Meeting Agenda:
Planning and Transport
| Meeting Date: | Monday 20 Apr 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 19:30 |
| Councillors | Jon Aldridge Chairman, Angela Baker, 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: |
Agenda
Minutes
Members of the District Council wish to state that although they will be considering planning applications at this meeting they would be reconsidering them at the district level, taking into account all relevant evidence and representations there.
Members of the public, and members with prejudicial interests on items on the Agenda, may make representations, answer, ask questions and give evidence at this meeting in respect of items on the Agenda. (This is the only opportunity for members of the public to make a contribution during the meeting.)
Both public and members are limited to three minutes per person to speak and the total time designated for public questions shall not exceed fifteen minutes unless directed by the Chairman of the meeting.
Conversion of existing building to 4no. residential dwellings. Demolition of foyer and reception area to be replaced with new front extension. Removal of fire escapes. Removal of access ramps and stairs at front of property. Air Source Heat Pumps. New shed, cycle and bin stores. fencing and railings. Internal alterations. Alteration to fenestration. Creation of parking bays
This application has now been amended, and a summary of the main changes are set out below:
Updated Noise Report
| 26/00306/FUL |
| 26/00470/FUL |
Variation of conditions 2 (Drawings), 3 (Construction Management Plan), 4 (Materials), 5 (Hard and soft landscaping), 6 (Samples), 7 (Parking layout), 11 (EV charging points), 13 (Cycle storage) and removal of conditions 12 (Balconies) of 23/03092/FUL to demolition of existing buildings and erection of a pair of semi-detached houses with amendment to provide more detailed plans and information to satisfy some of the conditions by submitting the samples, reducing the footprint, increasing height, revising fenestration, adding a chimney, removing balconies, revise construction management plan, provide a biodiversity enhancement plan, update parking plan, raising finished floor level, provide fenestration details, EV charger location and type, bin and bike store location and details.
This application has now been amended, and a summary of the main changes are set out below:
The site plan has been amended to show a total of two parking spaces. Additionally a small portion of the site (labelled between b and c on the previous site plan) has been removed.
| 25/03056/CONVAR |
| 26/00380/DETAIL |
Status: Granted
| 25/03407/HOUSE |
Demolition of a derelict garage to be replaced by a new garage with solar panels on roof, demolition of two sheds, new retaining wall to existing ramp apron, with associated external works.
Status: Granted
| 25/03433/HOUSE |
Status: Granted
| 25/02900/LDCPR |
Status: Granted
| 26/00216/MMA |
Status: Granted
| 26/00390/LDCEX |
Outline planning permission (all matters reserved except access) for residential development of up to 135 new homes (Use Class C3).
This application has now been amended, and a summary of the main changes are set out below;
- Design Principles Document (DPD) seeking to address a number of the consultee comments in relation to Urban Design, Heritage and the proposed amendment to the public right of way.
- Updated Design and Access Statement I Design Code
- Parameter Plans: Land Use, Density, Green Infrastructure, Access & Movement, Building Heights
- Transport Assessment Addendum
- ATE Active Travel Route Audit o Heritage Addendum
- Public Right of Way proposed diversion route
Recommendation: Members continued to object to this application on the grounds of:
- Green Belt
- Loss of Green Belt.
- This site has clear views across the site to the countryside with only a thin hedgerow at the boundary of the site suggesting notable encroachment into the Green Belt.
- Overdevelopment in the Green Belt.
- The proposed site will landlock other areas which are currently in the Green Belt.
- Access to the site and Highways constraints Philippines Close
- The developer has not confirmed if they have access rights in Philippines Way.
- It is a private road serving an industrial area off Hever Road, and a residential care home; and the public footpath which is a grass track between hedgerows.
- It is an unadopted road.
- Mead Road
- Is a ‘no-through’ narrow single lane road.
- It is noted that this is proposed as an ‘emergency access’ only, but it is unclear how this will be restricted to JUST emergency access.
- The visibility splays off Mead Road on to Mill Hill Road are poor.
- Hever Road
- Hever Road is a county road, its junction with Philippines Close is constrained: to the east there are no pavements and, to the west only a single narrow pavement on the south side for approx. 50m.
- Traffic congestion with parked cars along Hever Road to Mill Hill Road which effectively creates a single lane. Pavements have vehicles parked on them creating issues for pedestrians.
- There are approximately 90 addresses in the suburban part of Hever Road and adding twice that number of homes will increase the problems and access for emergency services will be compromised.
- Foul drainage would be an issue as the existing 9" foul drain would be inadequate.
- Southern Water has not been consulted on managing the additional capacity.
- SUDs – The site is in Flood Zone 1 surrounded by flood plain. The development will increase runoff water, leading to Hever Road which already has excess surface water from heavy rain.
The Council note that this site has been included in the draft Local Plan Regulation 18 (3) consultation (closing date 11 December). The Council has submitted a representation to this site – EDEN15 Land East of Mead Road – and objected on grounds of Green Belt harm, visual impact, cumulative impact with other housing sites, failure to make effective use of land and inadequate vehicular access.
| 25/03241/OUT |
Outline planning permission (all matters reserved except access) for residential development of up to 135 new homes (Use Class C3).
This application has now been amended, and a summary of the main changes are set out below;
Certificate B documents to confirm notice has been served on landowners (now received)
Recommendation: Members continued to object to this application on the grounds of:
- Green Belt
- Loss of Green Belt.
- This site has clear views across the site to the countryside with only a thin hedgerow at the boundary of the site suggesting notable encroachment into the Green Belt.
- Overdevelopment in the Green Belt.
- The proposed site will landlock other areas which are currently in the Green Belt
- Access to the site and Highways constraints Philippines Close
- The developer has not confirmed if they have access rights in Philippines Way.
- It is a private road serving an industrial area off Hever Road, and a residential care home; and the public footpath which is a grass track between hedgerows.
- It is an unadopted road.
- Mead Road
- Is a ‘no-through’ narrow single lane road.
- It is noted that this is proposed as an ‘emergency access’ only, but it is unclear how this will be restricted to JUST emergency access.
- The visibility splays off Mead Road on to Mill Hill Road are poor.
- Hever Road
- Hever Road is a county road, its junction with Philippines Close is constrained: to the east there are no pavements and, to the west only a single narrow pavement on the south side for approx. 50m.
- Traffic congestion with parked cars along Hever Road to Mill Hill Road which effectively creates a single lane. Pavements have vehicles parked on them creating issues for pedestrians.
- There are approximately 90 addresses in the suburban part of Hever Road and adding twice that number of homes will increase the problems and access for emergency services will be compromised.
- Foul drainage would be an issue as the existing 9" foul drain would be inadequate.
- Southern Water has not been consulted on managing the additional capacity
- SUDs – The site is in Flood Zone 1 surrounded by flood plain. The development will increase runoff water, leading to Hever Road which already has excess surface water from heavy rain.
The Council note that this site has been included in the draft Local Plan Regulation 18 (3) consultation (closing date 11 December). The Council has submitted a representation to this site – EDEN15 Land East of Mead Road – and objected on grounds of Green Belt harm, visual impact, cumulative impact with other housing sites, failure to make effective use of land and inadequate vehicular access.
| 25/03241/OUT |
Amendment to 22/02410/FUL to 'Demolition of all existing buildings with the exception of the listed former goods building and the redevelopment of the site through the provision of 588sqm of Class E floorspace, 19 houses, 19 flats, car and cycle parking, new internal access road and amenity space and new pedestrian links to Greenfields and Grange Close, together with the refurbishment of the former listed goods building for Class E use' with amendments to elevations, external materials, landscaping, rainwater goods and associated works.
This application has now been amended, and a summary of the main changes are set out below:
Updated drainage details for the site.
Recommendation: Members felt the information presented was beyond their technical understanding.
| 25/03416/MMA |
Variation of a 106 agreement 24/00313/FUL.
Recommendation: Members objected to this application and commented:
Members strongly object to the renegue on their previous commitments toward the Affordable housing in the S106.agreement. The building is in the greenbelt, and these obligations should be met.
| 26/00378/VAR106 |
The Local Plan is also an agenda item on full Council meetings. At the March meeting it was noted the next steps for Council was to:
- Review published consultation responses, including developer representations.
- Meet with the Planning Consultant to assess implications.
- Prepare for formal representations at Regulation 19 stage.
We have met the planning consultant and started to review responses. One matter discussed was the limited number of Development Briefs provided in the Regulation 18; this has been raised with SDC.
Work has commenced on reviewing responses. It has been noted that some developers have submitted their own responses to the Reg 18; details of these are currently being looked at. We will re-evaluate our responses and raise with the planning consultant so that we can ensure appropriate balanced informed responses.
We have also asked additional questions to SDC including:
- Concerns regarding Jacobs’ modelling work. Especially, noting that junctions already identified as operating at or over capacity, including Crouch House Road/Lingfield Road and Stangrove Road/Mont St Aignan Way, have not, to date, been identified for mitigation.
- KCC response - school provision. There is currently no detail on timescales or the level of housing required to support delivery, which makes it difficult to fully understand how this aligns with the scale of growth proposed
- Bus and Cycle provision. Are there any proposals being considered to improve bus frequency and/or provide dedicated cycle links between development sites and the town centre, given the limited existing provision.
- Land locking. Is the Plan going to include provision to ensure future access is retained to avoid land locking, and enabling utilising this land.
- As the IDP continues to evolve, will there be an opportunity for the Town Council to review and provide informal comments on the draft IDP ahead of Regulation 19
Do Members have any comments?
None.
Attached are the summary meeting notes from the recent meeting with the Kent Highways Officer reviewing the Highways Improvement Plan (HIP), together with an updated HIP showing the proposed changes.
Members are asked to confirm the changes. Once agreed, a clean copy of the HIP will be forwarded to Kent County Council (KCC) and published on the Council’s website.
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
The Community Warden has resumed Speedwatch (SW) sessions following training with Kent Police, which also included a refresher session for existing volunteers. Two sessions have been undertaken in the past four weeks.
The portable Speed Indicator Device (SID) is currently being rotated between the five approved sites by the Grounds Team, and this arrangement appears to be working well. However, the data is not currently being downloaded or analysed, primarily due to time constraints, lack of expertise, and the absence of a lead councillor to review the data and produce reports.
Do Members have any questions?
Members and residents are reminded that highways faults need to be reported direct to KCC Highways via its website; link below. Problems reported can be tracked via KCC website. A full list of reports can be obtained from the portal but you need to set up an account.
The Highways Maintenance Manger does arrange for an annual meeting with officers, the date is yet to be confirmed. This meeting is an opportunity to raise specific issues such as line painting, road surface repairs, vegetation issues, although these should be also reported via the 'report a problem' link.
Current matters the office are flagging include: Zebra crossing, beacon lighting, vegetation overgrowth on footpaths, parked cars blocking pavements (reported to SDC), damaged sign at Four Elms Road, removal of damaged street light (result of RTA).
Do Members have any questions?
| Report a problem - KCC Highways |
Nothing to report.