To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 27 April 2023, as a correct record.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the Development Control Committee held on 27 April 2023, be approved and signed as a correct record.

Including any interests not already registered

Councillor Camp declared that for Minute 4 – 22/00512/OUT, Sevenoaks Quarry, Bat & Ball Road, Sevenoaks Kent TN14 5SR, she had chaired the Sevenoaks Town Council planning meeting but remained open minded.

Councillor Ball declared that for Minute 5 – 22/02053/FUL – Plot 4 Grazing Land South of Viaduct Terrace, Horton Road, South Darenth, Kent he was present at the Parish Council planning meeting but remained open minded.

Councillor Hogarth declared that for Minute 4 – 22/00512/OUT, Sevenoaks Quarry, Bat & Ball Road, Sevenoaks Kent TN14 5SR he had sat in on meetings regarding the site, but remained open minded.

All Councillors declared that they had been lobbied in respect of Minute 4 – 22/00512/OUT, Sevenoaks Quarry, Bat & Ball Road, Sevenoaks Kent TN14 5SR

Councillors Ball, Baker, Camp, Esler, Husdon, Malone, Manston, Skinner, Varley, Purves, Harrison, Horwood, Hogarth, and Silander declared that they had been lobbied in respect of Minute 6 –22/01134/FUL, Cole Farm, Bore Place Road, Chiddingstone, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7AP

An outline planning application for: up to 800 residential dwellings (Class C3), up to 150 residential institutional units (Class C2), business, retail, leisure and sports uses (Class E); new primary school (Class F1); community uses (Class F2), re-use of former Oast House and existing barn off Childsbridge Lane, green open spaces including parks, play spaces, ecological areas and woodlands; vehicular accesses from Bat and Ball Road, Childsbridge Lane and Farm Road; associated infrastructure, groundworks and demolition; with all matters reserved.

The proposal sought permission for an outline planning application for up to 800 residential dwellings (Class C3), up to 150 residential institutional units (Class C2), business, retail, leisure and sports uses (Class E); new primary school (Class F1); community uses (Class F2), re-use of former Oast House and existing barn off Childsbridge Lane, green open spaces including parks, play spaces, ecological areas and woodlands; vehicular accesses from Bat and Ball Road, Childsbridge Lane and Farm Road; associated infrastructure, groundworks and demolition; with all matters reserved. The application had been referred to the Committee at the discretion of the Chief Planning Officer, as the development was of significant nature being major development in the Green Belt.

Members’ attention was brought to the main agenda papers and late observation sheet which did not amend the recommendation.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

Members asked questions of clarification from the speakers and officers. In response to questions Members were advised that the primary health care trust and Thames water were consulted. Kent County Council as the Education Authority had identified that the land should be for a primary school and for funding provisions for secondary education within the district.

It was moved by the Chairman and duly seconded that the recommendations within the report, be agreed.

Members discussed the application giving consideration to the use of land, and the community benefits. Some concerns were expressed regarding the increased population and the extra traffic, and possible implications on health services. Members further discussed the provision of affordable housing, Community Infrastructure Levy contributions from the development, and the controls surrounding the development by a signed section 106 agreement.

It was suggested that the recommendation should read for permission for outline permission. The Chairman was in agreement and amended his original motion.

The motion was put to the vote and it was

Resolved:  That

A)    outline planning permission be granted subject to

i)     referral of the application to the Secretary of State as major development in the Green Belt, to decide whether to call the application in, and

ii)   the conditions set out below, subject to any minor changes to wording being agreed by the Chief Officer for Planning and Regulatory Services, and

iii)  a satisfactory legal agreement being made under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) being completed no later than 30 September 2023, unless in accordance with a new timescale agreed in writing by the Chief Officer for Planning and Regulatory Services.

Section 106 Agreement

The Section 106 Agreement shall include the following requirements:

·         Affordable housing comprising 40% of all on-site housing to be provided, of which 65% would be provided as Affordable / Social Rented; 25% as First Homes; and 10% as Intermediate Housing.

·         Safeguarding of 2.05 hectares land for a primary school.

·         Financial contributions towards the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Change of use of the land for the stationing of 3 touring caravans for occupation by an extended Romany Gypsy family

The proposal sought planning permission for the change of use of the land for the stationing of 3 touring caravans for occupation by an extended Romany Gypsy family. The application had been referred to the Committee by Councillor Ball due to concerns about the impact on the Green Belt, the impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties and the village hall opposite, and the case for very special circumstances put forward by the applicant.

Members’ attention was brought to the main agenda papers and late observation sheet which did not amend the recommendation.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

Members asked questions of clarification from the speakers and officer. In response to questions, Councillors were advised that the condition regarding commercial vehicles should read commercial activities. Further questions centred on the Gypsy housing needs study and the planning history of the site. Members were informed that the previous appeal had been dismissed at appeal and the application had been re-submitted and the circumstances around it were different, including the need for sites, and flood risk had been downgraded.

It was moved by the Chairman and duly seconded that the recommendations within the report and the amended condition be agreed.

Cllr Ball declared that although his name was against reasons for call in, it had been the previous local Member who had called it, but he remained of the opinion that it should be considered by Committee. Members discussed the application, with some concern expressed the to the development within the Green Belt and lack of very special circumstances. Members considered the unmet need for Gypsy Traveller sites in the district.

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

It was moved duly seconded that planning permission be refused due to the harm to the openness of the Green Belt and lack of Very Special Circumstances to outweigh the harm, noting SP6 of the Core Strategy and LO8 of the NPPF.

The motion was put to the vote and it was

Resolved: That planning permission be refused for the following reasons

The development is by definition inappropriate development in the green belt and would harm the openness of the green belt, both in visual and spatial terms.  The case of very special circumstances presented is not considered sufficient to outweigh to the harm green belt. As such the proposal is contrary to policies SP6 and L08 of the Sevenoaks Core Strategy and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Convert and reconfigure an existing agricultural barn into stables, tack room and hay store. Construct a new private sand school for home and personal use.

The proposal sought planning permission for the converting and reconfigure an existing agricultural barn into stables, tack room and hay store. Construct a new private sand school for home and personal use. The application had been referred to the Committee by Cllr Silander due to the net loss of biodiversity due to the previous clearing of the application site and the conflicting reports based on designation and location of the SSSI and Impact Risk Zone.

Members’ attention was brought to the main agenda papers and late observation sheet which did not amend the recommendation.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

Members asked questions of clarification from the speakers and officer. It was confirmed by the officer that the monitoring of the biodiversity was required by condition for the 30 year period and that it had to be at least a 20% increase.

It was moved by the Chairman and duly seconded that the recommendations within the report, be agreed.

Members discussed the application and it was suggested that an additional condition should be included for the site to go back to its previous condition should the sand school no longer be required.

The amendment was moved, seconded and debated. The motion was put to the vote and it was agreed.

The substantive 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) The materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the proposed stable/tack room and hay store hereby permitted shall match those used on the existing building. The materials to be used in the construction of the proposed sand school hereby permitted shall match those stated on plan number DHA/16635/12.

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 and details: DHA/16635/01, DHA/16635/10, DHA/16635/11, DHA/16635/12, DHA/16635/13.

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

4) No development shall commence until a Biodiversity Gain Plan and Biodiversity Management and Monitoring Plan to ensure that there is a 20% net gain in biodiversity within a 30 year period as a result of the development have been submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The Biodiversity Management and Monitoring Plan shall include 30-year objectives, management responsibilities, maintenance schedules and a methodology to ensure the submission of monitoring reports.

Monitoring reports shall be submitted to the Council during years 2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 from commencement of development unless  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.