Agenda and draft minutes

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Due to technical difficulties the Chair announced that the meeting would not be Livestreamed.

The evacuation procedure was noted.

Councillor Stephen Dodds declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in relation to item 25/0865/FUL 2 The Willows, Stockton-on-Tees, TS19 8BD as he was the applicant’s agent. Cllr Dodds left the room and did not take part in the debate or voting thereon.

The planning protocol was noted.

Consideration was given to planning application 25/2162/OUT Land North of Sandy Lane West, Billingham.

Outline planning permission was sought, with all matters reserved except access, for the development of up to 179 residential dwellings (Use Class C3), together with a community building (Use Classes E/F2), and associated access, highways infrastructure, open space and landscaping.

The site lay outside the defined limits to development; however, the Council was unable to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing land. The proposal had therefore been assessed having regard to the presumption in favour of sustainable development, with the decision hinging on the overall planning balance.

The application had generated a significant level of public interest, with 282 letters of objection received. The principal concerns related to highway safety and congestion, conflict with the Development Plan, and the potential impact on the separation between Billingham and Wolviston. These matters had been fully considered within the assessment. Technical consultees, including National Highways and the Council’s Highway Authority, had raised no objection, and the submitted evidence demonstrated that impacts could be appropriately mitigated.

The proposal would deliver up to 179 dwellings, including policy-compliant affordable housing, making a significant contribution towards addressing the identified shortfall in housing land supply. This benefit was afforded substantial weight. The site was considered to represent a sustainable location on the edge of Billingham, with acceptable access to services, facilities and public transport. Other impacts, including landscape effects, loss of agricultural land, ecology, trees, drainage, heritage and residential amenity, had been assessed and were not considered to give rise to unacceptable harm.

Taking all matters into account, the adverse impacts identified were limited and did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal when assessed in the overall planning balance. The development was therefore considered to represent a sustainable form of development.

The consultees that had been notified and the comments that had been received were detailed within the main report.

 Neighbours were notified and the comments received were detailed within the main report.

The planning policies and material planning considerations that were relevant to the consideration of the application were contained within the main report.

The Planning Officers report concluded that in view of the considerations set out within the report, the application was recommended for approval subject to conditions as detailed within the officers report.

The applicant and the applicants agent attended the meeting and were given the opportunity to make representation. Their comments could be summarised as follows:

- The applicant was a local builder in the Tees Valley and was committed to working with local employers, businesses and people who wanted to invest in the local area, offering affordable homes and employment opportunities.

- The applicant explained that he had listened to residents at the public consultation and had taken on board officers suggestions. The proposed application was compliant and provided connections to footpaths, a community hub as well as additional parking. The applicant also expressed his desire to deliver the scheme for the local community,  ...  view the full minutes text for item P/14/26

Consideration was given to planning application 25/1945/FUL 74A Darlington Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 5ET.

The application site related to a detached residential dwelling located within the limits to development and within Stockton-on-Tees.

Planning permission was being sought to raise the ridge height of part of the dwelling to enable a loft conversion with rooflights, to include the installation of cladding, the erection of a single storey infill extension to include canopy to the front and erection of a 1.8m high boundary wall/fence to the front.

A total of 21no objections had been received by members of the public. No objections had been received by technical consultees. In accordance with the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, the application was to be decided by Members of the Committee as more than 5 responses had been received by members of the public to the application following consultation and publicity.

Several concerns had been raised by members of the public; however, the main concerns related to the impact on the character and appearance of the area, the impact on the setting of Hartburn Conservation Area and the impact on the amenity of surrounding neighbouring occupiers which were addressed within the report. Other concerns raised had also been addressed within the report.

During the application process, the proposed extensions had been amended significantly due to character and amenity concerns. The amended plans had resulted in the reduction in scale of the extensions, which previously appeared as a two-storey extension, and had now been reduced to appear as 1.5 storey. It was considered that this design change would mitigate both character and appearance impacts, and overshadowing and overbearing impacts for surrounding neighbouring occupiers. In addition, overlooking of the neighbouring properties had been addressed through further amendments to the submitted plans by proposing to install rooflights to the principal elevation roof slope. The base of each rooflight would be 1.9 metres above the internal finished floor level which was considered to suitably mitigate the potential overlooking of the neighbouring dwelling to the north of the application site.

Overall, it was considered that the proposed development had been made acceptable through amendments in terms of its appearance and its impact on neighbouring occupiers. It was considered that the proposals were in general accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework and the Development Plan policies and therefore the recommendation was to approve the application subject to the conditions set out in the report.

The consultees that had been notified and the comments that had been received were detailed within the main report.

 Neighbours were notified and the comments received were detailed within the main report.

The planning policies and material planning considerations that were relevant to the consideration of the application were contained within the main report.

The Planning Officers report concluded that in view of the assessment contained within the report, it was considered that the proposed development would not result in any significant conflict with the policies contained within the Stockon on Tees Local Plan or the relevant chapters  ...  view the full minutes text for item P/15/26

Consideration was given to planning application 25/0865/FUL 2 The Willows, Stockton-on-Tees, TS19 8BD.

Since the writing of the original report, amendments to the submitted drawings were sought to alter the shape of the roof of the proposed single storey flat roof rear extension to become a pitched roof, as per Members decision at the March 2026 planning committee meeting.

The requested changes were made to the applicant’s planning agent, however, instead they have sought to address the matters in an alternative manner, by removing the Juliet balcony to the first-floor rear elevation and replacing it with a fixed window.

Due to the narrow remit of the decision at March 2026 planning committee meeting, the application was being brought before Members for decision on the revised details.

Further consultation with neighbouring residents had taken place, and at the time of writing, 4no objections comments from 3no households had been received. Overall, the further comments made by neighbours were not considered to alter the original recommendation of Approval with Conditions for the application.

Overall, whilst the proposed design choice was not what was recommended by Members, the amendments to the plans, along with the recommended conditions, were considered to suitably mitigate the previous concerns raised in relation to the flat roof potentially being used as a balcony and affecting neighbouring occupiers’ amenity.

The consultees that had been notified and the comments that had been received were detailed within the main report.

Neighbours were notified and the comments received were detailed within the main report.

The planning policies and material planning considerations that were relevant to the consideration of the application were contained within the main report.

The Planning Officers report concluded that in view of the acceptability of the proposed plans and planning mechanisms in place, the application was recommended for approval with conditions as detailed within the main report.

Objectors attended the meeting and were given the opportunity to make representation. Their comments could be summarised as follows:

- Concerns were raised relating to the proposed height of the property as this had now become a 2-storey property with a wrap around extension and did not fit in with the character of the area.

- At a previous planning committee meeting held on 4 March the Planning Committee approved the application with a condition that a low-pitched roof replace the original flat roof, however the new changes meant the roof could potentially be used as a terrace. Had the low-pitched roof been proposed then this would have provided robust mitigation against the roof being used as a terrace as well as overlooking and would have been a permanent safeguard.

- The Committee should hold up the previous decision they made in March 2026.

The applicant’s agent was in attendance and given the opportunity to make representation. Their comments could be summarised as follows:

- The proposed balcony was originally a Juliette balcony and had been replaced by a fixed window which would not provide access to the roof as the glass  ...  view the full minutes text for item P/16/26