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taylors riding school, waverley avenue, minster
PRESENT: Councillor Barnicott (Chairman), Councillor Prescott (Vice-Chairman), Councillors Mike Brown, John Disney, Sandra Garside, Elvina Lowe and Ben Stokes.
OFFICERS PRESENT: Misses Mackenzie and Waltham and Messrs Jeffers (Swale Borough Council (SBC)) and Mrs Ellis and Mr Millard (Kent Highway Services (KHS)).
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Councillors Chris Boden (Local Resident) and Kenneth Pugh (Ward Member), Misses Cripps, Dootson, Mesdames Barton, Cantellow, Cooke, Cosstick, Cripps, Curtis, Dickson, Dillaway, Dootson, Fenton, Fitzpatrick, Flint, Fowle, Fowle, Frost, Godwin, Gregory, Halsall, Henderson, Huggett, Humphries, Jackson, Kinson, Maxted, Maxwell, Middleton, Nagi, Poole, Sacher, Salt, Simmonds, Simons, Sowah, Sturrock, Taylor, Tovey, Verlin, Wildish, Willimott, Willis, and Messrs Baden-Davis, Cantellow, Chamberlain, Cooke, Davis, Dillaway, Fenton. Flint, Glazebrook, Gregory, Havell, Hollis, Jacobs, Kinson, Kitter, Lines, Mannering, McCourt, Middleton, Nagi, Noble, Rello, Sacher, Salt, Scramshaw-Wright, Shearing, Simmonds, Simons, Smith, Smith, Underdown, Vowden, Waters, Wildish, Willimott (Local Residents), Councillor Pullinger, Minster Parish Council, Mr Walker (Agent), Mr and Mrs Hayler and Mr Scrimshaw-Wright (Applicants).
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Councillors Fiona Gowdy, Jennie Ronan, Alan Willicombe, Jean Willicombe and Woodland.
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taylors riding school, waverley avenue, minster
The Area Planning Officer explained that the application was for outline planning permission to provide twenty-four dwellings comprising two, three, four and five bedroom dwellings. The layout and access to the site were to be determined under the application with all other detailed matters to be agreed later. He advised that it was proposed to improve and adopt part of Waverley Avenue from the junction with Queenborough Drive up to the dwelling known as Waverley Lodge. The site, which was approximately 0.85 hectares in size, comprised of two detached dwellings, 'Casita' and 'Swallows Return', vehicular access, outdoor ménage area, an indoor arena enclosure, two hay barns, various garages and stables and a grass paddock. Public footpath ZS1 ran along the southern boundary of the application site. He advised that plot 19 was only 16 metres from its adjacent property The Meadows, Hillside Road and that further investigation was required, he hoped however that, with the appropriate planting and windows positioned at an appropriate level, together with re-siting of Plot 19, that the problem of overlooking would be resolved. In relation to protection of wildlife he advised that they were consulting Natural England and Kent Wildlife Trust who would identify any species on the site that needed protection and advise the developer accordingly. In response to a question he confirmed that both the developer and Planning Services would consider the landscaping for the site as part of a subsequent reserved matters application.
The Area Planning Officer considered the loss of employment would be minimal and drew attention to the comments received from the British Horse Society, a vet and property consultants who claimed that the riding establishment was not economical or practical. He advised that he was still awaiting comments from Natural England, Kent Wildlife Trust and Southern Water Services but hoped to have their views in time for the Planning Committee meeting. He considered that the development would not cause demonstrable harm to the area albeit that it adjoined The Glen a local landscape area as stated under Policy E15 of the adopted Local Plan and that some form of residential development on the land was acceptable in principle.
Kent Highway Services had raised no objection to the proposals. The Highway Officer answered questions relating to drainage and advised that any new road would be developed to an adoptable standard, including its own drainage and would go through the Highways audit process.
The Agent did not comment on the application but, in response to questions, confirmed that the scale of the development would not increase. He advised that the piece of land highlighted in blue on the plans was owned by the Hayler family but confirmed it was the intention of the applicant, Greenback Properties Ltd to buy this piece of land. he also confirmed that the trees on the site would be retained.
A representative from Minster Parish Council advised that they had objected to the proposal and raised concerns regarding problems with soakaway and unreasonable access. They also requested that improvements be made to the public footpath and that the development should be subject to a Section 106 Agreement.
Local residents raised the following concerns; heavy goods vehicles (HGV's) would come in through Woodland Drive via the Broadway; the terracotta landfill drains would not be able to cope with the extra housing; safety of children due to increase in traffic; overlooking due to the differences in the level of land; increased light pollution from new street lighting; subsidence; The Broadway and Queenborough Drive junction was already dangerous; Hillside Road would need to be improved; if tarmac was laid at the top of Waverley Avenue the risk of flooding to houses at the bottom would increase; damage to parked vehicles at the Queenborough Drive/Waverley Avenue junction; bats on the site needed to be protected; anti-social behaviour could be exacerbated with the introduction of the new play amenities proposed; social housing; blocking of sunlight to properties in The Glen between September and March; Heavy Goods Vehicles unable to climb steep gradients and make tight corners, so damaging residents driveways; detrimental to sight lines from The Glen; inadequate signage; if Waverley Avenue was resurfaced then would need to resurface all access roads; proposed 3-storey development not in keeping; loss of amenity (Riding School); had an impact study been carried out; consideration that too many units were proposed on the site; encroachment onto boundaries of The Glen and that public footpath ZS1 had been encroached upon by existing gardens being extended across it.
A Member, who is also a local resident, was concerned about the height differences of the proposed properties and requested Members look at the contour lines on the plans. He also asked Members of the Committee to view the application documents which stated that infilling had been ruled-out on grounds of cost, which he felt was an unacceptable reason. He stated that the 3-storey terraced properties proposed, were not in-keeping with the area and advised that The Glen was the largest Special Landscape Area (SLA) on the Isle of Sheppey and needed to be protected.
A Ward Member supported Parish Council concerns, concern about size of properties, drainage problems resulting in further flooding of adjoining properties and asked Members to consider the threat of subsidence which was already a problem in Waverley Avenue. A Ward Member also requested a 3-D plan of the development.
Members then toured the site and asked the Area Planning Officer, the Highways Officer and the Agent questions which they answered.
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