Urgent Update on 18/502320 – Land east to the Grove Residential Care Home, 6 Bower Mount Road, Maidstone

One additional letter of objection received raising the following concerns (including concerns previously raised in the main papers):

·         Loss of privacy and relationship with neighbouring properties;

·         Visual harm;

·         Overbearing impact;

·         The private and secluded garden of adjoining property significantly contributes to the enjoyment of the their property, as detailed in appeal from 2001;

·         Will the leylandii hedge be retained;

·         Lack of regard given to the Residential Character Area Assessment and the need to retain important features;;

Officer comments on objections received:

·         All the comments that were received were fully considered as part of the assessment of the planning application. Whilst the views of adjoining residents are acknowledged in the officer report there were no grounds available to justify the refusal of planning permission.

·         As part of the assessment of the application the case officer visited the application site to fully consider the impact on adjoining properties with some of the photographs taken during this site visit included in the committee presentation.

·         The officer report considers the relationship between the new building and the property boundary. Whilst the privacy of windows is of greater importance than external amenity space (due to the frequency of use) with the use if obscured glazing there are no grounds to object to the loss of privacy to neighbouring properties including  1 Fairview Gardens (as confirmed in para 6.17 of the report).

·         The new building on Plot 3 does not extend along the entire eastern boundary of the site as can be seen on the layout plan. The relationship of the new building is considered in the report and the separation distances between the buildings in terms of potential visual impact and the relationship was found to be acceptable.

·         The decision in 2001 is acknowledged by the case officer, the case officer also sets out that each case has to be considered on its merits and against the current development plan which was adopted in October 2017.

·         The potential impact on 1 Fairview Gardens is considered at para 6.17 of the officer report.

·         The description of the site and the surrounding area is provided over four paragraphs (paras 1.01 to 1.04). This description is sufficient as it is designed to supplement the submitted layout plans.

·         It is considered that the case officer report adequately covers all the necessary issues including those raised as a result of the consultation process 

Recommendation Remains Unchanged