Agenda and minutes

To note the appointment of Mr A H T Bowles to the Committee in place of Mrs P A V Stockell.

The Committee noted the appointment of Mr A H T Bowles in place of Mrs P A V Stockell.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2020 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

The Committee agreed to undertake a Members’ site tour of the application site and its environs at Covers Quarry, Westerham on either Monday, 4 May or Monday, 11 May 2020. 

(1)       Mr J Burden informed the Committee that he was the Local Member for this application.  As he had not commented on this application in this capacity or as a Borough Councillor, he was able to approach its determination with an open mind.

(2)       The Head of Planning Applications Group reported that the applicants had amended their application to include solar panels. Accordingly, she recommended an additional condition requiring the applicants to provide details to the County Planning Authority of their layout within three months of the permission and its subsequent implementation as approved.   This was agreed.

(3)       The Head of Planning Applications Group revised her recommended Landscaping condition so that it specified species suitable for bee pollination. This was agreed.

(4)       During discussion of this item, the Committee agreed to add an additional condition requiring a condition survey of Meadow Road to enable any damage to be put right afterwards.   It also added an Informative advising the School and the contractor that they should write to the residents of Meadow Road to let them know when significant movements were due to take place.

(5)       On being put to the vote the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group were unanimously agreed as amended in (2) to (4) above.     

(6)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)          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; the submission for approval of all materials to be used externally; the provision of a landscaping scheme, including additional tree planting, soft landscaping, hard surfacing and ecological enhancements (including species suitable for bee pollination) in accordance with the submitted details unless otherwise agreed; the adoption of tree protection methods, as shown on the submitted drawings, to protect those trees which are to be  retained; the submission for approval of a detailed Bat Mitigation Strategy before demolition works commence on the H & Science (V) Block; no tree removal taking place during the bird breeding season; the implementation of the submitted School Travel Plan and adherence to the initiatives set out within it, its ongoing updating, monitoring and review. The Travel Plan must be published and updated via the County Council’s “Jambusters” system; the submission for the written approval of the County Planning Authority of details of parking restrictions at the junction of Meadow Road with New House Lane prior to first occupation of the development. The applicant must thereafter make “best endeavours” to implement a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) relating to those parking restrictions, with all cost of the TRO being borne by the applicant;the submission for approval of a Verification Report regarding the approved Sustainable Surface Water Drainage Scheme prior to occupation of the development; no infiltration of surface water drainage taking place into the ground other than with the approval of the County Planning Authority;  measures to control development should land contamination be identified; hours of working during construction and demolition being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

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 2017 (None); and

(d)          Scoping Opinions under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (None).

(1)       Mr M A C Balfour informed the Committee that he had been a Member of Tonbridge and Malling BC and that he would not participate in any discussion of or decision arising out of Item F3 (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council – Local Plan Post Submission Consultation.

(2)       Whilst noting Item F2, the Committee agreed by 12 vote to 0 with 1 abstention to ask the Chairman to write on its behalf to the Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport in respect of the problems likely to arise out of Swale BC’s decision to reject £38m from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund for A249 improvements in the light of the Secretary of State for Communities’ decision to uphold an appeal against non-determination and grant permission for a major housing development in the Borough.

(3)       Whilst noting Item F3, the Committee agreed by 8 votes to 1 with 3 abstentions (Mr Balfour took no part in the discussion and did not vote) to ask the Committee Chairman to write to the Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment as set out in (4) below.

(4)       RESOLVED :-

(a)          that the Chairman be requested to write on behalf of the Committee to the Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport in respect of the problems likely to arise out of Swale BC’s decision to reject £38m from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund for A249 improvements in the light of the Secretary of State for Communities’ decision to uphold an appeal against non-determination and grant permission for a major housing development in the Borough.

(b)       that the Chairman be requested to write to the Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for the Environment setting out the Committee’s view that the changes to the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council Local Plan’s Proposals Map ED22A are completely unacceptable and in clear contravention of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan and that, in addition, the premature closure of the Borough Green Landfill site , the resultant loss of recycled secondary aggregates and the prospective loss of the landfill waste site is in conflict with the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan and that, accordingly Tonbridge and Malling BC has not met its duty to co-operate with the Minerals Planning Authority; and  

(c)       to note Kent County Council’s responses to the following consultations:-

(i)           Application CA/19/00557/OUT Location - Land south of Osborne Gardens, Herne Bay Proposal - Outline application for proposed residential development for up to 180 dwellings with site access, open space and associated infrastructure following demolition of 2 no. dwellings; 

(ii)          Application SW/18/502190/EIHYB Location - Land North Quinton Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 2SX Proposal - Full Planning Application - Phase 1 North – Erection of 91 dwellings accessed from Grovehurst Road, public open and amenity space (including an equipped children's play area) together with associated landscaping and ecological enhancement works, acoustic barrier to the A249, internal access roads, footpaths, cycleways and parking, drainage (including infiltration basins and tanked permeable paving),  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.