15/504345/FULL - American Oast Tutsham Farm West Farleigh Kent ME15 0NE
Change of use of building from live/work use to a mixed business and residential use (retrospective)
Firstly, the Parish Council would like to apologise that we have been unable to send a representative to speak at the Planning Committee meeting to be held on Thursday 17th March. Unfortunately this is due to work commitments and Councillors being on annual leave. We have been given approval to send our comments in for consideration by Members of the Planning Committee.
West Farleigh Parish Council would request that the Members of the Planning Committee ask the Officers from the Planning Department the following, to ensure that all of the relevant information is available, before considering the application before you. They are as follows:-
1. Why are no conditions being proposed, apart from an additional sign at the end of Mill Lane, when traffic has increased considerably?
2. Why is it now considered appropriate that Mill Lane (which is a private lane) does not need any conditions, whereas with the previous application for Live/Work units it was deemed necessary? It should be noted that there has been no change to the ownership of the lane between the two applications being submitted.
3. Why were the Borough Councillors not invited to discussions with the Applicants as requested?
4. The original application included a Traffic Management Agreement, offered by the developer’s agent, which included electric gates etc. and not just the signage suggested now (details can be found in the letter dated 31st August 2010 from DHA Associates, copy attached to this email). Why has this not been honoured and made a condition, when it was promised to both Borough Councillors and West Farleigh Parish Council?
5. Why, when by their own admissions traffic has increased, is it now felt that planning conditions are not necessary to reduce traffic movements to Mill Lane?
6. Why does it seem that the Planning Officers are happy with residents now having to live on a busy lane/public footpath not suitable for this increase in traffic movements? Members have the power to change this without affecting the business/ residential use of the American Oast by getting the original condition adopted as part of the application. After all it was promised previously by the Applicant and would keep all sides happy. A small price to pay for an agreement to be reached.
West Farleigh Parish Council ask you, Members of the Planning Committee, to please give this application, and our subsequent questions, due consideration, as we feel that the rights of residents are being passed over when an amicable outcome can be reached by implementing previous promises made by the developer.