Issue - meetings

All Members stated that they had been lobbied.

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

Mr Wilson, for objectors, Mr Allsop, for the applicants, and Councillor Naghi addressed the meeting.

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning, the Committee was minded to agree that subject to the Heads of Terms of a Section 106 legal agreement (to be negotiated with the applicants in consultation with the Council’s retail consultants, a representative of Maidstone Town Centre Management and the Political Group Spokespersons) to secure contributions for public realm improvements to mitigate the impact of the development on Maidstone Town Centre and contributions to mitigate the impact of the development on the local community, if appropriate, being reported to the Planning Committee for approval, permission be granted subject to conditions and informatives to be drafted by the Officers and agreed by the Committee.

In making this decision, Members felt that whilst the proposed development would have an impact on the vitality and viability of Maidstone Town Centre, and more so if considered cumulatively with the proposed development at Newnham Court, the economic benefits of the scheme in terms of job creation and inward investment outweighed this impact.  The impact on the Town Centre could be offset through the negotiation of an appropriate Section 106 legal agreement.  Members also considered that the sequential test as set out at paragraph 25 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and policy R2 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 had been met.  The design and size of the proposed building was considered to be acceptable as was the introduction of retail development on the application site which is allocated for Class B2 (general industrial) uses in the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000.

RESOLVED:

1.  That subject to the Heads of Terms of a Section 106 legal agreement (to be negotiated with the applicants in consultation with the Council’s retail consultants, a representative of Maidstone Town Centre Management and the Political Group Spokespersons) to secure contributions for public realm improvements to mitigate the impact of the development on Maidstone Town Centre and contributions to mitigate the impact of the development on the local community, if appropriate, being reported to the Planning Committee for approval, permission be granted subject to conditions and informatives to be drafted by the Officers and agreed by the Committee.

2.  That the application be referred to the Secretary of State for consideration under the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009.

Voting:  7 – For  6 – Against  0 – Abstentions

Note:  Chairman’s casting vote for approval.

Councillors Harwood and Paterson requested that their dissent be recorded.

Councillors Hogg and Nelson-Gracie entered the meeting after consideration of this application.  Councillor Garland left the meeting.