Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2014 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

(1)       The Committee noted the arrangements for the site meeting at the proposed Ridge View School in Tonbridge on 22 September 2014.  It received confirmation that its next meeting would take place on 2 October 2014 and that there would be a training session on 15 October 2014.

(2)       Mr M Baldock requested a site visit in respect of the Application for brickearth excavation at Paradise Farm in Hartlip.

Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Wednesday, 11 February 2015

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

Wednesday, 8 April 2015

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

Wednesday, 10 June 2015

Wednesday, 15 July 2015

Wednesday, 12 August 2015 (Provisional)

Wednesday, 9 September 2015

Wednesday, 21 October 2015

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

Wednesday, 9 December 2015

The Committee noted the following dates for Committee meetings in 2015:-

(1)       Mrs S Howes and Mr N S Thandi were present for this item pursuant to Committee Procedure Rule 2.27 and spoke.

(2)       Mr P M Harman informed the meeting that he was the Local Member for this item.  He clarified that he had not pre-determined the planning merits of the application and that he was able to approach its determination with a fresh mind.

(3)       The Head of Planning Applications Group reported late representations from the Chairman of LRCH objecting to the application. 

(4)       Mr B Read (Swanscombe and Greenhithe TC) and Mr C Potts (Savills) addressed the Committee in opposition to the Application. Mr P Sadler (Teal Energy) spoke in reply. 

(5)       The Head of Planning Applications Group confirmed that, in the event of permission being granted, that any proposed detailed conditions where there were objections on planning grounds would be reported to the Committee. 

(6)       On being put to the vote, the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group were carried by 13 votes to 4 with 2 abstentions.

(7)       Mr M Baldock requested pursuant to Committee Procedure Rule 2.26 (3) that his vote against granting permission be recorded.

(8)       RESOLVED that subject to the satisfactory completion of a Legal Agreement to secure the translocation of protected species from the site to an offsite receptor site that permission be granted to the application subject to conditions, including conditions covering the maximum waste throughputs being restricted to 250,000 tonnes per annum and all vehicles having a minimum carrying capacity of 20 tonnes; vehicle movements to and from the site being restricted to between 0700 and 1900 hours on Mondays to Saturdays only with no movements on Sundays or Bank Holidays; the maximum number of vehicle movements per hour being restricted to 9 movements per hour during the peak hours of 0800 to 0930 hours and to a maximum of 4 movements per hour between 1600 and 1800 hours; the submission of a Route Management Plan which avoids vehicles using minor residential roads; the provision of wheel washing facilities; a Land Contamination Risk Assessment; no infiltration of surface water into the ground; details of piling methods; details of a Surface Water Drainage Scheme; details of a Construction Environmental Management Plan; details of Site Construction methods and safeguards during the operation of the site to protect the interests of HS1; details of foul water disposal; details of Dust, Odour, and Noise Management Plans during construction and operation of the site; details of an Ecological Mitigation Strategy designed to address mitigation for the loss of black redstart habitat; and details of the external finish of buildings.

(9)       Following the meeting, the Department for Communities and Local Government issued a holding direction under the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2010. This instructed the County Council not to issue the planning decision and to refer the application to the Secretary of State to enable him to consider whether he should direct the application to himself for determination.

(1)       Mrs M E Crabtree advised the Committee that she was the Deputy Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform.  She left the meeting for this item and the remainder of the meeting without taking part in the decision-making process.  

(2)        RESOLVED that:-

(a)             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 submission of details of all materials to be used externally; a scheme of landscaping, including hard surfacing, its implementation and maintenance; measures to protect those trees to be retained; the submission, prior to commencement, of an ecological method statement for the removal of trees with bat roost potential if works to remove trees are to be undertaken between March and October; no tree removal taking place during the bird breeding season; the development according with the recommendations of the ecological survey; the submission of an updated Travel Plan within six months of occupation, with  ongoing monitoring and review taking place thereafter. The Travel Plan  including measures to promote safer and more considerate parking by parents associated with the school, measures to manage and encourage efficient use of the drop-off facility, further monitoring of school parking on Oakfield Lane, and the School and Nursery working together to investigate the scope for optimum use of the car park on Church Hill; the provision and retention of access, drop-off/pick-up facility, and circulatory routes; the submission of visibility splays at the new exit point onto Oakfield Lane; the provision of signage to enable unrestricted parking on the proposed road markings/zig-zag lines between the hours of 6pm and 7am on Mondays to Fridays and anytime on Saturdays and Sundays; the recording of the former air raid shelters prior to demolition; the submission and approval of further works with regard to contaminated land; the submission and approval of details of a surface water drainage scheme; hours of working during construction and demolition being restricted to between 0800 and 1800 Mondays to Fridays and between the hours of 0900 and 1300 on Saturdays, with no operations on Sundays and Bank Holidays;  a construction management strategy, including access, lorry routing, parking and circulation within the site for contractor’s and other vehicles related to construction and demolition operations;  and measures to prevent mud and debris being taken onto the public highway; and

(b)             the applicant be advised by Informative:-

(i)           to register with Kent County Council's Travel Plan Management system ‘Jambusters’ using the http://www.jambusterstpms.co.uk link  in respect of the requirement to prepare and submit a revised/amended School Travel Plan. “Jambusters” is a County Wide initiative aiding Schools in the preparation and ongoing monitoring of School Travel Plans; and

(ii)          that their attention is drawn to the letter from Highways and Transportation in which it is noted that it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all necessary highway approvals and consents are obtained.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)             temporary permission be granted to the proposal subject to conditions, including conditions covering the removal of the units from the site by the end of July 2015 and the site being satisfactorily restored thereafter;  the development being carried out in accordance with submitted details; a restriction of construction hours to between 0800 and 1800 on Mondays to Fridays, 0900 and 1300 on Saturdays with no operations on Sundays and Bank Holidays;  a restriction on construction vehicles delivering materials between the hours of 0800 to 0900 and 1445 to 1545  on Mondays to Fridays; and

(b)             the School and the Nursery be recommended to work together to ensure the optimum use of the Nursery car park accessed off Church Hill.

(1)       Mr T Gates informed the Committee that he was a Member of Faversham Town Council.  He had not taken part in any discussion of the proposal in that forum.  Although many of the objectors were familiar to him as his constituents, he did not have a close personal relationship with any of them and was able to approach the determination of the proposal with a fresh mind.   

(2)       The Head of Planning Applications Group reported correspondence from Swale BC objecting to the Proposal.

(3)       During discussion of this item, it was agreed that the proposed School Travel Plan condition would be strengthened by the inclusion of an exploration of alternative access options to reduce the impact on Water Lane.

(4)       On being put to the vote, the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group (as amended in (2) above) were agreed by 14 votes to 2 with 2 abstentions.

(5)       Mr M Baldock requested pursuant to Committee Procedure Rule 2.26 (3) that his vote against granting permission be recorded.

(6)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)             permission be granted to the proposal subject to 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; the submission of an updated School Travel Plan, including an exploration of alternative access options to reduce the impact on Water Lane, and its ongoing review; the parking being laid out as approved and thereafter being maintained and used for no other purpose; the measures to be 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; the submission of tree protection details during construction; the submission of details of replacement tree planting, and timing for their planting;  the submission of details, and written approval, of any external lighting; and the removal of the 2 temporary classrooms within 1 month of completion of the construction works; and

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

(i)        the School travel Plan should be registered with Kent County Council through the “Jambusters” website following the link http://www.jambusterstpms.co.uk  

(ii)       all necessary highway approvals and consents must be obtained; and

(iii)     a statutory licence must be obtained for the construction of the required vehicular crossover.

(1)       Mr M J Angell informed the Committee that he was the Local Member for this application and that he had chosen to speak on this item in that capacity.  Having done so, he took no part in the decision-making.

(2)       Mr J N Wedgbury informed the Committee that he was a Local Authority Governor at the School and that he had chosen to speak on this item in that capacity.  Having done so, he took no part in the decision-making.

(3)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)             permission be granted to the proposal subject to 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 materials to be used externally; the submission of the specifications of the fencing and gates proposed to be erected; the submission of details of external lighting to the building and car parking; a programme of archaeological work being submitted and approved;  the development being undertaken in accordance with the recommendations of the Ecological Survey; no vegetation clearance taking place during the bird breeding season;  the submission of a biodiversity enhancement scheme for the nature area; the scheme of landscaping being implemented as approved;  the submission of a tree protection plan and the development being undertaken in accordance with the recommendations of the Tree Survey;  the submission of a detailed Phase II Geo environmental ground investigation report and remediation scheme;  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/visitor parking, provision to accommodate operatives’ and construction vehicles loading/ off-loading and turning on site, details of site security and safety measures, lorry waiting and wheel washing facilities, and details of any construction accesses and management of the site access to avoid peak school times; the submission of an updated School Travel Plan prior to occupation, its implementation and on-going review; the provision and retention of the vehicle parking spaces and turning space; the Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme being implemented as approved; the provision and retention of the cycle parking facilities prior to occupation of the new building; and measures to prevent mud and debris being deposited onto the public highway; and

(b)             the applicant be advised by informative :-

(i)           of the letter from Public Rights of Way which contains general informatives with regard to works adjacent to and/or on a Public Right of Way. It is also advised that the granting of planning permission confers on the developer no other permission or consent or right to close or divert any Public Right of Way at any time without the express permission of the Highways Authority; and

(ii)          that the School Travel Plan should be registered on-line with Kent County Council’s School Travel Plan site ‘Jambusters’  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

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.