Agenda item

All Saints Ward

Outline planning application with some matters reserved (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale ) for demolition of redundant farm buildings and construction of 7 no. dwelling houses, provision of attenuation pond and comprehensive landscape area (incorporating wildflower meadows, biodiversity area and tree planting).

This item was moved to the end of all the planning applications to enable Members to read additional paperwork that had been submitted.

Discussion:

The Chief Planning Officer outlined the application which was an outline application with some matters reserved (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale ) for the demolition of redundant farm buildings and construction of 7 no. dwelling houses, provision of attenuation pond and comprehensive landscape area (incorporating wildflower meadows, biodiversity area and tree planting).

The Chief Planning Officer advised that the application had received a resolution to approve subject to notifying the HSE at the Planning Committee meeting in September.  The HSE were advised of the resolution and contacted the case officer and Chief Planning Officer to clarify their concerns, which were namely that they could not support more than 2 dwellings within the inner zone defined on the plans shown for the Shorne/Isle of Grain pipeline.  As a result, the applicant was invited to amend the application. By reducing the number of dwellings in the inner zone to 2 and thereby the overall quantum of development on the entire site from 9-7. The applicant agreed and revised their planning application to 7 new dwellings with 2 dwellings within the inner zone. The HSE then formally confirmed that they no longer objected to the planning application.

Although it was possible to have determined this planning application under delegated powers as a result of the previous resolution, it was agreed with the Chairperson and the Chief Planning Officer that it was appropriate to bring the application back to the Planning Committee for Members to consider the comments made from the HSE.

With the agreement of the Committee, Councillor Spalding addressed the Committee as Ward Councillor and raised the following concerns:

• When Councillor Spalding contacted the HSE they were unaware that the Council had already granted permission for the planning application in September 2023.

• The HSE were not told about any flooding which affected the local area.
• The Planning Officer, at the September 2023 Planning Committee meeting, stated that the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) was currently undertaking works to improve the flooding. The LLFA had not yet instructed any works to be undertaken.
• The applicant referred to the play area as an amenity space, the HSE had stated that people must not congregate, however, people would congregate if it was being used as a play area. 

The Chief Planning Officer advised that the situation with Southern Gas Network and National Gas Transmission remained the same as it was in September 2023.  Their letters had been forwarded to the applicant.  For the LPA the key consultee on the issue of the pipeline was the HSE.  Southern Gas Networks and National Gas needed to be re-assured on the final siting of dwellings in relation to the pipeline and this would be considered within any reserved matters application.

The Chief Planning Officer and the Chairperson confirmed that when the reserved matters application was submitted with further details, the application would be brought back to the Planning Committee for determination. 

The Chief Planning Officer confirmed that when the reserved matters application was submitted, he would ensure that the LLFA and Local Drainage Board were consulted.  

Decision:      

Approved with conditions 1 to 24 as set out in the report for the reasons stated in the report.