The Planning Committee of Melton Council met on Thursday, 12 March 2026, to consider two planning applications. The committee approved an application for a three-bay detached garage with a store at Tofts Hill, Stathern, and also approved an application for a Certificate of Lawfulness for an electric vehicle charging hub and solar canopy at a car park off Chapel Street, Melton Mowbray.

Application for a Detached Garage and Store at Tofts Hill, Stathern

The committee approved the application for the erection of a three-bay detached garage with a store at Agricultural Buildings, Tofts Hill, Stathern¹. This application followed a previous approval for the change of use of agricultural buildings to a single dwellinghouse under Class Q of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015². The proposed garage and store are intended to be ancillary to this dwelling.

Concerns were raised by Stathern Parish Council and local residents regarding incremental development, the visual impact, and the potential for future development. However, the report highlighted that the proposed outbuilding was of a modest size and scale, appropriate for the permitted residential use, and would replace existing agricultural buildings, thereby improving the setting of the Stathern Conservation Area and adjacent ridge and furrow earthworks. The application also demonstrated compliance with Biodiversity Net Gain requirements, with a 16.35% net gain in habitat units and a 22.02% net gain in hedgerow units. The Local Highway Authority raised no objections, and the development was confirmed to be within Flood Zone 1, the lowest risk area. A legal agreement was required to ensure the building remained ancillary to the dwelling and was not used for any other purpose.

The decision to approve was made with 10 votes in favour, 1 against, and 0 abstentions.

Application for an Electric Vehicle Charging Hub and Solar Canopy in Melton Mowbray

The committee approved an application for a Certificate of Lawfulness for the erection of an electric vehicle charging hub and solar canopy within an existing car park off Chapel Street, Melton Mowbray³. This application sought to confirm that the proposed development could be carried out under the council's 'permitted development rights'.

The proposed solar canopy would be approximately 3.999m in height, 12.54m in length, and 14.367m in width. The report concluded that the development would fall under Class A of Part 12 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, which allows for the erection of electric vehicle charging points and associated infrastructure by local authorities. The proposal was deemed to be lawful and therefore did not require full planning permission.

The application was approved unanimously.