Issue - meetings

Councillors Munford, Prendergast, Round and Mrs Stockell stated that they had been lobbied.

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

Mr Collins addressed the meeting on behalf of the applicant.

It was noted that Langley Parish Council, which objected to the application and had requested that it be reported to the Committee for consideration, was unable to be represented at the meeting, and had sent its apologies.

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to refuse permission.  In making this decision, the Committee felt that notwithstanding that this was an outline application with all matters reserved, based on the likely format of the development (as shown on the submitted illustrative details), the proposed houses by reason of their size, design and siting would bring about a substantial increase in the impression of built mass on the site. This would result in an unacceptable consolidation of existing sporadic development in the locality and unacceptable effect to the nature of the landscape form, namely the dip slope of the Greensand Ridge, harmful to the open rural character of the area while compromising the function of the Southern Anti-Coalescence Belt in seeking to prevent both the coalescence and consolidation of scattered settlements and development in the locality. 

The proposal was therefore contrary to Policies ENV28 and ENV32 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 and Policies SP17, SP5 and DM34 of the Submission Version of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan (2016).

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused for the following reason:

Notwithstanding this is an outline application with all matters reserved, based on the likely format of the development (as shown on the submitted illustrative details) the proposed houses by reason of their size, design and siting will bring about a substantial increase in the impression of built mass on the site.  This will result in an unacceptable consolidation of existing sporadic development in the locality and unacceptable effect to the nature of the landscape form, namely the dip slope of the Greensand Ridge, harmful to the open rural character of the area while compromising the function of the Southern Anti-Coalescence Belt in seeking to prevent both the coalescence and consolidation of scattered settlements and development in the locality.  The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies ENV28 and ENV32 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 and Policies SP17, SP5 and DM34 of the Submission Version of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan (2016).

Voting:  13 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions