Agenda item

18/500618 - ERECTION OF NEW DOCTOR'S SURGERY BUILDING WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING, LANDSCAPING AND CREATION OF NEW VEHICULAR ACCESS ONTO HEATH ROAD - LAND SOUTH OF HEATH ROAD, LINTON, MAIDSTONE, KENT

Minutes:

All Members 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 publication of the agenda a further objection had been received from a local resident making specific reference to the following summarised issues:

 

·  This site would be more difficult for elderly/infirm residents to access and the current bus service could not be relied upon to get people to appointments on time.

 

·  There would be increased traffic as residents who currently walked to appointments would have to drive instead.

 

·  There was concern that if the Clock House Farm site was not used for a new practice, it would be used instead for more housing, putting additional pressure on village services.

 

·  There were concerns about the proposed use of volunteers to provide a transport service from the village.

 

·  The proposed medical centre development would add to congestion at Linton Crossroads.

 

·  The proposed development would impact on the provision of village services.

 

The Principal Planning Officer also updated the Committee on comments received from the CCG regarding the wording of condition 5 (opening hours).  She explained that in order to meet Government requirements for improved access to Primary Care facilities, it was proposed to amend condition 5 to read:

 

No activity in connection with the use hereby permitted, other than the cleaning of the premises, shall be carried out outside of the hours of 0745 and 2015 and not at any time on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

 

Reason: To safeguard the enjoyment of their properties by adjoining residential occupiers.

 

To mitigate potential noise disturbance to the neighbouring property, Forge House, as a result of this change, it was proposed to add a further condition specifying that there should be a boundary fence along the common boundary.

 

Councillor Cresswell of Linton Parish Council and Mr Hawkins, for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

 

RESOLVED:  That subject to:

 

(a)  The prior completion of a S106 legal agreement in such terms as the Head of Legal Partnership may advise to secure the Heads of Terms set out in the report as amended by the urgent update; AND

 

(b)  The conditions and informatives set out in the report, as amended by the urgent update report and by the Principal Planning Officer at the meeting, the additional condition set out in the urgent update report and the additional condition proposed by the Principal Planning Officer relating to boundary treatments, with the amendment of condition 26 (Travel Plan) and additional informatives as follows:

 

  Condition 26 (amended)

 

  No development above dpc level shall be carried out until a travel plan has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.  The approved scheme shall be implemented in full upon first occupation.

 

  Reason:  In the interests of sustainable travel.

 

  Additional Informatives

 

·  A Working Group comprising the Coxheath and Hunton and Loose Ward Members, Councillors Harwood, Munford and Round, representatives of Coxheath, Linton and Loose Parish Councils, the developer and Officers should be set up to discuss matters relating to the Travel Plan, structural landscaping to the south of the site and the sustainable surface water drainage scheme.

 

·  The applicant is encouraged to install a sprinkler system in the building in the interests of public safety.

 

the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to grant permission and to be able to settle, add or amend any necessary Heads of Terms of the S106 legal agreement and/or conditions in line with the matters resolved by the Planning Committee and as a result of the discussions of the Working Group.

 

Voting:  12 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions

 

Supporting documents: