The conversion and change of use of an existing agricultural building and land to a dog day care business (sui generis).

The proposal sought planning permission for the conversion and change of use of an existing agricultural building and land to a dog day care business (sui generis). The application had been referred to the Committee by Councillor Esler on the grounds that the noise from the proposal would impact residential amenity and the development would also impact highways safety.

Members’ attention was brought to the main agenda papers and late observation sheet, which included an additional informative but did not amend the recommendation.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

Members asked questions of clarification of the speakers and officers. It was confirmed that 130 dogs was the maximum number of dogs on site with 7 vans in use at peak capacity. Members’ attention was brought to condition 5 for submitted detailed noise management plan.

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

Members debated the application, some members raised concerns for noise made by the proposal of 130 dogs on site and traffic management but it was noted that there were conditions to help mitigate noise and travel disruption.  An amendment was moved by Councillor Hunter and duly seconded that an additional condition (12) be added requesting to limit the number of dogs at the site to a maximum of 130.

The amendment was put to the vote and was carried.

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 development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: GA_00, S-02 Rev.B, Proposed Building Layout.

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

 3)  Prior to the installation of any new exterior materials, full details of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the converted building hereby permitted shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall be carried out using the approved materials.

To ensure that the appearance of the development enhances the character and appearance of the area as supported by Policy EN1 and EN5 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.

 4)  The development shall not be brought into use until full details of hard and soft landscape works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. Those details shall include:-hard landscaping plans (identifying existing hard standing, hard standing to be retained and new hard landscaping);-boundary treatment;-planting plans (identifying existing planting, plants to be retained and new planting);-a schedule of new plants (noting species, size of stock at time of planting and proposed number/densities); and-a programme of implementation including any necessary protection measures during construction. Only the approved details shall be carried out in the planting season following the completion of the development hereby granted. If within a period of five years from the completion of the development, any of the trees or plants that form part of the approved details of soft landscaping die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased then they shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species.

To safeguard the visual appearance of the area as supported by policies EN1 and EN5 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.

 5)  The development shall not be brought into use until a detailed noise management plan, and any mitigation measures, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plan thereafter.

To safeguard the residential amenity of nearby local residents as supported by the National Planning Policy Framework and policies EN2 and EN7 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.

 6)  The development shall not be brought into use until a Travel Plan, to reduce dependency on the private car, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The Travel Plan shall include objectives and modal-split targets, a programme of implementation and provision for monitoring, review and improvement. Thereafter, the Travel Plan shall be put into action and adhered to throughout the life of the development, or that of the Travel Plan itself, whichever is the shorter.

To reduce dependency on the private car as supported by the National Planning Policy Framework.

 7)  Prior to the commencement of the development on the site a Construction Management Plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The Plan shall include the following:(a) Routing of construction and delivery vehicles to / from site(b) Parking and turning areas for construction and delivery vehicles and site personnel(c) Timing of deliveries(d) Provision of wheel washing facilities(e) Temporary traffic management/signage. The Construction Management Plan shall be fully adhered to during the course of the construction phase.

In the interest of highway safety as supported by policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.

 8)  The development hereby permitted shall not begin until the local planning authority has approved in writing a full scheme of works to provide alterations to the entry and egress junctions at Force Green Road/London Road. The occupation of the development shall not begin until those works have been completed in accordance with the local planning authority's approval and have been certified in writing as complete by or on behalf of the local planning authority.

In the interest of highway safety as supported by policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.

 9)  Prior to works commencing on site an ecological mitigation strategy must be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The plan must provide the following information:-Overview of the proposed mitigation for reptiles, amphibians, breeding birds and hedgehogs;-Detailed methodology to implement the mitigation;-Timings of the proposed works; and-Map showing areas where mitigation will be carried out and receptor site. Details of who will be carrying out the works. The plan must be implemented as approved.

To conserve biodiversity within the site as supported by the National Planning Policy Framework and policy SP11 Sevenoaks Core Strategy.

10) Prior to the installation of any external lighting, details of the lighting shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The lighting plan shall implement the recommendations within the Bats and artificial lighting in the UK document (Bat Conservation Trust and Institution of Lighting Professionals) and shall be retained thereafter.

To retain bats within the site and surrounding area as supported by the National Planning Policy Framework and policy SP11 Sevenoaks Core Strategy.

11) Within 3 months of works commencing an ecological enhancement plan, detailing what ecological enhancements will be incorporated into the site, shall be submitted to and approval in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plan.

To enhance biodiversity within the site as supported by the National Planning Policy Framework and policy SP11 Sevenoaks Core Strategy.

12) To limit the number of dogs at the site to a maximum of 130.

To safeguard the residential amenity of nearby residents and to preserve highways safety as supported by the National Planning Policy Framework and policies EN1, EN2 and EN7 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan.

Informative

The signage shown on the northern elevation of the proposed development does not form part of this planning application. Instead, the applicant would need to consider whether consent under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 (as amended) is required for the signage.