Issue - meetings

The proposal before Members was for the erection of a new college building to be known as a 'Construction and Infrastructure Skills and Innovation Centre'. The new facility would provide a series of classrooms and specialised workshops associated with construction and infrastructure skills. The proposal would also deliver a section of the strategic Rainham east-west cycle/pedestrian path.

The application was deferred from the 11 May 2017 meeting for staff to explore more parking spaces on site, whether the land to the north of the site was within the applicant's control, whether there was a highway safety issue in Passive Close arising from the proposal, and whether the new building could be located further away from the existing building to facilitate vehicular access from New Road instead of Passive Close.

An update of those issues was given in the report.

During the debate Members discussed the increase in traffic using Passive Close and the impact this could have on children playing nearby.

The report recommended that planning permission be granted, however following a motion to refuse the granting of planning permission that was carried by 6 votes to 5 it was RESOLVED that planning permission be refused on the grounds that:

Use of Passive Close as an access would result in noise disturbance, danger to pedestrians and inconvenience to residents.

The vote for the resolution to refuse the granting of planning permission was carried by 7 votes to 4.

Councillors White, Donald, Hawthorn, Dodin, Whitney, Martin and Williamson voted for the resolution.

Councillors Misir, Crowder, Wallace and Westwood voted against the resolution.