Planning News February 2017

The Planning Committee met February in High Halden.   This bulletin contains news relating to applications dealt with and decisions handed down since the last meeting in December, as well as proposed future action on some current applications.

Link to latest housing White Paper at the foot of this newsletter.

MATTERS ARISING FROM DECEMBER MEETING

None.

REPORT ON WKPS SUBMISSIONS TO LPAs SINCE DECEMBER 2016

16/01758/AS Woodchurch House, Brook Street, Woodchurch TN26 3SN — Erection of a two and a half storey building comprising 22 care suites, communal area, and care office and additional parking (resubmission of 15/01568/AS). WKPS observations re: increased capacity, loss of privacy for neighbours, drainage, parking and outside space for residents.

 

16/07510/OUT/TW Land off Chequers Road, Goudhurst — Outline (All matters reserved) — Residential development (bungalows for older residents). WKPS objection.

16/07549/FULL/TW Middleton Farm, Tenterden Road, Cranbrook TN17 3PA —

Conversion of existing oast building to a detached dwelling with associated parking and landscaping.  WKPS objection.

16/01841/AS Land between The Hollies and Park Farm Close, Woodchurch Road,

Shadoxhurst — Erection of 12 dwellings, creation of new access from Woodchurch Road, landscaping and auxiliary works (revision to ref: 15/00539/AS). WKPS objection.

16/01883/AS The Memorial Hall, Ashford Road, High Halden — Creation of a parking area/drop-off zone and dropped kerbs. WKPS supported.

REPORT OF LPA DECISIONS WHERE WKPS HAS COMMENTED

14/01116/AS Pluckley Brickworks and Station Garage, Station Road, Pluckley —

Proposed development of 25 dwellings and new access. WKPS objected to original application for 52 houses. ABC PERMITTED.

16/00795/AS Land north west of Smallhythe House, Longfield, Tenterden — Erection of 36 retirement living apartments with associated communal facilities, access, parking and landscaping.  WKPS supported with concerns. ABC PERMITTED.

16/01250/AS 10 Millfield, High Halden TN26 3LX — Two storey front & side extensions, single storey front infill extension and detached garage. WKPS requested working restrictions. ABC PERMITTED.

16/01659/AS Sunny Mead Farm, Bethersden Road, Woodchurch TN26 3QW — Single storey extensions to north & south elevations, enlargement of existing cromer window to west elevation, adjustments to first floor fenestration to north elevation. Proposed porch to east elevation.  WKPS objected. ABC PERMITTED.

16/01604/AS Land SE of adjacent and rear of Drayson House, The Green, Woodchurch — Demolition of existing tennis court and disused pigsty/shed. Erection of new 3 bedroom detached dwelling with double garage and associated landscaping. WKPS cautious support. ABC PERMITTED.

KCC/TW/0135/2016 (TW/16/5690) Forest Farm, Nineveh Lane, Benenden — Erection of a 499kw anaerobic digestion facility to process farm yard manure and slurry which is produced on site, along with a proportion of crops which are grown on the farm, and 832 tonnes of imported chicken manure. The development comprises two 18m diameter tanks connected by a pump room, each topped with a gas dome, one feeder and a Combined Heat and Power Unit.  WKPS objected. KCC APPROVED.

16/01408/AS Field west of Old Place Cottage known as Oak Tree Field, Woodchurch Road, High Halden — Change of use of land for the stationing of a mobile home in use as a dayroom and hardcore, installation of septic tank/drainage; fencing.  WKPS objected. ABC REFUSED.

REPORT OF APPEAL SUBMISSIONS

16/00295/AS & 16/01058/AS (APP/E2205/W/16/3159652) Land north of No.1 Westwell Court, Tenterden — Erection of garage block with 2 bed flat above.  Appeal representation objection submitted 28/12/16.

REPORT OF APPEAL DECISIONS

None

CHAIR’S REPORT

  1. MBC Draft Local Plan. The Planning Inspector reported his findings in January as

follows:

Housing.

Total number of houses in the Maidstone Borough reduced by 900 to 17,660.

Lenham target for 2021 to 2031reduced from 1,500 to 1,000 homes.

Headcorn: No reductions in planned developments assigned, similarly Staplehurst.

At the hearings it was established that both Headcorn and Staplehurst legitimately

attract development as ‘service centres’ due to their mainline stations. Congestion

on the A274 is acknowledged but a suggested new service road to the A20 seems a

distant prospect.

Gypsies and Travellers.

187 pitches allocated by MBC, 90 of these are already approved. The Planning

Inspector did not raise any comment.

  1. Headcorn, Tong Farm — solar array. The application was refused by MBC and the applicant appealed. A local hearing, rather than a hearing in Bristol, was requested and the applicant withdrew the appeal.
  2. We have made contact with a potential scrutineer for the Cranbrook area.
  3. A group called ‘all4betterdevelopment’, campaigning to protect over-development in the countryside has started a petition to government calling for change. Their email has been circulated to the membership, but we are aware that it’s not reached some people and the Society Secretary is to check. A further email from this group provides a link to the published White Paper on the housing market and this will be forwarded to committee members.
  4. 15/01374/AS Planesfield, High Halden. ABC refused consent for temporary use to permanent. Applicant has appealed the decision. To prove traveller status applicant only has to be away from the site for 2 months out of 12.
  5. Public exhibition (no application submitted yet) for development west of

Rogersmead, Tenterden. Observations made clear to the developers: the development fills the proposed space, no gardens, boxy 2 storey houses unsuitable for retirees, quite a walk to the town, apartments would be more suitable. Await application.

PLANNING ITEMS FOR COMMENTS, FEBRUARY  2017

16/01874/AS Land north east of Barkley OS Parcel 1300, Burnthouse Lane, Smarden — Outline application for residential development of the site for 8 dwellings, including access, parking and landscaping with all matters reserved. Currently has commercial designation and is a brownfield site. 8 houses is too many. WKPS support in principle but suggest smaller development with larger farmhouse style houses more in keeping with property in the locality.

16/01877/AS/FULL (with 16/01878/AS below) Agricultural Buildings at Hegg Hill Farm, Smarden Bell Road, Smarden — Conversion of agricultural barn to form residential dwelling and conversion of curtilage of listed buildings to garaging and ancillary accommodationSee related item below.

16/01878/AS/LBC Agricultural Buildings at Hegg Hill Farm, Smarden Bell Road, Smarden — Conversion of agricultural barn to form residential dwelling, fenestration, inclusion of first floor level and provision of flue; conversion of curtilage listed buildings to garaging and ancillary accommodation. WKPS to support with provisions to maintain integrity and fabric of these listed buildings.

16/01854/AS Site of former Great Chart Motors, The Street, Great Chart TN23 3AH — Erection of 5 two storey dwellings.  Garage site demolished some years ago.

Permission granted in 2008 for 3 cottages and a commercial building to rear — recession so not developed. 5 houses is too many for this site; it will be cramped and difficult to provide parking. Should be redeveloped but on a smaller scale. WKPS to object.

16/01836/AS/FULL Land between 82 – 120 Front Road, Woodchurch — Erection of 8 no. two storey dwellings together with access, garages, parking, landscaping and ancillary works. High-end 4 & 5 bed houses, too large, too tall and overbearing. Attractive green space but is an allocated site. Local demand is for smaller houses; any development should comply with the village design statement. WKPS to object.

16/07797/REM/TW Land west of Birchfield, Rye Road, Hawkhurst — Approval of reserved matters (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) following outline permission for 26 residential dwellings together with new access and associated parking (14/00547/OUT).  Concern here about the road layout within the development giving access to a field beyond with potential for further development. WKPS to support Hawkhurst PC’s objections.

16/01090/AS Land west of Shrubcote and south west of Appledore Road, Tenterden — Amended Description. Erection of four detached dwellings, with associated landscaping, provision of new accesses onto Shrubcote Road and Appledore Road with private parking, and provision of sustainable drainage system, and other ancillary works. Previous application was for 6 dwellings. Reduced now to 4 dwellings on the same sized land area. Within Tenterden Conservation Area, green space. There is a need for new 4/5 bed family homes in Tenterden and the reduced density is more satisfactory on this greenfield site . WKPS to comment in general terms.

17/00073/AS Farm View, Highlands Farm, Woodchurch TN26 3RJ — Proposed single storey residential care accommodation (4 units). This accommodation is to provide semi-independent living for adults with learning disabilities and will complement the existing care facilities at this centre. WKPS to support.

17/00033/AS Land to the west of West Hoy Farm, Shenley Road, Smarden — Change of use of the land for the siting of 2 no. seasonal agricultural workers accommodation mobile homes. Previous application for pens and roadways at this site was granted by ABC (WKPS objected). This application claims to warrant two mobile homes for agricultural workers engaged in pheasant rearing. Believed to be a spurious claim but it was decided to leave it to ABC. WKPS not to comment.

17/01322/AS MCL Ltd., Church Farm, Bell Lane, Smarden TN27 8NT — Redevelopment of an existing commercial/industrial site to accommodate 5 no. commercial units.  Unsuitable site for freight and HGVs because of narrow winding lane and a blind bend near the access point. The buildings are overbearing in relation to the Smarden Bell. Increase in hard surfacing will cause flooding. WKPS to strongly object.

17/00032/AS Land off Chessenden Road, Smarden — Outline application with all matters reserved other than access to serve 20 dwellings including 5 market houses. Agricultural land, site not included in the call for sites. Strain on single track road. No rural housing enabler, local needs survey needs updating. No justification for the proposal. WKPS to object.

17/00025/AS Roughlands Farm House, Lewd Lane, Smarden TN27 8PB — Removal of Section 106 agreement. 45 acres farm. The barn in the farmyard can be converted to residential under permitted development. Existing farmhouse has agricultural occupancy restriction. Applicant wants to sell farmhouse and move into barn and is proposing to transfer the occupancy agreement to the barn conversion. WKPS to support.

14/00757/CONV/AS Land south west of Recreation Ground Road and north and east of Smallhythe Road, Tenterden (TENT1) — Discharge of Condition 5 — Details of playground 36 — Details of footpath works through woodland. Good scheme. The

existing BMX track is too close to bungalows and its replacement elsewhere is desirable.  WKPS to support.

17/00103/AS Tesco Stores Ltd, Smallhythe Road, Tenterden — Installation of dry cleaning, key cutting, shoe and watch repairs pod on Tesco premises. (BR) Competition with local businesses is not a planning issue. WKPS not to comment.

17/00115/AS Stone Cottage, Pound Lane, Kingsnorth TN23 3JE — Proposed extension to existing games room to provide double garage & ancillary accommodation at first floor level. There is no justification for this application as a previous application converted the garage to the games room stating that the garage was unnecessary. WKPS to object.

17/00078/AS Oaklands, Ashford Road, High Halden TN26 3NA — Erection of a double garage within the front garden and conversion of existing integral garage to a bedroom and utility room. Very high roof at 18’, building is 30’ long, intrusive and ugly, close to the road. Suggest shallow pitched roof is possible. WKPS to object.

17/00162/AS Frog Hollow, Church Lane, Shadoxhurst TN26 1LY — Outline application for the erection of a replacement detached dwelling. (RD) (Additional item to the agenda.) Land is at the rear of an existing dwelling. In August 2016 the paddock was converted to residential land and greenhouses were placed on the site. Proposal is now to demolish the existing house and build a replacement on the newly designated residential land. WKPS to monitor situation to see whether neighbours object.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This paragraph deals with actions planned rather than already taken.   Readers are asked to note that the opinions and action points  are those expressed by the planning committee as a whole.  They are not always final decisions.  Many items discussed at meetings require further research before we reach a final decision on action to be taken.

MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Link to latest housing White Paper:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fixing-our-broken-housing-market