There were no Substitute Members.

Councillors Field and FitzGerald indicated that they wished to speak on the report of the Head of Development Management relating to MA/09/2024.

Councillors B Mortimer and Parr indicated that they wished to speak on the report of the Head of Development Management relating to application MA/10/1505.

Update Report

The Chairman stated that, in his opinion, the update report of the Head of Development Management should be taken as an urgent item because it contained further information relating to the applications to be considered at the meeting.

Councillor J A Wilson disclosed a personal interest in the report of the Head of Development Management relating to application MA/10/1505.  He stated that he was a Member of East Farleigh Parish Council, but he had not participated in the Parish Council’s discussions on the application and intended to speak and vote when it was considered.

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

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed.

It was noted that a petition would be presented in respect of application MA/10/1505.

(1)  MA/10/0202 – PLANNING APPLICATION FOR ERECTION OF 14 DWELLINGS – SHARP HOUSE, TOVIL GREEN, TOVIL, MAIDSTONE

It was reported that negotiations were still taking place in respect of this application.

(2)  MA/09/1751 – ERECTION OF 5 DWELLINGS WITH INTEGRAL PARKING – LAND ADJACENT TO SURRENDEN MEWS, HIGH STREET, STAPLEHURST

It was reported that a meeting had been held with the applicant regarding the deferral and amended plans and details were awaited.

(3)  MA/10/0839 – CONVERSION OF OAST HOUSE TO 5 NO. LIVE-WORK UNITS AND EXTERNAL ALTERATIONS, ASSOCIATED GARAGING, PARKING AND LANDSCAPING – TUTSHAM HALL, TUTSHAM FARM, WEST FARLEIGH, MAIDSTONE

It was reported that the application had been advertised as a departure from the Development Plan and that a draft legal agreement had been received and was being assessed by Officers.

All Members of the Committee stated that they had been lobbied.

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

Dr Hibbert, an objector presenting a petition, Councillor Scott of West Farleigh Parish Council, Councillor Charlton of East Farleigh Parish Council, Mr Checkley, for the applicant, and Councillors B Mortimer and Parr addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report, the additional condition set out in the urgent update report and the following additional conditions and informative and amended reason for approval:-

Additional Conditions

No development shall take place until there has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority a landscape plan which shall include indications of all existing trees and hedgerows on the land outlined in blue on the ‘Area Map’ within the ‘Appendix I – Maps’ document, to be retained.  The plan shall identify any gaps in hedgerows or tree lines upon this land and provide a scheme of landscaping using indigenous species to fill such gaps together with a programme for the approved scheme's implementation and long term management.  The scheme shall be designed using the principles established in the Council's adopted Landscape Character Assessment and Landscape Guidelines.

Reason: To further mitigate the impact of the development in accordance with policy ENV28 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000, policy C4 of the South East Plan 2009, PPS7 and PPS22.

All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the completion of the development; and any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the Local Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation.

Reason: To further mitigate the impact of the development in accordance with policy ENV28 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000, policy C4 of the South East Plan 2009, PPS7 and PPS22.

A proportion of the cordwood from tree felling works required in connection with the development shall be retained and stacked safely at the site, the details of which shall be agreed with the Local Planning Authority prior to commencement of the felling works.

Reason: To enhance biodiversity through the provision of new wildlife habitat, in accordance with policy NRM5 of the South East Plan 2009 and PPS9.

Additional Informative

The applicant is advised to submit to the Local Planning Authority a travel plan for the construction phase of the development with delivery routes, that will need to avoid the use of the bridges at Teston and East Farleigh, which would not be suitable for delivery vehicles.  This being in the interests of highway safety and to avoid inconvenience for delivery vehicles and other road users.

Amended Reason  ...  view the full minutes text for item 265.

All Members of the Committee stated that they had been lobbied.

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

Mr Cooper, an objector, Councillor Munford of Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council, Mr Przyjemski, for the applicant, and Councillors Field and FitzGerald addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report, as amended by the urgent update report, the additional condition set out in the urgent update report and the following additional condition and informative:-

Additional Condition

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans/documents:

Drawing nos. DHA/7329/01; 02 rev B; 03 Rev A; 04; 05; 06; 07 received on 6 November 2009 together with design and access statement and as amended by additional drawings DHA/7329/08; 09; 10 received on 25 January 2010 and letter dated 21 April 2010 and FRA (incorporating drawing nos. 11286/01B; 1186/02A; 11286/03A) as received on 23 August 2010.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity, the management of surface water run-off, biodiversity interests and residential amenity in accordance with policies ENV28 and ENV43 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000, policies NRM4, NRM5 and C4 of the South East Plan 2009, PPS7 and PPS25.

Informative

In providing the details for surface water management under condition 6, the applicant is advised to consider the use of a swale or ditch drainage system.

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions

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

Councillor Hoy of Broomfield and Kingswood Parish Council and Mr Schroeder, the applicant, addressed the meeting in respect of this application and related applications MA/10/1906 and MA/10/1907.

RESOLVED:  That subject to the expiry of the newspaper advertisement and the receipt of no representations raising new issues, the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to grant permission subject to the conditions and informative set out in the report.

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions

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

Councillor Hoy of Broomfield and Kingswood Parish Council and Mr Schroeder, the applicant, had previously addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That subject to the expiry of the newspaper advertisement and the receipt of no representations raising new issues, the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to grant permission subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report.

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions

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

Councillor Hoy of Broomfield and Kingswood Parish Council and Mr Schroeder, the applicant, had previously addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That subject to the expiry of the newspaper advertisement and the receipt of no representations raising new issues, the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to grant permission subject to the conditions set out in the report.

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.

6.00 p.m. to 9.01 p.m.