To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 July 2020 (Minute Nos. 22 - 26) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 July 2020 (Minute Nos. 22 – 26) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Planning Committee 20.08.2020

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.

No interests were declared.

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 August 2020.

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

Tabled Papers added 20 August 2020.

PART 2

Applications for which PERMISSION is recommended

The Major Projects Officer introduced the report and referred to the tabled update for this item. 

Mr Ian Butter, the Agent, spoke in support of the application.

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

The Chairman explained that a Ward Member had registered to speak against the application but was unable to attend the meeting due to ill-health.  His statement was read-out by Democratic Services.

Members were invited to debate the application and the following points were made:

·         Understood residents concerns and considered the application would add extra pressure on the local road network, local Police and GP surgeries particularly during the summer season;

·         It was an unsustainable development;

·         concerned that the Council did not currently enforce the 10 month occupancy of holiday homes;

·         there were no material planning reasons to refuse the application;

·         most sites on the Isle of Sheppey had already converted to 10 months occupancy so had to allow this;

·         insulting that some Members had voted for 12-month occupancy but were against this application for 10-month occupancy; and

·         would lose on appeal.

In response to questions from a Member, the Major Projects Officer reported that the site was permitted for 120 caravans but not fully built-out (currently only 20 to 30 caravans were on the site).  He added that no objections from any of the Parish Councils had been received. 

Councillor Simon Clark moved the following motion: That the application proposal be amended to read ‘No caravan hereby permitted shall be occupied between 4 January and 1 March in any year’.  This was seconded by Councillor Cameron Beart.

The Major Projects Officer explained that condition (4) of the report would control the period of time when the caravans could be occupied and that effectively rendered the proposal to amend the description academic.  Discussion ensued and the proposer agreed to withdraw the motion.

Resolved:  That application 20/501751/FULL be delegated to officers to approve subject to conditions (1) to (5) in the report, the amendment of condition (1) as set-out in the tabled update, the signing of a suitably worded Section 106 Agreement to secure Strategic Access Management and Monitoring contributions (as set-out in the tabled update) and the resolution of the ownership and certification issue.