Agenda and minutes

All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter:

(i)            any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPIs) and / or

(ii)           other interests arising under the Code of Conduct

in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at the meeting. Anyone with a DPI must, unless a dispensation has been granted, withdraw from the meeting during consideration of the relevant item of business. If in doubt, advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer or her staff prior to the meeting.           

Councillor Gray declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 4.2 (minute number 194) as he was the District Councillor for Whyteleafe and the County Councillor for Caterham Valley. In addition, Whyteleafe Tennis Club had received funding from his County Councillor Community Fund. However, Councillor Gray confirmed that he was not predetermined in respect of the planning application.

The minutes of the meeting were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

The Committee considered an application for the erection of extensions at ground, first and loft levels together with a new car parking and drive arrangement.

The Officer recommendation was to approve, subject to conditions.

Mr Simon Walter, the applicant’s agent, spoke in favour of the application.

During the course of the debate a concern was raised about the impact of the development on the gas lines under Portley Wood Road as detailed in a letter from SGN. In response, Officers agreed to include an additional informative to the decision notice to ensure that the applicant was aware of the issue.

R E S O L V E D – that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions and additional informative.

The Committee considered an application for the installation of floodlights to the existing tennis club.

The Officer recommendation was to approve, subject to conditions.

Mr Chris Hall, spoke in favour of the application on behalf of the applicant.

During the course of the debate a concern was raised about the wording of Condition 4 that set out when the floodlights could be used and the impact on local bat activity. To rectify the issue, the following alternative wording for Condition 4 was proposed by Councillor Lockwood:

That the floodlights hereby permitted shall only be illuminated:

November to March inclusive – until 2200 hours.

April – until 2100 hours.

May to September inclusive – no flood lighting permitted.

October – until 1900 hours.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Chotai. The Chair informed the Committee that the vote on the alternative wording of Condition 4 would be voted on in conjunction with the Officer recommendation.

R E S O L V E D – that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

The Committee considered a retrospective application for the erection of an ancillary outbuilding.

The Officer recommendation was to approve, subject to conditions.

Mr Adem Mehmet, the applicant’s agent, spoke in favour of the application.

During the course of the debate, Councillor Jones requested that the committee consider the following motion for refusal:

The proposal, by reason of the scale, use of the building and resultant noise, would result in harm to neighbouring amenity, thereby contrary to Policy CSP18 of the Tandridge District Core Strategy (2008), Policy DP7 of the Tandridge Local Plan Part 2: Detailed Policies (2014) and Policy CCW4 of The Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan (2021).

The motion was proposed by Councillor Lockwood and seconded by Councillor Gray.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

R E S O L V E D – that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

The Committee considered an application for the installation of a hardstanding to provide refuse bin storage to the existing grass lawn area to the southwest corner of the communal gardens with a new access gate via the existing public footpath and erection of new fence to enclose the proposed refuse area.

The Officer recommendation was to approve, subject to conditions.

R E S O L V E D – that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

To receive a verbal update from officers relating to appeal decisions by the Planning Inspectorate resulting from previous committee decisions.

The Committee received a short update on the following appeal decisions:

TA/2023/1345 - Land to rear of 22 to 32 Chichele Road, Oxted, RH8 0NZ.  The application had been refused by the Council. The appeal was dismissed on 11 December 2024 (Appeal Reference: APP/M3645/W/24/3345915).

TA/2024/107 - Duffers, 5 West Hill Bank, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 9JE.  The application had been refused at Committee on 7 June 2024.  The appeal was allowed on 7 November 2024 (Appeal Reference: APP/M3645/D/24/3349387).

TA/2023/626 - Godstone Golf Club, Rooks Nest, Godstone, Surrey, RH9 8BY.  The application had been refused by the Council.  The appeal was allowed on 9 December 2024 (Appeal Reference: APP/M3645/W/24/3347340).