Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that, subject to the inclusion of an additional paragraph in Minute 45 to indicate that Mr R Truelove was present and spoke as the Local Member, the Minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2014 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

(1)          The Committee noted that it would receive training on Members’ Interests following the meeting and that a site visit to the proposed new Ridge View School site in Tonbridge had provisionally been arranged to take place on Monday, 22 September 2014.

(2)          The Committee noted that it would not meet on 13 August 2014.

(3)          The Committee noted confirmation that Thursday, 2 October 2014 had been set aside as a provisional date for a Committee meeting and that a half day training session would be held on 15 October 2014. 

The Head of Planning Applications Group informed the Committee that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government had decided not to call in the application for the redevelopment of the former Wildernesse School site (SE/14/13) for a 6 form entry Grammar School Annexe and a 4 form entry Trinity School and ancillary facilities.  As a consequence, the Committee’s decision to grant permission subject to conditions had been confirmed (Minute 14/47).

(1)          The Head of Planning Applications Group informed the Committee that Natural England had raised no objection to the application subject to the satisfactory completion of the proposed Unilateral Undertaking.

(2)          The Head of Planning Applications Group received the Committee’s agreement to amend her recommendation so that the Unilateral Undertaking would need to be satisfactorily completed within 3 months of the date of the Committee’s resolution rather than the permission.

(3)          Mr J N Wedgbury moved, seconded by Mr T Gates that the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group be agreed subject to the inclusion of an Informative setting out the Committee’s strong support for transportation which made use of ships and wharves, and urging the applicants to seek to maximise the use that could be made of these facilities.

                                                Carried 15 votes to 2.

(4)          RESOLVED that:-

(a)       subject to the satisfactory completion of a Unilateral Undertaking (within 3 months of the date of this resolution) not to implement Permission SW/12/1211 for the 12 month period covered by this application, temporary permission be granted for a period of 12 months to the variation of Condition 9 of Permission SW/11/548, restricting HGV movements to 98 (49 in and 49 out) subject to all the other original conditions and Informatives of this Permission being retained; and

(b)     the applicants be advised by Informative of the Committee’s strong support to maximise the movement of material via ships and wharves and to explore the potential for additional shipping movements to minimise environmental impacts.

(1)          Mr J A Davies informed the Committee that he was acquainted with one of the objectors who was a local Councillor in his division.  As this was not a close personal relationship, he was able to approach the determination of the proposal with a fresh mind.

(2)          The Head of Planning Applications Group advised the Committee that the applicants had indicated that the commencement of the development would be delayed for a year if the Committee were to impose a condition that the fencing should be finished in black due to supply issues. The Committee thereupon agreed her recommendations subject to this condition being amended to require the perimeter fencing to be finished in dark green.

(3)          RESOLVED that permission be granted to the proposal subject to conditions, including conditions covering a 3 year time limit for implementation; the development being carried out in accordance with the permitted details; hours of use being limited to between 0900 and 2100 on Mondays to Fridays; a limit of weekend use to 8 per year, with weekend hours of use being limited to between 0900 and 2100; no commercial use of the facility; the extinguishment of lighting when the pitch is not in use or within 15 minutes of its last use; lighting to be installed in accordance with approved details, and checked on site prior to first use; lighting levels not exceeding those specified within the application;  the perimeter fencing to be finished in dark green; and hours of working during the lighting installation being restricted to between 0800 and 1800 on Mondays to Fridays and between the hours of 0900 and 1300 on Saturdays, with no operations on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

(1)             Mr T L Shonk informed the Committee that the Head Teacher of The Foreland had spoken to him about the proposal.  Mr Shonk had in no way given an indication that he might have pre-determined the application and was therefore able to approach it with a fresh mind. 

(2)          Correspondence from the Local Member, Mr M Heale raising concern regarding pedestrian access to the proposal and from Mrs Z Wiltshire the Member for the adjacent Division (in support) was tabled. 

(3)          In agreeing the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group, the Committee decided to amplify one of the conditions by requiring the completion of agreed satisfactory off-site highways works prior to first occupation of the development. 

(4)          The Committee also agreed to an amplification of the Memorandum of Understanding as set out in (4) below. 

(5)          RESOLVED that:-

(a)       the proposal be referred to the Secretary of State for

Communities and Local Government and that subject to his decision, and subject to a Memorandum of Understanding between the applicant and Kent County Council Highways and Transportation to address the provision of the required offsite highway works, permission be granted to the proposal subject to conditions, including conditions coveringthe standard time limit; the development being carried out in accordance with the permitted details; the submission of details of all materials to be used externally; the submission of the scheme of landscaping; the provision and permanent retention of the car parking, cycle parking, drop–off and turning/loading/unloading areas as shown on the submitted plans; the completion of agreed, satisfactory off-site highway works prior to first occupation of the development; the submission of an updated Travel Plan within 6 months of the date of occupation; staggered/offset school start and finish times; the development being undertaken in accordance with the recommendations of the Ecological Scoping Survey; a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ being achieved; the submission of a specification and timetable for the implementation of a programme of archaeological work; control of surface water drainage and infiltration to ground; control of the development should land contamination be identified; hours of working during construction and demolition being restricted to between 0800 and 1800 on Mondays to Fridays and between the hours of 0900 and 1300 on Saturdays, with no operations on Sundays and Bank Holidays; the submission of a Construction Management Strategy, including the location of site compounds and operative/visitors parking, details of site security and safety measures, lorry waiting and wheel washing facilities, signage to prevent use of Newlands Lane beyond the school access, and details of any construction accesses and management of the site access to avoid peak school times; and measures to prevent mud and debris being taken onto the public highway;

(b)       the Memorandum of Understanding set out in (a) above will require that the applicants and Kent Highways and Transportation monitor safe crossing measures for the Pysons Road/Margate Road Junction and pursue any necessary improvements required by Kent Highways and Transportation; and         

(c)       the applicant be advised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

(1)             The Head of Planning Applications Group reported correspondence from Mr W Scobie, the Local Member, in support of the proposal.

(2)             RESOLVED that:-

(a)                   the application be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and that subject to his decision, permission be granted to the proposal subject to conditions, including conditions covering the standard time limit for implementation; the development being carried out in accordance with the submitted details; a scheme of landscaping and replacement tree planting, including fencing detail being submitted prior to commencement; the submission of a revised travel plan within 6 months of the date of the permission and its subsequent annual review; the submission and approval of external lighting details prior to installation; the submission and approval of details of external building materials prior to commencement; the submission and approval of details of kitchen roof extract plant prior to commencement; the provision of detailed drainage details concerning foul and surface water prior to commencement;  a remediation strategy should contamination not previously identified be found to be present; restriction of construction working hours to between 0800 and 1800 on Mondays to Fridays and 0800 to 1300 on Saturdays with no work on Sundays and Public Holidays; restriction on construction vehicles delivering materials to between the hours of  0800 to 0900 and 1445 to 1545 on Mondays to Fridays;  the submission of details of construction vehicle loading, unloading, turning, circulation and parking and details of the location of the construction compound prior to commencement of work on site; the restoration and making good of any disturbed areas of field or planting; the provision of wheel washing facilities prior to commencement of work on site and for the duration of construction; the provision of funding for corner protection waiting restrictions on the corner of Northdown Road and Northumberland Avenue within 6 months of occupation of the development; the extension of the time period over which all parents can drop off and pick up children at the school to  between 0800 and 1800 on Mondays to Thursdays and from 0800 to normal school finishing time on Fridays being in place prior to occupation of the development;  the submission, and approval of further details of recessed entrance, surfacing and layout of the new pedestrian waiting area and location of guard railing;  the proposal not commencing until planning permission has been granted for the new Laleham Gap School and a contract has been entered into for its construction; and

(b)       the applicant be advised by Informatives of:-

(i)        advice from Southern Water with regard to the requirement for a formal application for connection to the public sewer system; and

(ii)       advice from the Environment Agency with regard to surface water drainage, soakaways and fuel oil and chemical storage and pollution prevention.

(1)       Mr C P Smith informed the Committee that he was acquainted with a number of staff and parents whose children attended the school.  As none of these acquaintanceships was a close personal relationship, he was able to approach the determination of the proposal with a fresh mind.

(2)       The Head of Planning Applications Group reported an update from the County Council’s Biodiversity.

(3)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)       permission be granted to the proposal subject to the imposition of conditions, including conditions covering the standard 5 year time limit; the development being carried out in accordance with the permitted details; the submission and approval of details of all construction materials to be used externally including the access deck fence; the submission and approval of details of the lighting scheme, including hours of use; the development being carried out in accordance with the recommendations in the submitted Acoustics Specification; the parking permitted outside Deacon House being restricted to staff members only; the implementation of the updated School Travel Plan (Version 3.1, dated May 2014) and its on-going review; measures being taken to prevent mud and debris being deposited on the public highway; hours of working during construction being restricted to between the hours of 0800 and 1800 on Mondays to Fridays and between the hours of 0900 and 1300 on Saturdays, with no operations on Sundays or Bank Holidays; the submission of a Construction Management Plan providing details of access, parking and circulation within the site for contractors, site personnel and other operatives and management of the site access to avoid peak school times; the development being carried out in accordance with the precautionary measures, recommendations, and mitigation works detailed in the submitted Ecological Appraisal; and the development being carried out in accordance with the approved Flood Risk Assessment and the mitigation measures contained therein; and

(b)     the applicant be advised by Informative that:-

(i)        the School Travel Plan Co-ordinator should engage with the community through the Slade Area Residents Association in order to minimise the impact the school has on the surrounds with regard to traffic generation and parking problems at peak times;

(ii)       the School Travel Plan Co-ordinator is encouraged to investigate with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council of the possibility of implementing a permit scheme for use of the Upper Castle Fields car park for parents during school peak times; and

(iii)     with regard to the requirement to implement and review the revised School Travel Plan, the applicant is advised to register with Kent County Council’s Travel Plan Management system “Jambusters” using the link http://www.jambusterstpms.co.uk.

RESOLVED to note matters dealt with under delegated powers since the last meeting relating to:-

(a)       County matter applications;

(b)                   County Council developments;

(c)                   Screening opinions under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011; and

(d)       Scoping opinions under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 (None).