Visitors and members of the public who are unfamiliar with the building and procedures are advised that:

(a)      The fire alarm is a continuous loud ringing. In the event that a fire drill is planned during the meeting, the Chair will advise of this.

(b)      Exit routes from the chamber are located on each side of the room, one directly to a fire escape, the other to the stairs opposite the lifts.

(c)      In the event of the alarm sounding, leave the building via the nearest safe exit and gather at the assembly point on the far side of the car park. Do not leave the assembly point or re-enter the building until advised to do so. Do not use the lifts.

(d)      Anyone unable to use the stairs should make themselves known during this agenda item.

The Chair outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their families or friends.

The Chair will ask Members if they have any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) or disclosable non-pecuniary interests (DNPIs) to declare in respect of items on the agenda. Members with a DPI in an item must leave the room for that item and may not participate in the debate or vote. 

Aside from disclosable interests, where a fair-minded and informed observer would think there was a real possibility that a Member might be biased or predetermined on an item, the Member should declare this and leave the room while that item is considered.

Members who are in any doubt about interests, bias or predetermination should contact the monitoring officer for advice prior to the meeting.

No interests were declared.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 22 June 2023 (Minute Nos. 127 - 132) and the Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on 28 June 2023 (Minute Nos. 153 - 156) as correct records.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 22 June 2023 (Minute Nos. 127 – 132) and the Extraordinary Meeting held on 28 June 2023 (Minute Nos. 153 – 156) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as correct records.

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 19 July 2023.

Tabled paper added for item 2.1 on 17 July 2023.

Tabled paper added for item 2.2 on 20 July 2023.

PART 2

Applications for which PERMISSION is recommended

The Planning Consultant introduced the application as set out in the report and reminded Members that the principle of development on the site had been approved at the outline application stage. She drew attention to the tabled paper which set out some points of clarification and the Council’s Tree Officer’s comments on the application.  She suggested condition (4) be amended to require landscape details to be of native species and condition (7) to refer to the need for gaps in boundary treatment for reptiles and small mammals.

The Chair moved the officer recommendation to approve the application, and this was seconded by Councillor Andy Booth.

The Chair invited Members to make comments and these included the following points:

·         The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was clear on the need for developments to be sustainable, but the Isle of Sheppey was at ‘breaking point’ in terms of its infrastructure;

·         this would add significant delays to existing residents with an additional 225 vehicle movements per day from the development;

·         considered it would be difficult to find reasons to refuse the application, bearing in mind it had been approved at outline stage;

·         the design of the layout of the access road looked difficult for refuse and delivery vehicles to manoeuvre within the site;

·         native species needed to be included in the conditions as well as enhancements to biodiversity;

·         acknowledged that developers were not required to supply affordable housing on the Isle of Sheppey, but considered they should be approached to seek a modest affordable housing provision;

·         confirmation sought on the rate of affording housing set out in the NPPF;

·         properties in Yarrow Drive (with parking managed by a management company) might be compromised by the additional parking requirements as a result of the development;

·         clarification sought on the status of the roads within the development;

·         there might be some conflict if the access road was operated by a management company; and

·         it was important to consider sustainable building materials and the climate emergency when new developments were being built.

In response, the Development Manager advised that affordable housing should be negotiated at outline stage, so could not be secured as part of this application.  The Planning Consultant advised that the application should not impact residents in terms of parking on Yarrow Drive, with the parking within this development following the Council’s parking standards, and as such she did not see that there would be an issue between the two developments.  She advised that the main legislation for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 210.