Agenda and minutes

Councillor Mrs Anderson declared an Other Significant Interest in application number TM/14/01114/FL (Faulkners Farm, Ashes Lane, Hadlow) on the grounds that her employers were advising and representing objectors to the development.  She withdrew from the meeting during the discussion of this item after making a brief personal statement.

Councillor C Smith advised the Committee of his role as Deputy Cabinet Member for Social Health at Kent County Council.  As this did not represent either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or an Other Significant Interest he remained in the meeting.

Immediately prior to consideration of Application TM/14/01572/FL Councillor Baldock advised that he was well-known to one of the objectors to the application and he withdrew from the meeting. 

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of Area 1 Planning Committee held on 15 May 2014

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Area 1 Planning Committee held on 15 May 2014 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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. 

Demolition of two existing College buildings and construction of one additional temporary building to be used in connection with the Free School; enlargement of existing car park; variation of condition 1 of planning permission TM/13/01705/FL to allow temporary Free School to continue until 30.09.2015; plus variations of conditions 3 and 5 of planning permission TM/07/00482/FL to revise the approved parking layout and landscaping scheme respectively in connection with the adjoining animal management unit at Faulkners Farm, Ashes Lane, Hadlow.

RESOLVED:  That the application be

APPROVED in accordance with the submitted details set out in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health subject to removal of condition 7, the amendment of the current condition 8, the re-numbering of conditions 8 to 11 as conditions 7 to 10, the addition of a new condition 11 and the amendment of Informative 1 as follows:-

7.  The use of the site for the second year's intake of pupils in connection with the Hadlow Community Free School shall not be commenced and the new classroom building identified on plan number DHA/1025/03 shall not be occupied, until a Travel Plan covering both staff and pupils has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.  The Travel Plan shall include appropriate measures to ensure pupils do not use the bus stops closest to the Ashes Lane junction.  Thereafter, the Travel Plan shall be implemented and monitored to ensure strict compliance with the approved scheme.

Reason: In the interests of highway, pupil safety and residential amenity.

8.  The use of the site for the second year's intake of pupils in connection with the Hadlow Community Free School shall not be commenced and the new classroom building identified on plan number DHA/1025/03 shall not be occupied, until a scheme for the management of both private cars and school buses using the bus/car drop off and circulation areas as identified on plan number DHA/10125/03 hereby approved has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The scheme shall include measures to ensure the ongoing enforcement of the management of these areas by the school.  The use of these areas shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the approved scheme at all times thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety and residential amenity.

11.  Within one month of the date of this permission, full details for the resurfacing of the parking areas and associated hard standings in connection with the Hadlow Community Free School shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval, along with a timetable for implementation of the work.  All work shall be carried out in strict accordance with those details.

Reason:  In the interests of residential amenity.

Informative:

1.  The applicant is strongly encouraged to liaise with local residents on an ongoing basis regarding on-site school activities should the need arise; particularly in the development of the Travel Plan and management of vehicle drop off/pick up areas pursuant to Conditions 7, 8 and  ...  view the full minutes text for item AP1 14/25

New build two storey Sixth Form Centre and associated landscaping on the existing disused outdoor swimming pool site.  Demolition of existing changing room block and creation of additional car parking spaces at Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls, Deakin Leas, Tonbridge. 

RESOLVED:  That the application be

APPROVED in accordance with the submitted details set out in the main and supplementary report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health subject to the amendment of condition 9 and Informative 2 and the addition of Informative 3 as follows:-

9.  No external lighting shall be erected on the building hereby approved or within the car parking areas hereby approved unless details of the external lighting, including details of the position, height, size, design, direction, power output and associated means of containing light spillage from the site along with hours of operation have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority, and the work shall be carried out in strict accordance with those details.

Reason: In the interests of the character and amenity of the locality.

Informatives:

2.  With regard to the construction phase of the development, the applicant is asked to take all reasonable steps to mitigate any impact upon surrounding residents.  With this in mind, they are strongly encouraged to apply for a Section 61 Control of Pollution Act 1974 'prior consent' notice to regulate working hours/methods.  It is recommended that you contact the Environmental Health Pollution Control Team on pollution.control@tmbc.gov.uk in advance of the commencement of works to discuss this further.  The applicant is also strongly encouraged to not undertake construction works outside the hours of 08.00 -18:00 Mondays to Fridays, with no work on weekends and Public Holidays.  Should weekend working be unavoidable, the applicant is asked to liaise in advance with the local neighbours in Deakin Leas and Taylors Close to ensure minimal disturbance to these residents.  Furthermore, arrangements for the management of demolition and construction traffic to and from the site should be carefully considered in the interests of residential amenities and highway safety.  With regard to works within the limits of the highway and construction practices to prevent issues such as the deposit of mud on the highway, the applicant is encouraged to consult The Community Delivery Manager, Kent County Council, Kent Highway Services, Double Day House, St Michaels Close, Aylesford  Tel: 03000 418181 at an early time.

3.  The applicant is asked to consider liaising with the residents in Taylors Close in respect of the landscaping of the grounds surrounding the new Sixth Form block but in the knowledge that any changes that arise from such liaison may involve the need to formally amend the approved scheme.  Further advice should therefore be sought from the Local Planning Authority should such an occasion arise.

[Speakers: Ms S Leach, Mr P Ingrams, Mrs C Ghali, Mr N Hebditch and Mr I Terry – members of the public; Mrs R Joyce – Head Teacher]

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No 8.5 Councillors  ...  view the full minutes text for item AP1 14/26

Retrospective application for detached garage with playroom over (resubmission of TM/13/03868/FL) 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: Mr P Bowden, Mr I Cooper and Mrs C Bowden – members of the public; Mr Newton – Agent]

Demolition of existing buildings.  Erection of a 63 bedroom care home (use Class C2), with associated access, parking and landscaping (resubmission) at 31-36 Quarry Hill Road, Tonbridge.

RESOLVED:  That the application be

REFUSED for the following reason:-

1.  The proposed building by virtue of its scale, bulk, massing, detailed design and external appearance would be out of keeping with the adjacent properties and the surroundings generally and would therefore be detrimental to the prevailing scale and resultant character of Quarry Hill Road which will detract from the character of this part of the Conservation Area and associated views within it.  As a result, the proposal is contrary to Policy CP24 of the Tonbridge and Malling Core Strategy 2007 and policy SQ1 of Managing Development and Environment DPD 2010 and would lead to the unjustified harm to heritage assets contrary to paragraphs 131 and 132 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012.

[Speakers: Dr S Wilson, Mrs A Young, Miss S Russell, Ms R Aust, Mr M Carlow and Ms J Lewis – members of the public; Mr J Rainey – Agent]

Alleged Unauthorised Development at Garages rear of 37 Cedar Crescent, Tonbridge.

RESOLVED:  That an Enforcement Notice BE ISSUED, the detailed the wording of which to be agreed with the Director of Central Services, requiring the cessation of the use of the garage for the storage of equipment, tools and heaters.

The Chairman advised the Committee that this meeting was the last one that the Development Control Manager (Mr Neil Hewett) would attend before his retirement.  Members thanked Mr Hewett for his valuable contribution to Planning Services and the Borough Council and wished him well for the future.

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.