Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 September 2020 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

The Head of Planning Applications Group informed the Committee that she was continuing to investigate options to enable Members to inspect the application site at Covers Farm in Westerham.

(1)          The Head of Planning Applications Group reported that the County Council had adopted the Kent Minerals Sites Plan and modifications to the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan (as set out by the Early Partial Review).

(2)          The Committee agreed that a training session on the White Paper Planning for the Future should be arranged.  

(1)       The Chairman agreed to accept very late representations in objection to the application from Pinsent Masons LLP on behalf of their clients, New Earth Solutions and its parent company DM Topco Ltd  He explained that this was because of advice from Invicta Law that he should do so. Even so, he would not have accepted this advice if the applicants had not been able to provide a “right of reply” response in line with the Committee’s public speaking arrangements.  He was very sympathetic to the views of those Members of the Committee who did not agree that these late representations should be heard and would seek to have measures put in place to underline to objectors that it was extremely unlikely that an exception would be made in future. 

(2)       The Clerk to the Committee then read the representations from Pinsent Masons LLP, followed by those from Mr Giles Moir from CL Planning on behalf of the applicants.

(3)       During discussion of this item, the Committee agreed to add an Informative, encouraging the applicant to give consideration to the early management arrangements within the anaerobic digestion facility when HGVs arriving at the site gave rise to odour concerns.

(4)       The Committee also agreed that the Chairman would write on its behalf to the Cabinet Member for Environment asking her to draw to the attention of the Waste Disposal and Collection Authorities the need for waste en-route to the Blaise Farm Quarry site to be appropriately mitigated to minimise the risk of odour.

(5)       On being put to the vote, the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group were carried unanimously as amended in (3) and (4) above. 

(6)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)          theapplicationbe referredtotheSecretary of State for Housing,CommunitiesandLocal Government and thatsubject tohisdecisionpermission be granted to the application subject to conditions, including conditions covering operations  ceasing  no  later  than  20  years  from the commencement  of commercialanaerobic digestion (AD) operations, theremovalofthefacilityand allassociated infrastructure within afurther12 monthsand therestorationof thesiteto forestry,ecologicaland amenityafter-usewithin afurther12 mont  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

(1)          Mrs T Dean, MBE was present for this item and addressed the Committee as a Local Member. 

(2)       On being put to the vote, the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group were carried by 11 vote to 0 with 1 abstention.

(3)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)      approval be given to the application subject to the conditions which are set out below:-

(i)               the details  hereby  approved  shall be  implemented  as  approved  unless otherwiseagreed beforehand inwriting bythe CountyPlanningAuthority (Reason: Forthe avoidanceof doubtand toensurethat thedevelopmentis carriedout inaccordancewiththe approvedplansand details);

(ii)         except  for  the  temporary  operations  defined  in  condition  (iii)(below),  noise generatedfrom operationsat thesiteassociated withthe approveddetails shall notexceed55dBLAeq,1hr(freefield) asmeasured at anynoisesensitiveproperty (Reason:To ensureminimum disturbancefromoperationsand avoidanceof nuisanceto thelocalcommunity);

(iii)      for temporaryoperationssuchas soiland overburdenstripping, movement, storageand replacement,the noiselevelat anynoisesensitiveproperty shallnot exceed70dBLAeq,1hr(freefield).   Temporaryoperations thatexceedthe normalday to daycriterionshallbe limitedto atotalof eightweeksin anytwelve monthperiod at anynoisesensitiveproperty (Reason:To ensureminimumdisturbancefromoperationsand avoidanceof nuisanceto thelocalcommunity);

(iv)      Groundvibrationas aresultof blastingoperationsshallnot exceed:-

-      a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

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; and

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