Meeting Minutes:
Planning and Transport
| Meeting Date: | Monday 19 May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 19:30 |
| Councillors | Jon Aldridge Chairman, Angela Baker, Bill Cummings, Michael Gemmell Smith, Alan Layland, Margot McArthur, Stuart McGregor, Vince Parker, Angela Read Vice-Chairwoman, Michael Stockdale, Jeff Streets, Bob Todd. |
| Committee: | Planning and Transport |
| Venue: | Rickards Hall. 72a High Street Edenbridge, TN8 5AR Kent |
| Notes: | |
| Summary: | Planning Committee |
Agenda
Minutes
Cllr Aldridge opened the meeting.
Cllr Layland proposed Cllr Aldridge to continue as Chairman; Cllr Stockdale seconded. Members unanimously,
Resolved: Cllr Jon Aldridge as Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee.
Cllr Layland proposed Cllr Read to continue as Vice Chair; Cllr Aldridge seconded. Members unanimously,
Resolved: Cllr Angela Read as Vice Chair of the Planning and Transportation Committee.
Apologies for absence were received, noted, and accepted, from Cllrs Baker, Cummings, Gemmell Smith, McArthur, McGregor and Todd.
19:32 Chairman closed the meeting.
A member of the public mentioned they had not been able to access the agenda on the website.
19:33 The Chairman reopened the meeting.
Resolved: to confirm the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 28 April and that they be signed by the Chairman as a true and accurate record, 093/1-5.
Recommendation: supported the detail change; no further comments.
Recommendation: supported the application. Comments included:
- Garde II listed building, so long as compliant with guidance and regulations.
- Conservation area.
Recommendation: supported the application.
Members noted planning decisions items 9.1 to 9.7.
Members received and noted the recommendation to object to the application which had been made outside the meeting, and unanimously ratified,
Recommendation: maintained its objections to this application:
- It was noted that the site cannot accommodate its BNG obligations onsite.
- The Highways Technical report also comments on the application, and that it does not meet the expectations set out in the specifications set out by Kent Highways which requested a parking survey for seven day period within 100metres. Instead, there was one 24 hour survey presented as if two midweek, across a 200metre area, and included the Leisure Centre car park over midnight. It also does not include the high street in the day time. Overall, the submitted report is unhelpful.
- The property is literally just on the conservation area boundary; and it should be noted this is a Victorian building (and consideration as a heritage asset).
- There is no parking shown on the application and the areas suggested for parking facilities on Stangrove Road, which has extensive parking restrictions, and Lingfield Road, or Tekram Close are impractical as these streets are much further away from the proposed development site, and the relief road is already a very busy road.
- Parking at that end of the town centre is already used during the day by local businesses and shoppers. If this parking is lost it will affect the regeneration of the town centre.
- The demolition of a Victorian building for a new block of flats will damage the historic market town appearance and, especially the view when entering the town from the North end.
- The height of this building is not in keeping with the street scene and also inappropriate for a town the size of Edenbridge. It will cause overlooking and loss of light for some neighbours and is over development in a Conservation Area.
None.