            Development below the de minimis threshold, meaning development which:

            i) does not impact an onsite priority habitat (a habitat specified in a list published under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006); and

            ii) impacts less than 25 square metres of onsite habitat that has biodiversity value greater than zero and less than 5 metres in length of onsite linear habitat (as defined in the statutory metric).

2.         The City Council, as local planning authority has acted positively and proactively in determining this application by assessing the proposal against all material considerations, including planning policies and any representations that may have been received. This planning application has  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

There being no other urgent business, the meeting closed at pm.

There being no other urgent business, the meeting closed at 7:30pm.