Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

771.

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

The Chairman will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. This is particularly important for visitors and members of the public who will be unfamiliar with the building and procedures.

 

The Chairman will inform the meeting whether there is a planned evacuation drill due to take place, what the alarm sounds like (i.e. ringing bells), where the closest emergency exit route is, and where the second closest emergency exit route is, in the event that the closest exit or route is blocked.

 

The Chairman will inform the meeting that:

 

(a) in the event of the alarm sounding, everybody must leave the building via the nearest safe available exit and gather at the Assembly points at the far side of the Car Park.  Nobody must leave the assembly point until everybody can be accounted for and nobody must return to the building until the Chairman has informed them that it is safe to do so; and

 

(b) the lifts must not be used in the event of an evacuation.

 

Any officers present at the meeting will aid with the evacuation.

 

It is important that the Chairman is informed of any person attending who is disabled or unable to use the stairs, so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

772.

Minutes

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 April 2022 (Minute Nos. 742 - 747) as a correct record.

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 April 2022 (Minute Nos. 742 – 747) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

773.

Declarations of Interest

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 Interests (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.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Alastair Gould declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in respect of item 2.8 16/508602/OUT Preston Fields, Salters Lane, Faversham and item 2.9 21/500766/OUT Land at Preston Fields (South), Salters Lane, Faversham as there was a Section 106 Agreement potential contribution towards the extension/refurbishment of primary care facilities in Faversham and he owned a GP practice in Faversham.  Councillor Gould left the meeting during consideration of these items.

 

Councillor James Hunt declared a disclosable Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect of item 6.1 and said that he would explain his interest just before the item was due to be considered.

774.

Schedule of Decisions pdf icon PDF 55 KB

To consider the attached report (Parts 2 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 11 May 2022.

 

Items 2.10, 2.11, 2.12 & 2.13 published 5 May 2022.

 

Tabled officer updates for items 2.5, 2.6, 2.12, 2.8, 2.9 and 2.13 published 12 May 2022.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

PART 2

 

Applications for which PERMISSION is recommended

                                                                                                                                                    

 

2.1       REFERENCE NO 21/503749/REM

APPLICATION PROPOSAL

Approval of Reserved Matters for Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale pursuant of 19/503810/OUT (allowed on appeal) for - Outline application for the erection of 17 dwellings with new access road, associated parking and landscaping. (Access being sought, all other matters reserved for future consideration).

ADDRESS Land on the South East side of Bartletts Close, Halfway, Kent, ME12 3EG

WARD

Queenborough & Halfway

PARISH/TOWN COUNCIL

APPLICANT Mr R Theobald

AGENT Synergy

 

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the report and outlined the application which sought approval for reserved matters: appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.  She showed Members the plans and images which indicated what the site would look like.

 

Mr Theobald, the Applicant, spoke in support of the application.

 

The Chairman moved the officer recommendation to approve the application, and this was seconded by the Vice-Chairman.

 

Ward Members, both members of the Planning Committee, raised concerns which included:

 

·         The applicants had made no attempt to negotiate with local residents about their concerns in respect of access to the site;

·         the report stated that Kent County Council (KCC) Highways and Transportation had raised no objection, but that was misleading as they had actually said that as the road would not be adopted, they had no jurisdiction so could not give a view one way or the other;

·         with reference to a sketch which had been tabled for Members, considered the land on the site was an area of fertile soil being formed from clay hill erosion, volcanic ash and decayed plant life,  so it was good quality ground;

·         concerned that with water run-off from Bartletts Close, Halfway and the clay line the plan for vast drain areas on the soil could exacerbate flooding issues;

·         both KCC Flood and Water Management and the Lower Medway Internal Drainage Board (LMIDB) had raised concern about attenuation of the surface water to infiltration into the ground and there was not enough information provided about how the attenuation would be dealt with so the application should be deferred on that basis;

·         had to respect that the principle of development and access had been approved;

·         concerned about the design layout of plots one and two as they sat forward of the current building line which would have an adverse impact on the residential amenity of residents at No. 10;

·         welcomed bungalows on plots 16 and 17; and

·         did not consider that the proposed town houses were in-keeping with the area.

 

Councillor Cameron Beart moved a motion for a site meeting.  This was seconded by Councillor Richard Darby.  On being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

 

Councillor Beart asked that the plots be marked out on the site at the site meeting.

 

Resolved:  That application 21/503749/REM be deferred to allow the Planning Working Group to meeting on site.  

 

2.2       REFERENCE NO – 19/502484/FULL

APPLICATION PROPOSAL

The proposed conversion of existing outbuilding Block 4 to Commercial units for use Class E (Commercial, Business and Service) a,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 774.

775.

Report of the Head of Planning Services

To consider the attached report (Part 6).

Minutes:

This item was considered at the reconvened meeting on Monday 16 May 2022.

776.

Adjournment of Meeting

Minutes:

The Meeting was adjourned from 8. 30 pm to 8.40 pm.

 

777.

Suspension of Standing Orders

Minutes:

At 10 pm and 10.30 pm Members agreed to the suspension of Standing Orders in order that the Committee could complete its business.

778.

Record of Thanks

Minutes:

The Chairman advised Members that Graham Thomas (Area Planning Officer) would be retiring at the end of May 2022.  He thanked Graham for all his hard work over the years and wished him a very happy retirement.