Cllr. Piper clarified that he had given his apologies for the last meeting of the Committee.

Resolved:       That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 17 November, as amended, be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Cllrs. Brookbank and Underwood declared personal interests in item 5.03 - SE/11/02120/CONVAR:  Land South West Of, Déjà Vu Nightclub , London Road Swanley Kent as dual hatted members of both the District Council and Swanley Town Council, which had already expressed views on the matter.

Cllrs. Mrs. Dawson and Piper declared personal interests in items 5.01 - SE/11/02351/FUL:  25 Camden Road, Sevenoaks and 5.08 - SE/11/02554/FUL: Sevenoaks Outdoor Bowls, Hollybush Close, Sevenoaks as dual hatted members of both the District Council and Sevenoaks Town Council, which had already expressed views on the matters.

Cllr. Mrs. Dawson clarified that she did not have a further personal interest in 5.01 - SE/11/02351/FUL:  25 Camden Road, Sevenoaks  as although she lived in that street, she lived a significant distance from the application site.

Cllr. Scholey declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 5.05 - SE/11/02127/FUL:  6th Sevenoaks Kemsing Scout Group, Scout Hut, Heaverham Road, Kemsing  as the recently retired Chairman of the Sevenoaks District Scout Council. He left the room during consideration of the item.

All Members of the Committee except Cllr. Piper declared that they had been lobbied in respect of item 5.01 - SE/11/02351/FUL:  25 Camden Road, Sevenoaks.

Cllr. Dickins further declared that he had been lobbied in respect of items 5.05 - SE/11/02127/FUL:  6th Sevenoaks Kemsing Scout Group, Scout Hut, Heaverham Road, Kemsing and 5.07- SE/11/01877/FUL: The Coppice, Pilgrims Way, Kemsing, Sevenoaks.

The Chairman ruled that additional information received since the despatch of the agenda be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency by reason of the special circumstances that decisions were required to be made without undue delay and on the basis of the most up?to?date information available.

There were no public speakers against the following item and no Member reserved the item for debate. Therefore, in accordance with Part 7 3.5(e) of the constitution, the following matter was considered without debate:

5.08 - SE/11/02554/FUL: Sevenoaks Outdoor Bowls, Hollybush Close, Sevenoaks

It was MOVED by the Chairman that the recommendation in the report be adopted.

Resolved:       That planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:-

1)         The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

In pursuance of section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

2)         The materials to be used in the construction of the development shall be those indicated on the approved proposed elevations and floor plans.

To ensure that the appearance of the development enhances the character and appearance of the area as supported by Policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks District Local Plan.

3)         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: site location plan and block plan submitted on 03.10.11, and the Proposed Elevations and Floor Plans submitted on 25.10.11.

For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

The Chairman noted two Planning Officers were unavailable because they were unwell. She thanked those who were filling-in.

The Committee considered the following planning applications:

5.01 - SE/11/02351/FUL:  25 Camden Road, Sevenoaks  TN13 3LU

The proposal sought to demolish the existing garage at the application site and construct a two storey side and rear extension to the existing dwelling, a two storey side extension and a single storey rear extension.

Officers commented that there were windows in the front (north) and rear (south) elevations of 23 Camden Road at the basement, ground floor and first floor levels.  As the front elevations would be unaffected it was felt Members should not refuse on grounds of a loss of daylight provision.

Officers considered that the development would respect the context of the site and would not have an unacceptable impact on the street scene. Any potentially significant impact on the amenities of nearby dwellings could be satisfactorily mitigated by way of the conditions recommended.

Members’ attention was drawn to further submissions from the Applicant in the tabled Late Observations sheet and Officers’ comments on them.

It was noted that a Members’ Site Inspection had been held for this application.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

            Against the Application:       Anna Du Prey

            For the Application:              -

            Parish Representative:         Cllr. Hogarth

            Local Member:                      -

A Member asked whether Officers had relative measurements for light from the south and north windows. Officers confirmed they did not but the property could be seen through and windows on the north and south sides were of equal size.

Several Members were concerned that the proposal would have a significant impact upon the daylight provision at 23 Camden Road in habitable rooms. They considered that the assessment in the Officers report of loss of daylight to 23 Camden Road gave insufficient weight to the failure of the proposal against the 45 degree test  The impact was particularly significant because the affected light to the ground floor and basement was from the south and also the natural light to the basement was already limited. A Member suggested that a condition be added for the side elevation of the extension to be white in order to help reflect light towards 23 Camden Road.

Members noted the comments of the neighbour and Town Council representative that there had already been extensions to the property and the proposal could be considered an overdevelopment of the application site. It would be out of keeping with some parts of the road.

It was MOVED and duly seconded that the recommendation in the report be adopted.

A Members proposed an amendment that a condition be added that the materials for the side elevation of the extension be submitted to and approved by the Council, with an informative to be added that a white rendering was to be expected. This amendment was accepted by the mover and seconder of the original motion.

The motion, as amended, was put to the vote and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.