The proposal sought permission for a temporary three-year use as a day time car park.

The application had been referred to the Development Control Committee by Councillor Fleming due to concerns upon the impact of the development in terms of highway safety, neighbouring amenity and inappropriate land use of the site.

Members’ attention was brought to the main agenda papers and late observation sheet.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

Against the Application:   Mark Edwards

For the Application:          Steve Hiscox

Parish Representatives:    -

Local Member:                 Councillor Fleming

Members asked questions of clarification from speakers and Officers. Members asked whether the land owners envisaged the car park to be a long or short stay. The Senior Planner advised that this would be confirmed in the Parking Management Strategy. The agent for this applicant advised that it made provision for long stay usage with some short term parking as well.

In response to questions, the Kent County Council Principal Transportation and Development Planner advised Members that the car park would attract cars already in town trying to reach other car parks such as Bligh’s Meadow or Marks & Spencer’s, and Kent County Council considered the impact on the road network to not be classed as severe.

It was moved by the Chairman and duly seconded that the recommendation within the report and late observations be agreed.

Members debated the application. It was considered that, unlike the Council’s application, it had failed to sufficiently to justify the need for additional car parking spaces or for the impact the site would have on the road network. It was noted that the applicant’s assessment showed that there was already spare capacity at the station’s car parks of around 10%. The assessments which were carried out were also premature as the Sevenoaks Town Car Park was due to open shortly, which would change the position again.

Concern was raised that the ‘keep clear’ signage was not enforceable, the road could become a spot for potential accidents.

The motion to grant planning permission was put to the vote and it was lost.

It was moved by the Councillor Williamson that planning permission be refused on the grounds that the applicant promoted unsustainable means of transport, no overriding need for the development had been given, no evidence of shortfall of provision and would result in increased traffic and unsafe traffic movements.

Members indicated that although Kent County Council had not objected to the application, the significant evidence from local knowledge indicated that the application would cause significant and severe impact to highways safety. Members indicated that previous concerns about the site promoting unsustainable transport persisted. Any temporary benefits of the site would be outweighed.

The motion was put to the vote and it was

Resolved:  That planning permission be refused on the grounds that the use of the land for a temporary long stay car park would be contrary to the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework, policy SP2 of the Sevenoaks Core Strategy and Policies SC1 and T1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan as the proposal would encourage the use of the private motor car to the detriment of more sustainable means of transport. Furthermore no overriding need for the development has been given and nor has sufficient evidence been submitted to demonstrate that there is demand or a shortfall of existing car parking provision within Sevenoaks town centre area. The resultant impact of the development would create hazardous highway conditions and traffic congestion, which would result in harm to highway safety contrary to policies EN1 and T1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.