To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 10 March 2016, as a correct record.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the Development Control Committee held on 10 March 2016 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Including any interests not already registered

Cllr. Edwards-Winser declared for minute item 92 - SE/16/00066/HOUSE - Kent House, The Green, Otford, Sevenoaks TN14 5PE that he was one of the Local Members and would address the Committee as a Local Member. After addressing the Committee as a Local Member he did not take part in the debate or voting thereon.

Cllr. Miss. Stack declared for minute items 91 - SE/15/03889/FUL - Land South of 12 Knole Way, Sevenoaks TN13 3RS and 93 - SE/16/00774/DEMNOT - Swanley Working Men’s Club, 18 High Street, Swanley BR8 8BGthat she was a Deputy Cabinet Member for Strategy and Performance and so had previously been involved in these decisions.

In response to a question, the Locum Planning Lawyer explained that the Localism Act had given a decision maker greater opportunity to act without a presumption of predetermination. The final decision to participate would come down to the decision maker as to whether they considered themselves as predetermined.

Cllr Thornton declared for minute item 94 - SE/15/03980/HOUSE - Broomwood , Woodland Rise, Sevenoaks TN15 0HY that she was one of the Local Members and would address the Committee as a Local Member. After addressing the Committee as a Local Member she left the Chamber and did not take part in the debate or voting thereon.

Cllr. Parkin declared for minute item 93 - SE/16/00774/DEMNOT - Swanley Working Men’s Club, 18 High Street, Swanley BR8 8BGthat she had previously considered the item at the Policy & Performance Advisory Committee.

Cllr. Raikes declared for minute item 91 - SE/15/03889/FUL - Land South of 12 Knole Way, Sevenoaks TN13 3RS that he was a Member of Sevenoaks Town Council who had previously considered the matter but that he would remain open minded.

Cllrs. Barnes, Edwards-Winser, Gaywood and Williamson declared that they had been lobbied in respect of minute item 91 - SE/15/03889/FUL - Land South of 12 Knole Way, Sevenoaks TN13 3RS.

All Members declared that they had been lobbied in respect of minute item 93 - SE/16/00066/HOUSE - Kent House, The Green, Otford, Sevenoaks TN14 5PE.

Cllrs. Ball, Barnes, Clark, Edwards-Winser, Gaywood, Hogg, Mrs. Hunter, Kitchener, Layland, Parkin and Raikes declared that they had been lobbied in respect of minute item 94 - SE/15/03980/HOUSE - Broomwood , Woodland Rise, Sevenoaks  TN15 0HY.

There were no public speakers against the following items and no Member reserved the item for debate. Therefore, in accordance with Part 7.3(e) of the constitution, the following matter was considered without debate:

Erection of 5 bed detached 2 storey dwelling

The application sought permission for the erection of a detached two storey 5 bed property at the end of the cul-de-sac on Knole Way. The dwelling would measure approximately 11.1m in width, up to 14.7m in depth and 9.1m in height. A gap of around 5 metres would be maintained to the flank wall of the neighbouring property at 12 Knole Way. The proposal included a single garage to the side of the property and parking to the front.

The application was referred to Committee as Sevenoaks District Council was the applicant and owned the land in question.

Members’ attention was brought to the late observation sheet, which had removed recommendation B from the report and a further late observation sheet, which amended condition 8 of the recommendation.

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)   No development shall be carried out on the land until samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the dwelling hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Council. The development shall be carried out using the approved materials.   The Local Planning Authority is satisfied that it is fundamental to the development permitted to address this issue before development commences and that without this safeguard planning permission should not be granted.

To ensure that the appearance of the development is in harmony with the existing character of the area as supported by Policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan..

3)   The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: PL/358/01, PL/358/02 Rev A

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

4)   No development shall be carried out unless in full accordance with the Tree Report and Arboricultural Statement by Tree Ventures dated 8th January 2016. Unless specifically set out in the report, no works, storage,  activities or changes in levels  shall be carried out within a tree protection area, and the protective fencing as shown in the report shall be retained for the duration of the development, unless agreed otherwise in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

To safeguard the visual appearance of the area as supported by Policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.

5)   No development shall be commenced until details of any works to prune or crown lift trees and details of routes for any underground services for the development have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

To safeguard the visual appearance of the area as supported by Policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.

6)   No development shall be carried out on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 91.

Demolition of working men’s club and bank buildings

The application sought prior approval for the demolition of working men’s club and bank buildings at 16-18 High Street. The application had been referred to the Committee as the application site belonged to the Council.

Resolved: That prior approval will be required and approved.

The Committee considered the following planning applications:

Demolition of existing garage and shed. Erection of a single storey rear and side extension together with alteration to entrance gateway and swimming pool in garden.

The application sought permission for the demolition of an existing garage and shed and the erection of a single storey rear and side extension together with alteration to entrance gateway and a swimming pool in the garden.

The application was referred to the Committee at the request of Cllr. Edwards-Winser on the grounds that the application was contrary to policies EN1 and EN4 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan, in that it did not enhance the adjacent listed properties, nor did it better reveal them.

Members’ attention was brought to the main agenda papers and the late observation sheet which provided further Officer analysis and planning history but did not amend the recommendation.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

Members asked questions of clarification from speakers and officers.

It was moved by the Chairman and duly seconded that the recommendation in the report to grant planning permission be agreed.

Members discussed the impact of the proposed extension to the Conservation Area and on the gap between the existing building and the neighbouring listed building at The Corner House.

The motion was put to the vote and it was lost.

It was moved by Cllr. Clark and duly seconded that planning permission be refused on the grounds of paragraphs 132 and 137 of the NPPF and Policy EN4 of the Sevenoaks ADMP because of the harm arising from the side extension.

Members discussed the response of the Conservation Officer who had objected to the proposals on grounds that the application should “enhance or better reveal the significance of designated heritage assets” and that great weight should be given to their conservation.

The motion was put to the vote and it was

Resolved: That planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

The proposed extension to the dwelling is an unsympathetic form of development in the conservation area.  It would have an unacceptable impact on the setting of the adjacent listed building by crowding it and obstructing the important gap between the building and the host property contrary to Allocations and Development Management Plan Policy EN4 and paras 132 and 137 of the NPPF

(After addressing the Committee as a Local Member Cllr. Edwards-Winser did not take part in the debate or voting thereon.

Demolition of single storey side double garage and rear veranda roof. Erection of two storey extension including attic rooms to west.

Erection of single storey extension with basement below, and indoor pool to north east. Erection of double garage. External and internal alterations.

The application sought permission for the demolition of the single storey side double garage and rear veranda roof and the erection of two storey extension including attic rooms to west, erection of single storey extension with basement below and indoor pool to north east and erection of a double garage, with external and internal alterations.

The application was referred to the Committee at the request of Cllr. Thornton on the grounds that the alterations proposed through their excessive increase in width, the garage projecting to the front and the use of slate roof tiles would be out of character with the area and would be detrimental to the building which is identified in the Wildernesse Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan as a building contributing to the character of the area. Therefore the proposal was not in accordance with the NPPF, Policies EN1 and EN4 of the ADMP or the Wildernesse Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan.

Member’ attention was brought to the main agenda papers and the late observations sheet which amended condition 4 of the recommendation and added a second informative.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

Members asked questions of clarification from speaker and officers.

It was moved by the Chairman and duly seconded that the recommendation in the report, as amended by the late observation sheet, to refuse planning permission be agreed.

Members noted the concern of the Local Member that the window in the proposed south west elevation would overlook the amenity land to the front of the neighbouring Melsetter property, which was the primary amenity land for that dwelling.

The Chairman, with the consent of the seconder, altered the motion so that an additional condition be added to ensure that the window to the south west elevation of the development be obscure glazed over 1.7m to protect neighbouring amenity by preventing overlooking to the amenity area to the front of the neighbouring Melsetter.

The amended motion was put to the vote and it was

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)   No development shall be carried out on the land until samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the extensions hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Council. The development shall be carried out using the approved materials.

To maintain the integrity and character of the area as supported by EN1 and EN4 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan. The Local Planning Authority is satisfied that it is fundamental to the development permitted to address this issue before development commences and that without this safeguard planning permission should not be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94.