Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor M Davis declared an Other Significant Interest in the agenda item relating to the Local Plan on the grounds of his status as a partner of Warner’s Solicitors.  In accordance with the dispensation granted at Minute GP 16/19 (General Purposes Committee of 20 October 2016) he remained in the meeting and addressed the Advisory Board but took no further part in the discussion.

Councillor M Balfour declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the agenda item relating to the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013 – 2030 on the grounds that a family member had an interest in one of the consultation sites.  He withdrew from the meeting for this item and took no part in the discussion. Councillor Balfour also advised that he was the Vice-Chairman of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Joint Advisory Committee and was a member of the Management Board of the High Weald AONB Joint Advisory Committee.

For reasons of transparency Councillor H Rogers indicated that a site in Hadlow, for which he was the local ward member, was part of the Kent Minerals Consultation and he was also a member of the Kent Downs Joint Advisory Committee.   As neither of these represented a Disclosable Pecuniary or Other Significant Interest Councillor Rogers was not required to leave the meeting and participated in the discussion.  

To confirm as a correct record the Notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 13 November 2018

RESOLVED:  That the notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 13 November 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

This report briefly provides an update on the review of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and High Weald AONB Management Plans and recommends the adoption of the High Weald AONB Management Plan.

The report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health provided an update on the review of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the High Weald AONB Management Plans.  In addition, the adoption of the High Weald AONB Management Plan was recommended.

RECOMMENDED:  That     

(1)             the High Weald AONB Management Plan 2019-2024 be adopted as a material planning consideration by 31 March 2019; and

(2)             the Kent Downs AONB Management Plan 2014-2019 should be retained as a material consideration in its current form unless, and until, a revised and amended Plan has been agreed and adopted by all Local Authorities.

*Referred to Cabinet

This report briefs Members on the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013 – 2020 and the Draft Minerals Site Plan consultations and recommends an officer-level response for endorsement.

Decision Notice 190028MEM

The report provided details of the Kent County Council review of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013 – 2030 and the Draft Minerals Site Plan and recommended an officer level response to the consultation being carried out under Regulation 19.  The deadline for response was Friday 8 March 2019.

Members were advised of the importance of responding to the consultation as both Plans would form part of the Tonbridge and Malling Development Plan.  This meant that the policies and site allocations proposed by Kent County Council might have implications for the Borough Council’s planning functions and future decision making. 

There were two sites proposed of relevance to Tonbridge and Malling and these were an extension to the Stonecastle Farm quarry at Hadlow and a new quarry at Moat Farm, Five Oak Green. 

Significant concerns were raised regarding the protection and restoration of land once quarrying had ceased and preference was expressed for the site at Stonecastle Farm, Hadlow to be returned to agricultural use.  In addition, concern was expressed at the impact of the quarry extension on the green belt; residential amenity and heritage assets; flooding and transport issues and the cumulative effect of both sites (Stonecastle Farm, Hadlow and Moat Farm, Five Oak Green) on the area.

Finally, reference was made to the proposed access on to the main A228 highway from Stonecastle Farm and strong concerns were raised regarding any proposed alternative access on to Hartlake Road given the rural nature of the local highway network.

Many of these concerns had also been raised by the Member of Parliament for Tonbridge (Tom Tugendhat) in correspondence viewed and shared by the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)             subject to the concerns raised by Members and summarised above, the proposed responses set out at paragraphs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 of the report form the basis of the Borough Council’s formal response to the Kent County Council Regulation 19 consultation; and

(2)             the proposed response be finalised in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure and submitted by the consultation deadline of Friday 8 March 2019.

[In accordance with Council and Committee Procedure Rule 8.6 of the Constitution Councillor M Taylor asked that his vote against the recommendation to submit a formal response in the terms set out be recorded.]

This report provides an overview of a Department for Transport (DfT) consultation, relating to the introduction of smart ticketing on the rail network in the wider South East, with specific reference to the South Eastern route and stations in the borough. 

Decision Notice 190029MEM

The report provided an overview of a Department for Transport (DfT) consultation related to the introduction of smart ticketing on the rail network in the wider South East.  There was specific reference to the South Eastern route and stations in the Borough.

Members welcomed the introduction of smart ticketing and asked that any potential impacts on super saver and off peak tickets be considered as part of the consultation.

RECOMMENDED:  That

(1)             the content of the report be noted; and

(2)             the issues raised in response to the Pay-as-you-go rail consultation, set out in the report and summarised in paragraphs 1.3.1 – 1.3.4, be agreed and submitted to the Department for Transport by 1 May 2019.

This report updates Members in respect of the Local Plan submission to the Secretary of State in January and preparing for the Examination.

Decision Notice 190030MEM

The Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health provided an update in respect of the Local Plan submission to the Secretary of State in January and advised of preparations for the Examination.

It was reported that the Planning Inspectorate had confirmed receipt of the submission and advised of the appointment of two Planning Inspectors, who would consider all of the submitted documents before liaising with the Local Planning Authority (LPA) in preparation for the Local Plan Examination.   It was expected that this would take place later this year based on current practice.

Members were advised that continuous dialogue between the LPA and the Inspectors was extremely important and considered best practice.   It was noted that the Inspectors might take the opportunity to ask questions of the LPA in advance of setting out the matters that would be considered at the Examination.  This had been evidenced in a recent letter received from the Inspector and published to the website.  To avoid confusion, it was explained that this was to clarify some points regarding the submission and did not mean that the submission was unacceptable.  This was part of the usual activity during the examination phase of plan making. 

Good progress had been made on redacting personal information from the responses made during the Regulation 19 public consultation and the first tranche had been published to the website.  It was hoped that the remaining responses would be available on the website by the end of March 2019. 

All information related to the Local Plan Examination would be published to the Borough Council’s website as it became available.  The Examination documents, including the Inspectors letter, could be found on:  www.tmbc.gov.uk/lpexamdocs; whilst the Regulation 19 representations were available on www.tmbc.gov.uk/reg19reps 

Finally, the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health indicated that Members would be notified when anything significant was published to the Local Plan webpages so that the correct context could be provided. 

RECOMMENDED:  That

(1)             the content of the report be noted; and

(2)            the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, in consultation with the Leader, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure, be given delegated authority to liaise with the Local Plan Inspectors and undertake any activity necessary to comply with their requirements and requests. 

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.