Agenda item

(1)                     Mr J D Kirby and Mr S J G Koowaree made declarations of Personal Interest as Members of the Gypsy and Traveller Advisory Board. They did not speak and took no part in the decision making for this item.

(2)                     Mr C P Smith informed the Committee that he was a Member of Tonbridge and Malling BC. He had not, however, taken part in any considerations of the proposal in that capacity and was therefore able to approach it with a fresh mind.

(3)            In agreeing the Head of Planning Applications Group’s recommendations, the Committee asked for an additional Informative advising the applicants that it would not be permissible to develop the original permission (TM/09/1900) as well as the one here proposed.

(4)     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 amenity units being built using the specified materials; the submission of details of the design of the static units (should they be provided); the submission of the colour finish and fence specification; the 3 metre high acoustic barrier being provided prior to occupation of the development and thereafter retained and maintained at all times;  noise monitoring being undertaken upon completion of the construction, to demonstrate that noise levels at Plot 13 are within those predicted, i.e. 51 dB L_{Aeq 16 hr} during the day time (NEC A) and 47 dB L_{Aeq 8 hr} at night (lower NEC B boundary noise level). Should these noise levels not be achieved, further mitigation being employed to achieve such noise levels, e.g. the installation of the western barrier return; details of all external lighting, including that to the public footpath; a scheme of landscaping, including details of ecological enhancement measures, planting to the northern boundary to screen the acoustic barrier (as far as this would be practicable), the provision of a hedgerow behind plots 7-12, maintenance details for the swale, hard surfacing, its implementation and maintenance for no less than 3 years; measures to protect those trees which are to be retained; no tree removal taking place during the bird breeding season unless supervised by an experienced ecologist; the development according with the recommendations of the ecological surveys and strategies; the submission and implementation of a detailed mitigation strategy/method statement, incorporating all necessary avoidance and mitigation measures, timing of works and long term habitat management measures; the submission of a detailed surface water drainage scheme; the submission of a scheme to deal with the risks associated with land contamination; hours of working during construction and demolition being restricted to between 0800 and 1800 Monday to Friday and between 0900 and 1300 on Saturdays, with no operations on Sundays and Bank Holidays; a construction management strategy, including access, parking and circulation within the site for contractors 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 applicants be advised by Informative that:-

(i)         account should be taken of the Environment Agency’s advice relating to drainage and the storage of fuel, oil and chemicals;

(ii)               they should seek advice from their ecologist to ensure that the type and positioning of bollard lighting to the public footpath is sensitive to the requirements of roosting, commuting and foraging bats;

(iii)             they must ensure that there is adequate school provision in the area to accommodate any educational need created by expanding the Coldharbour site;

(iv)              they should be fully satisfied that all Crime and Disorder issues have been taken into account and that the detailed design reflects good practice;

(v)                a letting and allocations plan must be secured in order to manage the occupancy of the site, so that it provides for locally generated need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation and meets identified requirements in Tonbridge and Malling; and

(vi)    the development hereby permitted cannot be implemented in conjunction with the previous planning permission for the  redevelopment of the site (TM/09/1900).

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