Issue - meetings

15/505508 - Land East Of The Paddocks, George Street, Staplehurst, Kent

Meeting: 28/09/2017 - Planning Committee (Item 204)

204 15/505508 - CHANGE OF USE OF THE LAND TO THE EAST OF THE PADDOCKS TO RESIDENTIAL INCLUDING SITING OF 2 MOBILE HOMES, 2 TOURING CARAVANS AND DAY ROOMS/WASHROOMS FOR ACCOMMODATION OF GYPSY FAMILIES (AMENDED DESCRIPTION) - LAND EAST OF THE PADDOCKS, GEORGE STREET, STAPLEHURST, KENT pdf icon PDF 151 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

All Members except Councillors Boughton and Spooner stated that they had been lobbied.

 

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

 

Councillor Burnham of Staplehurst Parish Council and Councillor Perry (Visiting Member) addressed the meeting.

 

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to refuse permission.  In making this decision, Members felt that the proposal, by virtue of the significant harm to the rural character of this Low Weald country lane, arising from the encroachment and creation of the new access point, hardstanding areas and domestic paraphernalia into an important landscape space between allocated and residential sites (both settled and Gypsy and Traveller), would erode the rural character of the locality, contrary to policy ENV28 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 and policies DM15 and SP17 of the final draft Maidstone Local Plan (2011 – 2031) and policy PW2 of the Staplehurst Neighbourhood Plan.  In addition, the lack of up to date information in respect of protected species, and in particular great crested newts, meant there was insufficient evidence to ensure that there would be no harm caused to protected species and this would be contrary to policies DM3 and DM15 of the final draft Maidstone Local Plan (2011 – 2031), Natural England Standing Advice, Circular 06/2005 and paragraph 118 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused for the following reasons:

 

1.  The proposal, by virtue of the significant harm to the rural character of this Low Weald country lane, arising from the encroachment and creation of the new access point, hardstanding areas and domestic paraphernalia into an important landscape space between allocated and residential sites (both settled and Gypsy and Traveller), would erode the rural character of the locality, contrary to policy ENV28 of the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 and policies DM15 and SP17 of the final draft Maidstone Local Plan (2011 – 2031) and policy PW2 of the Staplehurst Neighbourhood Plan.

 

2.  The lack of up to date information in respect of protected species, and in particular great crested newts, means there is insufficient evidence to ensure that there will be no harm caused to protected species and this would be contrary to policies DM3 and DM15 of the final draft Maidstone Local Plan (2011 – 2031), Natural England Standing Advice, Circular 06/2005 and paragraph 118 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Voting:  11 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions