Agenda and minutes

(1)       The Head of Planning Applications Group reported that in respect of Minute 83, the Secretary of State had decided that the County Planning Authority could determine the Lullingstone Country Park application as it deemed fit.

(2)       In respect of Minute 86, the Head of Planning Applications Group reported that the applicants had agreed to provide further details to the Environment Agency in respect of the flood risk mitigation measures required to overcome their objection to the Queensborough Children’s Centre application.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 November 2008 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

(1)       Mrs C Innes from Offham Parish Council, Mr D Stretton and Mr M Balfour addressed the Committee in opposition to the application.  Mr D Humpheson (RPS) and Ms J Kwambe (Infinis) spoke in reply as the applicants.

(2)       During discussion of this application, Members asked for further details on acoustics and lighting.

(3)       Mr J I Muckle moved, seconded by Mr T A Maddison that consideration of this matter be deferred pending a Members’ site visit.

                                                Carried Unanimously

(4)   RESOLVED that consideration of this matter be deferred pending a Members’ site visit and further information on acoustics and lighting.

(1)       A revised plan of the site was tabled to replace the version in the report which had become distorted during the printing process.

(2)       The Head of Planning Applications Group reported correspondence from Aylesham Parish Council expressing concerns about certain aspects of the application.  The Committee agreed that these concerns should be addressed when preparing the detailed conditions.

(3)       RESOLVED that permission be granted to the application subject to conditions including conditions covering annual waste throughput; vehicle number restrictions; hours of operation restrictions; notification of intention to work the extended working day hours; and submission of a management plan to demonstrate mitigation measures.

The Head of Planning Applications Group informed the Committee that this application had been withdrawn.

RESOLVED that permission be granted to the proposal subject to conditions, including conditions covering the standard time limit; the development being carried out in accordance with the permitted details; the school car parking area being made available for the users of the Multi Use Games Area after school hours; tree and hedge protection during the installation; and the development being carried out in accordance with the permitted details.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)   permission be granted to the proposal subject  to conditions, including conditions covering the standard time limit; hours of use for the floodlighting of the multi-use games area being restricted to between 1600 and 2230 hours with no use on Bank Holidays;  hours of use for the floodlighting of the artificial turf pitch being restricted to between 1600 and 2200 hours Mondays  to Saturdays, between 1600 and 1800 hours on Sundays with no use on Bank Holidays; details of the revised landscaping scheme being submitted for the written approval of the County Planning Authority within a month of the date of the permission;  car parking only being accessed from Kingsmead and being kept available for use after school hours;  the development being carried out in accordance with the lighting and other detail specified in the application and not varied without prior written approval of the County Planning Authority; and

(b)    the applicants be reminded by Informative of the existing limits on noise levels.

(1)       Mr A R Poole and Mrs S V Hohler made declarations of Personal Interest as they had expressed a view on the proposal at a previous stage.  They took no part in the decision-making.  In addition, Mrs V J Dagger made a declaration of Personal Interest for the same reason. She addressed the Committee in her capacity as local Member and took no part in the decision-making process.

(2)       Correspondence from Sport England withdrawing its objections was tabled.

(3)       Mr H Rayner from Wrotham Parish Council addressed the Committee in support of the proposal whilst drawing attention to some of the Parish Council’s traffic concerns. Mr M Balfour, Chairman of Governors of Grange Park School spoke in reply.

(4)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)       the proposal be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government as a departure from the Development Plan, and subject to her decision, permission be granted to the proposal subject to conditions, including conditions covering the standard time limit; the development being carried out in accordance with the permitted details; external materials in accordance with the submitted scheme; implementation of appropriate tree protection measures; implementation and subsequent maintenance of landscaping and planting proposals; details of fencing and paving materials; noise levels in teaching rooms not exceeding 35dB L_Aeq,T, in accordance with Building Bulletin 93; external lighting specifications being agreed; any necessary conditions relating to archaeology; submission for approval of drainage details, including a drainage strategy to ensure that the development does not increase flood risk elsewhere; prevention of potential land contamination; mitigation measures relating to nesting birds and the protection of the Great Crested Newts, including protection of the pond on the site, and proposals for ecological enhancements; provision of access, circulation and parking facilities before the building is first occupied or brought into use, and the surfacing and marking out of the area of hard standing used by Wrotham School; maintenance of visibility splays; on site facilities for the parking and turning of all contractors’ and suppliers’ vehicles, with no deliveries being made from the public highway; the use of the vehicle access from the public highway for construction access and deliveries not being used during the school AM drop off and PM collection times unless work is programmed outside of the school term; the public highway being kept clean of mud and debris occasioned by the works, including provision of on site wheel washing facilities; the protection of all pedestrian movements within the site during construction being maintained at all times; submission for approval of a School Travel Plan, and any necessary conditions required by Sport England; and

(b)       the applicants be advised by Informative that account should be taken of the Environment Agency’s advice relating to drainage, groundwater protection, waste management and pollution prevention during construction; and that account should be taken of Natural England’s advice relating to protected species.

(1)       Mr R Ulph from Leybourne Parish Council and Mr D Hopper from Leybourne Cricket Club addressed the Committee in opposition to the proposal.  Mrs V Dunnett, Head Teacher at Leybourne CEP School spoke in reply.

(2)       On being put to the vote, the Head of Planning Applications Group’s recommendations were carried unanimously with 1 Abstention.

(3)       RESOLVED that permission be granted to the proposal (as amended) subject to conditions, including conditions covering the standard time limit; the development being carried out in accordance with the permitted details; details of flood-proofing measures being submitted to and approved by the County Planning Authority (in consultation with the Environment Agency) before commencement of the development; and details of safeguarding measures to protect the building from cricket balls being submitted to, and approved by the County Planning Authority (in consultation with Leybourne Cricket Club) before commencement of the development.

RESOLVED to note reports on items dealt with under delegated powers since the last meeting relating to:-

(a)               County matter applications;

(b)               consultations on applications submitted by District Councils or Government Departments (None);

(c)               County Council developments;

(d)               Screening opinions under Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1999; and

(e)               Scoping opinions under Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1999 (None).