The Chair 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 Chair 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 Chair 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 Chair 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 Chair 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.

The Chair outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 21 July 2022 (Minute Nos. 201 - 208) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 21 July 2022 (Minute Nos. 201 – 208) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

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 Chair 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.

Councillor Mike Baldock declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in respect of 2.2 21/505544/FULL Hillyfield Hearts Delight, Borden, as he had called in the application.  Councillor Baldock advised that he had not made his mind up about the application and was not predetermined.

Councillor David Simmons declared a Disclosable Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect of Agenda 2.1 21/502545/FULL Railway Depot Station Road, Faversham as he was Chair of the Trustees of the Municipal Charities who owned the adjoining recreation ground.

Councillor Carole Jackson declared a Disclosable Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect of Agenda 2.1 21/502545/FULL Railway Depot Station Road, Faversham as she was a Trustee of the Municipal Charities who owned the adjoining recreation ground.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 August 2022 (Minute Nos. to follow).

To consider application 21/503124/OUT Land to the North of Elm Lane, Minster-on-Sea, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 3RZ.

Tabled update for this item was published on 18 August 2022.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 August 2022 (Minute Nos. 230 – 231) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

21/503124/OUT Land North of Elm Lane, Minster-on-Sea

The Council’s Planning Consultant referred to the tabled update which set out responses to questions raised by a Ward Member and which had previously been emailed to Members. 

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

A Ward Member, who was also a member of the Planning Committee, thanked Members who had attended the site meeting.  He spoke against the application and was disappointed that Kent County Council (KCC) had not responded to some of the questions he had raised.  The Member referred to the last paragraph of page three of the update and considered that the report was littered with errors and that the application should be refused. 

A Member explained that one of the ward members, Councillor Pete Neal, had hoped to attend the meeting but was unable to.

The Chair invited Members to comment on the application.  Members raised points which included:

·         Referred to a letter on the planning portal from KCC Flood and Water Management received on 19 July 2022 which pointed out a number of ambiguities in the report from HSP Consulting which the Member also noted was missing a number of appendices.  Would that be addressed at the Reserved Matters stage?;

·         the update was inaccurate as only one bus service on the Isle of Sheppey was subsidised and that service was currently proposed for withdrawal;

·         concerned about the location of the proposed access road, which would result in numbers 65 and 69 Drake Avenue having to endure traffic noise and pollution;

·         the development would cross a countryside gap;

·         concerned that land used as paddocks was classed as brownfield and that left a lot of land south of the A2 very vulnerable to development;

·         it was a shame that the Sheppey Light Railway had been lost;

·         had National Highways (NH) been consulted on the impacts to junction 5 of the M2? NH had imposed a Grampian condition prohibiting development that would impact on the A249 Grovehurst Road, Sittingbourne and Stockbury roundabout, until improvements there had been completed;

·         outlined the benefits of the application; and

·         there were no justified planning reasons to refuse the application.

In response, the Planning Consultant confirmed that a final Flood Risk Assessment could be requested at the Reserved Matters stage.  There were legal requirements to consult NH and they had no duty to comment on this development as it did not affect the trunk road network.  The Grampian conditions would be lifted by 2024-25 due to the various improvements to Trunk roads and roundabouts.

A Ward Member, who was also a Member of the Planning Committee, referred to the Planning Inspector’s decision for a site at Jubilee Fields, Upchurch refused on appeal where the Inspector had commented that the Council’s lack of 5-year housing supply was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 248.

To consider the following applications:

·         Deferred Item 1 21/505461/PSINF HMP Standford Hill, Church Road, Eastchurch;

·         Deferred Item 2 22/501315/FULL St Mawes, The Street, Borden; and

·         Deferred Item 3 21/500204/FULL Old House at Home, High Street, Sheerness

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 17 August 2022.

Tabled update for Deferred Item 1 application 21/505461/PSINF HMP Standford Hill, Church Road, Eastchurch published 17.08.22.

Tabled update for Deferred Item 3 application 21/500204/FULL Old House at Home, High Street, Sheerness published 17.08.22.

Reports shown in previous Minutes as being deferred from that Meeting.

The Major Projects Officer introduced the application and drew attention to the tabled update which included: further comments from Eastchurch Parish Council objecting due to highway safety concerns; further comments from KCC Highways and the Council’s Independent Highway Consultant raising no objection.  The Major Projects Officer drew attention to condition (33) of the report which required a Travel Plan and officers concluded that the application should be approved subject to conditions as set-out in the report.   

Parish Councillor Kathleen Carter, representing Eastchurch Parish Council, spoke against the application.

Katharine Morgan, the Agent, spoke in support of the application.

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

A Ward Member, also a Member of the Planning Committee, spoke against the application.  He said it would have an adverse impact on the local road network and health provision in the area.  He asked whether improvements to the already stretched local healthcare could be sought via a Section 106 Agreement, and whether the Swale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had been consulted?

The Major Projects Officer said that he was not aware that improvements for local healthcare had been sought for any other applications at the prisons, and it was not something that could be imposed. 

The Chair invited Members to debate the application.  Members raised points which included:

·         Agreed in principle to the application; and

·         concerned about the highway impact of the application particularly in Church Road, Eastchurch but the Council’s independent consultant agreed with KCC’s comments so had to support the application.

In response to a query about why prisoners were not included in the Council’s housing numbers when care home residents were, The Interim Head of Planning Services stated there was a fundamental difference between care homes and prisons as prisoners did not have a choice.  A Member warned that if prisoners were included in the housing numbers, they would then qualify for housing in the Borough after their release.

Resolved:  That application 21/505461/PSINF be approved subject to conditions (1) to (33) in the report.   

The Development Manager introduced the application and outlined details of the application site.  He explained that following discussions with the applicant, black was considered the most  ...  view the full minutes text for item 249.

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 17 August 2022.

Item 3.2 application 22/502340/OUT Land adjacent Westfield Cottages, Breach Lane, Lower Halstow has been withdrawn from the agenda.

Item 2.3 application 22/50000 Sheerness Bus Station, Bridge Road, Sheerness has been withdrawn from the agenda.

Tabled update for item 2.1 application 21/502545/FULL Railway Depot, Station Road, Faversham published 17.08.22.

Tabled update for item 2.6 application 21/506787/PSINF HMP Elmley, Church Road, Eastchurch published 17.08.22.

PART 2

Applications for which PERMISSION is recommended

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the application and outlined the details of the application site for Members.  She drew attention to the tabled updates, the first of which included updates on: developer contributions; access to Jubilee Way; and comments from the Council’s Open Space Manager and had previously been circulated to Members.  The second tabled update which had been received just prior to the meeting, was a letter from Network Rail objecting to the application.

Town Councillor Julian Saunders, representing Faversham Town Council (FTC), spoke against the application.

Josh Wilson, the Applicant, spoke in support of the application.

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

A Ward Member, also a Member of the Planning Committee, spoke in support of the application.

The Chair invited Members to debate the application, and Members raised points which included:

·         Good design and environmental aspects welcome;

·         considered it was a good proposal;

·         good use of a brownfield site;

·         it was an accessible site;

·         appreciated the comments of FTC, however a simple access could be provided;

·         there was a pedestrian and cycle route to the recreation ground;

·         the site was included in the Faversham Neighbourhood Plan;

·         it would be a vast improvement on what was currently there;

·         welcomed provision of a medical practice;

·         if refused the Council would not be able to win any subsequent appeal;

·         welcomed the application and hoped that an additional pedestrian access to Jubilee Way, Faversham would come forward;

·         asked officers to ensure that the residential amenity of the residents of Preston Malthouse was protected given the topography of the land which meant some windows were below street level;

·         welcomed the affordable housing and design;

·         had potential complaints from the noise of the railway been considered?;

·         suggested that via a Section 106 Agreement a ramp be provided to allow cycle access to Jubilee Way;

·         needed to provide light mitigation measures; and

·         Network Rail had not objected to other developments closer to the railway line.

In response the Senior Planning Officer drew attention to condition (28) of the report which requested details of all noise mitigation measures to be submitted.   She said that residents should be able to mitigate against any light pollution.

Resolved:  That application 21/502545/FULL be approved subject to conditions (1) to (43) in the report and the amended developer contributions as set-out in the tabled update.   

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

The meeting was adjourned from 8.30 pm until 8.40 pm.