Issue - meetings

20/502770/FULL - Holman House, Station Road, Staplehurst,

Meeting: 01/10/2020 - Planning Committee (Item 377)

377 20/502770/FULL - ERECTION OF SINGLE STOREY SIDE EXTENSION, PART SINGLE STOREY PART TWO STOREY REAR EXTENSION, NEW UPPER FLOOR, TOGETHER WITH EXTERNAL ALTERATIONS AND CHANGE OF USE OF COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL TO FORM 10 NO. RESIDENTIAL UNITS - HOLMAN HOUSE, STATION ROAD, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT pdf icon PDF 428 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

In presenting the application, the Major Projects Manager updated Members on correspondence received from three neighbouring properties following publication of the agenda and explained how some of their concerns might be ameliorated through conditions.

 

The Major Projects Manager advised the Committee that:

 

·  He wished to correct his report which stated that two windows on the side elevation facing The Yews were open glazed and would be obscured and therefore provide a benefit, but the neighbour had pointed out that the windows were in fact currently obscured.

 

·  There was a minor amendment to the application.  The Police in their representations had raised concerns about a doorway in that someone could loiter in the alcove.  The doorway served no real purpose and the applicant had agreed to remove it which, in effect, added almost 4 square metres to the floor space of the unit taking it to 2 square metres over space standards.

 

·  A resident had expressed concern that in this scheme, all 10 residents’ parking bays were at the rear of the building and 2 visitor parking bays were at the front which meant that there would be additional activity along the access driveway.  The access driveway was the same as that approved under a previous permission with a landscape buffer adjacent to the rear garden of The Yews as required by Members. 

 

·  The resident had highlighted that on the application drawings there would be an acoustic fence along the boundary with The Yews to mitigate the impact of the vehicle movements.  The existing fence line was the resident’s fence line rather than the application site and they were concerned that they would have to remove their own fence to allow the acoustic fence to be erected.  Having measured the width of the access it would be possible to erect an acoustic fence within the application site whilst still providing an adequate one-way access width although it might require some changes to a low retaining wall.  An additional condition was recommended requiring clarification of the acoustic fence installation to make sure that it could be fitted properly within the application site without relying on the neighbour.

 

·  The resident was also concerned about the additional impact of vehicles entering and exiting the site on what was a busy part of Station Road.

 

·  The resident at The Yews was concerned about overlooking of their patio and rear garden as there would be more windows.  There was a possible solution in that there were various design techniques that can reduce overlooking such as windows recessed into deep reveals, deep bays inside the windows with walls directing views in particular directions and windows could be slanted.  If Members felt that the perception of overlooking was so significant, a condition could be attached requiring an appropriate combination of these design treatments in the windows on the main flank rear elevation and that would avoid direct overlooking.

 

·  The residents were concerned about the references to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 377