Minutes Template

MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

 

Planning Committee

 

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 15 FEBRUARY 2024 ADJOURNED TO 22 FEBRUARY 2024

 

Present 22 February 2024:

 

Committee Members:

 

Councillor Spooner (Chairman) and Councillors Cox, Garten, Mrs Gooch, Harwood, Jeffery, McKenna, Perry and Riordan

 

 

 

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246.     Apologies for Absence

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors English, Russell and D Wilkinson.

 

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247.     Notification of Substitute Members

 

Councillor Garten was present as Substitute Member for Councillor Russell.

 

</AI2>

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248.     Notification of Visiting Members

 

There were no Visiting Members.

 

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<AI4>

249.     Items withdrawn from the Agenda

 

There were no items withdrawn from the agenda.

 

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<AI5>

250.     Urgent Items

 

The Chairman said that he intended to take the update reports of the Head of Development Management 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.

 

</AI5>

<AI6>

251.     Disclosures by Members and Officers

 

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

 

</AI6>

<AI7>

252.     Disclosures of lobbying

 

The following disclosures of lobbying were noted:

 

10.

23/504118/FULL Hook Farm, Kings Lane, Marden, Kent

Councillor Riordan

11.

23/503936/FULL The Old Stable, Dunn Street Road, Bredhurst, Gillingham, Kent

Councillors Harwood, Jeffery, McKenna and Riordan

12.

23/501635/FULL Chickenden Barn, Chickenden Lane, Staplehurst, Tonbridge, Kent

Councillors McKenna and Riordan

 

</AI7>

<AI8>

253.     Exempt Items

 

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

 

</AI8>

<AI9>

254.     23/504118/FULL - CHANGE OF USE OF 1 HECTARE (2.5 ACRES) OF AGRICULTURAL LAND TO USE AS A DOG WALKING PADDOCK WITH ASSOCIATED 1.8METRE HEIGHT FENCING, GATE, AND PARKING - HOOK FARM, KINGS LANE, MARDEN, KENT

 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Development Management.

 

Ms Hicks, an objector, and Mr Albrow, a local resident taking the Parish Council speaker slot with the Chairman’s discretion, addressed the meeting.

 

RESOLVED:  That consideration of this application be deferred to:

 

Seek an ecological survey particularly in relation to the impact of intensive dog activity on the grassland and wildlife (nutrient enrichment issues, dog waste, disturbance and smell etc.).

 

Seek a mixed native hedge along the fence across the field to soften the impact visually and on wildlife.

 

Seek information about how the grassland and hedgerows will be maintained and further details of access, egress and the turning head, and safeguards in terms of potential conflict between dogs and the access track.

 

Voting:        9 – For        0 – Against     0 – Abstentions

 

FURTHER RESOLVED:  That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development be requested to bring forward policies to assess the impact of dog walking sites.

 

Voting:        9 – For        0 – Against     0 – Abstentions

 

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<AI10>

255.     23/503936/FULL - PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND CONVERSION OF EXISTING REDUNDANT STABLE BUILDING TO A SINGLE DWELLINGHOUSE WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING, ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENTS AND LANDSCAPING (RE-SUBMISSION OF 22/505429/FULL) - THE OLD STABLE, DUNN STREET ROAD, BREDHURST, GILLINGHAM, KENT

 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Development Management.

 

Ms Bedford, agent for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

 

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused for the reasons set out in the report.

 

Voting:        9 – For        0 – Against     0 – Abstentions

 

</AI10>

<AI11>

256.     23/501635/FULL - CONVERSION OF EXISTING BARN TO RESIDENTIAL DWELLING, INCLUDING NEW ENTRANCE AND ACCESS DRIVE WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING (RE-SUBMISSION OF 22/501591/FULL) - CHICKENDEN BARN, CHICKENDEN LANE, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT

 

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

 

Mrs Williams addressed the meeting on behalf of residents in Chickenden Lane.

 

RESOLVEDThat subject to revisions in consultation with Ward Members addressing the Committee’s concerns regarding:

 

A.     The loss of trees; and

B.     The position of the proposed new access way and issues around (a) highway safety and sightlines and the impact on trees and hedgerows and (b) the wildlife route between pond and paddock,

 

the Head of Development Management be given delegated powers to grant permission subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report with any necessary amendments made in consultation with Ward Members.

 

Voting:        9 – For        0 – Against     0 – Abstentions

 

FURTHER RESOLVED:  That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development be requested to consider the possibility of the Council employing its own ecologist to advise on the ecological implications of development proposals.

 

Voting:        9 – For        0 – Against     0 – Abstentions

 

</AI11>

<AI12>

257.     23/504980/FULL - CHANGE OF USE OF THE EXISTING BUILDING FROM USE AS OFFICES AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (USE CLASS E(G) (I) AND (II)) TO USE AS OFFICES, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND MEDICAL SERVICES (USE CLASS E(G) (I) AND (II), AND USE CLASS E(E) - MAIDSTONE INNOVATION CENTRE, GIDDS POND WAY, WEAVERING, KENT

 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Development Management.

 

RESOLVED:

 

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

 

2.     That delegated powers be given to the Head of Development Management to be able to settle or amend any necessary planning conditions and/or informatives in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.

 

Voting:        9 – For        0 – Against     0 – Abstentions

 

</AI12>

<AI13>

258.     Duration of Meeting

 

6.00 p.m. to 7.35 p.m.

 

</AI13>

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