Closure of vehicular access from Manor House Gardens. New gated access from Mont St. Aignan Way and new bellmouth.  Associated rearrangement of car parking spaces. As amended by plans received 14.08.13 and 10.09.13.

The proposal sought consent for the creation of a new vehicular and pedestrian access from the nursing home onto Mont St Aignan Way (the Edenbridge Relief Road) and associated rearrangement of car parking spaces within the site. The pedestrian access was to be linked to the existing footway on the opposite side of Mont St Aignan Way. The existing vehicular access from the residential Manor House Gardens was to be closed up.

The site was in close proximity to the town centre. It was flanked on its eastern side by a large brick wall to the Edenbridge relief road. On all other boundaries, the site was surrounded by two storey residential dwellings.

Officers considered that the proposed access would preserve highways safety, would not have a detrimental impact on protected trees and would preserve the character and appearance of the area.

Members’ attention was drawn to the tabled Late Observations sheet.

The Committee was addressed by the following speakers:

Against the Application:       -

For the Application:              -

Parish Representative:         Cllr. McGregor

Local Member:                      Cllr. Davison

In response to a question the Local Ward Member, not on the Committee, confirmed that there was no pedestrian pathway on the western side of the relief road. Officers confirmed there would be a dropped kerb on each side but no controlled pedestrian crossing. The speed limit on that road was 30mph but Members noted that speeds often exceeded that.

Officers had no record of conditions preventing new entrances onto the relief road.

It was MOVED by the Chairman and was duly seconded that the recommendation in the report to grant permission subject to conditions be adopted.

Members familiar with the road indicated that the proposals would be dangerous for pedestrians trying to cross the road when leaving the site.

Members were concerned the entrance meant traffic would be held up on the relief road while vehicles turned into the site. The road at that point was too narrow to allow filter lanes or other measures which could ease difficulties. Several Councillors confirmed that the intention of the relief road was to provide a faster and less restricted route, with fewer junctions.

A Planning Inspector had previously confirmed that the wall would intercept views from the nursing home to the road and would mitigate against noise. A break in the wall would funnel noise.

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

Cllr. Mrs. Davison moved, and it was duly seconded, that planning permission be refused on three grounds. The first was that the entrance would be damaging to the streetscene in breaking up the carefully designed landscape. Secondly the development would have a negative effect on the amenities of Stangrove Lodge with the noise and light pollution so close to the flowing traffic. Thirdly the development would be dangerous for pedestrians when crossing the road.

The motion was put to the vote and it was –

Resolved: That planning permission be REFUSED for the following reasons:-

1.             The proposal would harm the character and appearance of the street scene and would result in a loss of landscaping provided as part of the inner relief road. This conflicts with policy SP1 of the Sevenoaks District Core Strategy, policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks District Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.             The proposal would create an undesirable form of development. It would harm the residential amenities enjoyed by the occupants of Stangrove Lodge since the proposed opening in the existing wall, which was required by the Secretary of State when approving the inner relief road, would lead to a detrimental impact caused by noise and pollution from passing traffic. This conflicts with policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks District Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

3.             The proposed development would result in conditions detrimental to highways safety. This would be as a result of pedestrians crossing Mont St Aignan Way at an uncontrolled crossing and vehicles entering and exiting the site via the proposed access, causing potential delays on the inner relief road and impacting upon the convenient and safe link, as designed, between the northern and southern ends of the town. This conflicts with policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks District Local Plan.