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17/504412 - Iden Grange, Cranbrook Road, Staplehurst, Tonbridge, Kent TN12 0ET

Meeting: 23/08/2018 - Planning Committee (Item 111)

111 17/504412 - DEMOLITION OF STORAGE BUILDINGS AND ERECTION OF 5 DETACHED DWELLINGS, 2 CAR PORTS FOR PLOTS 1 AND 5, AND 2 TWO BAY CAR PORTS FOR THE EXISTING HOUSE AND BARN CONVERSION APPROVED UNDER 14/505872/FULL - IDEN GRANGE, CRANBROOK ROAD, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT pdf icon PDF 193 KB

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Minutes:

All Members except Councillors M Burton, Munford and Spooner stated that they had been lobbied.

 

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

 

The Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that since the preparation of the report, further information had come to light which confirmed that the buildings on the site were still in use which meant that the Vacant Building Credit in terms of affordable housing provision would not apply.

 

Councillor Buller of Staplehurst Parish Council and Mr Court, for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

 

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to refuse permission.  In making this decision, Members felt that the proposal due to its residential design, scale, massing and location will have a harmful, incongruous and urbanising visual impact on the open countryside and the local landscape area, which cannot be adequately overcome by landscaping.  As such the proposal is contrary to policies DM1 and SP17 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan and policy PW2 of the Staplehurst Neighbourhood Plan.  Members also felt that the proposal fails to result in any significant environmental improvement to this brownfield site and is not in a sustainable location, nor can it reasonably be made more accessible.  The site due to its isolated location, lack of public transport provision and dependency upon the car, demonstrates that this proposal is an unsustainable form of development.  As such the proposal is contrary to policy DM5 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan.

 

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused for the following reasons:

 

1.  The proposal due to its residential design, scale, massing and location will have a harmful, incongruous and urbanising visual impact on the open countryside and the local landscape area, which cannot be adequately overcome by landscaping.   As such the proposal is contrary to policies DM1 and SP17 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan and policy PW2 of the Staplehurst Neighbourhood Plan.

 

2.  The proposal fails to result in any significant environmental improvement to this brownfield site and is not in a sustainable location, nor can it reasonably be made more accessible.  The site due to its isolated location, lack of public transport provision and dependency upon the car, demonstrates that this proposal is an unsustainable form of development.  As such the proposal is contrary to policy DM5 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan.

 

Voting:  11 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions