To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 21 March 2016 (Minute Nos. 617 - 619) as a correct record.

2.6 15/503652/FULL, 15/503656/LBC and 15/503659/ADV 5 Market Street, Faversham, ME13 7AH

2.1 15/507023/FULL Dukes Shaw, Bexon Lane, Bredgar, ME9 8HG

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 21 March 2016 (Minute Nos. 617 – 619) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record subject to noting that in respect of the first paragraph on page 635, the site was not ancient woodland.

15/503652/FULL, 15/503656/LBC and 15/503659/ADV – 5 Market Place, Faversham, ME13 7AH

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

A Ward Member spoke sympathetically on the amount of work that was needed at the property. 

Members raised the following points:  this was an excellent scheme; this was in the core shopping area of the town, the property had always been a retail outlet, and this would be a loss of retail use; concerned with losing any shop from the key retail area; the proposal would improve the exterior of the property; and there would still be some retail use on the site.

In response to a question, the Chairman confirmed that the adjoining property, was non-retail.

Resolved: 

That application 15/503652/FULL be approved subject to conditions (1) to (4) in the report.

That application 15/503656/LBC be approved subject  to conditions (1) to (13) in the report.

That application 15/503659/ADV be approved subject to conditions (1) to (6) in the report.

15/507023/FULL – Dukes Shaw, Bexon Lane, Bredgar, ME9 8HG

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

The Planner suggested that three additional conditions be added to the application, as follows:  that no more than two tents be permitted on the site, with no other leisure use; that there be no further buildings or storage structures added to the site; and that the application be solely for the benefit of the applicant.

Members raised the following points:  concerned with the proposed leisure use; concerned with the future of the land; the site would become visible if some of the trees were lost; this was a good idea, but concerned with the quality of the structures on the site; the site was not visible from the motorway or footpaths; concerned with the size of the tents, a condition on the size should be added; and concern that site is/could be used as residential.

In response, the Planner advised that the trees on the site were not of the quality that justified serving a Tree Preservation Order.  He reported that the applicant had stated that the trees would remain, subject to normal tree management.  He further advised that condition (2) in the report addressed any residential use on the site.

Councillor Mike Henderson moved the following amendment:  that the size of the tents is conditioned, i.e. modest size.  This was not seconded.

The Area Planning Officer advised that any condition needed to be precise, with dimensions and this could be difficult to enforce.

Resolved:  That application 15/507023/FULL be approved subject to conditions (1) and (2) in the report, plus an additional three conditions: that no more than two tents be permitted on the site, with no other leisure use; that there be no further buildings or storage structures added to the site; and that the application be solely for the benefit of the applicant.