Agenda item

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

The Major Projects Manager introduced this application explaining in detail why it was considered that the proposal accorded with the policy tests in both the Maidstone Borough Local Plan 2017 and the Loose Neighbourhood Plan 2019, particularly the assessment of harm to the countryside.

The Major Projects Manager advised the Committee that he wished to amend proposed condition 5 (Renewable Energy) to require details of an Energy Performance Completion Certificate.

Councillor Andrew of Loose Parish Council and Mr Wilford, for the applicant, addressed the meeting in person.

During the discussion, reference was made to, inter alia, the risk of setting a precedent, the relationship of the development to the Loose Valley Conservation Area, ecological impacts, access and visitor parking, design quality in terms of detailing and materials, the type of external lighting proposed and the future management of the central amenity area.

The Major Projects Manager explained that both the Neighbourhood Plan and the Salts Wood scheme (a new woodland scheme being brought forward by the Boughton Monchelsea Amenity Trust which had the effect of containing the site, both physically and visually) were material changes in circumstances since the 2017 refusal of a larger scheme.

The Major Projects Manager also suggested further amendments to the proposed conditions and additional conditions in response to the points raised in the discussion.

Considering the application to be finely balanced, the Committee:

RESOLVED:

1.  That subject to:

A.  The prior completion of a legal agreement in such terms as the Head of Legal Partnership may advise to secure the Heads of Terms set out in the report; AND

  B.  The conditions and informatives set out in the report, with

The amendment of condition 5 (Renewable Energy) to require details of an Energy Performance Completion Certificate;

The amendment of condition 6 (Landscaping and Biodiversity) to require details of the future management of the central amenity area;

An additional condition requiring 1:20 drawings showing details of key parts of the buildings to ensure that design quality is secured;

An additional condition requiring a scheme for visitor parking; and

An additional informative reiterating the need for the materials to be of a high quality,

  the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to grant permission and to finalise the wording of the amended and additional conditions and the additional informative and to amend any other conditions as a consequence.

2.  That the details to be submitted relating to the scheme for visitor parking are to be agreed in consultation with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Political Group Spokespersons of the Planning Committee.

Voting:  9 – For  1 – Against  0 – Abstentions

Note:  Councillors Harwood and Kimmance joined the meeting after consideration of this application (7.10 p.m.).

Councillor Harwood said that he had been lobbied on items 13 (21/505452/LBC - Mote Park, A20 Ashford Road Junction with Willington Street, Maidstone, Kent) and 21 (21/506124/TPOA - Woodland off The Mallows, Maidstone, Kent).

Councillor Kimmance said that he had been lobbied on items 14 (20/501427/OUT - Land to Rear of Kent Police Training School, Off St Saviours Road, Maidstone, Kent), 15 (21/504281/HYBRID - Farm Villa, Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, Kent), 20 (21/505218/TPOA - East Lodge, St Andrews Road, Maidstone, Kent) and 21 (21/506124/TPOA - Woodland off The Mallows, Maidstone, Kent).