Agenda and draft minutes

Planning Committee - Monday, 1st February, 2021 7.00 pm

Venue: Assembly Room

Contact: Email: townhall@tenterdentowncouncil.gov.uk

Items

No.

Item

7289.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

None.

7290.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.

Minutes:

Cllr. Carter declared an interest in Agenda Item 8 – Discharge of Conditions.

7291.

MINUTES.

To consider and, if approved, confirm and sign the minutes and report of the meeting held on 4^th January 2021.

Minutes:

The minutes and report of the meeting held on 4^th January 2021 were confirmed and would be signed at the earliest opportunity.

7292.

MATTERS ARISING.

Minutes:

None.

7293.

COUNCILLORS QUESTIONS.

At the Chairman’s discretion Councillors may ask a question about any relevant matter not on the agenda. Questions shall be put and answered without discussion. Answers may take the form of a direct oral answer or reference to a Town Council publication. Where a reply cannot be conveniently given an oral or written answer may be circulated at a later date.

Minutes:

None.

7294.

REPRESENTATIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

Previously notified to the Chairman.

Minutes:

Mr. R. Masefield and Mrs. S. Nepp requested to speak on Agenda Item 11(c) - a request for stop notice on oak tree at the Tilden Gill development.

7295.

PLANNING APPLICATIONS.

To consider the following applications.

20/01679/AS	14 Henley Meadows. Erection of first floor extension over existing garage and link extension to dwelling. Single storey rear extension and partial conversion of garage to habitable space. Application for full planning permission. ST. MICHAEL’S WARD.
21/00020/AS	Tesco Stores Limited, Smallhythe Road. Proposal to install 1 x 42” LCD Media Screen & 2 x 1250 x 700mm Flagpole Signs overall height 2450mm. Application for advertisement consent. SOUTH WARD.
21/00065/AS	23 Golden Square. Part demolition of existing rear addition; replacement extension and roof to be reconstructed with a glazed rooflight and aligning with the rear addition roof of no 25; relocation of rear door & window. Application for full planning permission. NORTH WARD.
21/00113/AS	Little Halden Place, Cranbrook Road. New single storey extension and conversion of outhouse into self-contained annex to main house. Application for full planning permission. WEST WARD.

Minutes:

The Committee considered the following planning applications. It was RESOLVED that its recommendations would be submitted.

20/01679/AS

14 Henley Meadows.

Erection of first floor extension over existing garage and link extension to dwelling. Single storey rear extension and partial conversion of garage to habitable space.

From his own personal observations, Cllr. Cole expressed his concerns that there would be impact on the neighbours at Nos. 10, 12 and 8, Henley Meadows as this is quite an extensive extension and once completed would overlook their gardens. There would particularly be an impact on the privacy of No. 8 and this should be taken into consideration. It was noted that the planning portal did not have any objections from neighbouring properties.

The Deputy Town Clerk clarified that the list of consultees would have all been sent letters therefore would have received notification. Cllr. Carter queried whether Ashford Borough Council are sometimes not sending letters as part of the process; Cllr. Clokie commented that it is usually a limited circulation. Cllr. Crawford suggested writing to the Planning Department at Ashford Borough Council to seek confirmation that they do still send letters to all consultees on the planning application.

SUPPORT.

Cllr. Cole voted against the decision.

21/00020/AS

Tesco Stores Limited, Smallhythe Road.

Proposal to install 1 x 42” LCD Media Screen & 2 x 1250 x 700mm Flagpole Signs overall height 2450mm.

Cllr. Crawford commented that this application relates to an electric charging point sign. Cllr. Cole reported that this is a retrospective planning application as the charging points had been erected several weeks ago.

Discussing the application as if it had not been put in retrospectively, Cllr. Carter queried whether the charging points were quick charge points or long charge points and how they worked. Cllr. Parkin reported that the supporting document POD Point Data Sheet in the planning application provided all the necessary information on charging. Cllr. Carter suggested that we should make enquiries to Tesco as to how long it would take to charge a car in that power point and how it works.

Cllr. Crawford suggested that it would be a good idea for the Climate Change sub-committee to look at the figures and comment, and if necessary to go to Tesco. Cllr. Mulholland commented that in planning terms the length of charging is not a material consideration and it is a move in the right direction, even though it is unfortunately retrospective.

Cllr. Carter expressed his concern that if charging points were installed everywhere that the whole system would crash due to lack of available power. Cllr. Quinton, who is the Chair of the Climate Change Sub-committee reported that Network UK are aware of all charging points which they monitor and make sure are suitable. Cllr. Quinton also commented that Tesco have solar panels on their roof so they will be producing quite a lot of electricity themselves to charge these points during the summer months.

Cllr. Mrs. Walder reported that herself, Cllr. Quinton and Cllr. Crawford ... view the full minutes text for item 7295.

7296.

NOTIFICATION OF DISCHARGE OF CONDITIONS. PDF 94 KB

List No. 030. *

Minutes:

List No. 030 was NOTED.

7297.

DECISIONS OF THE ASHFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE. PDF 106 KB

List No. 599. *

Minutes:

List No. 599 was NOTED.

7298.

SUB-COMMITTEE & WORKING GROUPS. PDF 190 KB

(a) Selective Neighbourhood Plan Working Group. Feedback from a meeting held on 6^th January 2021.*

Minutes:

(a) Selective Neighbourhood Plan Working Group. Feedback from a meeting held on 6^th January 2021 was NOTED. Cllr. Carter queried where the Selective Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group saw any additional housing coming in to Tenterden for the next Ashford Local Plan in 2025. Cllr. Crawford commented that if in four years’ time Ashford Borough Council were to ask for a review of our Neighbourhood Plan then they would do so but at this point in time they are proceeding with the original mandate agreed by this council, the borough councillors and Ashford. Cllrs. Knowles and Clokie pointed out the terms of reference of the committee are that this is a Selective Neighbourhood Plan and not a full Neighbourhood Plan so it is not within their remit to look at housing. When the next callout for sites is published, landowners and developers will come forward at that point.

7299.

MINOR MATTERS. PDF 91 KB

(a) Statement made by Robert Jenrick 16th December 2020. Statement received from Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government with regard to the opposition to their planning for the future housing proposals.*

(b) Consultation letter for the Town Hall Planning Application. To note*

(c) Request for Stop Notice on Oak Tree at Tilden Gill development. To note an email sent to the planning case officer at Ashford Borough Council.*

(d) Contact from Esquire Developments. To note an email had been received from Esquire Developments on 8th January 2021 requesting a meeting with the Town Council to discuss an emerging development proposal for the land North of 14 Westwell Court.*

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(a) Statement made by Robert Jenrick 16^th December 2020.

Cllr. Crawford provided a summary of the Statement received from Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government with regard to the Council’s, along with other Councils, opposition to the planning proposals because they were very distorted. A response had come back from the Secretary of State saying that they had heard our comments loud and clear and that they did not want to build houses at the expense of harming precious green spaces and they would be looking at levelling out across the country and their view now was that the urban centre was the best place for housebuilding, utilising existing infrastructures and also to make use of brownfield sites, protecting the countryside where possible. Building homes around transport hubs would help tackle climate change. They also recognised that because of Covid 19 there were opportunities to repurpose commercial centres where there were office blocks to convert into housing. Cllr. Crawford recommended that Councillors should read Robert Jenrick’s statement in full and the statement was NOTED.

(b) Consultation letter for the Town Hall Planning Application. It was NOTED that a consultation letter had been received for the Town Hall planning application.

(c) Request for Stop Notice on Oak Tree at Tilden Gill development. It was NOTED that an email had been sent to the Planning Case Officer at Ashford Borough Council.

Cllr. Crawford reported that there had been an issue that Redrow wished to cut down a particular oak tree on their boundary with Kiln Field. The reason they wished to cut it down is that it would interfere with erecting scaffolding to construct a garage at plot no. 82. It was not the Town Council’s intention to stop Redrow building the garage but to preserve what we considered to be a veteran tree. On 19^th January 2021, the Town Clerk wrote to the Planning Officer requesting a stop notice until Kent Wildlife Trust had assessed the site. A week later the Town Clerk received a response from Ashford Borough Council which said “Further, Redrow have advised that no works would be carried out except those that they have permission for and as such they are not in breach of the planning permission.”

Mrs. Nepp from the TDRA and Mr. Masefield expressed their views on this issue.

Mrs. Nepp spoke on behalf of the local residents of the TDRA and expressed their great anger regarding the apparent lack of regard for the importance of Tenterden’s biodiversity and wildlife on behalf of the developer Redrow and Ashford Borough Council, including the current Tree Officer for this area. Mrs. Nepp reported that it had come to their attention that the developer, Redrow at the ongoing housing development at Tilden Gill, had threatened to remove a line of significant ancient coppice and bank including a potential veteran oak tree estimated to be over 300 years old and close to a badger ... view the full minutes text for item 7299.

7300.

CORRESPONDENCE.

None.

Minutes:

None.

7301.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS PREVIOUSLY NOTIFIED TO THE CHAIRMAN.

No decision may be made, but matters involving an exchange of information may be discussed.

Minutes:

Cllr. Knowles reported on the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s consultation and statement regarding new developments meeting local standards of beauty, quality and design under the new rules. There is a free to attend session on Thursday, 4^th February 2021 which Cllr. Knowles and Cllr. Crawford would be attending and if other Councillors would like to register, there is a link on the Government’s website. Cllr. Knowles reported that this was a step in the right direction and all decisions need to be made at parish level.