Agenda item

To consider the proposed installation of a memorial bronze sculpture of Nala the cat.

The Committee received a presentation on the application seeking planning permission for the installation of a memorial bronze sculpture of Nala the Cat within the public realm adjacent to the Gordon Craig Theatre and the pedestrian route to Stevenage Railway Station.

Members were advised that the sculpture would commemorate Nala, who had become well known locally through her regular presence at the railway station and following on social media.

The sculpture had been designed to resemble Nala sitting on a station ticket barrier and would be privately funded through crowdfunding.

Members were advised that the proposed location had been selected to avoid obstructing pedestrian movement and would remain fully accessible for wheelchair users and those with pushchairs.

In response to questions, officers confirmed that, should the site be redeveloped in the future, the sculpture could be removed without damage and relocated, with any future location to be determined at the appropriate time.

To allow proceedings to move to a debate a proposer and seconder was required. Councillor Williams moved, and Councillor Chowdhury seconded the report, and the motion was declared CARRIED.

During the debate, Members expressed unanimous support for the proposal, recognising Nala the Cat as a well-known and much-loved part of the Stevenage community.

Members commented on Nala's positive impact on commuters and visitors to the railway station, noting that she had become widely recognised both locally and beyond the Borough.

The Committee welcomed the proposal as a tribute to Nala's legacy and agreed that the sculpture would provide a lasting memorial for residents and visitors alike. No objections were raised during the debate, and the Committee proceeded to vote on the application.

It was RESOLVED that planning permission be GRANTED subject to the conditions set out below and delegated authority be given to the Director of Planning and Regulation in consultation with the Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, to amend or add to the conditions subject to which the permission would be granted, where such amendments or additions would satisfy the relevant national policy tests and would most effectively deliver the development which the Committee has resolved to approve.

SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS/REASONS

1 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: Sculpture Design Proposal by Ben Twiston-Davies.

2 The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission

The Council has acted Pro-Actively for the following reason:

1 Planning permission has been granted for this proposal. Discussion with the applicant to seek an acceptable solution was not necessary in this instance. The Council has therefore acted pro-actively in line with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework and in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.

INFORMATIVE

1 Building Regulations To obtain advice regarding current Building Regulations please contact Hertfordshire Building Control Ltd. by emailing us at building.control@hertfordshirebc.co.uk or phoning us on 01438 879990.

To make a building regulations application please apply through our website portal at https://www.hertfordshirebc.co.uk/contact-us/ payment can be made online or by phoning the above number after the application has been uploaded. Please phone Hertfordshire Building Control for fees guidance on 01438 879990.

Hertfordshire Building Control can also be contacted by post at Hertfordshire Building Control Ltd, Campus East, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6AE.

Once a building regulations application has been deposited with relevant drawings and fee building work may commence. You will be advised in their acknowledgement letter of the work stages we need to inspect but in most instances these are usually:

Excavation for foundations

Damp proof course

Concrete oversite

Insulation Drains (when laid or tested)

Floor and Roof construction

Work relating to fire safety

Work affecting access and facilities for disabled people

Completion

Please phone Hertfordshire Building Control on 01438 879990 before 10.00am to ensure a same day inspection (Mon - Fri).

2 Biodiversity Net Gain

Applications where Biodiversity Net Gain is not required as development is considered De Minimis.

The effect of paragraph 13 of Schedule 7A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is that planning permission granted for the development of land in England is deemed to have been granted subject to the condition "(the biodiversity gain condition") that development may not begin unless:

a)    a Biodiversity Gain Plan has been submitted to the planning authority, and b) the planning authority has approved the plan.

The planning authority, for the purposes of determining whether to approve a Biodiversity Gain Plan if one is required in respect of this permission would be Stevenage Borough Council.

There are statutory exemptions and transitional arrangements which mean that the biodiversity gain condition does not apply.

Based on the information available this permission is considered to be one which will not require the approval of a biodiversity gain plan before development is begun because the following statutory exemption or transitional arrangement is considered to apply.

1. Development below the de minimis threshold, meaning development which: a) does not impact an onsite priority habitat (a habitat specified in a list published under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006); and b) impacts less than 25 square metres of onsite habitat that has biodiversity value greater than zero and less than 5 metres in length of onsite linear habitat (as defined in the statutory metric).

Where the local planning authority considers that the permission falls within paragraph 19 of Schedule 7A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the permission which has been granted has the effect of requiring or permitting the development to proceed in phases. The modifications in respect of the biodiversity gain condition which are set out in Part 2 of the Biodiversity Gain (Town and Country Planning) (Modifications and Amendments) (England) Regulations 2024 apply.

Biodiversity gain plans are required to be submitted to, and approved by, the planning authority before development may be begun, and, if subject to phased development, before each phase of development may be begun. DC88 If the onsite habitat includes irreplaceable habitat (within the meaning of the Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Irreplaceable Habitat) Regulations 2024) there are additional requirements for the content and approval of Biodiversity Gain Plans. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must include, in addition to information about steps taken or to be taken to minimise any adverse effect of the development on the habitat, information on arrangements for compensation for any impact the development has on the biodiversity of the irreplaceable habitat. The planning authority can only approve a Biodiversity Gain Plan if satisfied that the adverse effect of the development on the biodiversity of the irreplaceable habitat is minimised and appropriate arrangements have been made for the purpose of compensating for any impact which do not include the use of biodiversity credits.

More information can be found in the Planning Practice Guidance online at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/biodiversity-net-gain.