To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 January 2019 (Minute Nos. to follow).

To consider the following applications:

(2.4) 18/504824/FULL 16 Hawthorn Road, Sittingbourne, ME10 1BB

(2.2) 18/504307/FULL Land rear of 343 Minster Road, Minster, ME12 3NR

(2.3) 18/503678/FULL 344 Minster Road, Minster, ME12 3PE.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 January 2019 (Minute Nos. 409 – 413) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Vice-Chairman in the Chair as a correct record.

18/504824/FULL 16 Hawthorn Road, Sittingbourne, ME10 1BB

The Area Planning Officer provided updates to queries raised by Members at the site meeting.  He reported that there was no planning history in relation to the railings to the side of the property, and explained that they had been installed as a result of Police Community Support Officer involvement, and the railings would remain in place.  However, he added that they were not within the application site and as such were not a consideration of this application.  The Area Planning Officer advised that the size of the rear windows were as follows:  toilet window: 0.6m width x 0.7m height; bedroom window: 0.9m width x 0.8m height; and lounge/sitting room window: 1.2m x 0.8m height.

The Ward Member spoke against the application.  He raised the following concerns:  access from the development onto Arthur Street, Sittingbourne was narrow and impractical; the size of the flat was too small, and not fit for purpose; the ceiling was too low; and lack of parking in the area. 

In response to a question, the Area Planning Officer explained that this application addressed issues in the previous application in terms of size and layout.  It now met the minimum requirements, as set out in paragraph 8.06 in the report considered by the Planning Committee on 6 December 2018.

Resolved:  That application 18/504824/FULL be approved subject to conditions (1) to (5) in the report, and the securing of a Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Strategy (SAMMS) mitigation contribution.

18/504307/FULL Land rear of 343 Minster Road, Minster ME12 3NR

The Area Planning Officer provided updates to queries raised by Members at the site meeting.  He outlined the planning history of the site which included three refusals, two dismissed at appeal.  In 2004, although refused because of being backland development, the Planning Inspector dismissed the appeal on grounds of the impact of traffic movements, and disturbance of the dwellings to 343 and 341 Minster Road, rather than reasons of backland development.  The Area Planning Officer referred to an application in 2006 for 14 retirement flats which had been refused because of them being backland development, and the Inspector had dismissed the appeal, not because it was backland development, but because of the harm to residential amenity due to the scale and intensity of the development.  The Area Planning Officer therefore explained that the principle of backland development was acceptable on the site, and that the application was for only two dwellings.  He confirmed that Plot 1 rear to rear distance was 45m, side to rear 17m, and Plot 2, rear to rear distance was 25m.  He added that the site had gated access, and he stated that condition (17) in the report required details of the gates to be provided prior to the construction of the foundations being completed.  In response to concerns about how wet the site had been, the Area Planning Officer sought delegation to approve the application, subject to the addition of a surface water drainage condition.

Resolved:  That application 18/504307/FULL be delegated to officers to approve subject to conditions (1) to (17) in the report, and an additional condition in relation to surface water drainage and the securing of a SAMMS mitigation contribution.

18/503678/FULL 344 Minster Road, Minster ME12 3PE

A Member explained that the site meeting had been beneficial and had clarified the details of the application.

Resolved:  That application 18/503678/FULL be approved subject to conditions (1) to (11) in the report and the securing of a SAMMS mitigation contribution.