9.30 am – 2.3 15/500330/FULL – Keycol Farm, Keycol Hill, Bobbing, ME9 8NA

The Chairman welcomed the applicants, Ward Members, Parish Council representative and members of the public to the meeting.

The Senior Planner introduced the retrospective application for change of use to a gypsy site for one static caravan and two tourers for Mr and Mrs Smith and their four children.  A day room would also be provided.  The site had been covered with ‘Type 1’ hardstanding for parking and an earth bund surrounded the site on three sides.

The Senior Planner advised that Mr Smith owned many of the surrounding agricultural buildings and the long narrow access track that served the site.  KCC Highways raised no objection and considered that given the small scale nature of the proposal it would not have a significant impact on highway safety and amenity.  The Senior Planner stated that the site was within a sustainable location and was not covered by any landscape designations.

The Senior Planner drew attention to a condition restricting the use of the site.  With regard to archaeology at the site, she requested a condition requiring that a programme of works was agreed before any further groundworks are undertaken at the site. 

The Chairman of Newington Parish Council raised concern about the access to the site and the impact that the increase in traffic would have on the A2.  He explained that the Parish Council were also concerned about the account from the applicant and believed that he had made himself homeless.

Mr Smith, the applicant, stated that he simply wanted to locate his family on a permanent site, particularly to improve the education of his children.

The Ward Members spoke against the application and raised the following concerns: the increase in the number of vehicles accessing the land; was an agricultural site; whether the application was for four pitches; the bunding was unacceptable and would allow overlooking into adjacent gardens; a lot of the screening provided was deciduous; storage of wheelie bins; disappointment that KCC Highway officer was not present; other applications in the vicinity had been refused due to the traffic on the busy A2; and concerns about social cohesion.

Mrs Smith, the applicant, stated that with regard to concerns about access, they only had two vehicles and noted that the site was also accessed by a local farmer who used it for heavy farming machinery and had done so for many years.  Mrs Smith stated that with regard to wheelie bins, she would herself take these to the end of the track for emptying and they had no intention of climbing the bund to look into other people’s gardens.

Local residents raised the following points: concern regarding the future use of the land and type of vehicles accessing the site ; increase in noise, in particular the applicants’ children using motorbikes; access was dangerous; this was a retrospective application; how would the site be monitored by planning enforcement; it was back-land development and behind the building line; the number of local residents present at this meeting showed the level of local objection to the application;  the KCC Highways report needed to be updated before Members could consider the application properly; a Police traffic report was requested as they tended to be more up-to-date; nuisance dog barking coming from the site;  a similar application in Dartford was eventually sold for housing, would this happen here?; and access site was not wide enough for two cars to pass, which could lead to reversing out onto the busy A2.

In response to queries, the Senior Planner clarified.  The application had been amended for one static caravan and two tourers and that the public had been re-consulted accordingly.  She explained the difference between static caravans and tourers and did not consider the applicant would be using the tourers on a regular basis.

With regard to a concern about drainage, Mr Smith stated that they were connected to the main drainage system and also had a cesspit.  The Senior Planner stated that drainage was not a planning matter but for the applicant to manage in conjunction with the relevant utility companies.

A Member requested further information on the legal position with regard to access to and from the site.  He also asked whether a condition could be provided requiring that KCC Archaeology undertake a study of the areas where work had already been undertaken by the applicant.

The Senior Planner agreed to liaise with KCC Archaeology about whether this was possible and provide an update. 

In response to a query from a Member, the applicant stated that he was not aware of any accidents occurring at the access to the site from the A2 since they had been on the site.

A Member queried whether four touring caravans scattered about the area would become part of the application site.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the meeting and advised that the matter would be considered at the Planning Committee meeting on Thursday 23 July 2015.  He also advised that KCC Highways would provide an update at that meeting in relation to concerns about access to the site.

Members then toured the site with the Senior Planner.