Issue - meetings

21/504233/FULL - Bimbury Lodge, Bimbury Lane, Stockbury, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3HY

Meeting: 21/10/2021 - Planning Committee (Item 140)

140 21/504233/FULL - CHANGE OF USE OF LAND TO BIJOU GLAMPING RETREAT, CONSISTING OF 4(NO) CANVAS BELL TENTS, 1(NO) SHEPHERD HUT, ERECTION OF 1(NO) TOILET/SHOWER BLOCK AND ASSOCIATED PARKING. CONVERSION OF STABLE BLOCK, INTO BAR, 3(NO) SLEEPING PODS, KITCHEN AND DINING AREA/TEA ROOM - BIMBURY LODGE, BIMBURY LANE, STOCKBURY, MAIDSTONE, KENT pdf icon PDF 107 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

Mr Cathcart, an objector, Councillor Moody of Stockbury Parish Council, and Councillor Garten (Visiting Member) addressed the meeting remotely.

 

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to refuse permission.  In making this decision, the Committee considered that the proposed development would be contrary to policy for the following summarised reasons:

 

The proposal would represent an over intensive tourism use of the site with insufficient parking provision on the site and would result in a development that would bring in disturbance and break the tranquillity of the area causing harm to the Kent Downs AONB and its functioning.  Given the narrow plot size, it would not be possible to appropriately mitigate this harm and it would not be possible to screen or buffer the development with appropriate landscaping or provide net biodiversity gain as required by the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

 

Given the intensity of the use proposed, the proximity of neighbouring properties and the size of the plot, the proposals would have a detrimental impact on the amenity of neighbouring occupiers through the coming and going of holiday makers and through on-site activities which cannot be mitigated given the size of the plot.

 

The Development Manager requested that delegated powers be given to the Head of Planning and Development to finalise the reasons for refusal based on the key issues cited above.

 

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused and that the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the reasons for refusal to include those key issues cited above.

 

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 - Abstentions