Agenda item

Fort Pitt Ward

Demolition of existing buildings and structures and construction of a new food retail store (Use Class E(a)), with access, car and cycle parking, landscaping and associated works.

Councillor Campbell withdrew from the meeting to speak as a Ward Councillor.

Discussion:

The Senior Planner outlined the application in detail for the demolition of existing buildings and structures and construction of a new food retail store (Use Class E(a)), with access, car and cycle parking, landscaping and associated works.

The Senior Planner brought Member’s attention to the supplementary agenda advice sheet which amended Recommendation B by adding another S106 contribution, additional representations and amendments to the Planning Appraisal in the report.

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

• Although there was a need for supermarkets, there was no need for a supermarket at this location.  The local corner shops currently served the residents of the local area. The Aldi at Horsted Retail Park was only a few minutes’ drive away.
• Concerns regarding the amount of heritage in the area and the fact that the store would be close to the cemetery, which was used by local residents.  There would be a lot of noise during the construction process which would disturb the peace and solace you would find in the cemetery.
• Disagreed with the assessment of the traffic, there was only one lane of traffic in each direction and this was a common place for accidents or roadworks.  Adding construction vehicles would not be practicable and having three or four roads leading into one, would create a congested junction. 
• The entrance onto Maidstone Road would not be safe due to the trees blocking visibility.  Would they use other local roads to avoid any congestion?
• The traffic at the Aldi at Horsted Retail Park regularly gets backed up as there were not enough parking spaces, would this be the same on this site, would this result in customers parking in the neighbouring streets?

With the agreement of the Committee, Councillor Maple addressed the Committee as Ward Councillor and outlined the following points in support of the application:

• This was a balanced application with residents for and against this development, however, he understood how difficult the impact to local residents could be.
• He supported the job opportunities which would be 40 long term jobs within the Aldi store and from the construction process.
• Access to local supermarkets for residents without a car, and having this close by, would be important.
• This could alleviate the traffic at the other Aldi Store.
• Two additional conditions to be added:  within the construction plan to have the potential to have regular meetings with the developers for residents to raise any concerns and an agreement for a quarterly meeting with Aldi, once opened, for residents to speak to staff and raise any issues or concerns.

Members agreed to the additional two conditions that the Ward Councillor suggested.

The Committee discussed the planning application noting the points raised by the Ward Councillors and suggested within condition 11, could swift bricks be included. 

The Senior Planner confirmed that under condition 17, relating to sustainable transport and which required further details to be submitted, the number of EV chargers would be stipulated, and the Local Planning Authority could require them to be fast chargers.  The condition also required further details on the promotion of cycle parking and local bus stops.

A Member suggested as this would be a brand new building, could an area be set aside for a local banking area.  The Senior Planner suggested an informative could be added.

Some Members were concerned with the potential for increased traffic.  The Highways Consultant clarified that analysis of the number of trips had been undertaken within the local network and confirmed that there would be very few new trips.  Trips taken were likely to be ones that were diverted from elsewhere, vehicles that would have been going past the store that were already on the network and linked to other sites.  A snapshot showed that queues dissipated and reduced within a single cycle.  A peak period assessment had been undertaken and during the morning period, 12 vehicles were travelling which equated to 1 in every 5 minutes and during the evening period it equated to 1 vehicle every 2 minutes.  For customers visiting this site, it could reduce the number of trips, local residents were making going to the Horsted Retail Park.

The Service Manager - Development Management confirmed that Asda and Tesco had made legitimate planning reasons in their representations and their full objections were in the supplementary agenda advice sheet.

The Service Manager - Development Management stated it would be difficult to construct a condition that met the relevant requirements that would satisfy the Ward Councillor for regular meetings between residents and the Aldi Store.  He explained that something could be added within the Construction Management Plan and officers would discuss this with the applicant.

Following a request from Members, the Service Manager - Development Management confirmed that the applicant recruited locally for staff members in all of their stores and a direction could be added within the S106 which stated best endeavours to secure apprenticeships during the construction phase and final employment.

The Senior Planner confirmed that the green space on the site was private land and was no longer publicly be used as the school had closed. 

The Senior Planner explained that they had worked closely with Kent County Council Biodiversity regarding bats with the removal of the trees, however, the specialists were content with the information provided.  Condition 4, the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) Ecology would deal with the ecology of the site including solar panels, bug and bird bricks and new native tree planting.  The scheme had to provide 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), however, it did not need to exceed that.

The Senior Planner confirmed that a dedicated right hand turn had been considered, however, Maidstone Road was not wide enough.  Condition 24 proposed double yellow line be added opposite the site entrance to stop parked cars reducing the width of the road.

The Service Manager - Development Management explained that the peak hour traffic would be less for a supermarket than for the previous use as a school, which was very busy during weekday peak hours.  Supermarkets created different patterns of traffic, although it was acknowledged that Saturdays could be busy.

The Chief Planning Officer clarified that at the Aldi planning presentation, they said their existing store at Horsted Retail Park was overperforming.  A number of those movements could be from residents living closer to the proposed store and, therefore, the proposal could reduce the vehicles travelling and could help relieve to a degree the problems at the Horsted Retail Park roundabout. 

The Chief Planning Officer explained that the Football Foundation had agreed to cover 75% of the costs for creation of a Play Zone at Maidstone Sports Ground and the applicant had agreed to fund the remaining 25%. 

The Chief Planning Officer confirmed that if approved, referral to the Secretary of State would be required as there was an objection from Sport England.

Decision:      

Approved subject to:

A        Referral to the Secretary of State (required due to the objection from Sport England).

B        The applicant entering into a Section 106 agreement to secure:

1        A contribution of £79,702 towards a Play Zone at Maidstone Road Sports Ground.

2        A contribution of £30,000 towards the renewal of two bus stops/shelters on Maidstone Road, to include real time information.

3        A contribution of £20,000 towards walking and cycling improvements along Maidstone Road, which could include drop kerbs and tactile paving to improve accessibility.

With additional S106 clauses, as set out in the supplementary agenda advice sheet and added during the decision making:

4        A contribution of £15,000 towards improvements to the public realm in Chatham town centre.

5        To use best endeavours to secure apprenticeships during the construction phase and final employment.

C        Conditions 1 to 36 as set out in the report for the reasons stated in the report with amendment to condition 11 to include reference to swift bricks.  The Chief Planning Officer to liaise with the applicant regarding the regular meetings with local residents to be added to the Construction Environment Management Plan, and the possibility of quarterly meetings with residents after opening and an informative to be added regarding local banking services.      

Councillor Campbell returned to the meeting.