PRESENT: Councillors Mike Baldock, Cameron Beart, Andy Booth, Mike Dendor, James Hall, Mike Henderson, James Hunt, Bryan Mulhern (Chairman), and Prescott (Vice-Chairman).

OFFICERS PRESENT: Rob Bailey, Paul Gregory and Kellie Mackenzie.

APOLOGIES: Councillors Bobbin, Roger Clark and Sue Gent.

The Chairman welcomed the applicants, the applicant’s agent, members of the public and representative of Minster Parish Council to the meeting. 

The Planner outlined the application which was for the erection of two detached dwellings to replace the existing chalet bungalow at 177 Wards Hill Road, Minster-on-Sea.  The Planner explained that the property was towards the southern boundary fronting Clovelly Drive and that due to the sloping nature, the properties would be split level with a lower ground floor, ground floor and first floor as viewed from the front elevation and a ground and first floor as viewed from the rear.  Both properties would have a finished ground floor level below existing ground level and the property on plot 1 would measure 8.2 metres to the ridge.  The roof would be hipped with front facing gable.  The property at Plot 1 would be 13 metres in width and 12 metres in depth and its rear garden would be 22 metres in depth, 16 metres in width at its narrowest point and 30 metres in width at its widest point, it would also be 1.5 metres from the boundary with No. 16 Clovelly Drive and 1.45 metres from the boundary with plot 2.  The property on plot 2 measured 7.7 metres to the ridge from the lowest natural ground level.  The Planner explained that due to the change in site levels, the property would appear as a chalet bungalow from the rear but as a two storey house with rooms in the roofspace from the front elevation.  The rear garden would measure 14 metres in depth and 10 metres in width and the flank wall of the dwelling would be 1.45 metres away from the boundary with plot 1 and a gap of 1 metre between the flank wall and the adjacent property, Lyndale.

The property on plot 1 would have an integral garage and two frontage parking spaces, the property on plot 2 would have an integral garage and one frontage parking space.

Mr Oakwell, the applicant’s agent, explained that the floor levels would match the existing neighbours’ and be in-keeping with others in the area.

Mr John Stanford, representing Minster Parish Council, spoke against the application and raised the following objections: over-intensification of the site; the bulk, design and mass  would be overbearing; and would cause overlooking, loss of privacy and overshadowing.  He noted that photographic evidence of two similar existing houses in Clovelly Drive were misleading and a more accurate picture would have been achieved by showing the proposal next to neighbouring properties.

Local residents raised the following points: would have a detrimental impact on parking in the area; not in keeping with other properties in the area; there were already problems with drainage and soakaway in the area and the proposal and removal of the hedgerow on the site would exacerbate the problem; impact on privacy currently enjoyed by local residents; some properties in the vicinity were already subject to subsidence and flooding as the current drainage system was not adequate; and need to ensure adequate soakaways were provided.

The Chairman advised that officers would check with the Environment Agency about drainage and flooding problems at the site and update Members at the Planning Committee meeting on 14 January 2016. 

In response to a query from a Member, the applicant’s agent confirmed that all the existing hedgerow at the site would be removed to allow for parking.  Some landscaping would be provided as per the landscaping condition as set out in the committee report.  The applicant advised that the postal address of the dwellings would be Clovelly Drive.

The Planner advised that a report from Kent County Council (KCC) Ecology on the removal of the hedgerow was awaited and they hoped to be able to update Members at the Planning Committee meeting on 14 January 2016.

The Chairman thanked the applicants for marking out the ground to identify where the proposed properties would be following a request made at the last Committee meeting.

Members then toured the site with officers.