sw/07/1355 – 17 and 18 arthur street, sittingbourne

PRESENT: Councillor Barnicott (Chairman), Councillors Bobbin, Simon Clark, Elvina Lowe, Kenneth Pugh, Pat Sandle, Ben Stokes and Roger Truelove.

OFFICERS PRESENT: Rob Bailey, Jo Hammond, Alun Millard (Kent Highway Services) and Jim Wilson.

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Councillor Ghlin Whelan (Ward Member), Mr Burke (agent), Mrs Chapman, Mr Everest, Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald, Mr Gough, Mr Hasan, Mr Perfect, Mr and Mrs Simmons and Mrs Westley-Gough (local residents).

APOLOGY: Councillor Prescott.

sw/08/0195 - land rear of mayfield house, london road, newington

PRESENT: Councillor Barnicott (Chairman), Councillors Bobbin, Simon Clark, Elvina Lowe, Kenneth Pugh, Pat Sandle and Ben Stokes.

OFFICERS PRESENT: Jo Hammond and Jim Wilson.

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Mr Mark Adu-Sarpong (applicant), Ms Carol Sage and Mr Paul Rowe (Chairman of Newington Parish Council).

APOLOGY: Councillor Prescott.

sw/08/0096 - 177 wards hill road, minster

PRESENT: Councillor Barnicott (Chairman), Councillors Bobbin, Simon Clark, Kenneth Pugh, Pat Sandle and Ben Stokes.

OFFICERS PRESENT: Jo Hammond, Alun Millard (Kent Highway Services) and Andrew Spiers.

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Mr D Lester (applicant).

APOLOGIES: Councillors Elvina Lowe and Prescott.

declarations of interest

No interests were declared

part b minutes for information

sw/07/1355 – 17 and 18 arthur street, sittingbourne

The Planning Officer explained that the proposal was for the demolition of two semi-detached dwellings and construction of eight flats with on site parking for 11 vehicles. The flats would be two-storey and would front Arthur Street. Amended plans had been received which showed that the flats would be set back four metres from the road and 10.8 metres from the existing dwellings. Access to the flats would be at the corner of Arthur Street and Laburnum Place. The proposal included a shared amenity space to the rear of the flats. He advised that a previous application on this site for ten flats had been refused by the Planning Committee last year and outlined the reasons for the refusal. He considered that the application would not result in significant overlooking to neighbouring properties and reported that Kent Highway Services had not raised objection to the proposal.

Mr Burke, the agent, outlined the history of the site. He considered that the applicants had addressed the concerns raised by the Planning Committee when they refused the previous application. He explained that this proposal reduced the number of flats to eight and would also widen the road at the corner of Arthur Street and Laburnum Place by 1.8 metres. He considered that the distance between the front of the flats and the existing dwellings was acceptable and that the scheme complied with Swale Borough Council's policies and design recommendations.

The Ward Member raised concern regarding increased traffic and the lack of parking in the area. He considered that the flats would adversely affect living conditions and it was an over-intensification of the site.

Local residents raised the following concerns: over-intensification of the site; access was via a narrow one-way street; disruption to residents; over-looking to neighbouring properties; the proposal would be over-bearing; inadequate parking provision; dustmen cannot access road at present; loss of privacy; the flats would block sunlight to neighbouring properties; pedestrian and highway safety; noise and social problems.

Members discussed the residents parking scheme in operation in the area. The Kent Highway Services Officer advised that the residents of the flats would not be eligible to apply for parking permits to park in the road. Officers advised that the parking provision for the development exceeded the normal requirement for the number of dwellings proposed.

Members then toured the site and asked the Planning Officer, Area Planning Officer and Kent Highways Officer questions which they answered.

sw/08/0195 - land rear of mayfield house, london road, newington

The Area Planning Officer explained that the application was for the erection of a three-bedroomed detached house on land rear of Mayfield House. The dwelling would be in excess of 50 metres from London Road A2 and 30 metres from the rear of Mayfield House. The dwelling would be used in conjunction with the Gardening World business to allow the applicant to live on site. A previous application for a four-bedroomed house was refused in January 2008. He advised that the proposal was contrary to national policy and to policies within the Swale Borough Local Plan 2008 and the Kent and Medway Structure Plan. Officers had also sought advice from a specialist agricultural advisor. He considered that there were suitable existing properties in the vicinity to meet the need of the applicant to live close to the business.

Mr Adu-Sarpong, the applicant, explained that the nature of their business required someone to be on site at various times during the night and that this dwelling would allow for a permanent on-site presence. He explained that there were no suitable houses available in the area and that travelling to the site in the middle of the night disturbed the residents of Mayfield House. The dwelling would allow them to progress their business.

Mr Rowe, Chairman of Newington Parish Council, spoke in support of the application. He considered that the proposal was important for the Gardening World business and the dwelling would be hidden from the road by Mayfield House.

The Area Planning Officer confirmed that Kent Highway Services raised no objection to the application.

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

sw/08/0096 - 177 wards hill road, minster

The Planning Officer explained that the proposal was for the erection of three bungalows to replace an existing chalet bungalow. Two of the dwellings would front Clovelly Drive with separate accesses and the third dwelling would use the existing access from Wards Hill Road. Wards Hill Road and Clovelly Drive both had a mixture of housing types and designs. Kent Highways Services and Minster Parish Council raised no objection to the proposal.

Mr Lester, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Members then toured the site and asked the Planning Officer and Kent Highway Services Officer questions which they answered.