Agenda and minutes

Contact: Democratic Services, 01795 417330 

Items
No. Item

39.

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.

40.

19/500050/FULL & 19/500051/LBC Tunstall Church of England Primary School, Tunstall Road, Tunstall, ME9 8DX

10am – (2.2) 19/500050/FULL & 19/500051/LBC Tunstall Church of England Primary School, Tunstall Road, Tunstall, ME9 8DX

 

 

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed the Applicants, representatives from Tunstall Parish Council and members of the public to the meeting.

 

The Planning Officer introduced the application which sought permission for the conversion, part demolition and extension of the former school building to provide two 4-bedroom dwellings and the erection of two detached 4-bedroom dwellings with associated landscaping and parking.

 

The meeting started to the front of the old school building and the Planning Officer briefly outlined the architectural and historical interest of the building which had been built in 1846.  He explained that it was a former primary school, a grade II listed building with an attractive façade to the front, and had a 1970s extension to the rear.  The Planning Officer said that the building was outside the built-up area, within Tunstall Conservation Area and near other listed buildings.  He explained that an application had been withdrawn in 2017 as the Council, at that point, had a 5.4 year supply of building land.  A further application in 2018 for the conversion of the school building which would have provided three dwellings was approved.

 

The Planning Officer explained that the current application was for conversion of the school, plus two new 4-bedroom dwellings to the rear, with the removal of the 1970s extension.  The dwellings would have their own amenity space and parking, and access would be from the adjacent track, which was also a Public Right of Way (PROW).

 

Nine letters of objection had been received and the comments were summarised in the Committee report.  One letter of support had also been received, and the comments were also summarised in the report.  The Planning Officer also referred to the responses to the comments from the Applicant.  He also referred to the comments from Tunstall Parish Council, and concerns raised by a resident that extra houses should not be considered as ‘enabling’ the restoration of the school building.

 

Historic England and Natural England raised no objection to the application, subject to mitigation relating to SAMMS payments.  Kent County Council (KCC) Highways and Transportation and the Council’s Tree Consultant also raised no objection.

 

The Planning Officer summarised and confirmed that the building was outside the built-up area boundaries, but not within the strategic Countryside Gap.  He explained that the Council no longer had a five-year supply of housing land; if it had, it was likely that the two new dwellings would be refused.  As the building was in a sustainable location, he considered the principle of development at this location, and in these circumstances, to be acceptable.

 

The applicants outlined the application and welcomed bringing the building back into use.  They considered the design was suitable for families, it was sympathetic and in-keeping, and explained that this application was for only one more house than a previous application, which the Parish Council had supported.  They explained that originally there would have been three houses, but that was when the 1970s extension was to remain.  Now that it was being removed, two houses were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.