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Agenda item

18/505455/REM - APPROVAL OF RESERVED MATTERS FOR ACCESS, APPEARANCE, LANDSCAPING, LAYOUT, AND SCALE, PURSUANT OF 15/503359/OUT - OUTLINE APPLICATION WITH ALL MATTERS RESERVED FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT (APPROX 89 DWELLINGS) PLUS OPEN SPACE, BIOMASS PLANT AND ACCESS ROAD (PLUS EMERGENCY ACCESS) - LAND EAST OF GLEAMINGWOOD DRIVE, LORDSWOOD, KENT

Minutes:

All Members stated that they had been lobbied.

 

The Committee considered the report and the urgent update report of the Head of Planning and Development.

 

In presenting the report, the Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that:

 

·  Since the publication of the urgent update report earlier in the week, the agent for the applicant had been in contact with some queries about the landscaping.  It was agreed in principle that the non-native tree species would be replaced with more native species and it was recommended that the Officers be given delegated powers to have further discussions with the agent as to whether or not there could be some amendments to the species to make sure that they are as natural and as native as possible.

 

·  Similarly, it was very important in terms of the buffer to the Ancient Woodland to create good separation and minimise its use for recreation purposes.  The Officers should be given the opportunity to go back to the agent for the applicant to secure a commitment that when the biodiversity plan and the woodland management plan are submitted the actual buffer is an effective buffer and minimises activity and pedestrian and cycle use within that area so it does protect the Ancient Woodland as far as it can.

 

·  The recommendation was to grant permission with the caveat that the Officers wish to discuss with the agent for the applicant in detail about the landscape species and how the buffer can be most effective in terms of protecting the Ancient Woodland.

 

Councillor Brindle addressed the meeting as a Boxley Ward Member and as a representative of Boxley Parish Council.

 

Mr Warner addressed the meeting on behalf of the applicant.

 

During the discussion, the Major Projects Manager confirmed that the reserved matters application was for a total of 89 units.

 

RESOLVED: 

 

1.  That subject to further discussions with the applicant to (i) ensure that the non-nativetree planting is replaced by native local provenance planting and (ii) ensure that the 15m Ancient Woodland buffer zone is appropriate and that there are no pathways within the buffer, the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to approve the reserved matters subject to the condition and informatives set out in the report, as amended by the urgent update report, with

 

  (a)  An additional informative advising the applicant to consider making an application to vary the legal agreement requiring the provision of a biomass boiler and to come forward with an alternative more appropriate form of renewable energy generation such as solar PV panels; and

 

(b)  An additional informative advising the applicant that the details of the emergency access to be submitted pursuant to condition 16 of the outline planning permission should comprise a scheme that deters any access other than genuine emergency access and that a gated design would be a more appropriate solution.

 

2.  That the Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to finalise the wording of any additional conditions as a consequence of the discussions outlined in the first resolution and of the additional informatives.

 

Voting:  11 – For  1 – Against  1 - Abstention

 

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