Meeting documents

Planning Working Group
Monday, 21 May 2007

planning working group

MINUTES of the Meeting held in Newnham and Minster on Monday 21st May 2007 from 9:30 am to 12:05 pm.

 

land at homestall hill, newnham

PRESENT: Councillor Barnicott (Chairman), Councillor Colin Prescott (Vice-Chairman), Councillors Sandra Garside and Ben Stokes.

OFFICERS PRESENT: Miss Davies and Mr Thomas.

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Councillors Boucher (Norton Parish Council), Buckett (Newnham Parish Council), Cox (Norton Parish Council), Gunner (Newnham Parish Council), Mr Simpkin (Agent), Mr and Mrs Banks (Applicants), Mesdames Batchelor, Densing, Elvy, McCrorie, Speed and Messrs Batchelor, Bioletti, Elvy, McCrorie, Michel, Savask, Speed, Steel and Woods (Local residents).

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Councillors Bobbin, Simon Clark, Elvina Lowe, Alan Willicome and Jean Wilicombe.

 
 

4 seathorpe avenue, minster

PRESENT: Councillor Barnicott (Chairman), Councillor Colin Prescott (Vice-Chairman), Councillors Mark Ellen, Mike Brown (substitute for Councillor Elvina Lowe), Sandra Garside, Kenneth Pugh and Ben Stokes.

OFFICERS PRESENT: Miss Davies and Mr Jeffers (Swale Borough Council), Mrs Ellis and Mr Millard (Kent Highway Services).

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Mesdames Bishop, Groves, Murray, Ralph, Sargent, Summers, Wall, Weatherley and Messrs Bishop, Crowther, Howe, B Miles, J Miles, Murray, M Ralph, P Ralph, Sargent, Summers, Wall, Weatherley (Local Residents).

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Councillors Bobbin, Simon Clark, Elvina Lowe, Alan Willicome and Jean Wilicombe.

 
37  

absence of quorum - land at homestall hill, newnham

In the absence of a quorum in accordance with Standing Order No. 8(1), the meeting at Homestall Hill, Newnham was declared inquorate. Notes are attached as Annex A to these Minutes.


Appendix 
38  

4 seathorpe avenue, minster

The Area Planning Officer explained that the application was for outline permission for the demolition of one house and the construction of two houses and two chalet semi-detached bungalows. This had been amended from the original submission for four houses. The application site was within a built up area and consisted of a mixture of dwelling types including bungalows, chalets and houses. Each of the proposed properties would have an integral garage and a driveway.

Following re-consultation of the revised scheme, four further letters and one e-mail had been received in opposition to the proposal. These covered issues similar to those in the report and also stated there was a lack of services, highway issues, overlooking and nuisance of building work. Minster Parish Council had raised no objection to the amended plans. Kent Highway Services raised no objection, but had requested conditions.

The Area Planning Officer explained that the development was acceptable in principle and followed Central Government guidance in that the scheme would make better use of available development land. The amended dwellings had been reduced in size and velux type windows were to be used at the back of the chalets to reduce overlooking.

The Kent Highway Officer explained that the scheme had the maximum number of parking spaces, two per dwelling, for this type of development. He confirmed that a traffic impact study had not been carried out, as the size of the development was below the threshold level, and that the site was very close to a classified road.

Local residents raised objections to the proposal and emphasised the following points: regret over loss of present dwelling; access problems; increase in traffic; road safety issues; over intensification, detrimental to wildlife including bats and nesting birds; dust and noise from demolition; the proposal will set a precedent; lack of amenities; concerns over the hours of work by contractors.

Members then toured the site and asked the Area Planning Officer questions which he answered.

 
All Minutes are draft until agreed at the next meeting of the Committee/Panel

View the Agenda for this meeting

 

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