MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 14 June 2018
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Present: |
Councillor English (Chairman) and Councillors Bartlett, Boughton, Greer, Harper, Harwood, Kimmance, Munford, Parfitt-Reid, Prendergast, Spooner, Vizzard and Wilby |
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Also Present: |
Councillor Mrs Gooch |
26. Apologies for Absence
It was noted that apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Adkinson and Round.
27. Notification of Substitute Members
The following Substitute Members were noted:
Councillor Greer for Councillor Round
Councillor Harper for Councillor Adkinson
28. Notification of Visiting Members
Councillor Mrs Gooch indicated her wish to speak on the report of the Head of Planning and Development relating to application 17/505995 (Court Lodge Farm, The Street, Teston, Maidstone, Kent).
29. Items withdrawn from the Agenda
18/501199 – ERECTION OF A NEW DWELLING WITH GARDEN AND PARKING – LAND ADJACENT TO THE BUNGALOW, ROSE LANE, LENHAM HEATH, MAIDSTONE, KENT
The Committee was informed that since publication of the agenda, this application had been formally withdrawn by the applicant.
RESOLVED: That the position be noted.
30. Urgent Items
The Chairman stated that, in his opinion, the update reports of the Head of Planning and Development should be taken as urgent items as they contained further information relating to the applications to be considered at the meeting.
31. Disclosures by Members and Officers
There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.
32. Exempt Items
RESOLVED: That the items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.
Note: Councillor Kimmance entered the meeting during consideration of this item (6.05 p.m.).
33. Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2018
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed.
34. Presentation of Petitions
There were no petitions.
35. Deferred Items
17/506306 - APPROVAL OF RESERVED MATTERS APPLICATION FOR THE ERECTION OF 250 DWELLINGS (APPEARANCE, LANDSCAPING, LAYOUT AND SCALE BEING SOUGHT) AND DETAILS OF CONDITIONS 5, 7, 9, AND 10 RELATING TO PHASING, LANDSCAPING AND ECOLOGY, PURSUANT TO 14/502010/OUT (OUTLINE APPLICATION FOR THE ERECTION OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR UP TO 250 DWELLINGS WITH ACCESS AND GARAGING WITH ACCESS CONSIDERED AT THIS STAGE AND ALL OTHER MATTERS RESERVED FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION) - HEN AND DUCKHURST FARM, MARDEN ROAD, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT
See Minute 36 below
17/505995 – ERECTION OF A DETACHED FIVE BEDROOM DWELLING WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING - COURT LODGE FARM, THE STREET, TESTON, MAIDSTONE, KENT
See Minute 37 below
17/503291 - ERECTION OF 6 NO. LIGHTWEIGHT COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL UNITS - THE PACKHOUSE, QUEEN STREET, PADDOCK WOOD, TONBRIDGE, KENT
17/503237 - OUTLINE APPLICATION (SOME MATTERS RESERVED) FOR DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS, AND CESSATION OF COMMERCIAL USE ON SITE; ERECTION OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDING 18 NO. UNITS, OF WHICH 12 X 1 BED AND 6 X 2 BED. PROVISION OF 16 PARKING SPACES/2 DISABLED SPACES AND 4 VISITOR SPACES. ACCESS, LAYOUT AND SCALE BEING SOUGHT - J B GARAGE DOORS, STRAW MILL HILL, TOVIL, MAIDSTONE, KENT
17/504412 – DEMOLITION OF STORAGE BUILDINGS AND ERECTION OF 5 DETACHED DWELLINGS, 2 CAR PORTS FOR PLOTS 1 AND 5, AND 2 TWO BAY CAR PORTS FOR THE EXISTING HOUSE AND BARN CONVERSION APPROVED UNDER 14/505872/FULL - IDEN GRANGE, CRANBROOK ROAD, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT
The Development Manager said that he had nothing further to report in respect of these applications at present.
36. 17/506306 - APPROVAL OF RESERVED MATTERS APPLICATION FOR THE ERECTION OF 250 DWELLINGS (APPEARANCE, LANDSCAPING, LAYOUT AND SCALE BEING SOUGHT) AND DETAILS OF CONDITIONS 5, 7, 9, AND 10 RELATING TO PHASING, LANDSCAPING AND ECOLOGY, PURSUANT TO 14/502010/OUT (OUTLINE APPLICATION FOR THE ERECTION OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR UP TO 250 DWELLINGS WITH ACCESS AND GARAGING WITH ACCESS CONSIDERED AT THIS STAGE AND ALL OTHER MATTERS RESERVED FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION) - HEN AND DUCKHURST FARM, MARDEN ROAD, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT
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 urgent update report on Tuesday 12 June 2018, three further neighbour representations had been received raising issues that had been raised already and fully considered in the report.
Ms Highwood, an objector, Councillor Sharp of Staplehurst Parish Council, and Mr Cooper, for the applicant, addressed the meeting.
RESOLVED: That the reserved matters details be approved subject to the conditions set out in the report and the additional condition set out in the urgent update report.
Voting: 8 – For 5 – Against 0 – Abstentions
37. 17/505995 - ERECTION OF A DETACHED FIVE BEDROOM DWELLING WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING - COURT LODGE FARM, THE STREET, TESTON, MAIDSTONE, KENT
All Members except Councillor Parfitt-Reid stated that they had been lobbied.
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development.
Mr Gwynne, an objector, Councillor Coulling of Teston Parish Council, and Councillor Mrs Gooch (Visiting Member) addressed the meeting.
Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to refuse permission for the summarised reasons set out below and to give delegated powers to the Head of Planning and Development to finalise the exact wording:
1. The proposed development by virtue of its positioning, design, layout and loss of landscaping would appear as a cramped and harmful form of development which fails to conserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Teston Conservation Area and fails to conserve or enhance the setting of the Grade II* listed St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church and the Grade II listed Court Lodge Farm, and as such the proposal is contrary to policies SP17, SP18, DM1, DM4 and DM30 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan (2017) and any public benefits (if any arise) do not outweigh the identified harm.
2. The S106 agreement which applies to this part of the land still serves a useful purpose in protecting the character and appearance of the Teston Conservation Area and should not be removed/varied.
RESOLVED: That permission be refused for the following summarised reasons and that the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the exact wording:
1. The proposed development by virtue of its positioning, design, layout and loss of landscaping would appear as a cramped and harmful form of development which fails to conserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Teston Conservation Area and fails to conserve or enhance the setting of the Grade II* listed St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church and the Grade II listed Court Lodge Farm, and as such the proposal is contrary to policies SP17, SP18, DM1, DM4 and DM30 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan (2017) and any public benefits (if any arise) do not outweigh the identified harm.
2. The S106 agreement which applies to this part of the land still serves a useful purpose in protecting the character and appearance of the Teston Conservation Area and should not be removed/varied.
Voting: 13 – For 0 – Against 0 – Abstentions
38. 18/501199 - ERECTION OF A NEW DWELLING WITH GARDEN AND PARKING - LAND ADJACENT TO THE BUNGALOW, ROSE LANE, LENHAM HEATH, MAIDSTONE, KENT
See Minute 29 above
39. Chairman's Announcements
The Chairman advised the Committee that arrangements would be made for a meeting of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Political Group Spokespersons of the Planning Committee to be held in the near future, and if Members wished to include items on the agenda, they should raise them with their Spokesperson direct. It was suggested that Conservation Area audits and training for Members and Substitute Members of the Planning Committee be included on the agenda for the meeting.
40. Appeal Decisions
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development setting out details of appeal decisions received since the last meeting. The Development Manager advised the Committee that whilst the appeals against the decisions taken under delegated powers to refuse applications 13/1732 (The Oaks, Frittenden Road, Staplehurst, Kent) and 13/1713 (Land East of Maplehurst Lane, Staplehurst, Kent) had been allowed, the enforcement notices covering the rear of the sites had been upheld.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
41. Duration of Meeting
6.00 p.m. to 8.05 p.m.