Planning Report 12 September 2002

PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR 12th SEPTEMBER 2002 (EAST) Page No. 1 MC2000/1754 Hempstead & Wigmore Retention of barn Little Knox Farm, Capstone Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3JF 3 2 MC2001/2039 Hook Meadow Outline application for construction of two rows of 4 terraced houses including demolition of part of existing building on site 237, Walderslade Road, Chatham, Kent, ME5 0NQ 8 3 MC2002/0838 Hempstead & Wigmore Construction of single storey side and first floor front extensions with new canopy to front and side 30, Foulds Close, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 0QF 13 4 MC2002/1074 St Margarets Change of use from Doctor Surgery to residential bungalow. 90, Silverspot Close, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 8JT 17 5 MC2002/1126 St Margarets Application under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country ( General Planning Regulations ) 1992 for the construction of a single-storey extension to form 4 classrooms. 21 St. Margarets C Of E Voluntary Controlled Junior School, Orchard Street, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 9AE 6 MC2002/1206 Rainham Mark Outline application for the construction of a detached bungalow; two flats in a 2 storey building; associated amenity areas and car parking together with single storey rear extension to existing building at 48 Hoath Lane. Rear of 48 Hoath Lane, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 0SW 24 7 MC2002/1252 Gillingham South Installation of three dual polar & four dish antennae on existing tower with two cabinets & a feeder gantry NTL Transmitting Station, Longhill Avenue, Gillingham, Kent 30 8 MC2002/1283 Walderslade Part change of use to day care nursery for a maximum of twenty five children between the ages of 0-6 years between the hours of 7:30 am and 6:00 pm Mondays to Fridays. 118 Dargets Road, Lords Wood, Chatham, Kent. 34 9 MC2002/1378 St Margarets Construction of a single storey rear extension 6, Shelden Drive, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 8JX 37 DC0902MW 1 10 MC2002/1416 St Margarets Construction of a single storey rear extension together with loft conversion incorporating rear dormer window 67, Arthur Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 9BU 40 11 MC2002/1581 Brompton Demolition of existing buildings and construction of a mixed use development including 38 flats and commercial units Land at the corner of High Street & Briton Street and land at the corner of High Street & Arden Street, Gillingham, Kent. 43 BACKGROUND PAPERS The relevant background papers relating to the individual applications comprise: the applications and all supporting documentation submitted therewith; and items identified in any Relevant History and Information section and Representations section with a report. Any information referred to is available for inspection in the Planning Offices of the Council at the Compass Centre, Chatham Maritime, Chatham. DC0902MW 2 1 MC2000/1754 Date Received: 27th November 2000 Location: Little Knox Farm, Capstone Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3JF Proposal: Retention of barn Applicant: Mr M Daly C/o Charter Planning Limited 9 Main Road Hextable Swanley Kent BR8 7RB Agent: D Oliver Lakeland Joinery and Developments Redwood House Forge Lane Bredhurst Gillingham Kent ME7 3JW Ward: Hempstead & Wigmore Recommendation - Approval with Conditions (as amended by letter dated 16th August 2002) 1 The open sided building shall be used for the dual purpose of agricultural implements, equipment and materials storage when there is an agricultural seasonal requirement for hay production and distrubution and for the storage of plant and machinery, spare parts and materials as required in connection with the adjacent lawful civil engineering plant storage and maintenance operation at all other times of the year and when spare capacity over and above any seasonal agricultural storage requirements exists. Site Description This application relates to an approximately rectangular parcel of land located off Capstone Road in the rural area of Hempstead, Gillingham known as Little Knox Farm, being 1.10 square hectares in overall area. The land comprises of a residential house and two groups of buildings that have an associated concrete hardstanding area. The remainder of the site comprises an extensive area of pasture. This area bounds onto woodland to the north and east, Capstone Road is to the west and to the south there are large detached residential properties. The land levels rise from the west (Capstone Road) to the higher ground in the east. The site of the proposed barn is in the south-eastern corner of the land. Proposal This application is to retain an open sided metal framed and clad pitched roofed barn in the south-eastern corner of the of the land. This building is 18 metres long by 9 metres wide by 5 metres high at the central roof ridge point. The roof and three sides are clad in dark brown PVC coated steel cladding. The capacity of the building to the eves is in the region of 650 metres cubed. It is proposed by the applicant to use the building for a dual storage use. During the periods of the year when the landholding is used more intensively for agricultural DC0902MW 3 operations, principally hay cropping, it is proposed to use the building’s capacity to store the hay crop before it’s transfer off site and the required ancillary agricultural equipment and materials. At other times, when agricultural operations are not occurring to any marked extent the building is proposed to be fully utilised for the storage of items related to the lawful commercial civil engineering plant storage and maintenance operation. This use on the landholding was granted a Certificate of Lawfulness on the 12 April 2002. Relevant Planning History 94/0068/70/0208GL Retrospective application for the retention of a pitched roof over a building; Refused 8 August 1994 Section 174 Notice Enforcement notice required the removal of pitched roof over building; subsequent appeal dismissed 20 July 1994 Section 215 Notice Required the removal of all rubble, sand, hardcore, building materials, pallets, plastic containers, metal compound, oil drums, canisters and portable building Served 20 March 1995 95/0270/70/0208GL Change of use of wood store to office use Approved 16 June 1995 MC2001/1229 Certificate of Lawful Use (Existing) for the continued use of land and buildings for civil engineering plant depot, plant maintenance and repair building, open hardstanding area for plant storage and an open storage area for civil engineering plant materials and office use. Approved 12 April 2002 Representations Neighbour notification letters have been sent to the owners and occupiers of the following properties: Moorcroft, Capstone Road; 1, 2, 4 The Old Carriageway; 7 to 21 (odds) Barncroft Drive; Gillingham and Mr Richman 18 Mulberry Close, Hempstead. Hempstead Residents Association have written to object on grounds that the proposal represents illegal use of the land and is for storage of materials and equipment unrelated to a small holding. One letter has been received not objecting subject to the unit being used solely for agricultural storage. DC0902MW 4 Development Plan Policies Kent Structure Plan 1996 Policy ENV1 (Built Environment) Policy RS1 (Rural Settlement) Policy RS5 (Development in the Countryside) Medway Towns Local Plan 1996 Policy C1 (Rural Areas) Policy C5 (Area of Local Landscape Importance) Policy B16 (New Development) Medway Local Plan (Deposit Version) 1999 Policy BNE1 (General Principles for New Development) Policy BNE2 (Amenity Protection) Policy BNE26 (Development in the Countryside) Policy BNE 35 (Area of Local Landscape Importance) Planning Appraisal The main issues for consideration arising from this retrospective proposal relate to whether it is acceptable in principle on grounds of an agricultural and commercial storage justification, and whether there are any unacceptable impacts on the landscape and local amenities. Matters of Principle The site is in the rural area and within an area of Local Landscape Importance. Structure Plan Policy RS5 presumes against development in rural Kent unless it, amongst other matters is demonstrated to be necessary to agriculture. Policy C1 of the Medway Towns Local Plan 1992 (the adopted plan), similarly, presumes to not normally permit development in rural areas unless it is demonstrated necessary for agriculture. Policy C5 strongly presumes against permitting any development in Areas of Local Landscape importance, which might in any way prejudice the particular landscape function of the area. Policy BNE 26 of the Medway Local Plan (Deposit Draft) 1999 (the emerging plan) states that development will only be permitted if, amongst other matters, it demands a rural location such as agriculture. Policy BNE 35 of the same plan states that development will only be permitted when it does not prejudice the open character and particular landscape function of the area. Also, development in these areas should be designed, sited and landscaped so as to minimise any detrimental impacts on the open character and inherent landscape qualities of these areas. The proposal is for a dual storage use building a type of barn to store agricultural machinery, implements and a crop during the hay making time of the year. The applicant contends that the building would allow for the storage of such equipment as grass/hay-cutting and baling machines, fertiliser spreader, hedge trimmer four-wheeled drive vehicles and trailers and an occasional water bowser vehicle during the agricultural season. Also, cut hay from the landholding would be bailed and stored in the building prior to removal from site. DC0902MW 5 The area available for agricultural operations is limited to 0.8 ha (2 acres). This area is grassed and potentially can provide a yearly hay crop. This would yield some 250 small bales of hay, which would occupy approximately 50 metres cubed, or some 12.4 metres cubed by 4 metres in height. The building’s capacity, to the eaves, is some 650 metres cubed. Clearly the building, with this capacity, cannot be justified on an agricultural need ground alone for the productive area of landholding.

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