Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of Area 1 Planning Committee held on Thursday 5th December 2013

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Area 1 Planning Committee held on 5 December 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to noting the apologies of Councillor Baldock submitted at that meeting.

Introduction and Glossary

Decisions were taken on the following applications subject to the pre-requisites, informatives, conditions or reasons for refusal set out in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health or in the variations indicated below.  Any supplementary reports were tabled at the meeting.

Members of the public addressed the meeting where the required notice had been given and their comments were taken into account by the Committee when determining the application.  Speakers are listed under the relevant planning application shown below. 

Construction of twelve houses, being an amended scheme to that previously approved under planning permission reference TM/06/00140/FL and including the addition of single storey additions to six of the houses, other elevational changes, and the creation of individual gardens at Oakhurst Park Gardens, Hildenborough.

RESOLVED:    That the application be

APPROVED in accordance with the submitted details, conditions, reasons and informatives set out in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health. 

Members commented that retrospective applications should not be considered a legitimate approach in planning development.

[Speakers:  Hildenborough Parish Council (Mr M Dobson); Mr M Ingle and Mr Murray – members of the public and Mr Webster – agent]

Construction of a floodlit synthetic turf pitch, including fencing, on school playing fields at Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls, Deakin Leas, Tonbridge.

RESOLVED:  That the application be

REFUSED for the following reason:

(1)    The proposed use of the hockey pitch, when taken cumulatively with the existing range of uses that already take place at the school, would further intensify the overall levels of activity within and around the site and increase the comings and goings to and from the site, which is served only by a single vehicular access and surrounded by residential properties. This intensification in activity within and around the site would cause an unacceptable level of disturbance to the surrounding residents at times when they could reasonably expect a certain level of peace and quiet. Furthermore, the proposed level of illumination, by virtue of the siting of the floodlights and their proximity to the nearby dwellings would be intrusive and harmful to the enjoyment of those properties. For these reasons, it is considered that the proposal would cause an unacceptable level of harm to the residential amenities of the surrounding residential properties and is therefore contrary to policies CP1 and CP24 of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Core Strategy 2007 and policy SQ1 of the Tonbridge and Malling Managing Development and the Environment DPD 2010.

[Speakers:  Mr P Ingrams, Mr I Terry, Mr N Hebditch and Mr A Linnington – members of the public and Ms R Joyce – applicant]

Demolition of existing workshop building and garages and erection of two, two-storey three bed houses at Dry Hill Farm,  Shipbourne Road, Tonbridge.

RESOLVED:  That the application be

DEFERRED for a Members’ Site Inspection

[Speakers:  Mr R Digby – member of the public and Mr D McDermott – agent]

Side and rear extension with loft conversion and rear dormer at 20 Greentrees Avenue, Tonbridge.

RESOLVED:   That the application be approved in accordance with the submitted details, conditions, reasons and informatives set out in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health.

[Speakers:  Mr P Parkinson  – member of the public and Mrs Greener – applicant]

Retrospective application for a garage and playroom at 1 Barchester Way, Tonbridge.

RESOLVED: That the application be

REFUSED for the following reason:

(1)    The proposed development, by virtue of its overall height, the design of the roof and specific siting, would appear as an incongruous feature and would be harmful to the visual amenity and appearance and character of the area.  The proposal is therefore contrary to policies CP1 and CP24 of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Core Strategy 2007, policy SQ1 of the Tonbridge and Malling Managing Development and the Environment DPD 2010 and paragraphs 17, 56, 57, 60 and 64 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2012).

[Speakers:Mrs C Bowden and Dr J Boyce  - members of the public and Mr King – applicant]

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

There were no items considered in private.