Agenda and minutes

Announcement on procedural matters.

The Chairman opened the meeting, introduced Committee members and officers in attendance, and outlined procedural matters of the meeting.

Apologies for absence as reported at the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors Britcher-Allan, Fitzsimmons, Johnson, Osborne and White.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in items on the agenda.

Councillor Moon declared an interest in application PLA214/23 The Forum, The Common, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent and left the meeting while the application was discussed.

Councillor Pope declared an interest in application PLA216/23 Calverley Grounds, Mount Pleasant Avenue, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Councillor Pope stated that he was a Trustee of the friends of Calverley grounds, a charitable organisation set up to raise money for the playground and was a resident of Mountfield Road, a cul-de-sac, which had an entrance to Calverley grounds. Councillor Pope had no personal financial interests in the public park and did not have a view of the public park. Councillor Pope intended to make fair and objective decisions and therefore remained in the meeting.

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.

No declarations of lobbying were made.

Councillors O’Connell and Pope advised that they had been contacted neutrally in relation to application PLA216/23 Calverley Grounds, Mount Pleasant Avenue, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

To note the application sites visited, as recorded at the meeting.

Members had not undertaken any site visits.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting dated 13 September 2023 be recorded as a correct record.

The running order of the applications listed below is subject to change and will be agreed by the Chairman and announced at the meeting.

Planning Report and Presentation – The Head of Planning Services submitted a report in respect of application PLA213/23  Broomlands, Broom Lane, Langton Green, Tunbridge Wells, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Charlotte Oben Principal Planning Officer and illustrated by means of a visual presentation.

Updates and additional representation – None.

Registered Speakers – There were 6 speakers that registered in accordance with the Council’s Constitution (Planning Committee Procedure Rules)

Objectors:

·         Roy Wheeler, a local resident.

·         Penelope Wheeler, a local resident.

Supporters:

·         Warran Hyams, the applicant.

·         Catherine Hyams, the applicant.

·         Katherine Oliver, a local resident.

·         Simon Sharpe, Architect on behalf of the applicant.

Matters of clarification by Officers and Committee Members’ questions to Officers included:

      i.        It was confirmed that the site used to be included in the historic park and garden, but given that the boundary had changed in 2010, it had now been removed and therefore was outside of the park.

     ii.        Officers recognised that there was moderate harm to the openness of the Green Belt however it was considered that the wider environmental benefits of the proposed solar panels outweighed that harm.

    iii.        Paragraph 10.34 in the report dealt with the invertor which was the noise generating element to be located within the dwelling.

   iv.        Condition 6 addressed the fencing which needed to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority (LPA).

     v.        Condition 5 was for a landscaping scheme which secured additional planting around the fencing to improve the visual impact from neighbouring properties.

   vi.        The statement from the Council’s Landscape and Biodiversity Officer related to an application at Grovehurst was read out for the benefit of Members.

  vii.        Members were reminded that each application needed to be determined on its own merits and it was not possible to compare and contrast with other applications.

 viii.        Paragraph 10.18 of the report which addressed ‘Very Special Circumstances’, was explained in further detail.

   ix.        Condition 7 addressed the possibility of the solar panels being removed and a potential different use of land.

     x.        Paragraph 10.19 of the report addressed the current and prospective power consumption of the property and this was explained further.

Committee Member debate and Officer clarification included:

              i.        Members accepted that there was moderate harm to the Green Belt and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) however accepted that the benefits outweighed the harm and referred to paragraph 10.01 of the report which outlined the applicable policies in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

             ii.        It was considered that the trees were a buffer to the residents amenities.

            iii.        Members were aware of the need to produce renewable energy.

           iv.        In terms of condition discharge, there was no requirement to consult analysis under the legislation and members of the public were able to make representations on condition discharge applications.

             v.        If there was fencing proposed it needed to be submitted to the LPA and it was expected to be traditional stock fencing.

           vi.        Concern were raised about  ...  view the full minutes text for item PLA213/23

Planning Report and Presentation – The Head of Planning Services submitted a report in respect of application PLA214/23  The Forum, The Common, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Jennifer Begeman 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 included:

                 i.          The report was taken as read.

Committee Member debate and Officer clarification included:

                 i.          No matters of significance were discussed.

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 Patterson, seconded by Councillor Le Page and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED – That application PLA214/23 be granted subject to the plans, conditions and informatives as set out in the agenda report.

Planning Report and Presentation – The Head of Planning Services submitted a report in respect of application PLA215/23 The Trinity Theatre and Arts Centre, Church Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Charlotte Oben 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)

                 i.          The report was taken as read.

Matters of clarification by Officers and Committee Members’ questions to Officers included:

                 i.          Members felt this was sensible preservation of existing trees for the health of the trees and the safety of the public.

Committee Member debate and Officer clarification included:

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 Neville, seconded by Councillor Le Page and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED – That application PLA215/23 be granted subject to the plans, conditions and informatives as set out in the agenda report.

Planning Report and Presentation – The Head of Planning Services submitted a report in respect of application PLA216/23 Calverley Grounds, Mount Pleasant Avenue, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Charlotte Oben Principal Planning Officer and illustrated by means of a visual presentation.

Updates and additional representation – Since publication of the agenda the Officer updated that there were:

·        2 Representations

1.     CEO of Royal Tunbridge Wells Together who was supporting the application.

2.     Historic England who did not wish to comment on the application and wanted to leave it to the Council’s Conservation Officers to make comments.

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 included:

                 i.          It was advised that the wheel came with specialist operators that were fully trained  when it should or should not be operated. That level of operational assessment and consideration was outside of the planning remit.

                ii.          If Members were minded to approve the application an informative to ensure that that there is was adequate consideration given to operational and structural sturdiness.

               iii.          The hiring of the facility and the staff there were all included in an insurance package.

              iv.          The plan that was submitted had notes on it which stated that the park should be returned to its original state when the event was over.

Committee Member debate and Officer clarification included:

                 i.          Members discussed whether to approve the recommendation for 1 year or the proposed 5 years. This was addressed and it was clarified that the Council as an operating body had the power to cancel the event if they saw fit within the 5 years.

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 Neville, seconded by Councillor Patterson and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED – That application PLA216/23 be granted subject to the plans, conditions and informatives as set out in the agenda report.

Planning Report and Presentation – The Head of Planning Services submitted a report in respect of application PLA217/23 1 Littleworth Cottages, Etherington Hill, Speldhurst, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Charlotte Oben Principal Planning Officer and illustrated by means of a visual presentation.

Updates and additional representations – 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 included:

                 i.          It was confirmed that the approved decision made on the previous application still stood.

                ii.          The 50% rule was explained and it was clarified how it applied to the application before Members.

              iii.          It was confirmed that the application was at Committee as the property was owned by a Member of the Council.

Committee Member debate and Officer clarification included:

                 i.          It was noted that there were no local representatives.

                ii.          The questions raised about the 50% rule was welcomed as it showed the Committee Members did not rubber stamp the application and considered the 50% rule, how it applied to the proposed application and decided there were sufficient reasons that the openness of the Green Belt was not affected by it.

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 O’Connell, seconded by Councillor Patterson and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.

Councillor Moon requested that his abstention from voting be recorded.

RESOLVED – That application PLA217/23 be granted subject to the plans, conditions and informatives as set out in the agenda report.

RESOLVED – That the list of appeal decisions provided for information, be noted.

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.

There was no urgent business for consideration.

The next Planning Committee was scheduled for Wednesday MM YYYY.

The next Planning Committee meeting was scheduled for Wednesday 8 November 2023.