Agenda item

Chatham Central

Construction of two pairs of semi detached three bedroomed dwellings with integral garages and associated parking and new tree planting - demolition of existing wall.

Discussion:

The Head of Planning outlined the planning application and reminded the Committee that this application had been the subject of a site visit on 12 November 2016 at which he had outlined the details of the application, representations received and the planning issues as they related to the street scene and design, amenity, highways and parking, trees and impact on the Conservation Area.

He advised that at the site visit, the agent had added detail in relation to the need to remove the trees and wall and clarified the proposed land levels and the stepped nature of the proposal.

A summary of the concerns raised by residents was set out on the supplementary agenda advice sheet and a copy of a letter supplied by a resident at the site visit which could not be circulated at the site visit owing to adverse weather conditions was appended to the supplementary agenda advice sheet.

The Head of Planning explained that issues had been raised as to the planning history of adjacent land and therefore information on this was set out in full on the supplementary agenda advice sheet.

With the agreement of the Committee, Councillor Maple addressed the Committee as Ward Councillor and outlined residents concerns that the removal of the wall and mature trees opposite their properties would affect their current outlook and have an adverse effect upon visual amenity of the street scene. Whilst it was noted that replacement tree planting was proposed, this would involve provision of young saplings.

He reminded the Committee that the application site was located in a Conservation Area.

In addition, he requested that if the Committee was minded to approve the application, appropriate conditions be added to ensure that the applicant’s contractors were mindful of the need to be ‘good neighbours’ with the residents living close to the site. The Head of Planning referred to proposed condition 9 and confirmed that if the Committee was minded to approve the application, this condition could be strengthened to cover concerns regarding the behaviour of the contractors.

The Committee discussed the application and a number of Members expressed concern that the application in its current form constituted an overdevelopment of the site. The Committee noted the comments from residents who had lived opposite the application site for many years that the condition of the wall was no different now than it had been 10 years ago and therefore there was no justification for its removal.

The Head of Planning advised the Committee that the trees had a significant impact in the Conservation Area and if the wall was found to be structurally unstable it may require removal which would then make the trees vulnerable. However, if the Committee wished to defer consideration of the application to obtain an independent structural assessment then this could be arranged.

Decision:

Consideration of this application be deferred:

a)            to enable Officers to obtain an independent structural assessment of the condition of the wall; and

b)            if the wall is not required to be removed, enable Officers to undertake further discussions with the applicants as to the possibility of reducing the number of proposed properties to two in total on the site.