Agenda item

To approve the record of the meeting held on 15 January 2020.

The record of the meeting held on 15 January 2020 was agreed and signed by the Chairman as correct.

Inn respect of the following planning applications, the Committee noted that under delegated authority, the Head of Planning had agreed the following changes to conditions and refusal grounds in agreement with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Opposition Spokesperson:

Planning application MC/19/2530 - Land at Westmoor Farm (North), Moor Street, Rainham, Gillingham

The Head of Planning re-worded conditions 19 and 21 and added a new condition 27 as follows:

19.       Prior to the first use of the school herein approved, details of the provision of sixteen active electric vehicle charging points shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Details shall include the location, charging type (power output and charging speed), associated infrastructure and timetable for installation. The development shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details prior to the use of the school and shall thereafter be maintained as such.

21.       Prior to the first use of the school herein approved, a School Travel Plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The School Travel Plan shall include provision of the arrangements for the appointment of a School Travel Plan Coordinator and working group, SMART targets and initiatives for promoting sustainable transport with particular emphasis on walking, bicycle use, and arrangements and promotion of the school's new bus service provision, together with details of future monitoring and update procedures. The School Travel Plan shall be implemented upon first use of the school and shall be kept in place, and updated, thereafter. The approved school travel plan shall be continually monitored with the results of the monitoring and any recommended actions submitted to and approved in writing to the Local Planning Authority on an annual basis starting from the date of the approval of the first School Travel Plan, with the approved recommendations implemented as agreed as part of the annual review, improvement and reduction of car dependency.

The Travel Plan shall monitor the pupils catchment area annually and if the number of pupils from Sittingbourne area reach a critical mass of more than 10% of the school pupils then the school bus service shall be extended to cover Sittingbourne area.

27.       Prior to the first use of the school herein approved, a scheme showing the siting, size and specification of the photovoltaic panels on the roof of the main school building shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall thereafter be completed in accordance with the approved details and thereafter maintained.

Reason: To ensure that the development has an acceptable level of sustainability and contributes to tackling climate change to accord with paragraphs 150 – 154 of the NPPF 2019.

Planning application – MC/19/2404 – Avenue Tennis Club, Glebe Road, Gillingham

The following reason for refusal was agreed:

1.         The proposed development by reason of its design layout, scale and poor relationship to surrounding neighbouring occupiers results in a cramped form of development that would have a negative adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area. The limited distances and short gardens would result in increased levels of overlooking that would have a detrimental impact on the amenity of the neighbouring occupiers, in particular to plots 1-4. The proposal as such would result in overdevelopment of this backland site and would not result in a clear improvement of the local area. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies H4, H9, BNE1 and BNE2 of the Medway Local Plan, and paragraphs 124 and 127 of the NPPF.

Planning application – MC/19/2364 – Land adjacent to Kaler House, George Summers Close, Medway City Estate, Rochester

A new condition 16 was added to read as follows:

16.       No part of the development shall be occupied until a Parking Management Plan has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Parking Management Plan shall contain details of how the parking spaces within the development are to be managed and preserved for use by employees and visitors. The Parking Management Plan shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details prior to the first occupation of the development and shall thereafter be retained.

Reason: To ensure satisfactory off-street parking in accordance with Policy T13 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.