Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors McKenna and Riordan.

The following Substitute Members were noted:

Councillor Garten for Councillor McKenna

Councillor Springett for Councillor Riordan

There were no Visiting Members.

23/502481/FULL – BROKEN TREE, FORSTAL LANE, COXHEATH, KENT

The Principal Planning Officer sought the Committee’s agreement to the withdrawal of application 23/502481/FULL from the agenda as it was not possible to determine it lawfully under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as set out in the urgent update.  It was noted that although Section 73 applications could be used to amend planning conditions, they could not change the operative description of a development; for example, the number of units (in this case, caravans).

RESOLVED:  That agreement be given to the withdrawal of application 23/502481/FULL from the agenda.

The Chairman advised the Committee that it was now the intention to roll over the following applications to the adjourned meeting on 23 November 2023 because, due to miscommunication, the Parish Council thought that they were going to be heard next week and wished to make representations:

·  23/504294/FULL Land Adjacent to The Hawthorns, Pye Corner, Ulcombe, Kent

·  23/503722/FULL Golden Oaks, Pye Corner, Ulcombe, Kent

The Chairman said that he had agreed to take the update reports of the Head of Development Management as urgent items as they contained further information relating to the applications to be considered at the meeting.

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

Councillors Cox, Mrs Gooch, Harwood, Holmes, Jeffery, Perry, Russell and D Wilkinson stated that they had been lobbied on item 13 (23/502119/OUT – Former Syngenta Works, Hampstead Lane, Yalding, Kent).

Councillor Jeffery also stated that he had been lobbied on item 19 (22/503566/FULL – 62 Maidstone Road, Lenham, Kent).

RESOLVED:  That the items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2023 adjourned to 26 October 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed.

There were no petitions.

23/501635/FULL - CONVERSION OF EXISTING BARN TO RESIDENTIAL DWELLING, INCLUDING NEW ENTRANCE AND ACCESS DRIVE WITH ASSOCIATED PARKING (RE-SUBMISSION OF 22/501591/FULL) - CHICKENDEN BARN, CHICKENDEN LANE, STAPLEHURST, TONBRIDGE, KENT

21/503412/FULL - ERECTION OF 8 NO. FULL MASTS AND 4 NO. LOWER MASTS FLOODLIGHTING TO SERVE THE SPORTS PITCHES - MARDEN SPORTS CLUB, MAIDSTONE ROAD, MARDEN, KENT

The Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that work was ongoing on both deferred applications.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Development Management.

When introducing the application, the Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that the applicant had sent lobbying material to Members about why they had submitted the application.  Whilst this was informative, the application must be determined on the transport evidence and the reason for making the application was not relevant to the merits of the actual decision.

Councillor Green of Nettlestead Parish Council addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in the report with delegated powers given to the Head of Development Management to be able to settle or amend any necessary planning conditions and/or informatives in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.

Voting:  9 – For  2 – Against  1 – Abstention

See Minute 160 above.

At 8.00 p.m., following consideration of the report of the Head of Development Management relating to application 23/502119/OUT (Former Syngenta Works, Hampstead Lane, Yalding, Kent), the Committee:

RESOLVED:  That the meeting be adjourned until 6.00 p.m. on Thursday 23 November 2023 when the remaining items on the agenda will be discussed.

7.30 p.m. to 8.05 p.m.