Issue - meetings

21/500866/FULL - Wickes, St Peters Street, Maidstone, ME16 0SN

Meeting: 24/06/2021 - Planning Committee (Item 49)

49 21/500866/FULL - APPLICATION FOR USE OF PART OF THE EXISTING WICKES RETAIL UNIT TO PROVIDE A CLASS E (FORMERLY A1) FOODSTORE RETAILING CONVENIENCE AND COMPARISON GOODS, TOGETHER WITH EXTERNAL ALTERATIONS, THE REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING ENTRANCE LOBBY AND INSTALLATION OF A NEW ENTRANCE POD AND REPLACEMENT GLAZING TO SHOPFRONT AS WELL AS ALTERATIONS TO THE EXISTING DELIVERY BAY, RECONFIGURATION OF THE CUSTOMER CAR PARK TO PROVIDE TROLLEY STORAGE, COVERED CYCLE PARKING, AND CAR PARKING FOR DISABLED AND PARENTS WITH CHILDREN - WICKES, ST PETERS STREET, MAIDSTONE pdf icon PDF 439 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Having disclosed a pecuniary interest, Councillor Munford left the meeting when this application was discussed.

 

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

 

In presenting the application, the Senior Planning Officer advised the Committee that under the original approval, landscaping was provided throughout the car park and along the eastern boundary of the site with St Peter’s Street.  However, it appeared that the landscaping along the eastern boundary had been removed over the last eighteen months, so two additional conditions were recommended requesting:

 

1.  The provision of soft landscape details specifically addressing the replacement with native species of removed trees along the eastern boundary of the site with St Peter’s Street; the retention of existing trees within the car park; and the provision of additional planting within the site.

 

2.  The provision of details relating to soft landscape implementation.

 

Mr Forsdick addressed the meeting in person on behalf of the applicant.

 

Councillor Purle (Visiting Member) addressed the meeting remotely.

 

RESOLVED:  That subject to:

 

A.   The prior completion of a legal agreement (Unilateral Undertaking) in such terms as the Head of Legal Services may advise to secure the prior payment of a contribution of £1,422 for monitoring of the Travel Plan; AND

 

B.  The conditions set out in the report, as amended by the urgent update report, and the additional landscaping conditions recommended by the Senior Planning Officer at the meeting with:

 

The amendment of condition 3 (Electric Vehicle Charging Points) to require the provision of 6 publicly accessible electric vehicle charging points;

 

The amendment of the proposed landscaping condition to incorporate native tree and shrub planting in the car parking area to soften the expanse of hardstanding and additional native planting along the southern boundary with St Peter’s Church;

 

The amendment of condition 12 (Deliveries) to specify that the public car parking area shall not be used for the servicing of the store by commercial vehicles and shall only be used for car parking and not for fast food sales;

 

An additional informative encouraging the applicant to provide toilet facilities for use by members of the public; and

 

An additional informative advising the applicant to seek to soften the western railway boundary,

 

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 and to finalise the wording of the additional and amended conditions and the additional informatives.

 

Voting:  12 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions