Issue - meetings

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

Mr Mellor, agent for the applicant, addressed the meeting.

During the introduction of the application, the Head of Development Management advised the Committee inter alia that:

·  The Council, the previous day, had adopted the Maidstone Borough Local Plan Review 2021-2038.  Although this had substantial weight, it did not have the full weight of the 2017 adopted plan because the six-week period for judicial review had only just started.  The Officers were however giving more weight to the Local Plan Review because it had an up-to-date evidence base in terms of the proposed uses.

·  Affordable housing was not provided for viability reasons.  However, the applicant had stated the intention to apply for Homes England funding under the Affordable Homes Programme to provide affordable housing should permission be granted.

·  There had been a positive response from the NHS regarding the use of floor space offered by the applicant for healthcare purposes.

·  In terms of the design, the buildings together were of scale but there were buildings of size close by and the large Royal Engineers Road adjacent.

RESOLVED:  That consideration of this application be deferred to:

Explore the possibility of more contextual massing in the design of buildings;

Explore improving the quality of the open space proposed including more useable spaces; and

Explore locking the applicant into the delivery of 100% affordable housing by way of, for example, a Grampian condition or cascade legal agreement.

Note 1:  The provision of secured open space areas can be conditioned.

Voting:  10 – For  1 – Against  0 – Abstentions

Note 2:  Councillor Kimmance left the meeting during consideration of this application (8.45 p.m.).