Agenda and minutes

A webcast of the meeting can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOySDc7yxSU

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 April 2024 were taken as read, confirmed and signed.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 34.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5).

There were no urgent items for consideration.

The Chairman invited members who wished to do so to declare any interest in respect of items on the agenda for the meeting.

It was noted that all members who were members of a Parish, Town or District Council, or Liaison Committee would have personal interests in applications which related to areas covered by those authorities.

No declarations were made.

The Chief Executive reported that no petitions had been received under Standing Order 35.

The Board considered a report of the Chief Executive, a copy of which, marked ‘Agenda Item 7’, is filed with these minutes.

In accordance with the procedures for making representations to the Board, local residents Rodney Bailey, Jane Parry and Ruth Garner spoke against the application, Mr. S. Bray CC spoke as the local member, and Ian Sharpe (Leicestershire County Council) spoke as the applicant.

Mr. S. Bray CC raised concerns about a lack of timely public consultation from the applicant, the height and appearance of the building, the loss of trees and suggested that any replacement trees would not flourish due to a lack of light and poor drainage.

With regards to the lack of consultation it was noted that this was the role of the Design Team at Leicestershire County Council. The applicant acknowledged that the consultation process for this particular application could have been better and provided reassurance that measures were being put in place to ensure that future consultation processes were adequate.

Members asked for officers to write to the applicant making it known that the Board had concerns about the lack of public consultation, and also requesting that consideration be given to altering the appearance of the combined sports hall and teaching block to give it a less industrial look.

In response to a request from a member that mature trees be planted so as to give the homes of local residents some screening from the school site, officers reassured that this issue was covered by proposed condition no. 7 which required a landscaping scheme to be approved by the County Planning Authority.

RESOLVED:

That the application be permitted subject to the conditions nos. 1-18 as set out in the appendix to the report.

The Chairman reminded members that the next meeting of the Board would take place on Thursday 30 May 2024 at 2.00pm.