The Chairman will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. This is particularly important for visitors and members of the public who will be unfamiliar with the building and procedures.

The Chairman will inform the meeting whether there is a planned evacuation drill due to take place, what the alarm sounds like (i.e. ringing bells), where the closest emergency exit route is, and where the second closest emergency exit route is, in the event that the closest exit or route is blocked.

The Chairman will inform the meeting that:

(a) in the event of the alarm sounding, everybody must leave the building via the nearest safe available exit and gather at the Assembly points at the far side of the Car Park.  Nobody must leave the assembly point until everybody can be accounted for and nobody must return to the building until the Chairman has informed them that it is safe to do so; and

(b) the lifts must not be used in the event of an evacuation.

Any officers present at the meeting will aid with the evacuation.

It is important that the Chairman is informed of any person attending who is disabled or unable to use the stairs, so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

The Chairman ensured that those present at the meeting were aware of the emergency evacuation procedure.

The Chairman explained that this meeting was the postponed meeting, in place of the one scheduled to be held on 1 March 2018, because of the weather conditions.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 1 February 2018 (Minute Nos. 462 - 468) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 1 February 2018 (Minute Nos. 462 – 468) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

(c)          Where it is possible that a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts would conclude that there was a real possibility that the Member might be predetermined or biased the Member should declare their predetermination or bias and then leave the room while that item is considered.

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

No interests were declared.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 19 February 2018 (Minute Nos. 496 - 497).

17/505865/FULL – Land at Sondes Arms, Station Approach, Selling, Faversham, ME13 9PL

Tabled paper added 13 March 2018.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 19 February 2018 (Minute Nos. 496 – 497) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

17/505865/FULL LAND AT SONDES ARMS, STATION APPROACH, SELLING, FAVERSHAM, ME13 9PL

The Area Planning Officer explained that since the Planning Working Group, held on 19 February 2018, a number of representations had been received.  These had been circulated to Members and were tabled at the meeting.  He explained that since the document had been circulated, a further six representations had been made.  The comments were similar to those already raised, with additional concerns with foul sewerage easement on the site. 

The Area Planning Officer explained that he had spoken with the owner of the Sondes Arms and she had raised site boundary issues, which he advised were not a planning consideration.  He explained that originally a garage had been included in the application, but this had now been removed.  There were now issues of egress from the application site over land owned by National Rail.  The Area Planning Officer confirmed that this could be controlled by way of conditions on the application.

A Ward Member, (not a member of the Planning Committee), spoke against the application.  He considered that not enough had been done to take into account paragraph 70 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), in support of local businesses.  The Ward Member explained that the Sondes Arms was a very necessary facility, and he was sorry to see it potentially disappear, for one additional house.  He stated that the entrance would be across National Rail land, and considered it inappropriate to allow planning permission if there was no permission to get over the entrance.  The Ward Member explained that there was no certainty of there being a direct line for sewerage.

In response, the Senior Lawyer advised that access, and sewer easement were irrelevant in relation to the planning application, as they were not planning matters.

A second Ward Member spoke against the application.  He considered the application would damage the Sondes Arms business.

Members raised points which included:  there would be a struggle to defend this on appeal; needed to consider the additional potential of two further cars parking along the busy road to the station; disappointed that National Rail was not consulted; this was overbearing; overlooking; privacy issues; needed to be a condition on the size and weight of vehicles at the construction stage; there were no other frontages onto this road; suggest by condition that construction took place out of the summer months to protect the Sondes Arms’ garden facility; conditions were needed to define the access, and provide two parking spaces on the site; redesign the side facing the Sondes Arms so that there were no overlooking windows; the boundary issue should be sorted out before planning permission was given; and the scale was too large, and very close to the boundary.

In response to questions, the Area Planning Officer explained that there was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 517.

To consider the attached report (Parts 2, 3 and 5).

The Council operates a scheme of public speaking at meetings of the Planning Committee.  All applications on which the public has registered to speak will be taken first.  Requests to speak at the meeting must be registered with Democratic Services (democraticservices@swale.gov.uk or call 01795 417328) by noon on Wednesday 28 February 2018.

PART 2

Applications for which PERMISSION is recommended

The Chairman moved the officer recommendation to approve the application and this was seconded.

A Ward Member spoke in support of the application.

Resolved:  That application 18/500046/FULL be approved subject to conditions (1) to (5) in the report.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda as Iwade Parish Council had withdrawn their objection to the application.

The Chairman moved the officer recommendation to approve the application and this was seconded by the Vice-Chairman.

The Ward Member spoke in support of the application.

In response to a question, the Area Planning Officer reported that the application was for nine stables, plus an additional two as an isolation block for sick horses.

Resolved:  That application 16/505211/FULL be approved subject to conditions (1) to (5) in the report.

The Major Projects Officer drew Members’ attention to the tabled update which included officer responses to issues raised by Faversham Town Council.  He reported that four further letters had been received, which included issues already noted in the report, plus comments which included:  there should be space for a car park (for cars that currently park on the A2); there should be a 20mph speed limit through Faversham; housing schemes were dealt with on a case-by-case basis, however this should be on a cumulative basis; the proposals were unrealistic; the design of the road junction between the scheme and the A251 was questioned; and emergency services would be delayed by the proposed road layout at the A2/A251 junction.

The Major Projects Officer reminded Members that this site was allocated for housing in the Local Plan. He referred Members to paragraph (5) of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 518.

To decide whether to pass the resolution set out below in respect of the following items:

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 5 and 7.

5.    Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

7.    Information relation to any action in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.

Resolved:

(1) That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item s of business on the grounds they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 5 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act:

5. Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

7. Information relating to any action taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.

To consider the attached report (Part 6).

6.1       Case 17/500786/OPDEV Land adjacent 1 Boughton Field Cottage, Canterbury Road, Faversham ME13 8YW

Resolved: 

(1)      That an Enforcement Noticebe issued pursuant to the provisions of Section 172 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended, requiring the removal of the fence within 1 month of the Notice taking effect. 

(2)      That the Head of Planning Services and Head of Legal Partnership of the Council be authorised to prepare and serve the necessary documentation, including the precise wording thereof to give effect to this decision.

The meeting was adjourned at 9.15pm and reconvened at 9.22pm.