Minutes:
(1) The Democratic Services Officer informed the Committee that a Selection and Member Services Committee had considered a report from the Member Development Steering Group on 1 March 2017. This report had included a supplementary report on training for Planning Application Committee Members which had been written in the light of the comments made at the meeting of the Committee on 8 February 2017 (Minute 17/8). Selection and Member Services Committee had agreed to note the report to inform the development of Member Training. The Chairman of the Member Development Steering Group had indicated that all Members were most welcome to attend its meetings.
(2) The Head of Planning Applications Group informed the Committee that she had received a pre-action protocol letter in respect of the Committee’s decision in respect of the proposed anaerobic digestion facility at Forest Farm, Benenden (Minute 17/4) which represented the first formal stage in a judicial review process to challenge the County Council’s decision. The letter alleged that KCC had erred in Law by not giving precise and clear reasons in its Screening Opinion why it considered the application did not need to be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment. Following a detailed rebuttal response, the claimant had decided not to pursue the case any further.
(3) The Head of Planning Applications Group reported that she would be meeting a senior representative of Sport England shortly before the Committee’s next meeting and would report on the outcome.
(4) The Head of Planning Applications Group referred to documentation in respect of the intended Wheelabrator Kemsley Generating Station upgrade which had previously been sent to Members of the Committee by the applicant. She explained that Members had previously granted permission for the Sustainable Energy Plant in 2012 when it was felt that in allowing an alternative form of energy to be supplied to the adjoining Kemsley Paper Mill would help safeguard some 800 employee’s jobs at the Mill. She went on to explain that this latest power upgrade proposal would be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and ultimately determined by the Secretary of State on the basis that it would exceed the power output threshold above which it then became a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP); in which case the County Council’s role was that of a statutory consultee. She reported that public consultation meetings would be taking place on 23, 24 and 25 March. Committee Members would be able to attend these meetings unaccompanied by a Planning Officer because it would not be in the County Council’s remit to determine the application.
(5) The Head of Planning Applications Committee reported that the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transportation had taken an Urgent decision to enable the County Council to uplift its planning fees by 20% in July 2017 in response to an invitation to do so issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government. This would enable the Planning Applications Group to combat pressures on the service and to continue to process applications in good time.