Agenda item

Strood North & Frindsbury Ward

Retrospective - Construction of a two-storey extension to side / rear with a single- storey extension to front / rear and excavation works to basement level to facilitate 1 two-bedroom flat on ground floor level, 1 three-bedroom duplex flat over ground and basement level and 1 two bedroom flat at first-floor level and a 1 three-bedroom duplex flat over first and loft levels; engineering works to facilitate parking to front and rear and associated works.

Councillor Field left the meeting for this item.

Discussion:

The Senior Planner outlined the retrospective application in detail for  construction of a two-storey extension to side / rear with a single- storey extension to front / rear and excavation works to basement level to facilitate 1 two-bedroom flat on ground floor level, 1 three-bedroom duplex flat over ground and basement level and 1 two bedroom flat at first-floor level and a 1 three-bedroom duplex flat over first and loft levels; engineering works to facilitate parking to front and rear and associated works.

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

• This planning application should be refused on the grounds of a lack of off-street parking and poor ingress/egress to the rear of the property where the five proposed parking spaces were to be located.  More vehicles would be parked at the front, which would impact the neighbours and could have an impact on the footpaths.
• It was an over development of the site and out of character within the local area.
• The parking spaces at the rear were located on an unmade back lane.  It was questioned whether there was a legal right for these spaces to be used.  Access to this back lane should be written into the property deeds and a proportionate payment made for the upkeep of the access road. 
• Concerns were raised regarding the internal layout and whether this would become a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in the future.
• The rear gardens would be 1 metre higher than the back of the property. 

The Committee discussed the planning application noting the points raised by the Ward Councillor and were concerned that this was a retrospective planning application. 

Some members also had concerns regarding the design and the internal layout of the property and were worried that this property could, in the future, be turned into a HMO.

The Senior Planner confirmed that notice had been served on all the properties regarding the legal right of access to the rear of the property.  This had been rectified in the original planning application.

The Senior Planner advised that an additional condition could be added to request details, including location and size, of the waste storage facilities to be submitted to the Council before the first occupation of the development.

Decision:      

Approved with conditions 1 to 6 as set out in the report for the reasons stated in the report and an additional condition added:

Additional Condition 7

Prior to the first occupation of any flat herein approved details of the refuse storage arrangements for the flats, including provision for the storage of recyclable materials, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.   No flat shall be occupied until the approved refuse storage arrangements are in place and all approved storage arrangements shall thereafter be retained.

Reason:  In the interests of visual amenity and to ensure a satisfactory provision for refuse and recycling in accordance with Policy BNE2 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.

Councillor Field returned to the meeting.