East Suffolk planning committee
Councillor David Beavan
Lib DemSeen at planning committee from September 2025 to September 2026
- 75%attendance
- 3recorded votes
- 11agreed, no vote against recorded
- 34decisions at their meetings
- 3motions proposed
As at 8 September 2026, according to Plota’s analysis of East Suffolk’s published minutes, Councillor David Beavan attended 9 of the 12 planning committee meetings whose minutes list them, from September 2025 to September 2026. Each member's vote is recorded on 3 decisions at those meetings: Beavan voted for the resolution on all 3. On 3 of those votes the officers’ recommendation is known, and 1 went against it. On 11 other decisions the minutes record no vote against, so Beavan is counted as agreeing; they are left out of the shares below. Beavan proposed 3 motions the committee passed and seconded 1.
- Meetings attended
- 9 of 1275%
- Meetings whose minutes list them as present, sending apologies or absent. Minutes that list only those present cannot show an absence.
- Decisions at their meetings
- 34
- Applications decided at the meetings they sat on, as the minutes record them.
- Recorded votes
- 3
- Decisions where the minutes, the council's recorded vote or the meeting's recording give each member's vote: 3 for, 0 against, 0 abstained.
- Agreed, no vote against recorded
- 11
- Decisions the minutes record with no vote against and no count. Counted as agreeing, and left out of the shares.
- Proposed or seconded
- 3 / 1
- Motions the minutes say they proposed, then seconded, that the committee passed.
- Declared interests
- 0
- Decisions on which the minutes record them declaring an interest.
Voting record
Votes by quarter
Not drawn: 3 recorded votes is too few to show a pattern over time.
Against officer advice
Not drawn: 3 recorded votes with a known officers’ recommendation is too few to compare.
Agreement with other members
Not drawn: the minutes record no divided vote of this councillor by name. On a unanimous vote every member agrees, so it says nothing about agreement.
Motions they proposed
1 of the 3 motions Beavan proposed was to approve, 1 to refuse, 1 to defer.
The outcome of each motion the minutes say Beavan proposed and the committee passed.
Attendance
75%
9 of 12 meetings whose minutes list them; apologies for 3.
The typical member of this committee attended 92% (the median of 20 members listed at 5 or more meetings).
Every meeting
Each square is a meeting whose minutes list them, oldest first.
Planning Committee North: 8 meetings · Strategic Planning Committee: 1 meeting
Show as a table
| Date | Committee | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Sep 2026 | Planning Committee North | Present |
| 11 Aug 2026 | Planning Committee North | Present |
| 9 Jun 2026 | Planning Committee North | Present |
| 12 May 2026 | Planning Committee North | Apologies |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Planning Committee North | Present |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Planning Committee North | Apologies |
| 20 Jan 2026 | Planning Committee North | Present |
| 12 Jan 2026 | Strategic Planning Committee | Apologies |
| 9 Dec 2025 | Planning Committee North | Present |
| 11 Nov 2025 | Planning Committee North | Present |
| 31 Oct 2025 | Strategic Planning Committee | Present |
| 9 Sep 2025 | Planning Committee North | Present |
Decisions
Every application decided at a meeting they sat on, newest first, with their vote where the minutes give it.
- Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk36 retirement apartments · DC/25/2677/FUL RefusedAgainst officer advice Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Birds Eye Ltd Whapload Road Lowestoft SuffolkSprinkler water tank · DC/26/2115/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- 42 Kirkley Park Road Lowestoft SuffolkReplacement windows · DC/26/1652/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Corner Of Elim Terrace And Factory Street Lowestoft SuffolkSix affordable homes · DC/26/2260/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Spring Park London Road Willingham St Mary SuffolkFour holiday mobile homes · DC/26/0999/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk36 retirement apartments · DC/25/2677/FULProposed the motion Deferred Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Pakefield Holiday Village London Road Gisleham Lowestoft Suffolk340 touring caravan pitches · DC/25/3078/FUL Deferred Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Land To Rear Of 3 & 4 Hogg Lane Ilketshall St Lawrence SuffolkSmallholding with animal shelters · DC/25/4145/FUL Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- 7 Windsor Road Lowestoft SuffolkRaised rear decking · DC/26/1629/FUL Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- Beech Tree Farm East Green Kelsale Cum Carlton Saxmundham SuffolkListed building alterations · DC/26/1386/LBC Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- Beech Tree Farm East Green Kelsale Cum Carlton Saxmundham SuffolkListed building alterations · DC/26/1385/FUL Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- Pier Pavilion North Parade Southwold Suffolk11 holiday rooms · DC/25/4341/FULProposed the motion Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- 8A Hartington Road Aldeburgh SuffolkRear first-floor extension · DC/25/3064/FUL RefusedAgainst officer advice For refusalAll members present in favour
- Verge At Fountain Way Reydon SuffolkMicro energy storage facility · DC/26/0924/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- 1 North End St James Road South Elmham All Saints Halesworth SuffolkTwo-storey side extension · DC/26/0512/FUL Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- 18 June Avenue Lowestoft SuffolkStep lift and platform · DC/26/0110/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Leiston Sports Centre Red House Lane Leiston SuffolkLeisure centre energy works · DC/25/4727/FUL Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- 99-99A High Street Lowestoft SuffolkTimber windows and shopfronts · DC/25/4438/FUL Approved ForAll members present in favour
- 70 - 72 High Street Lowestoft SuffolkTraditional shopfront repairs · DC/25/4557/FUL Approved ForAll members present in favour
- 33-41 Puddingmoor Beccles SuffolkReplacement windows · DC/25/3663/RG3 Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Land To The Rear Of Larks Rising Easton Lane IP18 6SS And The Warren Easton Lane Easton Bavents Reydon SuffolkFour replacement homes · DC/25/3322/FUL RefusedAgainst officer advice Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Woodleys The Common Southwold SuffolkReplacement home and pool · DC/25/1867/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Cockfield Hall Estate Station Road Yoxford SuffolkNorth lake · DC/23/4866/FUL Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- Cockfield Hall Estate Station Road Yoxford Saxmundham SuffolkWalled garden alterations · DC/23/4867/FUL Deferred Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Cockfield Hall Station Road Yoxford Saxmundham Suffolk37 tourism cottages · DC/23/4864/OUT Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Cockfield Hall Station Road Yoxford Saxmundham SuffolkCockfield Hall hotel conversion · DC/24/2469/LBC Approved ForNo vote against recorded
- Cockfield Hall Station Road Yoxford Saxmundham Suffolk16-bedroom hotel · DC/24/2468/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- 17 Market Place Southwold SuffolkSmall dwelling conversion · DC/25/0567/LBCProposed the motion RefusedAgainst officer advice Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- 17 Market Place Southwold SuffolkTwo-bedroom dwelling · DC/25/0179/FUL RefusedAgainst officer advice Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Land Adjoining 20 Manor Park Road Corton SuffolkSelf-build chalet dwelling · DC/25/3049/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- Former Jeld Wen Factory Waveney Drive Lowestoft Suffolk500 homes, employment and early years · DC/24/2381/OUT Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
- St Margarets Church Hollingsworth Road Lowestoft SuffolkReplacement timber fence · DC/25/2810/FULSeconded the motion Approved ForUnanimous vote
- Oak Hill Halesworth Road Wenhaston With Mells Hamlet Halesworth SuffolkBungalow conversion · DC/25/1637/FUL Refused For refusalUnanimous vote
- Blyth Manor Blyth Estate Brick Kiln Lane Huntingfield SuffolkUnderground HVAC plant room · DC/25/1460/FUL Approved Not recordedThe minutes do not say how each member voted
No decision matches these filters.
In the minutes
What the minutes record Beavan moving, seconding, asking or saying on each decision, in the minutes’ own words. Passages that name more than one councillor, or a member of the public, are left out.
Subjects in what the minutes record
- Design, scale and character11 Nov 2025, 31 Oct 2025, 9 Sep 2025, 8 Sep 2026
- Neighbours and amenity9 Jun 2026, 11 Nov 2025, 11 Nov 2025, 11 Aug 2026
- Housing need and affordable homes31 Oct 2025, 23 Sep 2025, 11 Aug 2026, 8 Sep 2026
- Flooding and drainage11 Nov 2025, 31 Oct 2025
- Parking and traffic11 Nov 2025
- Heritage11 Nov 2025
- Green belt and countryside9 Sep 2025
- Asked about the conditions
“Councillor Beavan sought confirmation that the proposed hedge planting would be secured by condition.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Spring Park London Road Willingham St Mary Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Beavan asked whether additional solar panels could be installed on the roofs.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Corner Of Elim Terrace And Factory Street Lowestoft Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan suggested that additional solar panels could potentially be installed on the roofs.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Corner Of Elim Terrace And Factory Street Lowestoft Suffolk - Spoke
“The application was first at Committee following the call in process, there was an objection from the Parish Council and Councillor Beavan requested the application be brought to Committee.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Beavan questioned whether affordability was taken into account when assessing the need for supported housing, noting that many local people may not be able to afford the proposed apartments.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Asked about affordable housing
“Councillor Beavan queried the applicant’s position on affordable housing, noting that the company's subsidiary company provides shared ownership properties elsewhere.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan said that the predication for viability assessment was whether their planning officers accepted the plan as an alternative use assessment. He questioned whether the alternative use was really an appropriate alternative use as it decided land value and because the land value was so high, about £1million/acre that meant they could not afford the affordable housing.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan said that he had reviewed a considerable amount of planning case law and guidance on viability assessments.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Raised concerns
“Councillor Beavan expressed concerns about whether the Alternative Use Value methodology was realistic, fair and appropriate in this case.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan said that Reydon's neighbourhood plan had not sought additional housing allocations because approximately 300 homes were already in the development pipeline at the time. He emphasised that Reydon had been accommodating significant housing growth and was "pulling its weight" in meeting housing needs within the district.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan said they should invoke the overage clause that they had in the appendix of the Waveney local plan.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke on affordable housing
“Councillor Beavan stated that these requirements were clearly set out in the Local Plan and that, if the applicant could genuinely demonstrate that affordable housing could not be provided without rendering the scheme unviable, that should be evidenced through the viability process.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan said he was happy to withdraw his motion.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Beavan questioned whether the Alternative Use Value (AUV) was an appropriate basis for assessing viability and reiterated his support for the inclusion of an overage clause. He said he would support refusing the application on the grounds of the AUV, but that was weaker than seeking an overage mechanism.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan said that WLP 8.2 appendix 5 referred to a comprehensive viability assessment being required, in line with detailed guidance assessment of appendix 5 viability assessment guidance. He noted that guidance says market comparables can be used to help determine land value, however only if policy development and it was subject to the same level of CIL, s106 (affordable housing) similar density.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan stated that they should forget the market comparable reason.”
Minutes, 8 Sep 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Moved approval
“Councillor Beavan proposed that it should be approved. He knew the Town Council had objections, but the building needed to be used again.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Pier Pavilion North Parade Southwold Suffolk - Moved the motion
“On the proposal of Councillor Beavan, seconded by Councillor Robinson”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Pier Pavilion North Parade Southwold Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan said there were fire regulations on caravans. He was worried about the sustainability of touring caravans.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Pakefield Holiday Village London Road Gisleham Lowestoft Suffolk - Spoke on a site visit
“Councillor Beavan said he wasn’t worried about a site visit but did want to speak to the applicant.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Pakefield Holiday Village London Road Gisleham Lowestoft Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan referred to the commuted sums table before the Committee and noted that the figures for Southwold, Walberswick and Dunwich were £160,000 for a two-bedroom flat and £120,000 for a one-bedroom flat. He calculated an average of £140,000 and suggested that, when multiplied by 14.4 units, the resulting commuted sum would amount to nearly £2 million rather than just over £1 million.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“The Senior Planner asked whether he was referring to the commuted sums payment schedule, which Councillor Beavan confirmed.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Asked a question
“Councillor Beavan queried whether the commuted sum calculation was being applied, suggesting that the approach appeared to be based solely on viability.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke on affordable housing
“Councillor Beavan stated that his understanding was that the affordable housing requirement would first be established in accordance with Local Plan Policy 8 and the Reydon Neighbourhood Plan, with the viability assessment then determining what level of provision was achievable without making the development unviable.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan acknowledged this and was questioning the method used to calculate the financial contribution, which he was content to accept.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Raised concerns
“Councillor Beavan raised concerns regarding sustainability, noting that the flats could be rented for approximately £1,800 per month, which he considered unaffordable for many local residents. He questioned the long-term economic sustainability of a model that relied on purchasers having existing properties to sell in order to afford both the flats and associated service charges.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan referred to the viability assessment and noted that McCarthy and Stone had developed a significant number of similar schemes. He questioned some of the costs included within the assessment, including the proposed architect's fees of approximately £750,000, and questioned whether some of the assumptions and costs were justified.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Asked about affordable housing
“Councillor Beavan questioned the land value assumptions within the viability assessment, suggesting they appeared higher than recent Land Registry figures and may have reduced the affordable housing contribution.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan suggested the application was deferred because the commuted sum was not acceptable.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk - Spoke
“Councillor Beavan stated that, if the application were deferred, he would expect the applicant to return with an improved offer. He suggested that the alternative would be to refuse the application.”
Minutes, 11 Aug 2026, Land South Of Sole Bay Health Centre Teal Close Reydon Suffolk
The 30 most recent of 84 are shown.
How this is worked out
Everything here is read from East Suffolk’s published planning committee minutes, 24 meetings from September 2025 to September 2026. A councillor is matched across meetings by the council’s own member number where it has one, otherwise by full name.
Each vote shows how it is known. Named in the minutes: the minutes, or the council’s own recorded vote, list each member with their vote. From the count and the names: the minutes give the numbers and name the members in the minority, and every member present is known. All members present in favour: the minutes say every member voted for it and the members present are known. No vote against recorded: the minutes record the decision with no vote against, no abstention and no count, at a council whose minutes print a divided vote when there is one, so each member present is counted for. Unanimous vote: the minutes call the decision unanimous, or give a count with no one against and no one abstaining, and each member present is counted for. From the meeting recording: the vote was heard on the council’s recording of the meeting and closes exactly with the members present. Where none of these holds, the vote is left as “Not recorded” and is not counted.
Votes are on the resolution the committee passed, so a vote for is a vote with the majority. A vote is a decision on the application in front of the committee, not a statement of the councillor’s views. A percentage is shown only with five or more votes, decisions or meetings behind it.
Source: Plota analysis of the council’s minutes. The party is the one they were elected for, from Democracy Club’s open election results.
Also on this committee
- Sarah PlummerGreen
- Paul Geoffrey AshdownConservative
- Lee ReevesLib Dem
- Malcolm PitchersLabour
- Colin Stanley HedgleyConservative
- Graham Reginald ParkerLabour
- Paul Richard AshtonLib Dem
- Seamus BennettLib Dem
- Andrée Marise Diana GeeConservative
- Mike NinnmeyLib Dem
- Tom DalyGreen
- Geoffrey Ian David WakelingGreen
- John FisherIndependent
- Rosie SmithsonLabour
- Toby HammondGreen
- Mike DeaconLabour