Audio Recording

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.

The Chairman ensured that those present were aware of the emergency evacuation procedure.

The Vice-Chairman in-the-Chair invited members of the Committee, visiting Members and officers to introduce themselves.

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 room 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 James Hunt advised that, contrary to reports on social media, he was not friends with one of the Applicants.

To consider the attached report (Part 2).

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 Tuesday 29 January 2019.

Tabled updates added 29 January 2019.

PART 2

Applications for which PERMISSION is recommended

The Senior Planner reported that three further representations had been received; two from local residents and one from Borden Wildlife Group.  They had raised issues on the impact of the development on badgers, and the adequacy of the survey work that had been undertaken.  The Senior Planner referred to the two tabled papers and explained that this had been addressed in the first tabled paper.

The meeting was adjourned from 7.15pm to 7.35pm to allow Members to read the tabled papers, if they had not already done so.

The Senior Planner introduced the application and explained that the site covered an area of 47.5 Hectares.  The site was currently mainly open agricultural land.  Much of this, 33.7 Hectares, was allocated under the adopted Local Plan for housing.  The remainder of the site was designated as countryside and was within an important Local Countryside Gap.  The Senior Planner explained that there were planning constraints to the development.  These included: the Local Green Space (access to application site); Borden Nature Reserve; Local Countryside Gap; and proximity to listed buildings and Chestnut Street Conservation Area.  The Senior Planner explained that the allocated land to the west of the site would accommodate additional housing, with a link road between Borden Lane and Chestnut Street, with a slip road included onto the A249.  The Senior Planner indicated on the plans the location of the rugby club, the school, retained green space, allotments and other areas of green space.  He explained that Phase 1 was set-out in detail, with the other phases being outline.  Phase 1 consisted of the 80 dwellings, and would include the re-alignment of Wises Lane.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 473.

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