Agenda and minutes

Members are reminded of their obligation under the Council’s Code of Conduct to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Other Significant Interests in any matter(s) to be considered or being considered at the meeting. These are explained in the Code of Conduct on the Council’s website at Code of conduct for members – Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (tmbc.gov.uk).

Members in any doubt about such declarations are advised to contact Legal or Democratic Services in advance of the meeting.

For reasons of transparency, and on the advice of the Monitoring Officer, Councillors M Coffin and R Betts declared an Other Significant Interest on the grounds of being close friends of the landowner and Councillors W Palmer (Chair) and M Taylor declared a potential pre-determination and bias regarding application TM/23/00681/OAEA (Land part of Wrotham Water Farm off London Road, Wrotham, Sevenoaks).  After hearing the views of the members of the public they addressed the Committee before withdrawing from the meeting and took no part in the debate or vote.  The Vice-Chair, Councillor C Brown, chaired the meeting for this item.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of Area 2 Planning Committee held on 6 December 2023

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Area 2 Planning Committee held on 6 December 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Glossary of abbreviations used in reports to the Area Planning Committee (attached for information)

Any supplementary matters will be circulated via report in advance of the meeting and published to the website.

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. 

Erection of a detached garge

Erection of a detached garage

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

[Speaker: Ms Jessica Hampson (on behalf of the applicant) addressed the Committee in person]

Outline Application (all matters reserved except access): Construction of a secure 24 hour truck stop facility for up to 200 HGVs incorporating fuel station; amenity building of up to 1100 sqm; creation of a new access to A20 via roundabout; landscaping and other associated works – Application supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment

Outline Application (all matters reserved except access): Construction of a secure 24 hour truck stop facility for up to 200 HGVs incorporating fuel station; amenity building of up to 1100 sqm; creation of a new access to A20 via roundabout; landscaping and other associated works – Application supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment

It was proposed by Cllr Roud, seconded by Cllr Banks that the application be approved on the grounds that very special circumstances could be demonstrated to outweigh the harm the proposed development would cause to the Green Belt and the landscape setting of the Kent Downs National Landscape Area on the basis of (1) the national need for lorry parking facilities on/near the Strategic Road Network in accordance with the recommendations from Department for Transport Circular 01/2022 that the maximum distance between motorway facilities providing HGV parking should be no more than 14 miles and the proposed development being situated in a location to meet the requirement; and (2) precedents of truck stops developed elsewhere in Green Belt and AONB.  This motion was defeated.

RESOLVED:  That outline planning permission be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1.         The proposal would constitute inappropriate development, harmful by definition, with a widespread and significant adverse loss of spatial and visual openness. It would further conflict with the purposes of including land within the Green Belt, by encroaching into the countryside, and no very special circumstances have been demonstrated to clearly outweigh this harm, in conflict with policy CP3 of the Tonbridge and Malling Core Strategy and paragraphs 142, 143, 152, 153, 154 and 155 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.         The development would harmfully erode the rural character and appearance of the area, and cause significant harm to the landscape setting of the Kent Downs National Landscape Area through the introduction of substantial areas of built form, hardstanding and artificial lighting, in conflict with policy CP7 and CP24 of the Tonbridge and Malling Core Strategy, policy SQ1 of the Managing Development and the Environment Development Plan Document, paragraphs 182 and 135 of the National Planning Policy Framework, and policies SD1, SD2, SD8, and MMP2 of the Kent Downs AONB Management plan.

[Speakers: Ms Jessica Hampson (on behalf of the alliance of Wrotham, Platt, Borough Green, Addington and Stansted Parish Councils), Mr Josh Nelson and Ms Nicola Stonebank (members of the public) and Ms Jess Lockwood (on behalf of the Applicant) addressed the Committee in person]

Demolition of existing garages and construction of 3 x 3 bed 5 person dwellings including car parking, cycle parking, refuse and landscaping (resubmission of 23/00860/FL)

Demolition of existing garages and construction of 3 x 3 bed 5 person dwellings including car parking, cycle parking, refuse and landscaping (resubmission of 23/00860/FL)

There was detailed discussion on the provision of parking spaces within the neighbourhood area and impact on existing residents in the vicinity of the site and concern was raised over the lack of communication in respect of the proposed development with the neighbouring properties.  However, members acknowledged the significant need for affordable housing which was to be provided by this development.

RESOLVED:  That planning permission be GRANTED in accordance with the submitted details, conditions, reasons and informatives set out in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, subject to:

(1)        delegation to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, in consultation with the Chair, to negotiate with the Applicant with a view to bring forward the timeframe for the development to begin from 3 years to an earlier period (within Condition 1); and

(2)        Additional Informative 18:

The Applicant is requested to share details of the Construction Management Plan with neighbouring properties of the site in advance of construction starting.

[Speaker: Mr Dave Stengel (on behalf of the Applicant) addressed the Committee in person]

Demolition of existing garages and construction of 3 x 3 bed 5 person  dwellings including car parking, cycle parking, refuse and landscaping (resubmission of 23/00861/FL)

Demolition of existing garages and construction of 3 x 3 bed 5 person dwellings including car parking, cycle parking, refuse and landscaping (resubmission of 23/00861/FL)

There was detailed discussion on the provision of parking spaces within the neighbourhood area and impact on existing residents in the vicinity of the site and concern was raised over the lack of communication in respect of the proposed development with the neighbouring properties.  However, members acknowledged the significant need for affordable housing which was to be provided by this development.

RESOLVED:  That planning permission be GRANTED in accordance with the submitted details, conditions, reasons and informatives set out in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, subject to:

(1)        delegation to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, in consultation with the Chair, to negotiate with the Applicant with a view to bring forward the timeframe for the development to begin from 3 years to an earlier period (within Condition 1); and

(2)        Additional Informative 18:

The Applicant is requested to share details of the Construction Management Plan with neighbouring properties of the site in advance of construction starting.

[Speaker: Mr Dave Stengel (on behalf of the Applicant) addressed the Committee in person]

Demolition of existing garages and construction of 4 x 3 bed 5 person dwellings including car parking, cycle parking, refuse and landscaping (resubmission of 23/00862/FL)

Demolition of existing garages and construction of 4 x 3 bed 5 person dwellings including car parking, cycle parking, refuse and landscaping (resubmission of 23/00862/FL)

There was detailed discussion on the provision of parking spaces within the neighbourhood area and impact on existing residents in the vicinity of the site and concern was raised over the lack of communication in respect of the proposed development with the neighbouring properties.  However, members acknowledged the significant need for affordable housing which was to be provided by this development.

RESOLVED:  That planning permission be GRANTED in accordance with the submitted details, conditions, reasons and informatives set out in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, subject to:

(1)        delegation to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, in consultation with the Chair, to negotiate with the Applicant with a view to bring forward the timeframe for the development to begin from 3 years to an earlier period (within Condition 1); and

(2)        Additional Informative 16:

The Applicant is requested to share details of the Construction Management Plan with neighbouring properties of the site in advance of construction starting.

[Speaker: Mr Dave Stengel (on behalf of the Applicant) addressed the Committee in person]

Demolition of existing garages and construction of 3 x 2 bed 4 person dwellings including car parking, cycle parking, refuse and landscaping (resubmission of TM/23/00863/FL)

Demolition of existing garages and construction of 3 x 2 bed 4 person dwellings including car parking, cycle parking, refuse and landscaping (resubmission of TM/23/00863/FL)

There was detailed discussion on the provision of parking spaces within the neighbourhood area and impact on existing residents in the vicinity of the site and concern was raised over the lack of communication in respect of the proposed development with the neighbouring properties.  However, members acknowledged the significant need for affordable housing which was to be provided by this development.

RESOLVED:  That planning permission be GRANTED in accordance with the submitted details, conditions, reasons and informatives set out in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, subject to:

(1)        delegation to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, in consultation with the Chair, to negotiate with the Applicant with a view to bring forward the timeframe for the development to begin from 3 years to an earlier period (within Condition 1); and

(2)        Additional Informative 16:

The Applicant is requested to share details of the Construction Management Plan with neighbouring properties of the site in advance of construction starting.

[Speakers: Ms Amy Falconer (member of the public) and Mr Dave Stengel (on behalf of the Applicant) addressed the Committee in person]

To receive and note any update in respect of planning appeals, public inquiries and hearings held since the last meeting of the Planning Committee.

There were no updates in respect of planning appeals, public enquiries and hearings held since the last meeting of the Planning Committee.  The Head of Planning (James Bailey) commented that updates would be reported to future meetings.

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.