Agenda item

(Report by Mr Dance, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Economic Development and Ms T Bruton, Head of Regeneration Projects)

1.               The Chairman explained that as part of the Cabinet Committee looking at tourism in Kent, arrangements were made for the Committee to attend Tours arranged with Visit Kent on Friday, 12 October, covering West Kent and Tuesday, 16 October covering East Kent.  He commended the arrangements made by the Chief Executive, Visit Kent, Mrs Matthews Marsh, and her team for the visits provided.  He thanked those businesses involved with Visit Kent who attended and gave presentations.  He advised that during discussions there were issues raised as indicated in the report that included planning issues which had an impact on tourism developing an offer.

2.               Mrs Tweed gave her thanks for the arrangements of the visits.  Mrs Tweed attended that first visit and explained that Members were advised, at Leeds Castle, of plans by Maidstone Borough Council to build warehouses and light industry in the area of Mercury Hotel [formerly Great Danes].  Mrs Tweed stressed that Leeds Castle was a “jewel in the crown” for Kent and it would not remain that way if people had to drive through light industry.  The Mercury Hotel benefitted from tourism brought by Leeds Castle.  She sought Members   support in putting pressure on Maidstone Borough Council against this proposal.  She asked Members to consider the detriment this could have on what generated a large tourism income to Kent and the fact that they were major employers and crucial to the County.

3.               The Chairman mentioned that both Port Lympne and Buckmore Park had issues with planning applications too.  Port Lympne had been issued with conditions where it was unable to operate at a certain time of year and for Buckmore Park neighbouring home owners had put forward objections to plans that it had submitted.

4.               Mr Smith suggested that when the Borough Council considered planning applications information regarding how the application would affect the local economy was not included as it was not a consideration for the planning application eg the local jobs it would create or the money it would generate.  Ms Cooper advised that KCC, through the Head of Development, Mr N Smith, was usually involved when developers sought assistance when they were having difficulty with planning applications, to see if KCC was able to unlock the problem by discussing the economic impact their development would have with the Borough Council but recognised KCC was not the local planning authority.  Ms Cooper advised that there had been a suggestion to the Kent Planning Officers that they look at the economic impact of planning applications on a consistent basis to assess how many jobs were created by developing a common methodology that could be use across Kent. 

5.               It was advised that during the visit to East Kent the issue of good hotels being available in the Dover area was raised.  A Member considered that unless KCC intervened with creating a hotel and conference facility in East Kent through a joint development with a major international hotel chain it would not happen.  Ms Cooper advised that KCC had funded two hotels through the Regional Growth Fund RGF and a formal announcement would be made on 28 November 2012.  She explained that Kent had a need for top quality hotels and quirky hotels. There were hotel chains that would like to develop but they did not want the development costs.  Ms Cooper suggested that the Rendezvous site may offer KCC an opportunity, as the land owner, to create a joint development but the market had to be right.

6.               RESOLVED that:-

a)    the responses to comments and questions by Members be noted;

b)    the key perceptions and outcomes of the fact finding tours be noted; and

c)     Mrs Sandra Matthews-Marsh, Chief Executive, Visit Kent, be invited to provide an update to the Cabinet Committee during 2013/14.