Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor M Davis declared an Other Significant Interest in items on the agenda on the grounds of his status as a partner of Wards Solicitors.  In accordance with the dispensation granted at Minute GP 16/19 (meeting of 20 October 2016), he remained in the meeting and addressed the Advisory Board but took no further part in the discussion or voting.

In the interests of transparency Councillor M Balfour indicated that he was the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport at Kent County Council.

To confirm as a correct record the Notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 26 July 2016

RESOLVED:  That the notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 26 July 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Decision Notice D160089MEM

The report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health sought endorsement of officer level comments returned to Kent County Council (KCC) in respect of the recent consultation on the fourth Local Transport Plan which closed on 30 October.  An update was also provided on other relevant transportation items.

Reference was made to the nine strategic priorities within the Plan together with the additional district priorities for Tonbridge and Malling which had been highlighted in the Growth and Infrastructure Framework.  Attention was drawn to a number of further priorities which reflected early responses received in relation to the emerging Local Plan.  During discussion it was requested that a letter be sent to KCC reinforcing the Borough Council’s priorities and emphasising the need for air quality issues to be afforded greater priority in the Plan, for liaison between authorities on improvements to the A20 corridor, and advancement of the Tonbridge High Street traffic signal co-ordination project.

RECOMMENDED:  That:

The comments in the questionnaire that are supportive of Local Transport Plan 4 and the identified priorities for Tonbridge and Malling, as set out at Annex 1 to the report, be endorsed and a further letter be sent to Kent County Council on the matters outlined above.

The report provided an update on the Government’s recent decision to support a third runway at Heathrow together with an outline of the process that would now follow.  Members were advised that the Government would bring forward a National Policy Statement (NPS) for consultation and, following its adoption, a Development Consent Order (DCO) could be made by the promoter of the scheme for Heathrow.  It would be important to monitor the content of the NPS as some commentators considered that there might be scope for other airports including Gatwick to promote a DCO.

Further to Decision No D160061CAB, the report gave an update on the current Local Plan consultation exercise which began on 30 September and was due to close on 25 November 2016.  It was noted that the public exhibitions had been well attended and to date around 300 responses had been received in various formats.

Reference was made to the emergence of a number of co-ordinated responses to some specific issues including extension of the Green Belt designation further eastwards than suggested in the Way Forward and objections to the proposed development strategy in respect of Lower Haysden in Tonbridge, north of Borough Green and in the vicinity of Hermitage Lane, Aylesford.  It was reported that a petition had recently been received from the New Allington Action Group calling for no more development in the Hermitage Lane corridor and would be dealt with in accordance with the Council's Petitions Scheme.

Members were advised that on closure of the consultation all responses would be carefully considered and form part of a report back to the Advisory Board.

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 matters considered in private.