Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Perry and Riordan.

The following Substitute Members were noted:

·  Councillor Hastie for Councillor Riordan

·  Councillor Springett for Councillor Perry

Councillor Trzebinski was present as Visiting Member for Item 16 – Field Adjacent to Dancing Green, Lenham Road, Headcorn, Kent.

There were no items withdrawn from the agenda.

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 16 November 2023 adjourned to 23 November 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed.

There were no petitions.

23/501635/FULL - CONVERSION OF EXISTING BARN TO RESIDENTIAL DWELLING, INCLUDING NEW ENTRANCE AND ACCESS DRIVE WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING (RE-SUBMISSION OF 22/501591/FULL) - CHICKENDEN BARN, CHICKENDEN LANE, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT

21/503412/FULL - ERECTION OF 8 NO. FULL MASTS AND 4 NO. LOWER MASTS FLOODLIGHTING TO SERVE THE SPORTS PITCHES - MARDEN SPORTS CLUB, MAIDSTONE ROAD, MARDEN, KENT

The Head of Development Management advised the Committee that additional information was still awaited on both items.

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

RESOLVED: That permission be granted, without the requirement for a S106 unilateral undertaking, subject to the conditions and informative set out in the report, as amended by the urgent update report, and the additional condition set out in the urgent update report, with delegated powers given to the Head of Development Management 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:  12 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions

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

Mr Jenkins, for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED: That consideration of this application be deferred to:

Negotiate with the applicant regarding the architectural quality of the development and to retain the landscape character;

Seek a condition that retains cordwood from tree felling;

Amend condition 5 (biodiversity) to seek a biodiversity net gain of 20%; and

Amend condition 6 (ecology) to remove the word ‘not’ from the first sentence, to read “The development hereby approved shall only proceed (including site clearance), in accordance with the advice in the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (Arbtech, May 2023).”

Voting:  12 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions

Note: Councillor Hastie joined the meeting after consideration of this application (6.11p.m.)

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

Mr Durr, for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:

1.  That permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report with:

The change from a hardstanding to semi permeable surface.

The removal of permitted development rights on hardstanding.

The strengthening of condition 14 (Renewables) to require the optimal efficiency on renewables.

The strengthening of condition 18 (Biodiversity) to require a Biodiversity target of 20%.

A condition to soften the lighting impact on the landscape interface with the woodland.

The inclusion of a Construction Management Plan.

2.  That delegated powers be given to the Head of Development Management 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:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions

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

Mr Durr, for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

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

RESOLVED: That listed building consent be granted subject to the conditions set out in the reportwith delegated powers given to the Head of Development Management 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:  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.

6.00 p.m. to 6.57 p.m.