The Committee considered the report and the urgent update report of the Head of Development Management.

Mr Goulette, for the applicant, and Councillors Beerling and Mrs Smith addressed the meeting on this application and applications MA/10/1232 and MA/10/1233.

RESOLVED:

1.  That subject to any purchaser of the application site from the Council being contractually obliged to enter into a S106 legal agreement to secure a contribution for the Primary Care Trust of £360 per bedroom proposed, the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to grant outline permission subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report, as amended by the urgent update report, with the amendment of condition 10 and additional informatives as follows:-

  Condition 10 (amended)

A scheme of landscaping using indigenous species as required under Condition 1 above shall include indications of all existing trees and hedgerows on the land, and details of any to be retained.  The development shall also include:-

  i)  The provision of a minimum of three street trees along the Tonbridge Road frontage (to be of a suitable species) and the provision of usable garden area;

  ii)  The provision of an area of low planting of at least 5metres in depth along the Tonbridge Road frontage;

  iii)  The provision of a landscaped buffer along the western boundary of the application site, which shall be at least 2metres in depth, and should include trees as well as low planting; and

  iv)  The provision of a landscaped buffer along the rear (southern) boundary of the application site, which shall be at least 2metres in depth, and should include trees as well as low planting.

Details of the measures for their protection in the course of development, together with a programme for the scheme's implementation and long term management shall also be submitted.  The scheme shall be designed using the principles established in the Council's adopted Landscape Character Assessment and Landscape Guidelines.

Reason:  No such details have been submitted and in the interests of visual amenity in accordance with policy ENV6 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 and PPS1.

Additional Informatives

No vehicles may arrive, depart, be loaded or unloaded within the general site and plant and machinery shall not be operated, that would generate noise beyond the boundary of the site, except between 0800 hours and 1800 hours on Mondays to Fridays and between 0800 hours and 1300 hours on Saturdays (and at no time on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays).

It is advised that the landscaping scheme pursuant to condition 10 should if possible include species capable of air borne particulate removal.

2.  A ‘Task and Finish’ Group comprising the Chairman, Councillor English, Councillor Harwood and Ward Members should be set up to assist the Technical Services Section in the production of a marketing brochure to be given to prospective purchasers.

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions