Contact your Parish Council


Issue - meetings

18/501158 - Knoxbridge Farm, Cranbrook Road, Staplehurst, Tonbridge, Kent TN17 2BT

Meeting: 16/08/2018 - Planning Committee (Item 97)

97 18/501158 - PROVISION OF NEW FARM ACCESS TO KNOXBRIDGE FARM FROM THE A229, INCLUDING LANDSCAPING, CROSSING OVER STREAM AND BARRIER (RE-SUBMISSION OF 16/508630/FULL) - KNOXBRIDGE FARM, CRANBROOK ROAD, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT pdf icon PDF 204 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

All Members except Councillors Cox and Parfitt-Reid stated that they had been lobbied.

 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development.

 

The Major Projects Manager drew the Committee’s attention to a further representation which had been received from a local resident in support of the new access road as it would result in an improvement in highway safety.

 

Councillor Sharp of Staplehurst Parish Council, Mr Watts, for the applicant, and Councillors Brice and Perry (Visiting Members) addressed the meeting.

 

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to grant permission subject to conditions and informatives to be finalised by the Head of Planning and Development acting under delegated powers.  In making this decision, Members felt that the proposed development would support the rural economy pursuant to policy DM37 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan 2017 and improve highway safety, and that these benefits would outweigh the identified harm to the character and appearance of the countryside in this locality which would be mitigated significantly by the proposed landscape and biodiversity enhancements.

 

RESOLVED:  That permission be granted subject to conditions and informatives to be agreed and finalised by the Head of Planning and Development acting under delegated powers; the conditions/informatives to include but not be limited to:

 

Conditions

 

The requirement for a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan; the tree and hedgerow planting to incorporate native species;

 

The requirement for any trees or plants which, within a period of 10 years from the completion of the development, die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased, to be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species;

 

The requirement for a detailed ecological mitigation strategy; and

 

The requirement for visibility splays to be provided prior to commencement of use and maintained thereafter.

 

Informatives

 

An informative advising the applicant that the woodland shaw planting should include native species such as wild service, hazel, lime, oak, hornbeam and hawthorn and that chestnut fencing should be used to protect the areas of new planting.

 

An informative advising the applicant that the Council may consider serving a Tree Preservation Order to protect the woodland shaws after the 10 year tree or plant replacement period expires.

 

Voting:  12 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions