Issue - meetings

14/505920 - Lynch Bank Farm Barn, Detling Hill, Detling, Kent, ME14 3EX

Meeting: 28/05/2015 - Planning Committee (Item 22)

22 14/505920 - PARTIAL DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BARN AND DEMOLITION OF OTHER OUTBUILDING, CONVERSION AND EXTENSION OF BARN TO A B1 (A) OFFICE USE, WITH ANCILLARY WORKS FOR ACCESS, TURNING AND PARKING - LYNCH BANK FARM BARN, DETLING HILL, DETLING, KENT pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

Mr Collins addressed the meeting on behalf of the applicant.

 

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to refuse permission.  In making this decision, Members felt that, having regard to the particularly prominent location of the site on the scarp slope of the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, when viewed from the A249, the urbanising effect the development would have with its associated hardstanding, lighting and car parking would cause unacceptable visual harm to the character and semi-natural landscape of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and rural character of the area.  The proposal was therefore considered to be contrary to policies ENV21, ENV28, ENV33 and ENV34 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 and provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework relating to the safeguarding of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused for the following reason:

Having regard to the particularly prominent location of the site on the scarp slope of the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, when viewed from the A249, the urbanising effect the development would have with its associated hardstanding, lighting and car parking would cause unacceptable visual harm to the character and semi-natural landscape of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and rural character of the area.  The proposal is therefore considered to be contrary to policies ENV21, ENV28, ENV33 and ENV34 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 and provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework relating to the safeguarding of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

 

Voting:  8 – For  3 – Against  2 – Abstentions