Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

The Chairman stated that, in his opinion, the Scrutiny Committee Recommendation Action and Implementation Plans for Agenda Items 7, 8 and 9, the urgent officer update in relation to Agenda Item 7, and Agenda Items 10 and 11 should all be taken as urgent items.

Councillors Ash, Burton, Daley, Mrs Gooch, McLoughlin, Mrs Springett, Mrs Stockell and Newton indicated their wish to speak in relation to Agenda Item 7 – Maidstone Borough Local Plan Public Consultation Draft. 

Councillor McLoughlin indicated his wish to speak on Agenda Item 9 – the Community Infrastructure Levy – Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule.

Councillor Hogg was in attendance.

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

All Members indicated that they had been lobbied in regard to Agenda Item 7.

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

a)  That the draft Maidstone Borough Local Plan, as attached at Appendix A to the report of the Head of Planning and Development, be approved for public consultation (Regulation 18) subject to:-

i)  The deletion of the following housing sites:-

   H1(18) Cross Keys, Bearsted
    H1(19) Fant Farm, Maidstone
    H1(51) Cripple Street, Loose
    H1(58) Ware Street, Thurnham

ii)  That Yalding and Coxheath be reclassified as larger villages;

iii)  That paragraph 14.10 be revised to reflect the top priority for

  Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) resources being transport;

iv)  That paragraph 1 of SP5 be amended to read “Provided proposals do not harm the character…..”;

v)  That under H1(7) paragraph 13, v. be amended to read “widening Gore Court Road to a suitable width to accommodate contra-flow traffic and a footway on the eastern side of the carriageway between White Horse Lane and the access into the north of Sutton Road site” and this be repeated in each of the site allocation policies for the South East sites, as well as the removal of paragraph 11 from H1(7);

vi)  That H1(17) be amended to include a landscaping and buffer zone to protect the amenity of residents to the South and to retain the character of the lane itself as a country lane; and

vii)  That paragraph 11 of Key Local Issues (top of Page 9 of the Local Plan) be amended to read:-

“Ensuring that applications for development adequately address:-

(a) the impact of climate change;

(b) the issues of flooding and water supply; and

(c) ensure dependable infrastructure is included for the removal

  of sewage and waste water”

b)  That further transport modelling will be undertaken in the near future be noted;

c)  That the designation of land at Junction 8 of the M20 motorway as a strategic location for employment use be rejected;

d)  That a further call for housing sites and sites for Gypsy and Traveller pitches, as part of the public consultation on the Maidstone Borough Local Plan, a review of the currently rejected housing sites and further consideration of additional housing in the town centre, be agreed;

e)  That the recommendations set out in the Urgent Update circulated at the meeting be agreed; and

f)  That the responses to the SCRAIP (attached as Appendix A) be agreed.

DECISION MADE:

a)  That the draft Maidstone Borough Local Plan, as attached at Appendix A to the report of the Head of Planning and Development, be approved for public consultation (Regulation 18) subject to:-

i)  The deletion of the following housing sites:-

   H1(18) Cross Keys, Bearsted
    H1(19) Fant Farm, Maidstone
    H1(51) Cripple Street, Loose
    H1(58) Ware Street, Thurnham

ii)  That Yalding and Coxheath be reclassified as larger villages;

iii)  That paragraph 14.10 be revised to reflect the top priority for

  Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) resources being transport;

iv)  That paragraph 1 of SP5 be amended to read “Provided proposals do not harm the character…..”;

v)  That under H1(7) paragraph 13, v. be amended to read “widening Gore Court Road to a suitable width to accommodate contra-flow traffic and a footway on the eastern side of the carriageway between White Horse Lane and the access into the north of Sutton Road site” and this be repeated in each of the site allocation policies for the South East sites, as well as the removal of paragraph 11 from H1(7);

vi)  That H1(17) be amended to include a landscaping and buffer zone to protect the amenity of residents to the South and to retain the character of the lane itself as a country lane; and

vii)  That paragraph 11 of Key Local Issues (top of Page 9 of the Local Plan) be amended to read:-

“Ensuring that applications for development adequately address:-

(a) the impact of climate change;

(b) the issues of flooding and water supply; and

(c) ensure dependable infrastructure is included for the removal

  of sewage and waste water”

b)  That further transport modelling will be undertaken in the near future be noted;

c)  That the designation of land at Junction 8 of the M20 motorway as a strategic location for employment use be rejected;

d)  That a further call for housing sites and sites for Gypsy and Traveller pitches, as part of the public consultation on the Maidstone Borough Local Plan, a review of the currently rejected housing sites and further consideration of additional housing in the town centre be agreed;

e)  That the recommendations set out in the Urgent Update circulated at the meeting be agreed; and

f)  That the responses to the SCRAIP (attached as Appendix A) be agreed.

For further information regarding this Decision, please click here:-
http://services.maidstone.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=799

That the draft Infrastructure Delivery Plan, as attached at Appendix A to the report of the Head of Planning and Development, be approved for public consultation alongside the Maidstone Borough Local Plan.

DECISION MADE:

That the draft Infrastructure Delivery Plan, as attached at Appendix A to the report of the Head of Planning and Development, be approved for public consultation alongside the Maidstone Borough Local Plan.

For further information regarding this Decision, please click here:-
http://services.maidstone.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=806

That the Maidstone Community Infrastructure Levy Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule, as attached at Appendix A to the report of the Head of Planning and Development, be approved for consultation alongside the Maidstone Borough Local Plan. The consultation will run from 21 March 2014 until 5pm on 7 May 2014.

DECISION MADE:

That the Maidstone Community Infrastructure Levy Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule, as attached at Appendix A to the report of the Head of Planning and Development, be approved for consultation alongside the Maidstone Borough Local Plan. The consultation will run from 21 March 2014 until 5pm on 7 May 2014.

For further information regarding this Decision, please click here:-
http://services.maidstone.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=807

a)  That delegated authority be given to the Director of Environment and Shared Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, to agree and implement a scheme for the award of retail relief in line with the guidance provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government (as set out at Appendix A to the report of the Director of Environment and Shared Services); and

b)  That the scheme is to operate in 2014-15 and 2015-16 only, with no provision for awards to be backdated after 31^st March 2016.

DECISION MADE:

a)  That delegated authority be given to the Director of Environment and Shared Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, to agree and implement a scheme for the award of retail relief in line with the guidance provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government (as set out at Appendix A to the report of the Director of Environment and Shared Services); and

b)  That the scheme is to operate in 2014-15 and 2015-16 only, with no provision for awards to be backdated after 31^st March 2016.

For further information regarding this Decision, please click here:-
http://services.maidstone.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=798

a)  That participation in each of the schemes set out in the urgent report of the Head of Finance & Resources be approved, in line with the criteria set by government; and

b)  Cabinet delegate authority to set up the administration for each scheme and set the local criteria for each scheme to the Director of Regeneration and Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services.

DECISION MADE:

a)  That participation in each of the schemes set out in the urgent report of the Head of Finance & Resources be approved, in line with the criteria set by government; and

b)  Cabinet delegate authority to set up the administration for each scheme and set the local criteria for each scheme to the Director of Regeneration and Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services.

For further information regarding this Decision, please click here:-
http://services.maidstone.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=809

6.35 p.m. to 10.40 p.m.