Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

54.

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 (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.

 

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

55.

17/505796/FULL - Church Farm, Throwley Road, Throwley, ME13 0PF

10am – 17/505796/FULL – Church Farm, Throwley Road, Throwley, ME13 0PF

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed the applicants, agents, parish council representative and three members of the public to the meeting.

 

The Planner introduced the application and explained that it included three out of the four existing buildings on the site.  A small barn would be converted to provide a two bedroom house; an adjacent agricultural building would be converted to provide a farm office and an additional bedroom for a bed and breakfast business, along with the replacement of a large Atcost barn with a smaller shed to house storage space and animal pens.  The Planner added that the existing buildings were not in good repair, a public footpath ran through the site, and that the site was adjacent to the Grade I listed church, although none of the buildings within the application site were listed.  The application site was in a very isolated rural location, outside the built-up area boundary, and within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

 

The Planner reported that a Financial Viability Analysis report had been submitted and the site was deemed to not be commercially viable. He explained that the Duchy of Cornwall had offered the tenants the freehold of the site, which enabled them to continue to live locally.

 

The Planner reported that local representations and consultees had not objected to the application, as noted in the report.  He outlined both positive and negative aspects of the application.  He explained that removal of the barn was a positive measure as it was in disrepair, and the replacement would included timber joinery and be constructed sympathetically to the area, and the new use of the Tyler barn as a farm office was acceptable in principle.  He referred to policies ST3 (development not permitted unless it would protect and enhance the countryside etc.) and DM3 (in relation to the application site being used for employment) of the Local Plan.  The Planner added that the Council now had a 5.3 year housing land supply, which was in excess of the five year supply required by the Government.  As such, although there were some positive aspects, the Planner considered this did not outweigh the harm of unsustainable development outside the built-up area boundary.

 

The applicant drew attention to the poor condition of the farm buildings, and explained that by allowing the tenants to remain on the site, this enabled them to work and live ‘on site’, making it a sustainable site.  She referred to the National Planning Policy Framework, and local housing for local people.  The applicant considered the proposed dwelling was not lavish, and the design of the new barn was sympathetic.  They wanted to maintain a small farmyard, and the scale would be reduced in size to the original buildings.  The applicant added that they cherished the site and explained that it was in need of sympathetic updating for the long-term future, and they wanted to enhance and care for the site.

 

A representative from Throwley Parish Council spoke in support of the application and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.