Agenda and minutes

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

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of Area 2 Planning Committee held on 27 May 2015

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Area 2 Planning Committee held on 27 May 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Introduction and Glossary

Supplementary Reports of Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health tabled at the meeting

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. 

Change of use of the Vigo Inn Public House to two dwellings with associated residential curtilages and construction of two buildings to create 2 self-catered holiday let units at The Vigo Inn, Gravesend Road, Wrotham. 

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

[Speakers: Mr H Bott – Stansted Parish Council; Mr J Collins – Agent to the Applicant] 

Change of use of land to depot for demolition company with associated demolition of existing industrial buildings and redevelop with new workshop and office buildings.  Installation of vehicle wash facility and associated hard surfacing and parking at Winsor Works, London Road, Addington. 

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the application be REFUSED for the following reason:-

1.    The specific nature, level, type and intensity of activity associated with the proposed use when having due regard to the constrained nature of the site and its close proximity to neighbouring residential properties would cause significant and undue disturbance to the occupants of those properties by virtue of noise generation, traffic movements and more general disturbance, that could not be mitigated through the imposition of planning conditions, to such an extent to cause unacceptable harm to their residential amenities.  As such, the use would be contrary to policy CP24 of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Core Strategy 2007 and policy SQ1 of the Managing Development and the Environment DPD 2010. 

(2)          an Enforcement Notice be served in respect of the current unauthorised use of the site.

[Speakers:  Mr M Cooper, Ms C Katnoria, Mrs M Bailey, Mr D Lovelock, Mr M Bailey and Mr S Lake – members of the public; Mr K Wise – Agent to the Applicant]

Proposed new industrial building, associated works plus highway amendments to the T Junction of the access road and A25 Maidstone Road.  Landscaping details to be reserved at Phase 3, Platt Industrial Estate, Maidstone Road, Platt.

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

[Speakers:  Mr T Bonser – Platt Parish Council; Ms C Hook – member of the public]

Use of land to provide station car parking and new access at Land West of Station Road North, West Malling. 

APPLICATION FORMALLY WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT 

Use of part of ground floor and whole of first floor of existing detached building as a living room, 2 bedrooms, bathroom and utility room as part of 2 Keepers Cottages, Swanton Valley Lane, Platt. 

RESOLVED:  That the application be REFUSED for the following reasons:-

1.            The building is inappropriate development in the Metropolitan Green Belt.  It would include the provision of primary accommodation which is not a purpose which is genuinely incidental and ancillary to the enjoyment of the dwelling house.  Therefore there is no adequate case of very special circumstances to outweigh the harmful inappropriateness by definition.  The proposal is contrary to Policy CP3 of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Core Strategy and paragraphs 17 and 79-89 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012.

2.                  The use of the building would harm Green Belt openness as a result of additional vehicular movements in the area and the tendency to increase the amount of domestic paraphernalia.  The intensity of use of the site would therefore be harmful to the openness and visual amenities of the Green Belt, contrary to Policy CP3 of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Core Strategy and paragraphs 79/89 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012. 

The report advised of the unauthorised erection of a large single storey building, the erection of a shed within the curtilage of the former Court Lodge building which was Grade II Listed and currently undergoing conversion, and the construction of a footpath within the site. 

RESOLVED:  That Enforcement Notices be issued, the detailed wording of which to be agreed with the Director of Central Services, requiring the following:

·           Removal of the unauthorised single storey building and landscape the area in accordance with the approved landscaping plan 01-523-101 N dated 13 March 2015.

·           Removal of the unauthorised footpath and landscape the area in accordance with the approved landscaping plan 01-523-101 N dated 13 March 2015.

·           Removal of the unauthorised shed and landscape the area in accordance with the approved landscaping plan 01-523-101 N dated 13 March 2015. 

The report advised of the unauthorised construction of a two storey building within the grounds of The Warrens, Pilgrims Way, Trottiscliffe.

ITEM WITHDRAWN FROM AGENDA

The joint report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health and the Director of Central Services provided an update on enforcement action taken using emergency powers in connection with the development on land to the rear of 19 – 29 Station Road, Borough Green. 

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.

The Chairman moved, it was seconded and

RESOLVED:  That as public discussion would disclose exempt information, the following matters be considered in private.

(LGA 1972 Sch 12A Paragraph 5 – Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings)

(Reason:  LGA 1972 Sch 12A Paragraph 5 – Legal Advice)

The report of the Director of Central Services set out the potential risk in the event of a non-determination of the application.