Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS. View directions
Contact: Caroline Britt Democratic Services Officer
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Chairman's Introduction PDF 89 KB Announcement on procedural matters. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman opened the meeting, introduced Committee members and officers in attendance, and outlined procedural matters of the meeting. |
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Apologies for absence as reported at the meeting.
Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillor Warne. |
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Declarations of Interest PDF 65 KB To receive any declarations of interest by Members in items on the agenda.
Additional documents: Minutes: No declarations of interest were made. |
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If a Member has been lobbied in connection with any application on the agenda, this should be declared at the start of the meeting, whether by, or in support of, the applicant or objectors.
Members in doubt about such a declaration are advised to contact the Legal Services Manager/Monitoring Officer before the date of the meeting.
Additional documents: Minutes: No declarations of lobbying were made.
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Notification of Persons wishing to Speak PDF 30 KB To note any visiting Members or members of the public wishing to speak, of which due notice has been given, and which item(s) they wish to speak on. Additional documents: Minutes: Details of Members and members of the public who had registered to speak were given under the respective planning applications. |
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To note the application sites visited, as recorded at the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: Due to the current restrictions Members had not undertaken any site visits. |
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Reports of Head of Planning Services (attached) PDF 28 KB The running order of the applications listed below is subject to change and will be agreed by the Chairman and announced at the meeting. Additional documents: |
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Additional documents: Minutes: Planning Report and Presentation – The Head of Planning Services submitted a report in respect of application 21/00757/REM, Land North of Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Richard Hazelgrove, Principal Planning Officer and illustrated by means of a visual presentation.
Updates and additional representation – A block plan was submitted last week that clarified the finished floor level of the dwelling.
Registered Speakers – There were no speakers that registered in accordance with the Council’s Constitution (Planning Committee Procedure Rules)
Matters of Clarification by Officers and Committee Members’ Questions to Officers – Members raised a number of questions and officers confirmed the following:
- An earlier application for 8 dwellings was refused in 2017 because it strayed into an area of ancient woodland and its buffer zone. Planning permission for 8 dwellings was subsequently granted in June 2019 and amended in January 2021. - The application being considered was for reserved matters (scale, appearance and landscaping) for one of the dwellings (plot 2). - Individual plot owners would come forward in due course with reserve matter applications (reserve matters for plot 3 had already been granted) for the other plots. - The purpose of rural fringe land was to set aside land for future development. - 2 Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s) were in place to protect the woodland. - Issues related to biodiversity and bird nesting were addressed at the outline planning stages of the application. It was not a matter for consideration when dealing with the individual plots.
Committee Debate and Officer Responses – Members of the Committee took account of the presentations made and raised a number of questions and issues within their discussions. These included:
- Concern was raised regarding the use of the land for large properties. It was suggested that planning permission for properties of this size were not normally granted. - It was further suggested that properties of this size did not address the issue small 2 bedroom starter homes that were required in the area. - There was a question as to the design of the property which did not seem to look particularly rural. - The principle of developing 8 houses on this site had already been agreed by this Committee. One of the reasons for agreement, was the self-build nature of the development. Following agreement, individual plot owners would submit details related to the scale, appearance and landscaping under reserve matters. This application was before the Committee because the adjacent plot (plot 1) was owned by a relative of an officer of the Council. - Members were reminded that they were not voting on the principle of the development, only the particular layout of plot 2.
Decision/voting – On the basis that members were satisfied that all relevant planning considerations had been covered within the report, a motion was proposed by Councillor Pound, seconded by Councillor Hamilton and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.
RESOLVED – ... view the full minutes text for item PLA8/21 |
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Additional documents: Minutes: Planning Report and Presentation – The Head of Planning Services submitted a report in respect of application 20/03024/FULL, First Floor Flat, Goudhurst House, Goudhurst, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Richard Hazelgrove, Principal Planning Officer and illustrated by means of a visual presentation.
Updates and additional representation – None.
Registered Speakers – There were no speakers that registered in accordance with the Council’s Constitution (Planning Committee Procedure Rules)
Matters of Clarification by Officers and Committee Members’ Questions to Officers – Members raised a number of questions and officers confirmed the following:
- When dealing with a listed building, current legislation required that special regard should be taken of the special character of the listed building and to conserve and/or enhance the conservation area. - The existing structure under consideration did deviate from what would be expected and was not particularly attractive but it was lawful. - In order to meet the statutory test, the proposal would have to be no more harmful that what was there already, which had been confirmed by the Principal Conservation Officer.
Committee Debate and Officer Responses– Members of the Committee took account of the presentations made and raised a number of questions and issues within their discussions. These included:
- The terms anomalous and appropriate had been used frequently but no reference to these terms could be found in the papers. In any case, they were not planning considerations but subjective statements. - In terms of planning, the Principal Conservation Officer (as detailed in the Listed Building Application) stated the proposal was unlikely to cause any harm to the physical fabric of the host building. The modern addition to the building was therefore wholly acceptable.
Decision/voting – On the basis that members were satisfied that all relevant planning considerations had been covered within the report, a motion was proposed by Councillor Backhouse, seconded by Councillor Atwood and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.
RESOLVED – That application 20/03024/FULL be granted subject to the plans, conditions and informatives as set out in the agenda report. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: Planning Report and Presentation – The Head of Planning Services submitted a report in respect of application 20/03025/LBC, First Floor Flat, Goudhurst House, Goudhurst Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Richard Hazelgrove, Principal Planning Officer and illustrated by means of a visual presentation.
Updates and additional representation – None.
Registered Speakers – There were no speakers that registered in accordance with the Council’s Constitution (Planning Committee Procedure Rules)
Decision/voting – On the basis that members were satisfied that all relevant planning considerations had been covered within the report, a motion was proposed by Councillor Hamilton, seconded by Councillor Poile and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.
RESOLVED – That application 20/03025/LBC be granted subject to the plans, conditions and informatives as set out in the agenda report. |
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Appeal Decisions for Noting - 1/05/2021-21/05/2021 PDF 62 KB Additional documents: Minutes: RESOLVED – That the list of appeal decisions provided for information, be noted.
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To consider any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.
Additional documents: Minutes: There was no urgent business for consideration. |
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Date of Next Meeting PDF 28 KB The next Planning Committee is scheduled for Wednesday 23 June 2021. Additional documents: Minutes: The next Planning Committee meeting was scheduled for Wednesday 23 June 2021. |