To consider the following applications:

Erection of 1 detached 3 bedroom chalet bungalow at 82 Church Lane, Newington, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7JU.

Members of the public are advised to confirm with Planning Services prior to the meeting that the applications will be considered at this meeting.

Requests to speak on these items must be registered with Democratic Services (democraticservices@swale.gov.uk or call us on 01795 417328) by noon on Wednesday 7 November 2018.

Tabled Papers in relation to this and other items, as noted within item ‘Habitat Regulations Assessments’ above, added 19 November 2018.

Reports shown in previous Minutes as being deferred from that Meeting

The Area Planning Officer reported that Newington Parish Council had submitted further comments in light of the appeal decision (tabled) on SPAs. The Parish Council suggested the same considerations of the appeal decision should be applied to this application.  The Area Planning Officer confirmed that delegation was sought to approve or refuse subject to the issue of SPA mitigation payments being resolved.

Parish Councillor Stephen Harvey, representing Newington Parish Council, spoke against the application.

The Vice-Chairman in-the-Chair moved the officer recommendation to approve the application and this was seconded.

A Member made a general point in relation to consideration of the natural environment when considering applications.  He considered the natural environment was critical to every planning decision that was made.  He referred to condition (3) in the report and explained that he had requested this on previous applications, that landscaping be added to improve bio-diversity and native species included to improve the natural environment.

In response to a question, the Area Planning Officer outlined the changes to the application since 2016.  He explained that in 2016 Members had been concerned with the rooms in the roof area, and officers had assessed the implications of these rooms on the current application.  The distances between the proposed dwelling and neighbouring properties was 28 metres to 82 Church Lane, and 78 metres to no. 78 Church Lane.  He explained that three off-road car parking spaces were included within the application, only two were actually required.  He added that it would be difficult to defend on appeal in respect of, the impact of additional traffic from the application.  The Area Planning Officer concluded that the addition of rooms in the roof had been assessed to show no material planning harm.

The Committee debated the proposal to approve the application, which centred on the following themes:  condition (3) needed to be expanded upon, as above; this was overdevelopment; impact on traffic was unacceptable; traffic would increase on an already perilous road; nothing had changed with the scale of the building, this was not overdevelopment; and the only change was the addition of two windows, with the potential for overlooking, but no reason to refuse.

On being put to the vote, the motion to approve the application was lost.

Councillor Mike Baldock moved a motion:  That the application be refused on the grounds of overdevelopment giving rise to a harmful increase in traffic on Church Lane, and the size of the rear garden being too small for a 3 bedroom dwelling.  This was seconded by Councillor Bobbin who stated that a bungalow would be more suitable at this location.

On being put to the vote, the motion to refuse the application was agreed.

Resolved:  That application18/503274/FULL berefused on the grounds of overdevelopment, giving rise to a harmful increase in traffic on Church Lane, and the size of the rear garden being too small for a 3 bedroom dwelling.