Agenda item

All Members except Councillor Moriarty stated that they had been lobbied.

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

Mrs Allfrey, an objector, Councillor Hughes of Coxheath Parish Council (in support), Mr Hume, for the applicant, and Councillor B Mortimer (Visiting Member) addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 legal agreement in such terms as the Head of Legal Partnership may advise to secure the following:

·  The provision of 40% affordable residential units within the application site of which a proportion shall be for local needs housing;

·  A contribution for Kent County Council towards the expansion of education provision at Coxheath Primary School if deemed feasible (the amount to be finalised by the Head of Planning and Development acting under delegated powers) OR, if the amount is not finalised within 6 weeks, a contribution of £4,000 per applicable house towards the construction of a new primary school in south east Maidstone and £2,701.63 per applicable house towards land acquisition costs;

·  A contribution for Kent County Council of £30.70 per household to be used to address the demand from the development towards the provision of new/expanded facilities and services both through dedicated adult education centres and through outreach community learning facilities local to the development;

·  A contribution for Kent County Council of £8.44 per household to be used to address the demand from the development towards youth services locally;

·  A contribution for Kent County Council of £16.28 per household to be used to address the demand from the development towards additional book stock and services at local libraries serving the development;

·  A contribution for Kent County Council of £15.94 per household to address the demand from the development for social services to be used towards the provision of new/expanded facilities and services both on site and local to the development, including assistive technology and enhancement of local community facilities to ensure full DDA access;

·  A contribution for NHS Property Services of £93,384 towards the extension, refurbishment and/or upgrade of the Orchard Medical Centre and Stockett Lane Surgery;

·  A contribution towards highway works at the junction of the A229 and B2163 (Linton Crossroads) to mitigate the impact of the development (the amount to be finalised by the Head of Planning and Development acting under delegated powers); and

·  A contribution towards off-site public open space (the amount to be finalised by the Head of Planning and Development acting under delegated powers) and the provision of on-site open space OR a contribution of £1,575 per dwelling towards the improvement of parks and open spaces local to the proposal site,

the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to grant outline permission subject to the conditions set out in the report, as amended by the urgent update report, with the deletion of condition 22, the amendment of conditions 13 and 20 and an informative as follows:

Condition 13 (amended)

The development shall not commence until a surface water drainage scheme for the site, including open swales, basins and balancing ponds, based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydro-geological context of the development, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before 85% of the dwellings are occupied.

Reason:  To prevent the increased risk of flooding, to improve and protect water quality, improve habitat and amenity, and ensure future maintenance.

Condition 20 (amended)

The details of landscaping submitted pursuant to condition 1 shall provide for the following:

(i)  Retention and strengthening of the frontage hedge line along the northern boundary of the site with Heath Road;

(ii)  Retention and strengthening of the tree line along the eastern boundary of the site with the access to Clockhouse Farm;

(iii)  Retention and strengthening of the hedge lines along the western and northwestern boundaries of the site; and

(iv)  Incorporation of the hedge line within the site that runs from north to south into the layout where appropriate.

Reason:  To ensure a satisfactory appearance and setting to the development and to maintain the character of Coxheath.

Informative

The applicant is advised that the Heads of Terms of the S106 legal agreement in respect of Parks and Open Spaces, Highways and Education are to be discussed with Ward Members and the Parish Council.

Voting:  6 - For  5 – Against  1 – Abstention

Note:  Councillor Hogg entered the meeting during consideration of this application (6.31 p.m.), but did not participate in the discussion or the voting.