Issue - meetings

This report briefs Members on the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013 – 2020 and the Draft Minerals Site Plan consultations and recommends an officer-level response for endorsement.

(Report of Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health)

The report provided details of the Kent County Council review of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013 – 2030 and the Draft Minerals Site Plan and recommended an officer level response to the consultation being carried out under Regulation 19.  The deadline for response was Friday 8 March 2019.

Significant concerns were raised regarding the protection and restoration of land once quarrying had ceased and a preference was expressed for the site at Stonecastle Farm, Hadlow to be returned to agricultural use.  In addition, concern was expressed at the impact of the quarry extension on the green belt; residential amenity and heritage assets; flooding and transport issues and the cumulative effect of both sites (Stonecastle Farm, Hadlow and Moat Farm, Five Oak Green) on the area.

Finally, reference was made to the proposed access on to the main A228 highway from Stonecastle Farm and strong concerns were raised regarding any proposed alternative access on to Hartlake Road given the rural nature of the local highway network. 

Following consideration by the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board, the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure resolved that:

(1)             subject to the concerns raised by Members and summarised above, the proposed responses set out at paragraphs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 of the report form the basis of the Borough Council’s formal response to the Kent County Council Regulation 19 consultation;  and

(2)             the proposed response be finalised in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure and submitted by the consultation deadline of Friday 8 March 2019.

Decision Notice 190028MEM

The report provided details of the Kent County Council review of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013 – 2030 and the Draft Minerals Site Plan and recommended an officer level response to the consultation being carried out under Regulation 19.  The deadline for response was Friday 8 March 2019.

Members were advised of the importance of responding to the consultation as both Plans would form part of the Tonbridge and Malling Development Plan.  This meant that the policies and site allocations proposed by Kent County Council might have implications for the Borough Council’s planning functions and future decision making. 

There were two sites proposed of relevance to Tonbridge and Malling and these were an extension to the Stonecastle Farm quarry at Hadlow and a new quarry at Moat Farm, Five Oak Green. 

Significant concerns were raised regarding the protection and restoration of land once quarrying had ceased and preference was expressed for the site at Stonecastle Farm, Hadlow to be returned to agricultural use.  In addition, concern was expressed at the impact of the quarry extension on the green belt; residential amenity and heritage assets; flooding and transport issues and the cumulative effect of both sites (Stonecastle Farm, Hadlow and Moat Farm, Five Oak Green) on the area.

Finally, reference was made to the proposed access on to the main A228 highway from Stonecastle Farm and strong concerns were raised regarding any proposed alternative access on to Hartlake Road given the rural nature of the local highway network.

Many of these concerns had also been raised by the Member of Parliament for Tonbridge (Tom Tugendhat) in correspondence viewed and shared by the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)             subject to the concerns raised by Members and summarised above, the proposed responses set out at paragraphs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 of the report form the basis of the Borough Council’s formal response to the Kent County Council Regulation 19 consultation; and

(2)             the proposed response be finalised in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure and submitted by the consultation deadline of Friday 8 March 2019.

[In accordance with Council and Committee Procedure Rule 8.6 of the Constitution Councillor M Taylor asked that his vote against the recommendation to submit a formal response in the terms set out be recorded.]