Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Klute welcomed everyone to the meeting. Members of the Committee and officers introduced themselves.

Apologies were received from Councillor Clarke.

There were no declarations of substitute members.

If you have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest* in an item of business:

§  if it is not yet on the council’s register, you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent;

§  you may choose to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest that is already in the register in the interests of openness and transparency. 

In both the above cases, you must leave the room without participating in discussion of the item.

If you have a personal interest in an item of business and you intend to speak or vote on the item you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent but you may participate in the discussion and vote on the item.

*(a)  Employment, etc - Any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

(b)    Sponsorship - Any payment or other financial benefit in respect of  your expenses in carrying out duties as a member, or of your election; including from a trade union.

(c)    Contracts - Any current contract for goods, services or works,    between you or your partner (or a body in which one of you has a beneficial interest) and the council.

(d)     Land - Any beneficial interest in land which is within the council’s area.

(e)     Licences- Any licence to occupy land in the council’s area for a month or longer.

(f)      Corporate tenancies - Any tenancy between the council and a body in which you or your partner have a beneficial interest.

 (g)    Securities - Any beneficial interest in securities of a body which has a place of business or land in the council’s area, if the total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body or of any one class of its issued share capital. 

This applies to all members present at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The order of business would be B3, B2 and B1.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 July be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

Meeting was advised that at the meeting of Annual Council on 19 September 2024 membership of the Planning Committee was agreed.

Chair informed the meeting that Vice Chair of the Planning Sub Committee’s be appointed by the respective bodies.

RESOLVED:

a)    That the Sub-Committees be confirmed as five member Sub-Committees and that the terms of reference be noted.

b)    That the allocation of seats was determined in accordance with the advice in the report.

c)     That Councillors North, Convery, Craig, Jeapes and Ogunro be appointed as members of Planning Sub-Committee A for the current municipal year or until their successors are appointed.

d)    That Councillors Hayes, Clarke, Klute, Hamdache and Nanda be appointed as members of Planning Sub-Committee B for the current municipal year or until their successors are appointed.

e)    That it be noted that Councillor North had been appointed Chair of Planning Sub-Committee A and Councillor Hayes had been appointed Chair of Planning Sub-Committee B for the municipal year or until their successors are appointed.

f)      That it be noted that any member who was a member or substitute member of the Planning Committee could substitute at any meetings of either Sub-Committee if they had not been appointed as a member of the Sub-Committee.

Change of use and conversion of Grade II listed buildings known as the Engine House, Boiler House, Coal Store and Windmill Base from Class E (Commercial, Business and Service) to Class F1 (Learning and Non-Residential Institution) for gallery, exhibition and education use with ancillary shop, cafe and office uses. Occasional use as an events venue for private hire. Reconfiguration of North Stores and construction of foyer link between North Stores and main buildings. Provision of landscaping and public realm enhancements including creation of a pedestrian route through the Site. Reconfiguration of new vehicular and pedestrian access into the site from Amwell Street and pedestrian and servicing access from Myddelton Passage. External lighting scheme also proposed. (Joint Listed Building Consent submitted ref: P2024/1543/LBC).

(Planning application number: P2024/1540/FUL & P2024/1543/LBC)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·           The Planning officer informed meeting that site covers an area of approximately 0.17 hectares, in a back land location to the rear of Charles Allen House, 28 Amwell Street and lies northeast of Amwell Street, close to the junction of Amwell Street with River Street, and southwest of Myddelton Passage. It was noted that site is located in the New River Conservation Area and contains various Grade II listed buildings.

·           Meeting was advised that the land remains in its original use as part of an operational water provision facility, that Thames Water maintains an operational pump within the ground floor of the pump house building. It was also stated that Thames Water requires continued access to a borehole to the northeast of the windmill base and to part of the north stores building, however, Thames Water have released parts of the site for other possible uses, subject to planning permission and listed building consent being granted. 

·           Key planning considerations include the principle of land use, design and conservation, neighbouring amenity, transport, inclusive design, sustainability, trees, fire safety, planning obligations and planning balance.

·           Planning Officer informed meeting that building has been left for a number of years and is in state of disrepair and notably internally it needs attention

·           In terms of land use, meeting was advised that the proposal is a change of use from Thames Water Infrastructure facility to Use Class F1 (Learning and non-residential institution) which will now be the primary use. In addition the proposal offers an Ancillary Office and Café Use, a new pedestrian Pathway from Amwell Street to Myddelton Passage, the Heritage Interpretation Across Site and the Occasional Private Hire Use which will be controlled via Operational Management Plan (Condition 5).

·           Meeting was advised that since previous was granted consent in  May 2022 there have been three main Changes, increased width of Café Terrace, the removal of second floor to East End of North Stores and the removal of western extension to West End of North Stores (Education Studio).

·           In terms of planning balance, meeting was advised that the new use will be the optimum viable use of the site and justified via NPPF guidance.

·           Planning Officer reminded meeting that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 137.

Partial demolition, recladding and refurbishment of existing building alongside erection of two storey roof extension to provide Class E(g)(i) Office floorspace, alongside Class E(a) Retail use at ground level. The proposals also comprise the delivery of cycle parking at basement level alongside the provision of landscaped roof terraces, the installation of replacement plant equipment and associated enclosure, and all associated and ancillary works

(Planning application number: P2023/3522/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·Planning Officer advised that since the publication of the agenda, the Accessible Transport Contribution and the Employment and Training Contribution has been amended, that the new amounts secured are policy compliant and reflect the reduction in proposed floorspace made in the time since application was first submitted. Condition 5 has been updated to reflect the changes.

·The site is immediately adjacent to and partly within the Chiswell Street Conservation Area which contains an enclave of buildings dating from the mid-18^th century to the mid-19th century. It was also noted that site is opposite the Brewery Conservation Area and the Barbican Conservation Area and quite close to St Luke’s Conservation Area. In addition to above, Planning Officer stated that the existing building is quite prominent in the townscape and forms part of the setting if these heritage assets and that development of the site has the potential to affect the setting and significance.

·Key planning considerations include land use; design and appearance, building height, neighbouring amenity, transport and highways, energy and sustainability and planning balance.

·In terms of land use, meeting was advised that site is located in the Central Activity Zone (CAZ) and an international and national significant office location and is a site allocation within the Bunhill and Clerkenwell Area Action Plan for the intensification of office floorspace. It was noted that the applicant proposed a 5.554sqm (GIA) uplift in floorspace compared to the existing building.

·Planning Officer acknowledged that the basement office floorspace would not benefit from exceptional level of natural light or external outlook as is achieved with the upper floors, noting that the space would be provided with dedicated access and adequate floor to ceiling heights and a well-considered layout.

·Meeting was informed that the Council’s affordable workspace team advised that the affordable workspace offered could be challenging to let due to its size and location in the basement. It was noted also that the applicant could not offer the space on the upper levels of the building where the location would be more attractive to prospective tenants.

·Members were reminded that whilst the policy position is to secure AWS space on-site, the Council’s AWS Team are satisfied that an off-site contribution is appropriate in this circumstance and that it will enable the AWS within the borough on other sites. Planning Officer stated that the amount has been agreed with the applicant and would be secured through an obligation within the S106 agreement.

·Meeting was advised that proposals are broadly consistent with local policy in terms of land  ...  view the full minutes text for item 138.

Application to vary Condition 3 (Approved Drawings) and 52 (Number of Dwellings) of planning permission ref: P2022/1898/FUL, dated 23/03/2023 for:

“Hybrid planning application for the phased redevelopment of the site comprising:

Phased demolition of all existing buildings and structures, site preparation and enabling works (including excavation), phased construction of buildings (including basements) comprising residential units (Use Class C3); Hard and soft landscaping works including public open space access and highway alterations, car and cycle parking provision, and; All other associated ancillary works (No Matters Reserved for future approval (the “detailed element”)); and

Site preparation and enabling works (including excavation), phased construction of buildings (including basements) comprising residential units (Use Class C3) and flexible commercial, business and service floorspace (Use Class E) and local community floorspace (Use Class F2); Hard and soft landscaping works including public open space, access and highway alterations, car and cycle parking provision, and; All other associated ancillary works (All Matters Reserved for future approval (the “outline element”))”

The applicant seeks to vary Conditions 3 and 52 to allow for amendments to Phase 1A of the development. Revisions to the massing and layouts of buildings A3, B1 and B2 are proposed to accommodate second staircases and to accommodate an increased number of homes, brought forward to the first phase of the development (the total number of homes provided across the development would remain as consented). Amendments to the elevational design are also proposed.

(EIA Application)

(Departure from the development plan)

(Planning application number: P2024/2412/S73)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·Since the publication of the agenda, meeting was advised of an additional representation however did not raise no new considerations. It was also noted that HSE have provided further comments regarding the new design information provided by the applicant stating that concerns raised have been suitably addressed.

·Meeting was advised that planning permission was granted in 2022, that the application seeks a minor material amendment (under section 73) to the extant planning permission.

·Members were reminded that since planning permission was granted, the Building Safety Act 2022(BSA) has come into effect, a new legislation which identifies residential buildings over 18m in height as high risk building and are now subject to stricter regulatory standards. There is now a requirement for residential building over 18m to be provided with a second means of escape.

·It was noted that presently the consented scheme would have access to only one stair core so proposal would bring the development into compliance with the Building Safety Act. Applicant has begun the process of a comprehensive redesign to ensure that all relevant homes would have access to the two stair cores.

·Application proposes amendments to Phase 1 A of the approved development to provide second means of escape to all homes within Blocks A3, B1 and B2 and to increase the overall number of homes provided across Phase 1A by 32, to a total of 134. In addition amendments to the elevational design are also proposed.

·Planning Officer reiterated that whilst  ...  view the full minutes text for item 139.