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

In presenting the application, the Principal Planning Officer drew the Committee’s attention to proposed condition 7 which required that prior to the development commencing a scheme for the provision and management of an 8 metre wide buffer zone alongside the watercourse shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that he wished to remove the 8 metre specification to allow discussion with the Environment Agency as to whether the full 8 metres was actually necessary or not.

Mr Garvey addressed the meeting on behalf of the applicant.

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to refuse permission.  In making this decision, Members considered that the proposed development by reason of its cramped form of development poorly related to the site constitutes over development of the site contrary to Policy DM1 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan 2017.

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused for the following reason:

The proposed development by reason of its cramped form of development poorly related to the site constitutes over development of the site contrary to Policy DM1 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan 2017.

Voting:  7 – For  4 – Against  2 – Abstentions