Minutes of the Planning Committee Meeting of the Parish Council 25th September 2025
| Select the 2025 Agenda or Minutes you wish to view: | |||||||||||||
| 2025 Meetings | JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | KEY: |
| Main | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ Agenda 📖 Minutes | |||||
| Planning | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 ≡ 📖 |
≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | |
| EHT | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | ≡ 📖 | |||||||
| Village | ≡ 📖 | ⇛ 2024 | |||||||||||
POTTED SUMMARY:
COUNCILLORS ECONOMICAL WITH THE TRUTH IN THEIR APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
Cllrs Bray and Sheppard both knew that a member of the public who had witnessed the 28th August planning committee meeting had written to the Clerk to say that a draft minute from that meeting did not accurately record the action that Cllr Sheppard had committed to at that meeting—namely that the matter brought up by the member of the public would be discussed at the next meeting of the parish council.
Instead draft minute 6 stated that the question would be '…referred to the chair of council, who will reply in writing.'
The fundamental difference between the actual commitment and the action recorded in the draft minutes is that a written reply keeps the public in the dark about the issue, whereas discussion at a parish council meeting enables the public, and all councillors, to be informed about the issue.
Despite this, all the councillors present at the 25th September meeting voted unanimously that the minutes '…were agreed to be a correct record of the meeting…' .
Cllr Sheppard, as chair of the planning committee, made a point of saying that the public do not have the right to suggest corrections to a draft minute.
WILL THE HOOK PARK DEVELOPMENT NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE A3?
Cllr Holt said she had heard that all traffic from the 8,000 residences of the proposed Hook Park development will be routed through Claygate. Cllr Bray referred to this as "scuttlebutt".
DEVELOPMENT ON LAND NORTH OF RALEIGH DRIVE MAY BE APPROVED DESPITE ELMBRIDGE VOTING AGAINST PLANNING APPLICATION
Elmbridge's planning committee recently voted down the planning application on the grounds of flood risk but, according to EBC Cllr Rollings, these grounds for refusal have been whipped away by new government planning rules. It may be that public speaking is not permitted under the new process at the next hearing on this application. Cllr Burns said that Surrey CC has not taken all the relevant traffic issues into account—in particuar, the weak bridge at one end of Raleigh Drive, and the recent accident between a motorcycle on Hare Lane and a car exiting Loesberry Road. 
| Present: | Chair: Cllr Sheppard |
| Council Members: | Cllr Bray, Cllr Burns, Cllr Ellis and Cllr Holt; Cllr Herbert arrived at 8.05pm |
| In attendance: | Dawn Lacey (Parish Clerk & RFO) Non-voting Advisors: John Bamford and Vanessa Relleen SCCllr Andrew Burton and five members of the public |
| 1. | Apologies for absence. |
| Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Bingham and Cllr Collon. |
| 2. | Declarations of Interest in Items on the Agenda. |
| Cllr Sheppard and Cllr Ellis declared a (non-pecuniary) interest in Item 12 on the agenda. It was agreed that Cllr Holt would chair the meeting at this point. |
| 3. | To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 28th August 2025. |
| These were agreed to be a correct record of the meeting and signed and dated by Cllr Sheppard. |
| 4. | Review actioning of Items from previous minutes and agree if any further action is required. (Appendix 1) |
| Action № | Date Created | Description | By | Status |
| P㉕026 | 28-AUG-25 | To add the Cloudy IT Systems agenda item to the September, October and November agendas. | Clerk | COMPLETED by 25-SEP-25 |
| P㉕027 | 28-AUG-25 | To invite Ian Mackay to speak at East Area re 31 Stevens Lane. | Cllr Sheppard | COMPLETED by 25-SEP-25 |
| P㉕028 | 28-AUG-25 | To circulate papers for the EBC Planning Committee Meeting being held on 16th September to all members of the Planning Committee. | Cllr Bray | COMPLETED by 25-SEP-25 |
| P㉕029 | 28-AUG-25 | To speak to residents Committee regarding speaking at the EBC Planning Meeting on the Raleigh Drive/Rythe Road application. | Cllr Ellis | COMPLETED by 25-SEP-25 |
| P㉕030 | 28-AUG-25 | To update residents on the Winning Horse, Raleigh Drive/Rythe Road and 31 Stevens Lane applications. | Cllrs and Clerk | CREATED 28-AUG-25 |
| P㉕031 | 28-AUG-25 | To send a Planning breach complaint regarding the Neon Sign outside the First Stop on the Parade to EBC and report at the next meeting. | Cllrs and Clerk | COMPLETED by 25-SEP-25 |
| P㉕032 | 28-AUG-25 | To speak to EBC regarding the expired applications for housing on Foxwarren and the Roundway. | Cllr Herbert | Ongoing at 25-SEP-25 as Cllr Herbert was not yet at the meeting |
| P㉕033 | 28-AUG-25 | To add licensing applications back onto planning agendas as a standing item. | Clerk | COMPLETED by 25-SEP-25 |
| 5. | To answer any questions from members of the public. |
| The Clerk had received no questions from members of the public. |
| 6. | Review planning correspondence, notification of applications and outstanding results and agree any action required. |
| None. |
| 7. | Review Report on Applications Decided, and Appeals Lodged and Decided since last meeting and agree any action required. |
| Cllr Sheppard reported 2025/0062 and 2025/1310 had both appealed the decisions on their applications. Within the Householders appeal process there is no opportunity the Claygate Parish Council to send further comments. |
| 8. | Discuss planning applications from Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) Weekly Planning Lists (https://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/planning) for the following weeks and agree responses required: w/e 29th August, 5th, 12th and 19th September. |
| Please see attached letters to EBC T Plan (Appendix 2). |
| 9. | To discuss the Cloudy IT Systems and agree any action required. |
| Cllr Bray informed the Committee that there are currently no new updates. ACTION – Clerk P㉕034 To make sure this is still included in the Agenda for October and November. |
| 10. | To confirm and discuss if there are any updates on the proposed Hook Park Development and agree any action required. |
| It was confirmed that there will be no planning applications for quite some time. ACTION – Clerk P㉕035 To make sure this is still included in the forthcoming agendas for discussion and updates. |
| 11. | Receive a report on EBC’s East Area Sub Committee Meeting, including the decisions on applications 2025/0675 (The Winning Horse) and 2025/0003 (31 Stevens Lane). |
| The Planning Application for 2025/0675 (The Winning Horse) was approved as the Planning objections were not strong enough to refuse. There are however several conditions requiring prior approval from EBC before the application can move forward. The Planning Application 2025/0032 (31 Stevens Lane) was refused. This was due to the tree which previously gave valid grounds for objection. Steps are needed to be taken to have a permanent TPO applied as soon as possible. ACTION – Clerk and Cllr Holt P㉕036 To add these updates to the website and also to our social media sites. |
| 12. | Receive a report on EBC’s Planning Committee Meeting, including the decision on application 2025/1386 (Land North of Raleigh Drive). | |
| Cllr Sheppard and Cllr Ellis left the meeting at 8.10pm and Cllr Holt stepped into take the Chair for this item on the agenda. The planning application was refused with reasons being due to the ground flooding. To write to Elmbridge Planning as soon as possible and to send Cllr Burns full report. Cllr Bray proposed that Cllr Collon writes the letter to Elmbridge Planning and Cllr Burns to send his full report.
ACTION - Cllr Collon, Cllr Burns and Clerk. P㉕037 To discuss further updates at the October Planning Meeting and add to the agenda. |
- Cllr Sheppard and Cllr Ellis rejoined the meeting at 8.17pm.
- Cllr Sheppard then retook the Chair for the rest of the meeting.
| 13. | Discuss any Communication of key decisions to Residents and agree any action required. |
ACTION - Cllr Holt and Clerk. P㉕038 To update the Website and Social Media on Items 11 and 12 on the agenda. |
| 14. | To review any Compliance Issues in Claygate and agree any action required. |
ACTION - Clerk. P㉕039 To send a Planning breach complaint regarding the neon sign outside First Stop on the Hare Lane slip road and report at the next meeting. |
| 15. | To discuss any Licence Applications. |
| None. |
| 16. | Matters for information purposes only. |
| None. |
| 17. | Date of the next meeting: |
| 7.30pm Thursday 23rd October, Claygate Village Hall, Small Hall, Church Road, Claygate KT10 0JP. |
