BARHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Planning Committee Meeting held at Barham Village Hall on Monday 19th November 2012 at 8.00 p.m.

PRESENT: Chairman Mr D. Wood and Cllrs J. Callan, E. Mullett, Miss C. Ridgway, M. Simpson, Mrs V. Steer and D. Tamsitt

161/2012 Public Speaking:

Eleven Parishioners and City Councillor Bill Oakey attended the Meeting.

The Chairman first addressed the Meeting by saying that the aim of the Planning Meeting was to discuss the Planning Application received for the development of 22 units at Barham Court Farm and to take the view on how to perceive the long term benefit of the development on the community and to look at the potential problems raised in the past. Personal views will not be taken into account.

Parishioners giving their views on the proposed development was Richard Godfrey-Faussett, Anna Godfrey-Faussett, Rupert Talbot, Barry Gibbs, Simon Cavalier and two other Parishioners.

162/2012 Apologies: None

1633/2012 Town and Country Planning Matters:

(a)  CA/12/01274/FUL – Hallmark Workwear and Safety, Barham Court Farm, Church Lane, Barham – Residential development of 22 units comprising the demolition of former agricultural buildings, conversion of historic farm building, erection of new dwellings, associated parking and access and creation of area of public open space;

(b)  CA/12/01275/LB – Hallmark Workwear and Safety, Barham Court Farm, Church Lane, Barham – Conversion of historic farm building to a dwelling in association with residential development of 22 units;

(c)  CA/12/01276/CAC – Hallmark Workwear and Safety, Barham Court Farm, Church Lane, Barham – Demolition of former agricultural buildings in association with residential development of 22 units.

Councillors then discussed the Planning Applications in detail, taking into account the views given by Parishioners and the survey carried out by the Parish Council. It was agreed that the Parish Council are to object to the Planning Applications on the following grounds:

1.  That 22 Units is a major strategic development and contravenes Section 2.56 of the Local Plan, which specifies that development in Barham should be restricted to minor development;

2.  The proposed development is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the scale of this development will have a huge impact in the Conservation Area and will be a large transformation to the village of the size and scale of Barham. Appendix 1, EN4 (AONB) of the Local Plan specifies that development is not permitted that will be detrimental to the quiet enjoyment of the area;

3.  It is firmly believed that the proposed access road will attract traffic to the village rather than away from it and will degenerate into a “rat run” over time. The said development alone will involve additional movements relating to over 40 cars accessing the Valley Road in the centre of the village and close to the village school. Already traffic levels on Valley Road frequently are high, especially for an unnumbered local road, as it serves through traffic relating to several communities in the Elham Valley between Canterbury and Folkestone and the coast but also commercial traffic relating to the “Tunnel”. It also carries significant levels of local traffic activity exacerbated by the popularity of Barham School with parents across a wide area, and agriculture related movements;

4.  The council is also concerned about the potentially significant increase in levels of light pollution in both a conservation area and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

It was also agreed that a copy of the results of the survey conducted by the Parish Council regarding the proposed development of Barham Court Farm is to also be submitted and to bring to their attention that this was previously submitted to them for consideration when looking at any Planning Applications submitted in respect of this development, which demonstrates a high response rate for such a survey and the significant level of feeling from the local community.

It is also to be pointed out the consensus from the in-depth survey carried out is that no more than 8 to 10 units would be acceptable for this area.

004/2012 Date of Next Meeting:

Parish Council Meeting at Barham Village Hall on Thursday 6th December 2012 at 7.30 p.m.

Meeting ended at 9.15p.m.

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