The Gloucestershire Council Planning Committee was scheduled to discuss a revised Scheme of Delegation for planning applications, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and a Planning Monitoring and Enforcement Report. The committee was also expected to approve the minutes from a previous meeting and note a report on delegated decisions.

Scheme of Delegation

The committee was asked to approve a revised Scheme of Delegation (SoD) for determining planning applications. According to the Scheme of Delegation, the revised scheme would replace the existing Planning Protocol 2013, and aimed to introduce a more structured and transparent approach to planning decision-making.

The report pack stated that the key changes proposed by the revised Scheme of Delegation included:

• Expanding officer delegations to align with government expectations for efficient planning services.
• Clearly defining applications that must be subject to Planning Committee scrutiny, such as those with unresolved statutory consultee objections or significant public interest.
• Creating a new Planning Committee Delegation Review Panel to assess borderline cases and councillor referral requests. The panel would include the Chair of Planning Committee, group spokespersons of the political parties represented on the Planning Committee, and the Assistant Director of Planning and Economic Development.
• Introducing a more formal and transparent councillor referral request process.
• Establishing a monitoring and review regime with quarterly reporting and an annual review.

The report pack noted that the summer of 2025 was a strategically sound moment to implement the revised Scheme of Delegation, as the current scheme lacked clarity, efficiency, and transparency. It also stated that the revised scheme aligns with national best practice and introduces clearer criteria for officer delegation, a formal councillor referral process, and a new Delegation Review Panel to ensure balanced oversight.

The report pack also mentioned that the national government was seeking to reform council planning committees as part of the evolving Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which could receive Royal Assent later in 2025 or early 2026.

Planning and Infrastructure Bill

The committee was asked to note the details of the proposed reforms to local authority planning committees contained in the technical consultation published on 28 May 2025, as part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

The technical consultation set out the proposed detailed measures for delivering the Bill's ambition to modernise planning decision-making processes in England, including:

• The standardisation of delegation for planning application decisions.
• The optimisation of planning committee structures.
• Mandatory member training.
• Refining the performance metrics for planning authorities.

The consultation proposed a national statutory framework for the type of planning applications that should be delegated to planning officers and which should be considered by planning committees. It suggested a two-tier scheme where minor and more technical applications would be handled by officers (Tier A) as the default position, while committees would concentrate on referred applications that propose major-scale development, applications with significant public interest, or those that depart from the local plan (Tier B). The decision on referral to planning committee would be made by the local authority's Chief Planner and Chair of Committee based on a gateway test.

The government's proposal was for a statutory maximum number of members on local planning committees – a total of 11, and a mandatory national certification scheme as a prerequisite for planning committee membership.

Planning Monitoring and Enforcement Report

The committee was asked to note the Planning Monitoring and Enforcement Progress Report. The report identified the level and nature of enforcement work undertaken by the council's Planning Monitoring and Enforcement team in 2025, and compared this with previous years. It included evaluating progress on planning enforcement matters identified as 'Regulation 3 Development', reviewing formal or legal actions pursued, and highlighting other enforcement work undertaken.

The report also identified the level and nature of site monitoring work undertaken by the council's Planning Monitoring and Enforcement team in 2025, and compared this with previous years, including the level of compliance being observed by operators against the conditions of their planning permissions. It set out delivery targets for 2025, and identified service improvements made or being made to the Planning Monitoring and Enforcement team in 2025.

According to the report, 34 new enquiries requiring full investigation had been received in 2025 up to and including 13 June, and another 18 general enquiries, reports or complaints were received about the planning status of certain activities or land. So far this year, 29 investigations have been completed or closed. In 2025, 105 different investigations have been worked on, with 74 investigations still ongoing.

The report stated that the number of open investigations continues to rise year on year, as investigations increase, and resolutions lag behind. The main reasons for this are:

• An increase in breaches of planning conditions is being found as the team resumes inspections at sites that haven't been checked for several years.
• A greater focus on resolving some of the more difficult issues through legal actions.

The report noted that this trend is not expected to continue long-term, and work should become more manageable, due to additional support secured in September 2025, all mineral sites receiving at least one visit within the next 18 months, and a firmer and more timely approach to serious breaches.

The report also identified some of the areas of work currently being undertaken, including retrospective planning applications, landscaping or restoration conditions not being met, unauthorised waste disposal, and a high number of ongoing investigations relating to just one site.

According to the report, Planning Contravention Notices have been served on two sites: a waste tipping agricultural site in Lydney and an unauthorised pet cremation facility near Stroud. Planning Enforcement Notices have been served on two sites: K & B Recycling Ltd., New Dunn Business Park, Sling and land at Hayden Hill House, Hayden, near Cheltenham.

The report also provided an update on 'Regulation 3' matters, which are complaints relating to the council's own land or services. The following 'Regulation 3' matters remain unresolved and a concern:

• Plot 19, The Willows, Sandhurst: A cabin has been built and is occupied without having planning permission or building regulations approval.
• Quayside staff car park extension: This was built before planning permission was given. A condition of the retrospective permission - to provide a Car Park Management Plan - has not been provided.
• Leckhampton School Travel Plan: A planning condition requiring the submission of a Travel Plan has not been met.

The following 'Regulation 3' matters are being satisfactorily progressed:

• Leckhampton School Annual Landscape Review: Extensive landscaping has been provided and appears to be in good health.
• Cleeve School drainage: Complaints have been received about flooding to neighbouring areas during heavy rain.
• Belle Vue Centre, Stroud: Environmental improvements (as detailed in a planning condition) to the garden remain under consideration; the garden is now open.

The report stated that 11 sites have been visited in 2025 (up to June 13th), with 23 planning permissions monitored and 520 conditions under review. Non-compliance of conditions stands at approximately 6% of all conditions. The Planning Monitoring and Enforcement team hopes to visit 30 sites during 2025, reviewing over 50 planning permissions and approximately 1500 conditions, and to have made 'first visits' to all monitoring sites by the end of 2026.

Delegated Decisions Report

The committee was asked to note the Delegated Decisions Report. This contained a list of decisions made by officers under delegated authority between 4 March and 27 June 2025.

These included:

• 25/0001/NONMAT - Non-Material amendment to remove the requirement for rabbit-proof fencing along the northern boundary of the site as part of the approved restoration scheme relating to planning consent 19/0024/CWMAJM dated 09.12.2019 at Land East of Spratsgate Lane And Adjacent To Keynes Country Park Spratsgate Lane Siddington.
• 25/002/FDMAJM - Construction of a new vehicular access (linked application with ROMP Review - GCC Reference No. 22/0031/FDROMP) at Bromsberrow Sand & Gravel Company Bell Lane Bromsberrow Heath.
• 25/0013/CWS73M - Variation of condition 3 (Duration) relating to planning consent 22/0038/CWS73 dated 29/11/2022 at Crucis Park Barnsley Road Ampney Crucis.
• 25/0020/NONMAT - Non material amendment for Proposal to Relocate Remaining Field Conveyor System Located in Northern Boundary of Phase 4B from Previous Relocation to Southern and Eastern Boundary of Phase 4B to Regularise Access Requirements into Phase 4A at Manor Farm Pit Washpool Lane Kempsford.
• 24/0014/COMPLI - Compliance with condition 25(Pedestrian Link) relating to planning consent 19/0024/CWMAJM dated 09.12.2019 at Land East of Spratsgate Lane And Adjacent To Keynes Country Park Spratsgate Lane Siddington.
• 24/0022/COMPLI - Compliance with condition 14 (Lighting), 19 (Fencing & Gates) and 20 (Buildings) relating to planning consent 21/0015/TWMAJW dated 05.05.2023 at Wingmoor Farm (West)+Gloucestershire+Council/) Stoke Road Bishops Cleeve Cheltenham.
• 24/0057/CWS73M - Variation of conditions 3(Approved Plans), 27(LEMP), 30(Closure of Agricultural Access) and 32(Movement of Soils) relating to planning consent 21/0050/CWS73M dated 28.03.2024 at Oathill Quarry Temple Guiting.
• 24/0061/COMPLI - Compliance with conditions 24(Groundwater & Surface Water Monitoring Scheme), 26(Surface Water Drainage) and 27(Sustainable Drainage System Management Plan) relating to appeal APP/T1600/W/23/3324695 Allowed 19/01/2024 at Land At Bow Farm Bow Lane Twyning Tewkesbury.
• 23/0045/STMAJW - Full planning application (partially in retrospect) for retention of office building extension, retention of a Matthews Environmental Dual Chamber IC incinerator, retention of flues and other ancillary works, and proposed installation of Matthews Environmental Solution Surefire four chambered pet cremator incorporating 2 small animal chambers as a replacement for the existing Single Chamber Mass Machine at Limekiln Farm Middle Lypiatt Stroud.
• 24/0028/COMPLI - Compliance with condition 10(LEMP) relating to planning consent 22/0064/CHR3MJ dated 04.04.2023 at Arle Court Park & Ride Hatherley Lane Cheltenham.
• 24/0051/CHREG3 - Erection of a new 2 storey block to provide a 4-court sports hall, dance studio and fitness suite with changing facilities and ancillary spaces. External works to include provision of a floodlit sports pitch, with associated landscaping at Pittville School Albert Road Cheltenham.
• 25/0016/COMPLI - Compliance with conditions 7(Construction Management Plan), 25(Site Waste Management Plan), 27(Drainage) & 28(Archaeology) relating to planning consent 24/0033/GLR3MJ dated 25/06/2024 at Land Adjacent To The Wheatridge East Gloucester.
• 25/0018/COMPLI - Compliance with conditions 16(Landscaping/Ecology) relating to planning consent 24/0033/GLR3MJ dated 25/06/2024 at Land Adjacent To The Wheatridge East Gloucester.
• 25/0021/COMPLI - Compliance of Condition 14 (Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) for a Programme of Archaeological Monitoring and Recording) relating to permission 22/0036/TWR3MJ dated 21/04/2023 at Coombe Hill Junction Tewkesbury Road Coombe Hill Gloucester.
• 25/0023/COMPLI - Compliance with conditions 5 (Highway works) and 21(External Materials) relating to planning consent 24/0033/GLR3MJ dated 25/06/2024 at Land Adjacent To The Wheatridge East Gloucester.
• 25/0026/COMPLI - Compliance with condition 26 (Waste minimisation) relating to planning consent 24/0033/GLR3MJ dated 25/06/2024 at Land Adjacent To The Wheatridge East Gloucester.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The committee was asked to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2025. The minutes record that the committee considered an application relating to Oathill Quarry, and a delegated decision report.

Oathill Quarry

The committee considered planning application 24/0057/CWS73M for the Variation of conditions 3 (Approved Plans), 27 (Landscape Management and Aftercare) 30, (Closing off Agricultural Access) and 32 (Soil Removal) relating to planning consent 21/0050//CWS73M at Oathill quarry.

Jason Betty, Senior Planning Officer, presented a summary of the application, and drew members attention to a late submission objecting to the proposal concerning the number of HGV movements and their noise levels while travelling through local villages.

Lucy Binnie, Agent, addressed the committee, stating that the proposals related specifically to a change in the approved working scheme to allow additional reserves of walling stone which are being sought by Keir Construction for the A417 Birdlip road.

Cllr Jayne Ewart-Perks, Temple Guiting Parish Councillor, addressed the committee, objecting to the application on behalf of local residents, stating that residents across the area have to keep windows closed and cannot use their outside space due to the incessant noise and dust from HGV movements throughout the year.

The committee approved the Mineral Planning Authority recommendation of planning application 24/0057/CWS73M for the variation of conditions 3, 27, 30 and 32 of extant permission 21/0050/CWS73M subject to the recommended conditions detailed in the report.

Delegated Decision Report

The committee noted the delegated decisions report.