Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Riordan and Trzebinski.

The following Substitute Members were noted:

·  Councillor Parfitt for Councillor Riordan

·  Councillor Russell for Councillor Trzebinski

There were no Visiting Members.

There were none.

The Chairman said that he intended to take the update reports of the Head of Development Management and the verbal updates in the Officer presentations as urgent items as they contained further information relating to the applications to be considered at the meeting.

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

The following disclosures of lobbying were noted:

RESOLVED: That all items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2024 and 27 June 2024 be approved as a correct record and signed.

There were no petitions.

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

Lee Burnside, the applicant, addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:

1.  That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report, and the amendment of the second head of terms to remove “average” to read “a maximum number of HGV vehicle movements per day from the whole complex over any calendar month shall be 24 movements”.

2.  That the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to be able to add, settle or amend any necessary planning conditions and/or informatives in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.

Voting:  10 – For  1 – Against  2 - Abstentions

During the discussion a reference was agreed to the Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and Management to investigate the policy options for the industrialisation of protected landscapes and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), including fruit and viticulture.

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

Councillor John Britt of Lenham Parish Councill addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:

1.  That permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report and urgent update.

2.  That the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to be able to settle or amend any necessary planning conditions in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.

Voting:  11 – For  0 – Against  2 - Abstentions

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

RESOLVED:

1.  That permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report, and that no additional material considerations were raised following the departure site notice and press notices.

2.  That the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to be able to add, settle or amend any necessary planning conditions in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Development Management.

Alana Diamond, an objector, Councillor Peter Titchener of Ulcombe Parish Council and Paul Nicholls, agent for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Development Management, the Committee resolved to refuse permission. In making the decision the Committee considered that:

The existing condition 8 (Holiday accommodation occupation period) was suitably robust and met the tests set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and that condition 7 (Holiday accommodation occupation period) was unsuitable independently.

RESOLVED: That permission be refused and that the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to finalise the reasons for refusal based on the issues summarised above.

Voting:  10 – For  2 – Against  1 - Abstention

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

RESOLVED: That consideration of this application be deferred to:

Amend the title of the application from “agricultural building” to “storage building”.

Seek further information about the ancient woodland in the five meter buffer zone from the storage building.

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Development Management.

Mr Saunders, agent for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:

1.  That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report with the inclusion of a condition to require that the window is permanently frosted and non-openable.

2.  That the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to be able to settle or amend any necessary planning conditions and/or informatives in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Development Management setting out details of appeal decisions received since the last meeting.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

The Head of Development Management introduced his report outlining a proposed mandatory training programme for Planning Committee Members and those likely to be Substitute Members to ensure compliance with the Council’s Constitution through knowledge and understanding of relevant local and national planning policies and legislation. 

RESOLVED: That

1.  The Training Programme set out in Appendix 1 be approved;

2.  All Members of Planning Committee, including those likely to be Substitute Members complete the Mandatory Training as outlined in Appendix 1 by the end of October 2024, failing which such Members shall be disqualified from participation at Planning Committee until this training has been completed;

3.  All Members (particularly those on Planning Committee and those likely to be Substitute Members) are recommended to attend discretionary training to enhance their knowledge of key areas of the decision-making process;

4.  That Parish Councils be invited to all planning training events;

5.  That training sessions be delivered virtually.

6.00 p.m. to 8.13 p.m.