An apology for absence were received from Cllr Samir Jassal, Cllr Bob Lane and Cllr Tony Rice. Cllr Helen Ashenden, Cllr Diane Morton and Cllr Derek Ashenden substituted.

The minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on Wednesday, 24 November 2021 were agreed and signed by the Chair.

To declare any interest members may have in the items contained on this agenda.   When declaring an interest a member must state what their interest is.  Any declared interest will fall into one of the following categories:

A Disclosable Pecuniary Interest which has been or should have been declared to the Monitoring Officer, and in respect of which the member must leave the chamber for the whole of the item in question;

An Other Significant Interest under the Code of Conduct and in respect of which the member must leave the chamber for the whole of the item in question unless exercising the right of public speaking extended to the general public;

A voluntary announcement of another interest not falling into the above categories, made for reasons of transparency.

Cllr Helen Ashenden made a voluntary interest in relation to 20211466 as her art group regularly holds exhibitions at TJ’s.

Resolved that application 20211305 be delegated Authority to Service Manager (Planning Services) in conjunction with the Chair of the Planning Committee subject to the rewording of Condition 2.

The Committee considered 20211305 in relation to 53 Nickleby Road Gravesend Kent DA12 4UQ. Theapplication wasfor the retrospective application for erection of an outbuilding in the rear garden to be used as home gym, games and family room.

The application site is comprised of a two-storey semi-detached dwelling on the northern

side of 53 Nickleby Road, a residential street of similar architectural character.

The Team Leader (Development Management) introduced application 20211305 to the Committee and highlighted key points from the report.

• The application for 53 Nickleby Road is located within an urban area of Gravesend and is a residential area characterised by dwellings on generous plots with many having outbuildings towards the rear of their gardens.
• On top of the building there are solar panels which the applicant had not included as part of the application. The solar panel will be dealt with outside this committee and be referred to the Planning Enforcement Team to address.
• As outlined in 5.2 to 5.6 of the report the design of the development is deemed acceptable and there is no conflict with local or national planning policy.
• The flat roofed outbuilding has a height of 2.8m which is 0.8m higher than a boundary fence which could be constructed without the benefit of planning permission and 0.3m higher than an outbuilding which could be constructed without planning permission.
• As set in paragraph 5.11 to 5.14 of the report there would be no adverse impact to the amenity of surrounding properties.
• The recommendation would be to grant permission subject to the following conditions:  approved plans and restricting the use of the outbuilding.

In response to Members questions on the clarification of the application, the Service Manager (Planning) explained that:

• The height of the outbuilding fails to meet the height requirement of Schedule 2 Part 1 Class E of the General Permitted Development Order (2015); as it is 2.8m in height, and, therefore, requires planning permission.
• Following a question about whether conditions could be added to stop this outbuilding being used for residential accommodation. The Team Leader (Development Management) explained that yes a condition could be added to keep the outbuilding for the purposes set out in the application.

The Committee heard from Cllr Leslie Hills, a Ward Councillor for Chalk Ward who was against the application:

The following points were raised during the discussion on this application:

• Cllr Hills called in this application for consideration as he had observed the building from the neighbouring property. It had been a building site for several months and was a monstrosity. Cllr Hills observed the site before the roof had been installed and as no planning permission had been submitted for this particular site, Cllr Hills was originally unsure what the building was for intended for.
• Cllr Hills considered this to be inappropriate and an over development within the neighbourhood and Cllr Hills felt it exceeded the height that was mentioned in the planning application.  
• Cllr Hills had taken photographs of the site during construction and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41a

Resolved that application 20211466 be APPROVED but with delegated authority to Service Manager (Planning) in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair and in conjunction with the applicant. 

The Committee considered 20211466 in relation to TJ's 15 Milton Road Gravesend Kent. Theapplication wasfor the demolition of the existing 2 storey outrigger and erection of a replacement two storey outrigger linked to a first floor extension to the existing function room including the change of use of the new first floor accommodation to 6no.en-suite letting rooms ancillary to the existing public house including the relocation of the existing toilets and provision of disabled toilet facilities.  

The Senior Planning Officer introduced application 20211466 to the Committee and highlighted key points from the report.

• The site is located on the outskirts of the town centre within the Harmer Street Conservation Area. 
• There is a two storey outrigger to the rear and a single storey detached building in the garden.
• As there is evidence that this property, with an outrigger to the rear, was shown on a historic map from 1845 this is now identified as a non-designated heritage asset and is described as being a building of townscape merit in the conservation area appraisal.  The outrigger as a whole makes a positive contribution to the conservation area and is a rare survivor.
• Plans showed the demolition of the existing outrigger and the replacement with a 2 storey rear extension which would double the length of the existing one.
• The application had been refused before in 2021 and the reasons for refusal were the loss of the historic outrigger with no justification, the scale of the proposal being out of proportion with the neighbouring extensions and the impact on the adjacent listed building and conservation area.
• No objections were raised to the ancillary use of letting rooms.
• The revised application is more or less the same scheme however a structural report has now been submitted. This report detailed repairs that needed to be made but does not justify the demolition of this rare surviving outrigger.
• A subsequent supporting statement detailed that it is not financially viable to retain the outrigger but does not provide evidence through a detail structural survey or viability assessment.
• The proposed development would assist to expand the existing business and derive both social and economic benefits, but they are not outweighed by the significant harm of this proposal.

In response to Members questions on the clarification of the application, the Senior Planning Officer explained that:

• This application is a non-designated heritage asset.
• Some repairs or strengthening could happen to the outrigger rather than demolition.
• The Chair asked when the structural report was received from the applicant. The Senior Planning Officer said the day before the agenda was to be published.
• Following a question about “what is an outrigger” the Senior Planning Officer told the Committee an outrigger is an extension at the rear of the property. This outrigger would not have been built with the original building and was built in the 1800’s.

The Committee heard the views of a public speaker in favour of the application. Following the address by the public speaker, Members had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41b

Resolved that the recommendation is for 20211473 to be GRANTED Planning Permission, subject to the following conditions:

Time Limit

1.      The development to which this permission relates must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date on which this permission is granted.

Reason In pursuance of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Approved Plans

2.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

Planning Application Form received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)001 Rev 0 – Existing Location & Block Plans received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)001B Rev 0 – Proposed Block Plan received 16th December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)002 Rev 0 – Existing Site Plan received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)003 Rev 0 – Proposed Site Plan received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)010 Rev 0 – Existing Ground Floor Plan received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)013 Rev 0 – Existing Roof Plan received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)015 Rev 0 – Existing South West Elevation received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)16 Rev 0 – Existing North East Elevation received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)017 Rev 0 – Existing S.West & N.West Elevation received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)018 Rev 0 – Existing Sections received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)020 Rev 0 – Proposed Ground Floor Plan received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)023 Rev 0 – Proposed Roof Plan received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)025 Rev 0 – Proposed South West Elevation received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)026 Rev 0 – Proposed North Elevation received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)027 Rev 0 – Proposed S.East & N.West Elevation received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)028 Rev 0 – Proposed Sections received 1st December 2021; and Design, Access & Heritage Statement received 1st December 2021.

Reason          For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

Materials

3.         Notwithstanding the details included on the application form and approved plans the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted shall match those used in the existing dwelling.

Reason        To maintain the character and appearance of the building and to ensure a satisfactory visual relationship between the existing and new development in accordance with adopted Policies CS12, CS19 & CS20 Gravesham Local Plan: Core Strategy (September 2014).

Resolved that the recommendation is for 20211473 to be GRANTED Planning Permission, subject to the following conditions:

Time Limit

1.      The development to which this permission relates must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date on which this permission is granted.

Reason In pursuance of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Approved Plans

2.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

Planning Application Form received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)001 Rev 0 – Existing Location & Block Plans received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)001B Rev 0 – Proposed Block Plan received 16th December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)002 Rev 0 – Existing Site Plan received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)003 Rev 0 – Proposed Site Plan received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)010 Rev 0 – Existing Ground Floor Plan received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)013 Rev 0 – Existing Roof Plan received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)015 Rev 0 – Existing South West Elevation received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)16 Rev 0 – Existing North East Elevation received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)017 Rev 0 – Existing S.West & N.West Elevation received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)018 Rev 0 – Existing Sections received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)020 Rev 0 – Proposed Ground Floor Plan received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)023 Rev 0 – Proposed Roof Plan received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)025 Rev 0 – Proposed South West Elevation received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)026 Rev 0 – Proposed North Elevation received 1st December 2021; Drawing No. 321(GA)027 Rev 0 – Proposed S.East & N.West Elevation received 1st December 2021;

Drawing No. 321(GA)028 Rev 0 – Proposed Sections received 1st December 2021; and Design, Access & Heritage Statement received 1st December 2021.

Reason          For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

Materials

3.         Notwithstanding the details included on the application form and approved plans the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted shall match those used in the existing dwelling.

Reason        To maintain the character and appearance of the building and to ensure a satisfactory visual relationship between the existing and new development in accordance with adopted Policies CS12, CS19 & CS20 Gravesham Local Plan: Core Strategy (September 2014).

A copy of the schedule has been placed in the democracy web library and also in the Reception, Civic Centre: - http://bit.ly/1Uwy6bJ.

A schedule showing applications determined by the Director (Environment) under delegated powers had been published on the Council’s website.

There is no any other business.