Agenda and minutes

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

However, Councillors Balfour and Mrs Murray advised that they were Governors at Grange Park School which was adjacent to and shared the same site as Wrotham School.  Legal Services had advised that as this did not appear to represent either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Other Significant Interest they could participate in and vote on the discussion.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of Area 2 Planning Committee held on 21 January 2015

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Area 2 Planning Committee held on 21 January 2015 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. 

Two no. single storey class room extensions and first floor extension to the reception plus new roof over external courtyard to form a multi-functional space. Re-cladding of exterior of main building with timber boarding at Wrotham Secondary School, Borough Green Road, Wrotham. 

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; subject to

(1)  Addition of condition:

5. The extensions hereby approved shall not be occupied until a Travel Plan has   been implemented in accordance with details that have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason:  To ensure the safe and free flow of traffic.

(2)  Amended informative:

1.   An operational in/out drop off facility at the entrance to the site would improve the existing highway conditions at arrival/collection times.  Future applications to increase student capacity at the site are unlikely to be viewed favourably should such measures not be put in place.

(3)    Addition of informative:

6. The applicant is advised that the Travel Plan will be expected to ameliorate the significant congestion caused by the school that impacts on the A227 and there should be regular reviews thereafter.

Details of landscaping and boundary treatment submitted pursuant to condition 5 of planning permission TM/14/01713/FL (Proposed reconstruction of building following storm damage and retaining residential dwelling on site) at Titheward Yard, Three Elm Lane, Golden Green.

RESOLVED:  That the application be REFUSED for the following reason:

(1)         The boundary wall, entrance gates and brick piers by virtue of their overall scale and height combined with their unsympathetic design and materials used, and also because of their inherently suburban character, are detrimental to the appearance, character and amenities of the rural locality. As such, the development is contrary to policy CP24 of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Core Strategy and policy SQ1 of the Managing Development and the Environment DPD 2010; and

(2)         Enforcement action to be held in abeyance pending negotiations on whether it is possible to resolve the harmful impact of the height and non-rural appearance.

[Speakers:   Mrs Parsons - applicant ]

The unauthorised erection of a timber sectional building used as a one bedroom annex, following the refusal of planning permission under reference TM/14/04076/FL, which was considered on a retrospective basis was reported.

RESOLVED:  That Enforcement action be held in abeyance pending negotiations on whether it is possible to resolve the harmful impact of the siting and the nature of the use of the timber sectional annex building.

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.