Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

(c)          Where it is possible that a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts would conclude that there was a real possibility that the Member might be predetermined or biased the Member should declare their predetermination or bias and then leave the meeting while that item is considered.

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

No interests were declared.

10am – Kent Science Park, Shimmin Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8BZ (20/503707/HYBRID)

The Chairman welcomed Members, the Agent, Applicant, officers and members of the public to the meeting.

As it had been a while since a face-to-face Planning Working Group meeting had taken place due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Development Manager explained the safety procedures put in place.  He asked those in attendance to adhere to Government guidance by wearing face coverings and keeping their distance from each other.

The Area Planning Officer gave an overview of the application.  He explained that the application site was beyond the fence line of the existing Kent Science Park (KSP), and although the site was generally rural, KSP was subject to Policy Regen 4 of the Local Plan, which supported growth of the KSP, and this allowed the potential to extend beyond the existing fence line if certain criteria of the policy were met. The application site was 4.83 ha in size and this was a hybrid application. It was made up of a full application for part of the site (plot 2) and outline application for the remainder.  The Area Planning Officer said for the full element of the application, the proposed building sat centrally within the site.  He explained that the new manufacturing facility was 11,770 sqm in floorspace, with 7,474 sqm ‘operational’ floor area and a plant-only area of 4,296 sqm.  The proposed building was 72 metres in depth and 78 metres in length, and the height was 16.3 metres, with flues up to 20.4 metres.  The Area Planning Officer explained the manufacturing use of the building and that it was an expansion to upscale the manufacturing facility already on the site.  He gave an overview of the outline planning application which included approximately 4,500 sqm of floorspace for light industrial, research and development and office use.  The Area Planning Officer showed Members where the access road would begin, and this would continue on into a loop out to the other side of the existing building, and connect with other roads within the KSP.  There would be a large landscape buffer with land raising, and the new building was set down into the ground, which meant the bund was approximately 7 metres taller than the ground level of the building.  The bunding would include a comprehensive planting scheme, and the fencing would be installed on the development-side of the bunding.

The Applicant and Agent were invited to speak on the application.  They explained that the landscaping would cover a minimum depth of 25 metres and maximum of 50 metres.  They said the land had a natural sloping element to it and it was hoped to replicate this through the bunding and landscaping, to reduce the impact of the new building.  There would be dark sky lighting to reduce upwards light pollution, and the offices would project east-west to reduce impact.  They confirmed that the new flues would be 300-400 mm in circumference, compared to a metre on the existing chimneys at the KSP.  The buildings had been designed in a darker  ...  view the full minutes text for item 635.