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 Councillor Wakeman.

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

No declarations of interest were made.

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.

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 Wednesday 18 January 2023 be recorded as a correct record.

The clerk noted that Councillor Hugo Pound, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning was in attendance at the Planning Committees dated:

·        1 September 2022

·        28 September 2022

·        19 October 2022

·        16 November 2022 and;

·        7 December 2022.

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 PLA101/22  1 Littleworth Cottages, Etherington Hill, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by James Taylor 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.          It was noted that the building was not significant enough to be Grade 2 listed, however it was of it’s time and the porch door had rectangular windows and all the other fenestration on both cottages had got square windows.

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 Bland and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED – That application PLA101/22 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 PLA102/22  Assembly Hall Theatre, Crescent Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent and this was summarised at the meeting by Abby Shillingford 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.          It was confirmed that the last line of paragraph 10.08 on page 26 of the report should read: A condition is added below to ensure that the Local Planning Authority is notified prior to the start of works as to which option the applicant intends to proceed with.

                ii.          It was confirmed that Members were asked to approve the Officer recommendation which included both options. Condition 4 stated that the applicant had to come back with which option they intended to proceed with.

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 Britcher-Allan, seconded by Councillor Fitzsimmons and a vote was taken to approve the application in line with the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED – That application PLA102/22 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 Thursday 2 March 2023.

The next Planning Committee meeting was scheduled for Thursday 2 March 2023.