Issue - meetings

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development suggesting that an unspent S106 contribution towards the provision of open space (£80,556.18) be put towards the public realm improvement project at Maidstone East Railway Station.  It was noted that:

·  Outline planning application MA/10/0485 for residential development at the former Horticultural Unit, Hadlow College, Oakwood Park, Tonbridge Road was approved subject to the prior completion of a S106 agreement to secure, inter alia, a contribution of £1,575 per dwelling (expected to be 50 dwellings) towards the provision of open space.  The contribution totalling £80,556.18 including indexation was paid to the Council in 2013.

·  Since the S106 agreement did not specifically define where the open space contribution should be spent and there was no spend by date within the agreement, it was suggested that the unspent contribution be put towards the public realm improvement project at Maidstone East Railway Station.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the S106 contribution towards the provision of open space (£80,556.18) secured in relation to application MA/10/0485 be put towards the public realm improvement project at Maidstone East Railway Station to facilitate a greener environment of the open space.

2.  That delegated authority be given to the Head of Regeneration and Economic Development, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee and the Political Group Spokespersons of the Planning Committee, to agree the final designs for the public realm in the forecourt of the Station.

Voting:  12 – For   0 – Against  1 – Abstention