Contact your Parish Council
Item 17, Page 77 Little Boarden, Boarden Lane, Staplehurst, TN12 0EB
Reference number: 16/505005
● Headcorn Parish Council wishes to comment as follows:
“It was noted that the current temporary permission expired at the end of 2015 and no enforcement action has been taken.
The Headcorn Neighbourhood Plan included the site in its allocation as it was considered the most appropriate site. This plan was subject to Regulation 14 consultation and no objections in this regard were raised.
In terms of the received application the committee noted that there was no statement of G&T status as required by the new legislation governing G&T sites.
Cllr Andrews asked the committee to consider the matter in terms settled community and the HNP guidelines applying to development in the countryside. Cllr Selby advised that this should not be the case as this is already established as a G&T site.
The committee then discussed the decision of the planning inspectorate and acknowledged that temporary permission had been granted to allow MBC to find alternative site and fulfill the G&T land supply requirement. The Planning inspectorate stated that the site was not suitable for permanent permission due to the unsustainability of the location and the harm on the country side.
The committee further discussed the current problems being experienced at the site and stated that noise and other disturbance need to be taken into consideration. Cllr Andrews asked for a proposer and seconder to support the application, none was forthcoming.
He then asked for a proposer and seconder to recommend rejection of the application and the same was forthcoming. A vote for refusal of the application was taken and there were 4 votes in favour of refusal and 2 abstentions.
The council therefore wishes to see this application refused due to:-
- Unsustainability of location
- Harm to the Countryside
- The area had been relatively undisturbed by noise until the additional mobiles were sited and that noise must be considered as being detrimental
- Highway safety given the limited access.”
In response, it is not expedient to consider enforcement action whilst there is a planning application under consideration. Furthermore, the allocation of the site in the Council’s emerging Local Plan; the gypsy status of the applicants; the impact upon the amenity of local residents; the location of the site; and the issue of highway safety are addressed in the committee report.
My recommendation remains unchanged.