The Chairman explained that the meeting would be conducted in accordance with the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panel (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Policy and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 No. 392.

In welcoming all Members and members of the public, the Chairman explained which Swale Borough Council officers were in attendance.

Planning Committee 10.12.2020

To approve the Minutes of the Meetings held on 12 November 2020 (Minute Nos. 239 - 248) and the Reconvened Meeting held on 16 November 2020 (Minute Nos. to-follow).

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 November 2020 (Minute Nos. 239 – 248) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Reconvened Meeting held on 16 November 2020 (Minute Nos. 249 – 253) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:  Councillor Cameron Beart declared a Disclosable Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect of item 2.8 19/502969/FULL Land to the East of Queenborough Road, Queenborough.

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 meeting 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.

Councillor Tim Gibson (Chairman) declared a Disclosable Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect of item 2.1 20/502524/FULL Land adjacent to 6 St Michaels Close, Sittingbourne.  Councillor Gibson left the meeting during consideration of this item.

To consider the following applications:

Deferred Item 1 18/504562/FULL Ellens Court, Lady Margaret Manor Road, Doddington, Kent, ME9 0NT

Deferred Item 2 20/500490/FULL Seaview Holiday Camp, Warden Bay Road, Leysdown, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 4NB

Deferred Item 3 20/503571/FULL Seaview Holiday Camp, Warden Bay Road, Leysdown, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 4NB

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 9 December 2020.

Additional information has been added to these items which might be referred to at the meeting.

DEFERRED ITEMS

Reports shown in previous Minutes as being deferred from that Meeting

The Major Projects Officer introduced the application.  He reminded Members that at the meeting on 15 October 2020 they had deferred the application to allow the Planning Working Group to meet on-site.  However, due to the current health and safety risks involved with a physical site meeting, officers recommended that video footage of the site be presented to Members, Ward Members, residents/objectors and the applicant/agent at a remote meeting of the Planning Working Group.  The minutes from that meeting would then be considered at the Planning Committee meeting on Thursday 7 January 2021.

Lee Davison, an objector, spoke against the proposal to hold the Planning Working Group meeting remotely.

The Chairman moved the officer recommendation for a meeting of the Planning Working Group to be held remotely and this was seconded by Councillor Roger Clark.

The Ward Member appreciated that holding a physical site meeting was not feasible during the current Covid-19 pandemic but considered it was a unique remote site with a narrow access and was not suitable for the development proposed.

In response to a query from a Member, the Major Projects Officer stated that the application was already over the 13-week determination target and the applicants could take the application to appeal on non determination grounds if they were minded to. 

Members were invited to consider the proposal for a remote Planning Working Group meeting and raised comments which included:

·         Understood residents concerns but Members would still be able to view the site by video so could see no harm in holding a remote meeting;

·         suggested that dash-cam footage showing the narrow access to the site could also be shown at the virtual meeting;

·         important to consider whether it was reasonable under the current Covid-19 pandemic restrictions to delay having a virtual meeting when nobody knew how long the restrictions would be for;

·         Members could always visit the site individually; and

·         supported the proposed remote meeting but would like dash-cam footage to be made available at the meeting. 

In response to a query from a Member, the Democratic Services Officer stated that the meeting could be held at 10am on Monday 21 December 2020.

Resolved:  That due to the current health and safety risks involved for the Planning Working Group to meet on site, video footage of the site including dash-cam footage for application 18/504562/FULL be presented to a remote Planning Working Group meeting.

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 9 December 2020.

Additional information has been added to these items which might be referred to at the meeting.

PART 2

Applications for which PERMISSION is recommended

The Vice-Chairman took the chair for this application.

The Vice-Chairman in-the-Chair moved the officer recommendation to approve the application and this was seconded by Councillor Ben J Martin.

A Ward Member spoke against the application.

Members were invited to debate the application and comments included:

·         Did not consider that the proposal would be detrimental to the setting of St Michaels church;

·         the proposal would fit in well with the existing terraced houses;

·         would not cause any overlooking issues to neighbouring properties;

·         agreed with officers that as it was so accessible into the high street parking would not be an issue;

·         visitors could park in the car park nearby;

·         could see no material reasons to refuse the application; and

·         was in accordance with the Council’s recently adopted parking standards and was in a sustainable location.

The Conservation & Design Manager reported that from a conservation area point of view he would have preferred for the area to remain green, but considered the impact on the conservation area would be minimal.  He suggested the conditions in the report be tightened-up slightly, so they were inline with application 17/503011/FULL which had been approved in 2017 at the site, and the removal of permitted development rights.  The Area Planning Officer suggested the following addendum to the motion to approve the application: to impose a condition seeking removal of normal domestic permitted development rights.

A Member raised concern that the occupiers of the proposed dwelling might be affected by noise from delivery vehicles to adjacent shops, he asked whether a condition requiring triple glazing to the rear windows could be imposed?  The Area Planning Officer advised that the Council’s Environmental Health Officer had raised no objection in respect of noise, however such a condition could be imposed if Members felt it would be an issue. 

Councillor Simon Clark moved the following addendum:  that an additional condition be imposed requiring that the rear windows had triple glazing.  This was seconded by Councillor Tony Winckless.  A Member said that she did not think that noise was likely to be a problem as any occupiers would be mindful that it was close to the town centre.

On being put to the vote the additional conditions were agreed by Members.

Resolved:  That application 20/502524/FULL be delegated to officers to approve subject to conditions (1) to (10) in the report and two additional conditions, one seeking removal of domestic permitted development rights and the other requiring that the rear windows were triple glazed.