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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone

Contact: Debbie Snook  01622 602030

Link: clickhere for webcast channel

Items
No. Item

24.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

It was noted that apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Young.

 

25.

Notification of Substitute Members

Minutes:

It was noted that Councillor Parfitt-Reid was substituting for Councillor Young.

 

26.

Notification of Visiting Members

Minutes:

Councillor Round indicated his wish to speak on the report of the Head of Planning and Development relating to application 22/501606/FULL (Ringles Gate, Grigg Lane, Headcorn, Ashford, Kent).

 

Councillor Springett indicated her wish to speak on the report of the Head of Planning and Development relating to application 22/500345/FULL (8 Nethermount, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent).

 

27.

Items withdrawn from the Agenda

Minutes:

There were none.

 

28.

Urgent Items

Minutes:

The Chairman said that he intended to take the update report of the Head of Planning and Development 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.

 

29.

Disclosures by Members and Officers

Minutes:

Councillor Brindle said that, with regard to the report of the Head of Planning and Development relating to application 22/502289/REM (Kent Medical Campus, Newnham Way, Maidstone, Kent), she was a Member of Boxley Parish Council.  However, she had not participated in the Parish Council’s discussions on the application and intended to speak and vote when it was considered.

 

Councillor Perry said that, with regard to the report of the Head of Planning and Development relating to application 21/506207/FULL (Staplehurst Service Station, High Street, Staplehurst, Kent), he was a Member of Staplehurst Parish Council.  However, he had not participated in the Parish Council’s discussions on the application and intended to speak and vote when it was considered.

 

Councillor Spooner said that, with regard to the report of the Head of Planning and Development relating to application 22/500345/FULL (8 Nethermount, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent), he was a Member of Bearsted Parish Council.  However, he had not participated in the Parish Council’s discussions on the application and intended to speak and vote when it was considered.

 

30.

Disclosures of lobbying

Minutes:

The following disclosures of lobbying were noted:

 

16.

21/503457/FULL – Fox Pitt Farm Commercial Estate, Shingle Barn Lane, West Farleigh, Maidstone, Kent

No lobbying

17.

22/501983/FULL – 98 Sandling Road, Maidstone, Kent

No lobbying

18.

22/502289/REM – Kent Medical Campus, Newnham Way, Maidstone, Kent

Councillors Harwood and Kimmance

19.

22/500345/FULL – 8 Nethermount, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent

Councillors Brindle, Cox, English, Harwood, Holmes, Kimmance, McKenna, Munford, Parfitt-Reid, Perry, Trzebinski and D Wilkinson

20.

22/501606/FULL – Ringles Gate, Grigg Lane, Headcorn, Ashford, Kent

Councillors English, Harwood and Kimmance

21

21/506207/FULL – Staplehurst Service Station, High Street, Staplehurst, Kent

Councillors Brindle, English, Harwood, Holmes, Kimmance, McKenna, Munford, Parfitt-Reid, Perry, Spooner, Trzebinski and

D Wilkinson

 

 

 

31.

Exempt Items

Minutes:

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

 

32.

Minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2022 pdf icon PDF 105 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed.

 

33.

Presentation of Petitions

Minutes:

There were no petitions.

 

34.

Any Questions on Notice from Local Residents

Minutes:

There were no questions from local residents.

 

35.

Any Questions on Notice from Members

Minutes:

There were no questions from Members.

 

36.

Deferred Items pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Minutes:

21/503150/FULL - DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS AND ERECTION OF 3 NO. HOUSES WITH ASSOCIATED AMENITY SPACE, LANDSCAPING AND ACCESS - THE OLD FORGE, CHARTWAY STREET, EAST SUTTON, MAIDSTONE, KENT

 

21/506664/FULL – DEMOLITION AND REBUILDING OF THE EXISTING BARN TO PROVIDE A 3 BEDROOM DWELLING INCLUDING REAR PAVILIONS LINKED BY GLASS LINK. RE-ROUTING AND ALTERATION OF EXISTING ROAD ACCESS TO ALLOW SEPARATE ACCESS TO HOUSE AND BARN AND ASSOCIATED LANDSCAPING - ROSEHILL, VANITY LANE, LINTON, MAIDSTONE, KENT

 

The Major Projects Manager advised the Committee that both Case Officers had received and were assessing information from the applicants.

 

37.

Appointment of Political Group Spokespersons to Discharge Condition 3 of Planning Permission 21/503615/FULL (Vinters Park Crematorium, Bearsted Road, Weavering, Maidstone, Kent)

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the following Members be appointed as Spokespersons for their respective Political Groups for the purposes of discharging condition 3 of planning permission 21/503615/FULL (The construction of surface water attenuation and settling lagoons with associated drainage, infrastructure and landscaping – Vinters Park Crematorium, Bearsted Road, Weavering, Maidstone, Kent):

 

Councillor Brindle – Conservative Group

Councillor Harwood – Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor Munford – Independent Group

Councillor D Wilkinson – Labour Group

 

38.

21/506207/FULL - REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMER STAPLEHURST SERVICE STATION FOR RETIREMENT LIVING ACCOMMODATION FOR OLDER PEOPLE (SIXTY YEARS OF AGE AND/OR PARTNER OVER FIFTY FIVE YEARS OF AGE) COMPRISING 27 RETIREMENT APARTMENTS AND 2 RETIREMENT COTTAGES INCLUDING COMMUNAL FACILITIES, ACCESS, CAR PARKING AND LANDSCAPING - STAPLEHURST SERVICE STATION, HIGH STREET, STAPLEHURST, KENT pdf icon PDF 318 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

In introducing the application, the Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that an additional representation had been received the previous day.  It did not raise any new material issues or any issues that had not already been considered in the report.

 

Mr Wiseman, an objector, Councillor Buller of Staplehurst Parish Council, and Ms Jackson, 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, the Committee considered that:

 

The main apartment building is out of scale with the predominant footprint, height, and mass of buildings within the street scene and local area and it protrudes beyond the established building line with a lack of space to provide sufficient landscaping/tree planting.  It therefore fails to respond positively to, or be sympathetic to, local character, and would be an incongruous building harmful to the street scene and local area contrary to policy DM1 of the Maidstone Local Plan and policy H1 of the Staplehurst Neighbourhood Plan and paragraph 130(c) of the NPPF.

 

In the absence of a legal agreement to secure the necessary off-site affordable housing contribution the development would be contrary to policy SP20 of the Maidstone Local Plan.

 

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused for the following reasons:

 

1.  The main apartment building is out of scale with the predominant footprint, height, and mass of buildings within the street scene and local area and it protrudes beyond the established building line with a lack of space to provide sufficient landscaping/tree planting.  It therefore fails to respond positively to, or be sympathetic to, local character, and would be an incongruous building harmful to the street scene and local area contrary to policy DM1 of the Maidstone Local Plan and policy H1 of the Staplehurst Neighbourhood Plan and paragraph 130(c) of the NPPF.

 

2.  In the absence of a legal agreement to secure the necessary off-site affordable housing contribution the development would be contrary to policy SP20 of the Maidstone Local Plan.

 

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions

 

39.

22/501606/FULL - ERECTION OF A REPLACEMENT DWELLING (RE-SUBMISSION OF 21/504862/FULL) - RINGLES GATE, GRIGG LANE, HEADCORN, ASHFORD, KENT pdf icon PDF 281 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

In the absence of a representative of the Parish Council, Mr Dowle, a supporter of the application, addressed the meeting with the Chairman’s discretion.

 

Mr Hodson, the applicant, and Councillor Round (Visiting Member) addressed the meeting.

 

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to grant permission subject to conditions to be finalised by the Head of Planning and Development in consultation with Ward Members, the Chairman of the Committee and Councillors Brindle, Harwood, Munford and D Wilkinson.

 

In making this decision, Members considered that despite the policy considerations, in this particular case, due to the scale and massing of immediately adjacent development, the proposal would not have a harmful impact on the character and appearance of the countryside in this location.  There would also be benefits in terms of energy efficiency, renewables and good design to which Members had afforded weight.

 

RESOLVED:  That permission be granted subject to conditions to be finalised by the Head of Planning and Development in consultation with Ward Members, the Chairman of the Committee and Councillors Brindle, Harwood, Munford and D Wilkinson; the conditions to cover standard matters plus, inter alia:

 

The quality of the detailing (brickwork, doors, rainwater goods etc.).

Materials (to ensure they are appropriate).

Renewables (air source heat pump and/or solar PV given the remote location and sustainability being a reason for the overturn).

Niches for wildlife (swift bricks in the eaves and bat tubes or bat bricks). External lighting (to reduce harm to the open countryside and protected species).

The long-term protection of the front boundary hedgerow and the implementation of a new native landscaping scheme.

The car parking area (materials and drainage).

A sustainable drainage approach (given the intensification of development).

 

Voting:  11 – For  1 – Against  1 – Abstention

 

40.

21/503457/FULL - DEMOLITION OF 3 NO. EXISTING SINGLE STOREY COMMERCIAL UNITS/STRUCTURES AND REPLACEMENT WITH A TWO-STOREY COMMERCIAL BUILDING COMPRISING OF 10 UNITS, PROVISION OF A NEW INTERNAL ROAD LAYOUT INCLUDING ADDITIONAL ENTRANCE FROM THE PRIVATE ACCESS ROAD SERVING THE DEVELOPMENT, REVISIONS TO ON-SITE VEHICLE PARKING, CONSTRUCTION OF A DETACHED REFUSE BIN STORE, AND ASSOCIATED LANDSCAPING - FOX PITT FARM COMMERCIAL ESTATE, SHINGLE BARN LANE, WEST FARLEIGH, MAIDSTONE, KENT pdf icon PDF 134 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

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

 

Voting:  12 – For  0 – Against  1 – Abstention

 

41.

22/500345/FULL - RETROSPECTIVE APPLICATION FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND RECONFIGURATION OF PATIO TO THE REAR OF THE HOUSE WITH PROPOSED PRIVACY SCREEN; THE ERECTION OF A GAZEBO WITH SURROUNDING DECKING; THE ERECTION OF AN ORANGERY; AND THE PART CONVERSION OF THE INTEGRAL GARAGE TO A UTILITY ROOM AND WC - 8 NETHERMOUNT, BEARSTED, MAIDSTONE, KENT pdf icon PDF 305 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

The Officers explained that most elements of the application were retrospective although the proposed mitigation screening had not been installed.

 

Councillor Springett (Visiting Member) read out a statement on behalf of Mr and Mrs Eaton who objected to the application.

 

Mr Bax, for the applicant, and Councillor Springett (Visiting Member) addressed the meeting.

 

Members raised no objection to most elements of the application, namely the garage conversion, gazebo and orangery, but did not support the extended decking area.  It was considered that without adequate screening, the extended decking area, by virtue of its rearward projection and height, results in a loss of privacy to No.9 Nethermount.  The proposed privacy screen by virtue of its height in relation to the neighbouring site, position on the boundary and incongruous materials would be overbearing resulting in a loss of amenity contrary to Policy DM1 of the adopted Maidstone Borough Local Plan 2017.

 

RESOLVED: That permission be refused and that the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the reason for refusal to include the key issues cited above and to add an informative advising the applicant that the other elements of the application would be acceptable if submitted separately.

 

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions

 

42.

22/502289/REM - RESERVED MATTERS OF ACCESS, APPEARANCE, LANDSCAPING, LAYOUT AND SCALE OF TEMPORARY CAR PARK (BEING ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE APPROVED UNDER 20/502037/REM) PURSUANT TO OUTLINE APPLICATION 16/507292/OUT AS VARIED BY 18/506609/OUT (APPLICATION TO VARY CONDITIONS 3, 4, AND 5 OF PLANNING PERMISSION 16/507292/OUT (OUTLINE APPLICATION WITH ACCESS SOUGHT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL CAMPUS) TO ALLOW FOR THE RELOCATION OF THE NATURE RESERVE) - KENT MEDICAL CAMPUS, NEWNHAM WAY, MAIDSTONE, KENT pdf icon PDF 343 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.  That the reserved matters be approved subject to the conditions and informative set out in the report with an additional informative advising the applicant to investigate the opportunity to provide EV charging points adjacent to the main building.

 

2.  That the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the wording of the additional informative.

 

3.  That the Officers be requested to liaise with the landowner to accelerate delivery of the landscaping pursuant to the outline planning permission.

 

Voting:  10 – For  1 – Against  2 – Abstentions

 

43.

22/501983/FULL - EXTENSION TO THE TIME FOR A TEMPORARY USE BY A FURTHER 3 YEARS. USE COMPRISES OFFICES, STORAGE AND RETAIL WAREHOUSE, AND PUBLIC CAR PARKING - 98 SANDLING ROAD, MAIDSTONE, KENT pdf icon PDF 580 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.  That permission be granted subject to the condition and informative set out in the report with an additional condition to secure ecological measures appropriate to the site’s character and future.

 

2.  That the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the wording of the additional condition.

 

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions

 

44.

Appeal Decisions pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Minutes:

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

 

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted and that the Officers be congratulated on their success at appeal.

 

45.

Duration of Meeting

Minutes:

6.00 p.m. to 9.25 p.m.