Agenda and minutes

The Committee agreed to visit the sites of the applications at Borden Grammar School, Sittingbourne on 15 September 2021 and Covers Farm, Westerham on 12 October 2021.

(1)       The Chairman invited the General Counsel to explain to the Committee that all Local Members who were also Members of the Planning Applications Committee needed to decide whether they were in a position to approach the determination of a planning application without being considered to have pre-determined their view on the application. If this was the case, they were still entitled under the Constitution to address the Committee on behalf of their constituents, but should not otherwise participate in the determination of the application.

(2)       The Chairman thanked the General Counsel for his explanation and then informed the Committee that he would not participate in the determination of the application but would address the Committee as the Local Member.

(3)       Mr A Booth, Vice-Chairman of the Committee thereupon took the Chair for the remainder of the meeting.

(4)       Correspondence from the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership had been separately circulated to all Members of the Committee.  It had also written to the Head of Planning Applications and these views had been included in the report.

(5)       Correspondence from Mrs M Dawkins (Member for Canterbury City South) and Mrs L Harvey-Quirke and Mrs G Glover (Local City Councillors) had previously been circulated to all Members of the Committee.

(6)       Mrs Ann Davis (Chair of Sturry PC) and Mr Biff Whipffster (local resident) addressed the Committee in objection to the application, Mr Richard Shelton (KCC Highways) spoke in reply on behalf of the applicants. 

(7)       Mr R A Marsh addressed the Committee as the Local Member.

(8)       The Committee added two Informatives to the recommendations. These were:

(a)          The applicant and the Highway Authority are encouraged to continue dialogue with Network Rail, Canterbury City Council and Sturry Parish Council to deliver improvements to the Sturry Railway Station, including the provision of a ticket machine on the southern platform and to explore the potential for the use of more 4 carriage trains in the interim to minimise the time the level crossing at Sturry is closed.

(b)          The applicant is encouraged to monitor traffic flows post implementation of improvements to the A28/A291 to consider the effectiveness of the junction improvements.

(9)       At the request of the Chairman, the Committee agreed unanimously that, in accordance with paragraph 16.32 of the Constitution,  the vote of each Member in favour, against or in abstention on the revised recommendations would be recorded in the Minutes. 

(10)     On being put to the vote, the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group were agreed (as amended in (8) above) by 10 votes to 1 with 1 abstention.

FOR: 

Mrs R Binks, Mr A Booth, Mr N J D Chard, Mr P Chittenden, Mr P Cole, Mr G Cooke, Mr D Crow-Brown, Mr M Dendor, Mr P M Harman, Mr C Simkins (10)

AGAINST:

Mr H Rayner (1)

ABSTAIN:

Ms J Meade (1)

(11)    RESOLVED that:-

(a)       the Appropriate Assessment set out at Appendix 2 to the report and made under The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.