To consider the following applications:

16/501266/FULL – 99 High Street and Land to the North of High Street, Newington

Tabled Paper added 27 June 2017.

16/508117/OUT – The Slips, Scocles Road, Minster

Members of the public are advised to confirm with Planning Services prior to the meeting that the applications will be considered at this meeting.

Requests to speak on these items must be registered with Democratic Services (democraticservices@swale.gov.uk or call us on 01795 417328) by noon on Wednesday 21 June 2017.

The Senior Planner drew Members’ attention to the tabled paper, which had previously been emailed to Members, and which summarised the Government consultation (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Improving Air Quality in the UK: Tackling Nitrogen Dioxide in our Towns and Villages).  She reported that further comments had been received from Newington Parish Council, and they considered the application should be refused.  The Parish Council had stated that Gordon Henderson MP was also against the application and he considered it was unsustainable to allow further development along the A2 due to insufficient infrastructure and poor air quality.

She further reported that at the Chairman’s Briefing, held prior to this meeting, she was made aware that Members had been in receipt of a document from the Campaign to Protect Rural England. As such, officers had not had the opportunity to view the document in detail, and the Senior Planner considered the application should be deferred in order that further advice be sought from the Environmental Team on the way forward following receipt of this document.

The Chairman moved the officer recommendation (as above) to defer the application and this was seconded.

The members of the public registered to speak on this item, did not speak.

Resolved:  That application 16/501266/FULL be deferred to allow officers time to review the recent document received and to further advise Members as necessary..

The Senior Planner reported that one further letter of objection had been received.  She summarised the issues raised which included:  concerned with noise and disturbance; decimation of the countryside; and there was too much development.  The Senior Planner explained that Kent County Council (KCC) Highways and Transportation had advised that the road widening and the extension of the 30mph zone would be delivered under a Section 278 Agreement, and covered by the Section 106 Agreement.  She referred Members to Paragraph 2.05 on Page 75 of the report and advised that the applicant had confirmed that the proposed footpath on the eastern side was within both the applicant’s ownership and KCC Highways and Transportation’s.  The part under the applicant’s ownership would be covered by condition (15) in the report, and the part under KCC Highways and Transportation would be covered under the Section 106 Agreement.  The Senior Planner reported that there would be a small amendment to condition (5) to read “……and shall be provided before the fiftieth dwelling was occupied”, to ensure that it was enforceable.

Trish Codrington, representing Minster Parish Council, spoke against the application.

Mr Mick Drury, the Agent, spoke in support of the application.

A Ward Member spoke against the application.  He raised concerns which included: there was a proliferation of housing in the Minster area; there were sufficient existing planning applications to increase the size of Minster by one third; the infrastructure was not in place to support more housing; there were already issues on Scocles Road; and suggest the 30mph road sign be moved further than proposed, by another 100 metres to the roundabout at Thistle Hill.

In response, the KCC Highways and Transportation Officer explained that the lengthening of the existing 30mph restriction would be subject to a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) which would require consultation, and that the request now to extend it even further to the roundabout could be considered during that process.

Councillor Mike Henderson moved the following amendments:  that the wording in condition (18) on page 82 of the report be amended to remove the wording ‘where possible’; and that KCC Highways and Transportation be formally asked to propose a 100 metre extension to the proposed re-siting of the 30mph sign, so that this would definitely be the basis for the TRO consultation.  These amendments were seconded by Councillor Mike Baldock.

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

Members considered the application and raised points which included:  over-stretched infrastructure; the cumulative impact of the additional 8% of traffic from this development, plus other developments, on local roads; this was unsustainable; this was in the Local Plan, but the Inspector had objected on highway grounds; should be turned down for highway reasons; more highway capacity was needed; and needed to look at phasing-in housing when the time was appropriate, i.e. infrastructure in place.

At this point, the Head of Planning Services acknowledged the difficulties in the phasing of housing and infrastructure but it was difficult particularly where funding for these roads was not up-front.  He further explained that the impact of a housing scheme on the road infrastructure was a gradual process given that schemes could take many years to build-out.

In response to a question, the Senior Planner advised that the site was not in a Countryside Gap under the 2008 Local Plan, or the emerging Local Plan.  The site was allocated for housing.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 19(5) a recorded vote was taken on the motion and voting was as follows:

For:  Councillors Derek Conway, Lloyd Bowen, Mike Whiting, James Hunt, Nigel Kay, Mike Henderson and Mark Ellen.  Total equals seven.

Against:  Councillors Mike Baldock, Cameron Beart, George Bobbin, Andy Booth, Richard Darby, Paul Fleming, Ken Ingleton and Peter Marchington.  Total equals eight.

Abstain:  Total equals nil.

The motion for approval was lost.

Councillor Cameron Beart moved a motion for refusal on the grounds that the road infrastructure in relation to the A2500 and Scocles Road was insufficient for this development to go ahead.  This was seconded by Councillor Peter Marchington.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 19(5) a recorded vote was taken on the motion and voting was as follows:

For:  Councillors Cameron Beart, Richard Darby, Paul Fleming and Peter Marchington.  Total equals four.

Against:  Councillors Andy Booth, Derek Conway, Lloyd Bowen, Mike Whiting, James Hunt, Nigel Kay, Mike Henderson and Mark Ellen.  Total equals eight.

Abstain:  Councillors Mike Baldock, George Bobbin and Ken Ingleton. Total equals three.

The motion for refusal was lost.

Councillor Mike Baldock moved a motion to defer the application to enable more robust reasons for refusal to come forward. This was seconded by Councillor James Hunt.

At this point the Head of Planning Services suggested there be a recess so that Planning Officers and the Legal representative could discuss the matter.

There was a recess from 7.54pm to 8pm.

The Head of Planning Services outlined a possible way forward regarding the timing of the infrastructure and the delivery of the housing.

Councillor Mike Henderson moved a motion to defer the application so that officers could look at the phasing of the housing in accordance with the planned highway infrastructure, specifically the Lower Road roundabout.  This was seconded by Councillor Lloyd Bowen. On being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

Resolved:  That application 16/508117/OUT be deferred so that officers could look at the phasing of the housing in accordance with the planned highway infrastructure, specifically the Lower Road roundabout.