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 a Certificate of Lawfulness for the proposed erection of 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 Tofts Hill, Stathern. 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 2015¹. The proposed garage and store are intended to be ancillary to this dwelling.

Concerns were raised by local residents, the Parish Council, and the Ward Member, Councillor Chris Evans, regarding incremental development, excessive amendments to the prior Class Q approval, visual impact, and the potential for future development. The Parish Council also cited concerns about the development being outside the Limits to Development and a failure to comply with Biodiversity Net Gain requirements.

However, the committee noted that the proposed outbuilding was of a modest size and scale, appropriate to the permitted residential use. It was considered that its siting, functional form, and external materials responded appropriately to the agricultural origins of the site and the surrounding landscape. The proposal also demonstrated compliance with the required minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain, 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, stating there would be no material impact on the public highway.

The decision to approve was subject to conditions, including the prior completion of a planning obligation to ensure the building remains ancillary to the residential use and is not utilised for any other purpose. The recommendation for approval was based on the proposal being an acceptable scale and form of development, responding appropriately to the site's historic and landscape context, securing Biodiversity Net Gain, and resulting in no adverse impact on highway safety.

Certificate of Lawfulness for Electric Vehicle Charging Hub and Solar Canopy in Melton Mowbray

The committee approved the application for a Certificate of Lawfulness Proposed for the erection of an electric vehicle charging hub and solar canopy within an existing car park off Chapel Street, Melton Mowbray. 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 have an approximate height of 3.999m, a length of 12.54m, and a width of 14.367m. The development is intended to be erected by or on behalf of Melton Borough Council and would serve the purpose of charging electric vehicles for the general public.

The assessment concluded that the proposed development would fall within 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 proposed height of the canopy is within the 4m limit specified for such developments under this class. No opposing evidence arose during the assessment, and the committee determined that a lawful development certificate should be issued.