Agenda item

(1)       The Head of Planning Applications Group tabled an amendment to the report. This consisted of an amended version of the table on the impact on Year 7 and Year 7-11 capacity in Dartford and replaced the table in in paragraph 38 of the report.

(2)       The Head of Planning Applications Group informed the Committee of an amendment within paragraph 66 of the report, where the relevant sentences were to be changed to: “This application proposes 300 additional pupils, which equates to two classes.  Using the Borough Council’s parking standards, this application would generate a need for 25 additional parking spaces.The 18 spaces proposed are considered adequate to accommodate the additional staff. Should the car parking proposed under application reference KCC/DA/0088/2018 (the temporary proposal - Item D4 on these papers) be granted planning permission, 42 car parking spaces would be provided on site in lieu of the 18 proposed here. That would be of significant benefit in terms of providing onsite car parking to ease existing overspill onto local roads”

(3)       Mrs A D Allen was present for this item pursuant to Committee Procedure Rule 2.27 and spoke.  She asked the Committee to note that she was including a statement from Wilmington Safer Streets and drew attention to that organisations acknowledgement of the work undertaken by all concerned to bring safety to the streets of Wilmington.

(4)       The Head of Planning Applications Group informed the Committee of correspondence from the County Council’s Biodiversity Officer requiring an additional condition specifying precautionary measures for reptiles and the submission and approval of external lighting to minimise the disturbance to bats and the submission for approval of a biodiversity management plan.  This was agreed. 

(5)       The Committee agreed to the Head of Planning Applications Group’s request to delete the proposed condition for the completion of off-site highways works prior to the expansion of the school role to over 210 pupils. 

(6)       Mr Derek Hunnisett addressed the Committee as the local Borough Councillor and Chairman of Wilmington PC. He spoke in opposition to the proposal.  Mr Ian Watts (Area Education Officer and Mr Simon Moon (DHA Highways) spoke in reply. 

(7)       On being put to the vote, the recommendations of the Head of Planning Applications Group (amended in (4) and (5) above) were carried by 6 votes to 5 with 1 abstention.

(8)    RESOLVED that theapplicationbe referred totheSecretary ofState for Housing,CommunitiesandLocalGovernment asa departure fromthe DevelopmentPlan onGreenBelt grounds,and subject to his decisionand to a Memorandumof Understandingregardingthe required monetary contribution toensure monitoringof theTravel Plan:-

(a)          permission be granted to the proposal subject to conditions, conditions, includingconditions covering the standard5 yeartime limitfor implementation;   the developmentbeing carriedout inaccordance withthe permitteddetails; the submissionand approvalof detailsof allmaterialsto beused externally; thesubmission ofa landscapingscheme, includingadditionaltreeplanting, soft landscaping,hard surfacing,and ecologicalenhancements; treeprotection methods,as shownonthe submitteddrawings, beingadoptedto protect those treesto beretained; notree removal taking place during thebird breedingseason; the developmentnot beingimplemented untilassurance regardingtheimplementation ofthe Wilmington Grammar School for Girls (WGSB)(KCC/DA/0002/2018)development,specificallythe coachpark and footpathlink, isprovided; completion  of   the   off-site   infrastructure  shown   on   the   submitted   plans (Drawing 11231T-03),subjectto a Stage1 safetyauditand theinclusionofany recommendations within the audit, within6 monthsoftheoccupationoftheextension; provision ofnew polesand globesat thezebra crossingat theAcademy/ WGSB exiton toCommonLaneto matchthe brightnessof thoseat thenew crossing recentlyinstalledby KCCHighways furtheralongCommon Lane; thesubmission andapprovalof anupdated TravelPlan withinsix monthsof occupation, authorisedby theschool managementteam asa specificschool policy,and the monitoring and auditingof theTravel Planfor aperiodof 5years,within which there are tobe annualupdates, withfunding securedfor KCC Highways(MoU) toensure adequateresourcingto auditand overseethis process; the provisionand retentionofcar parkingprior tothe occupation; accessto thedropoff loopsand busparking areaswithin the schoolsite being maintained; the submissionand approvalof adetailedSustainableSurface WaterDrainage Schemeand of subsequentdetails ofthe implementation, maintenanceand managementof theapprovedScheme; no  infiltration  of  surface  water  drainage  into  the  ground  other  than  with  the approvalof theCounty PlanningAuthority; measures tocontrol developmentshould landcontaminationbe identified; hoursof workingduring constructionand demolitionbeing restrictedto between 0800and 1800 on Mondays toFridays andbetween thehours of0900and1300on Saturdays, withno operationson Sundaysand BankHolidays; the submissionand approvalof aconstructionmanagementstrategy priorto the commencement ofthedevelopment, includingdetails ofthe locationof site compoundsand operative/visitor parking,detailsof sitesecurityand safety measures,lorrywaiting andwheel washingfacilities,details ofhow thesiteaccess is to be managedto avoidconflictwith peakschool times,and detailsof any constructionaccesses; precautionary measures for reptiles being carried out;  the submission and approval of external lighting to ensure that the disturbance to bats is minimised; and the submission and approval of a biodiversity management plan; and

(b)          the applicants be advised by Informative that:-

(i)           the Academy shouldmaintain itspreviously cutback vegetationlines in orderto avoid futuregrowth overhangingthe carriagewayand footway/footpaths, tofacilitate pedestrian movementand to reducethe likelihoodof largevehiclesoverrunning the CommonLanefootway; and

(ii)          their attentionis drawnto theletter from theEnvironmentAgencyin which adviceis providedwith regardto thedisposal ofwaste material;