Agenda item - Member Questions

Written Questions: to receive any questions submitted by the due date of 10.00 on 24 July 2026.

41.1    Member Questions:

Councillor Shanks asked the following question: Can the chair please give an update on the applications which were agreed by this committee for Toad Hole Valley and for Benfield Valley, both for substantial amounts of housing including affordable, but where no development has been started.

Chair:Thank you for your question and I can provide the following updates regarding these applications. In respect of the application at Benfield Valley, planning and legal officers are finalising the legal agreement with the developer and the decision will be issued shortly. The negotiation on the legal agreement has taken longer than normal due to a few issues but as discussions were positive and productive, officers did not implement the second recommendation that would have seen the application refused due to lack of progress with the legal agreement. In respect of the application at Toads Hole Valley. Officers have been working with the developer in respect of the next phases to bring forward the reserved matters application and design code that are required to be agreed before works commence. The owner has submitted a consolidated planning application which officers are currently reviewing and if approved will provide implementable permission in the event the original application lapses.