Planning and Transport, 26 October 2026

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 are reminded to the Code of Conduct, and Appendix B – Registering interests and non participation.

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.

Reserved matters pursuant to Condition 3 for Phase 1 secondary access and landscaping, Condition 4 (phasing plan) and Condition 8 (site wide recreation and open space strategy) of 20/02988/OUT Outline application for the erection of 340 dwellings, including affordable housing, land for a 4FE secondary school including playing fields, land for a new twin hall venue for Edenbridge Scout Group, creation of a new car park for Edenbridge Town Station and associated infrastructure improvements, allotments, associated access from Four Elms Road, emergency access, open space, attenuation areas and landscaping and some matters reserved save for means of access.

Demolition of existing single-storey rear extension. New single-storey rear extension with roof lights, with associated hard landscaping.

Proposed erection of a detached three-bedroom bungalow with associated parking, access, landscaping, and ancillary works.

Variation of condition 2 (approved drawings), 3 (foul drainage), 4 (material specifications), 5 (parking spaces) of 25/03605/FUL to Demolition of existing outbuilding and erection of detached single storey dwelling with associated hardstanding and parking with amendment to increase size of the proposed dwelling with a change to the internal layout and fenestrations. Include details relating to the foul water drainage, material specification to change the conditions to compliance. To change wording of condition 5 to refer to the new drawings provided.

This application has now been amended, and a summary of the main changes are set out below:

The planning agent has provided a materials schedule.

Demolition and clearance of existing commercial buildings and erection of nine dwellings with associated landscaping and car parking.

Proposed driveway, landscaping, alterations to the existing vehicular access and detached garage/store and open car port.

1 externally illuminated fascia sign, 1 externally illuminated projection sign and 1 digitally printed window graphics.

This application has now been amended, and a summary of the main changes are set out below:

The planning agent has amended the plans.

Conversion of existing detached garage to gym – garden room, with associated alterations to fenestration.

Roof alterations including the formation of hip-to-gable end extension and a rear dormer.

T1 Oak – Cut back two branches to the boundary line.

First floor extension and creation of a Juliet balcony. Removal of existing chimney.

Status: Granted

First floor rear extension over existing ground floor. Internal alterations. Update existing 1st floor rear roof line to match the proposed roof line. Four conservation roof lights.

Status: Granted

Change of use to a travellers caravan site consisting of 3 no. pitches each containing 1 no. mobile home 1 no. touring caravan. Creation of hardstanding including car parking. New fences and gates.

Status: Refused

Erection of 30 residential dwellings together with associated parking, landscaping and creation of a new vehicular access.

This application has now been amended, and a summary of the main changes are set out below:

The applicant has submitted a Viability Assessment, Reptile Survey and details of a Conservation Payment Certificate for Great Crested Newts.

Recommendation: Members objected to this application and repeated their previous comments with additional comments added.  

• Parking – the provision of one space per property is inadequate. Sunnyside already has parking problems. While the site is close to Edenbridge (Kent) station, both stations have one train per hour in each direction. Bus services are similarly sparce. Residents are overwhelmingly likely to depend on cars for their routine transport.
• Kent Police have stated that they should have been consulted as Designing out Crime Officers to address CPTED and incorporate Secured by Design as appropriate.
• Drainage – KCC have commented that while it appears that runoff would be directed via the accessed road corridor, the submitted information does not include finished level details or analysis to demonstrate this. The drainage strategy does not provide a SuDS approach to surface water management and is not considered to represent a sustainable drainage system in accordance with the National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems.
• Flooding – Due to drainage on the rest of the site, water already backs up on the back of the gardens of the existing houses and is wet all the time. Consideration of this proposal needs to take account of discharge from the proposed ST4-15 Site (Ashcombe Drive) in Regulation19. The flood mitigation does not meet paragraphs 181 and 182 of the NPPF.
• The Fire Brigades’ Emergency Access requirements do not appear to have been met.
• Biodiversity – the applicant’s own ecology material confirms the loss of a great crested newt breeding pond, associated terrestrial habitat and woodland, together with an overall on-site biodiversity loss rather than gain.
• No heritage or archaeological statement was submitted with the application despite site being within an area of archaeological potential and archaeology consultation being triggered. Work has been going on around the pond, damaging the ground and displacing wildlife. Provision should have been made for the wildlife before starting work around the pond.
• The application should comply with Core Strategy Policy SP3, the Affordable Housing SPD 2011 and the requirements of the NPPF The Planning statement make no mention of this.
• The application states that buses and trains run regularly in Edenbridge. The trains are usually one per hour and buses have limited timetables. This will mean that more residents will need cars. The traffic survey cannot be accurate.
• Councillors had received complaints about access to the existing site through the industrial estate. Densely parked vehicles pose safety challenges to road users and pedestrians.
• The increased density will cause overlooking of the new and existing houses.
• There is no report addressing meeting affordable housing numbers.
• The Viability Assessment, Reptile Survey was done after the pond, and habitat had been damaged by the groundworks that were done before the survey.

• Councillors noted that Kent Highways had made an objection to any works commencing before full planning permission had been granted.

Construction of a single-storey two-bedroom annexe, ancillary to the main house, to be used for multi-generational family living.

Recommendation: Members supported this application and commented:

There could be possible overlooking of nearby neighbours.

The Town Council’s responses to the Regulation 19 have been submitted and received by Sevenoaks District Council . A copy of our full responses have been published on the Town Council’s website under Consultations and social media posts.

A member asked to note that the Broke Hill Golf Club, planning reference: 25/02192/OUT, allocated in the Regulation 19 ST5-1 was refused by Sevenoaks District Council’s Development Control Committee on 24th September 2026.

We have no further details at this stage.