MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
PLANNING COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 16 DECEMBER 2021
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Present: |
Councillor Spooner (Chairman) and Councillors Brice, Brindle, Cox, English, Harwood, Holmes, Kimmance, Perry, M Rose, Springett and Young |
168. Apologies for Absence
It was noted that apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Eves, Munford and Trzebinski.
169. Notification of Substitute Members
It was noted that Councillor Springett was substituting for Councillor Eves and that Councillor Brice would be substituting for Councillor Trzebinski.
170. Notification of Visiting Members
There were no Visiting Members.
171. Items withdrawn from the Agenda
There were none.
172. Urgent Items
The Chairman said that he intended to take the update reports of the Head of Planning and Development 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.
173. Disclosures by Members and Officers
Councillor Springett said that she had asked that application 21/504963/FULL (48 Tydeman Road, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent) be determined by the Committee to enable local residents who had concerns to speak. She was not pre-determined, would listen to the discussion before making up her mind, and intended to speak and vote when the application was discussed.
174. Disclosures of lobbying
The following disclosures of lobbying were noted:
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13. |
21/505452/LBC - Mote Park, A20 Ashford Road Junction with Willington Street, Maidstone, Kent |
Councillors Brindle and Springett
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14. |
20/501427/OUT - Land to Rear of Kent Police Training School, Off St Saviours Road, Maidstone, Kent |
Councillors Brindle, English, Spooner and Young |
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15. |
21/504281/HYBRID – Farm Villa, Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, Kent |
No lobbying |
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16. |
21/505160/FULL - Land at Highlands Farm, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent |
No lobbying |
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17. |
19/506112/FULL – Bletchenden Farm, Bletchenden Road, Headcorn, Ashford, Kent |
No lobbying |
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18. |
21/504963/FULL – 48 Tydeman Road, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent |
No lobbying |
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19. |
20/505662/FULL - Land at 59 Linton Road, Loose, Maidstone, Kent |
Councillors Spooner and Young |
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20. |
21/505218/TPOA – East Lodge, St Andrew's Road, Maidstone, Kent |
No lobbying |
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21. |
21/506124/TPOA - Woodland off The Mallows, Maidstone, Kent |
No lobbying |
Note: Councillor Brice joined the meeting during the disclosures of lobbying (6.10 p.m.). She said that at that point she had no disclosures of interest or of lobbying. Later during the meeting, Councillor Brice said that she had realised that she had an interest in application 20/505611/SUB (Dickens Gate, Marden Road, Staplehurst, Tonbridge, Kent) which was listed as a deferred item. She explained that the wider development was close to her property. She would have left the room, but the purpose of the item was to provide an update and the application was not debated.
See Minute 179 below
175. Exempt Items
RESOLVED: That the items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.
176. Minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2021
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed.
177. Presentation of Petitions
There were no petitions.
178. Deferred Item
20/505611/SUB - SUBMISSION OF DETAILS TO DISCHARGE CONDITION 18 - FOUL AND SURFACE WATER SEWERAGE DISPOSAL SUBJECT TO 14/502010/OUT - DICKENS GATE, MARDEN ROAD, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT
The Development Manager said that although some information had been submitted, it was not sufficient to enable the application to be reported back to the Committee.
179. 20/505662/FULL - DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS AND ERECTION OF 9 NO. DWELLINGS, ASSOCIATED PARKING, HARDSTANDING, LANDSCAPING AND AREA OF ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND EARTHWORKS AND ENLARGED CROSSOVER FROM THE A229 LINTON ROAD - LAND AT 59 LINTON ROAD, LOOSE, MAIDSTONE, KENT
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).
180. 20/501427/OUT - OUTLINE PLANNING APPLICATION FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF UP TO 76 NO. DWELLINGS (ALL MATTERS RESERVED EXCEPT ACCESS) - LAND TO REAR OF KENT POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL, OFF ST SAVIOURS ROAD, MAIDSTONE, KENT
The Committee considered the report and the urgent update report of the Head of Planning and Development.
Mr Collins addressed the meeting remotely on behalf of the applicant.
RESOLVED: 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 urgent update report; AND
B. The conditions and informatives set out in the report,
the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to grant permission and to be able to settle or amend any necessary Heads of Terms of the legal agreement in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.
Voting: 7 – For 1 – Against 4 – Abstentions
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Officers be requested to work with the Police to achieve a non-planning application-led solution to the traffic related problems associated with the vehicular gate at the corner of Pested Bars Road.
Voting: 11 – For 0 – Against 0 – Abstentions
Note: Councillor Brice was not present during the voting on this issue.
181. 21/504281/HYBRID - HYBRID PLANNING APPLICATION COMPRISING: FULL APPLICATION FOR THE ERECTION OF AN OLDER ADULT ACUTE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING AND HARD AND SOFT LANDSCAPING (INCLUDING REMOVAL OF TPO TREES) AND OUTLINE APPLICATION (ALL MATTERS RESERVED) FOR THE DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS KNOWN AS FARM VILLA, GEORGE VILLA AND BAY TREE HOUSE AND ERECTION OF 3 NO. BUILDINGS COMPRISING A WOMEN'S PSYCHIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, A SECTION 136 UNIT (HEALTH BASED PLACE OF SAFETY), A HIGH DEPENDENCY PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION UNIT AND A CLINICAL SHARED SERVICE UNIT FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ALL FOR KENT AND MEDWAY PARTNERSHIP TRUST - FARM VILLA, MAIDSTONE HOSPITAL, HERMITAGE LANE, MAIDSTONE, KENT
The Committee considered the report and the urgent update report of the Head of Planning and Development.
Mr Carey addressed the meeting remotely on behalf of the applicant.
RESOLVED: That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report, as amended by the urgent update report, with:
An additional condition to be finalised by the Head of Planning and Development in consultation with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Political Group Spokespersons of the Planning Committee and Ward Members setting out the design and landscape qualitative parameters that will dictate the future reserved matters; and
Delegated powers being given to the Head of Planning and Development to review and tighten the conditions to seek maximum sustainability and design quality.
Voting: 9 – For 0 – Against 2 – Abstentions
Note: Since Councillor Brice was not present for all of the Officer’s presentation on this application, she did not participate in the discussion or the voting.
182. 21/505452/LBC - LISTED BUILDING CONSENT FOR WORKS TO RE-POSITION/RE-BUILD A SECTION OF RAGSTONE WALL (TO FACILITATE THE A20 ASHFORD ROAD AND WILLINGTON STREET JUNCTION CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT SCHEME - MOTE PARK, A20 ASHFORD ROAD JUNCTION WITH WILLINGTON STREET, MAIDSTONE, KENT
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development.
RESOLVED: That consideration of this application be deferred to:
Seek clarification on why the listed wall needs to be re-positioned to accommodate the junction works;
Request a KCC Highways Officer to attend Planning Committee to clarify the predicted capacity improvements; and
Clarify further the public benefits of the proposal.
Voting: 7 – For 4 – Against 1 – Abstention
183. 21/505160/FULL - CHANGE OF USE OF LAND FOR STATIONING OF 2(NO) STATIC MOBILE HOMES, 2(NO) TOURING CARAVANS AND 4(NO) PARKING SPACES FOR GYPSY/TRAVELLER FAMILY, INCLUDING HARDSTANDING, STABLE BUILDING AND THE KEEPING OF HORSES; BARN; STORAGE SHED AND POULTRY CAGES AND KENNELS (RETROSPECTIVE) - LAND AT HIGHLANDS FARM, YALDING HILL, YALDING, MAIDSTONE, KENT
The Committee considered the report and the urgent update report of the Head of Planning and Development.
In introducing the application, the Senior Planning Officer asked the Committee to ignore the reference to the Loose Neighbourhood Plan in the first sentence of paragraph 7.03 of the report.
Councillor Brown of Yalding Parish Council and Mr McKay, agent for the applicant, addressed the meeting remotely.
RESOLVED:
1. That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report, with:
The amendment of the second sentence of condition 3 (Positioning of Caravans) to read:
The caravans shall only be positioned on the site as set out on the submitted drawings and shall not be positioned to the southern part of the site; and
The amendment of condition 6 (Commercial Activities) to read:
No commercial activities shall take place on the land, including the breeding of poultry and dogs and the storage of materials.
2. That the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the wording of the amended conditions and to amend any other conditions as a consequence.
Voting: 9 – For 1 – Against 2 – Abstentions
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the applicant and the Licensing Team be requested to liaise regarding animal welfare standards at the site.
Voting: 11 - For 0 – Against 1 – Abstention
184. 21/505218/TPOA - TPO APPLICATION FOR 3 X (T1) PINUS - LIGHTLY REDUCE FROM PROPERTY BOUNDARY FROM 8M TO 6.5M - EAST LODGE, ST ANDREW'S ROAD, MAIDSTONE, KENT
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development.
In introducing the application, the Heritage, Landscape and Design Team Leader advised the Committee that the site notice would expire that day and no representations had been received to date.
RESOLVED:
1. That permission be granted subject to the condition and informatives set out in the report, with an additional informative advising the applicant that the cordwood should be retained and stacked safely within St Andrews Park in the interests of biodiversity.
2. That the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the wording of the additional informative.
Voting: 12 – For 0 – Against 0 – Abstentions
185. 21/506124/TPOA - TREE PRESERVATION ORDER APPLICATION: T1-T3 SYCAMORE-FELL AS IN DECLINE, T5 LARCH-FELL AS IN DECLINE, T6 SYCAMORE-FELL AS IN DECLINE, T7 DEAD VERY SMALL UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES-FELL, T10 LARCH-FELL AS IN DECLINE AND WEIGHTED TOWARDS ROAD, T12A SYCAMORE-REDUCE OVERHANG TO WATERWORKS SIDE 8M TO 5M, T13 PRUNUS-FELL 2 X STEMS ON FENCE LINE (45% LEAN OVER PUMPING STATION), T14 HORSE CHESTNUT-REDUCE LATERALS TO SOUTH EAST OVER WATERWORKS 10M TO 6M, T18 YEW-REDUCE WEST SIDE 8M TO 5M, T21 HOLM OAK SECONDARY CROWN, UP TO 50% REDUCTION TO CLEAR RIVER NAVIGATION AND REDUCE STRESS LOADING LIMBS OVER TOWPATH SW SIDE OVER RIVER 13M TO 9M, T22 SYCAMORE-REDUCE LATERALS OVER PATHWAY 8M TO 5M NORTH SIDE, T23/24 2 X SYCAMORE-FELL (ONE IN WALL/ONE STANDING POOR FORM NO ALTERNATIVE REDUCTION POINTS WEIGHTED TO PATH/ROAD) - WOODLAND OFF THE MALLOWS, MAIDSTONE, KENT
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development.
In introducing the application, the Heritage, Landscape and Design Team Leader advised the Committee that the site notice would expire that day and no representations had been received to date.
RESOLVED: That permission be granted subject to the condition and informatives set out in the report.
Voting: 12 – For 0 – Against 0 – Abstentions
186. 19/506112/FULL - CONVERSION OF HERITAGE THRESHING BARN TO RESIDENTIAL, INCLUDING THE DEMOLITION OF MODERN POLE BARNS AND ERECTION OF SINGLE-STOREY EXTENSION TO SIDE AND ERECTION OF DETACHED TRIPLE GARAGE (PART RETROSPECTIVE) - BLETCHENDEN FARM, BLETCHENDEN ROAD, HEADCORN, ASHFORD, KENT
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development.
RESOLVED: That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report.
Voting: 10 – For 0 – Against 2 – Abstentions
187. 21/504963/FULL - TWO STOREY SIDE EXTENSION AND SINGLE STOREY REAR EXTENSION - 48 TYDEMAN ROAD, BEARSTED, MAIDSTONE, KENT
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development.
RESOLVED: That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in the report.
Voting: 11 – For 1 – Against 0 – Abstentions
188. Appeal Decisions
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development setting out details of an appeal decision received since the last meeting.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
189. Duration of Meeting
6.00 p.m. to 10.15 p.m.