Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies were received from Councillors Chowdhury and Khan.

There were no substitute members.

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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.

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This applies to all members present at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The order of business would be B4, B5, B2, B3 and B1.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2015 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

Appeal made against non-determination. Demolition of existing vacant warehouse buildings and redevelopment of the site comprising: Erection of 5 storey building fronting Benwell Road (Block A) creating 3 residential units (2 x 1 bedroom and 1 x 3 bedroom) and 6 storey L shaped building (Block B) creating 479sqm of office space (Class B1) at ground floor and 22 residential units on the upper floors (6 x 1 bedroom and 16 x 2 bedroom) with cycle storage, refuse/recycling facilities and landscaping.

(Planning application number: P2014/1909/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The scheme was similar to the previous scheme, the planning permission for which had now expired.

·         The 50/50 split between social rented units and shared ownership units was contrary to policy but was considered appropriate given the constrictions of the site.

·         The committee was satisfied that the scheme, offering 24% affordable housing (by units), with a 50/50 tenure split, was viable and deliverable.

RESOLVED:

That it be noted that planning permission would have been granted if the application was determined by the committee.

Demolition of the existing buildings and erection of a five storey building (plus basement) fronting Holloway Road (Block 1) comprising retail space (Class A1) at ground floor, gym (Class D2) at basement level, 20 residential units (Class C3) on the upper floors; a four storey building to the rear of 660-652 Holloway Road (Block 2) comprising 11 residential units (Class C3); four storey building to the rear of 636-634 Holloway Road (Block 3) comprising 9 residential units (Class C3); and associated landscaping and play space.

The amendments to the scheme comprise:

1. Window positions/proportions revised in Block 2.

2. Reduction in height of Block 2.

3. Revision to the western elevation of Block 2 in-line to simplify the elevation.

4. Proposed reduction of existing boundary wall from approximately 6m to 2.1m.

5. Communal amenity/children’s play space landscaping re-arranged.

6. Revisions to the forecourt/urban realm frontage including material treatment, seating, tree planting and low level planting.

7. Re-location of plant room to basement with maintenance access from the ground floor.

8. Revision to Block 3 to incorporate a projecting bay window to mitigate overlooking between Block 1 and Block 3).

(Planning application number: P2014/3494/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer reported that TfL had commented on the application and Condition 16 should be amended to require a booking system and vehicles to access from the north and exit from the south of the service bay at the front of the site.

·         The planning officer stated that Heads of Term 14 - SUDS management, should be removed. The wording of Condition 20 should be updated to require the ongoing management of onsite SUDs.

·         The size of the retail space and the relevant policies were considered. It had been reduced from 766sqm to 332sqm.

·         The residents of both blocks would be entitled to use the communal space.

·         The bedrooms of the units in Block 1 would be located at the back of the block to protect the amenity of the future occupiers from noise disturbance.

·         The loss of the petrol filling station and the charges for petrol at this station were scrutinised in the viability study.

·         If the retail unit was occupied by a supermarket, the cooling equipment would be located at basement level. There were conditions proposed to control noise and odour.

·         The Heads of Terms offered employment for local people during construction.

·         Delivery times were considered.

·         Members welcomed the level of affordable housing in the scheme.

Councillor Rupert Perry proposed a motion to add a condition that residents be advised that they could all use the communal space. This was seconded by Councillor Klute and carried.

Councillor Klute proposed a motion to amend Condition 35 to remove the permitted development rights on the site from retail (A1) to residential (C3). This was seconded by Councillor Rupert Perry and carried.

Councillor Klute proposed a motion to amend Condition 3 to require the applicant to use high quality solid London stock bricks and include details of the reveal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 101.

Demolition of a two storey block of 8 bedsit flats and replacement with a part three/part four storey block of flats providing 16 new dwellings and the demolition of 22 single storey garage units to be replaced with 4 two-storey family houses. The application also includes associated parking, amenity space, refuse storage and recycling facilities.

(Planning application number: P2015/0294/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer stated that paragraph 10.50 should refer to 20 residential units and not 140 units as currently stated.

·         The new blocks would improve surveillance on the estate by overlooking public areas.

·         Concern was raised that the viability study took the garages into account. The planning officer stated that the loss of future rents from garages was included to reflect the loss of value. Officers would take steps to ensure consistency in the way figures were calculated for future council housing schemes.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to a Directors’ Agreement between Housing and Adult Social Services and Environment and Regeneration or Planning and Development in order to secure the planning obligations contained within the officer’s report to the satisfaction of the Head of Law and Public Services and the Service Director, Planning and Development/Head of Service – Development Management and subject to the conditions and informatives in the officer’s report.

Demolition of existing row of garages located to the north of Rahere House and demolition of 9 existing single storey studio units located to the south of Turnpike House. Change of use of the west section of the Moreland School site to residential use. Erection of 6 new buildings, providing 140 new residential units and a community centre, comprising: Block B – a 3 storey terrace of 10 x 3-bedroom and 1 x 2-bed houses for social rent located to the north of Rahere House; Block C – a 4 storey building located to the west of Rahere House providing a 167sqm community centre together with 13 flats for social rent, comprising 1 x 3-bedroom and 12 x 2-bedroom flats; Blocks D1 & D2 – a 7 storey over basement building and 5 storey

building located on the west section of the school site, providing a 21sqm retail unit and 69 flats for social rent, shared ownership and private market sale, comprising 1 x 3-bedroom, 52 x 2-bedroom, and 16 x 1-bedroom flats; Block E, a part 3-, part-5 storey building located to the north of Turnpike House providing 25 flats for social rent over 55’s independent living, comprising 9 x 2-bedroom and 16 x 1-bedroom flats; Block F – a part 3, part 4 storey building located to the south of Turnpike House providing 22 flats for social rent comprising 13 x 2-bedroom and 9 x 1-bedroom flats. Alterations to ground floor of Rahere House to provide improved nursery facilities. Comprehensive hard and soft landscaping across the site including: relocation of vehicular access from Central Street, re-provision of 81 parking spaces including 20 wheelchair accessible spaces, creation of new bin store enclosures and cycle parking for existing residents, and creation of a community garden and growing space. The scheme would provide 98 affordable homes which equates to 70% by unit.

(Planning application number: P2014/5216/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         Most of the garages were in use and those with garages would be allocated a new parking space.

·         The size of the units reflected immediate need of residents on the waiting list for homes.

·         Daylight would be reduced to five windows in Masons Yard. Four of these were windows to corridors and one was to a habitable room at lower ground floor level which currently had a low level of lighting. The applicant was willing to discuss options to reduce the height of the party wall by the window to the lower ground flat.

·         Privacy screens to Blocks C, D1 and D2 had been conditioned and details were required to be submitted to and agreed by officers.

Councillor Klute proposed a motion to amend Condition 32 to move the location of the bicycle shed so it did not provide access to the wall. This was seconded by Councillor Fletcher and carried.

Councillor Klute proposed a motion to amend the director’s letter to require the applicant to take reasonable endeavours to reduce the height of the wall by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103.

Construction of extensions to the maternity and neonatal facilities at the Whittington Hospital to accommodate: operating theatres, labour rooms and ancillary facilities.

(Planning application number: P2015/0571/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer stated that the Drawing numbers in Condition 1 had been updated, that the words ‘best endeavours’ in Condition 11 be amended to ‘reasonable endeavours’ and that it be noted that the applicant had agreed to the details in Paragraph 8.46.

·         The height of the proposed scheme was considered.

·         The applicant confirmed that 37 midwifery posts and 10 neonatal posts would be created.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the prior completion of a Deed of Planning Obligation made under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 between the Council and all persons with an interest in the land (including mortgagees) in order to secure the planning obligations within the case officer’s report to the satisfaction of the Head of Law and Public Services and the Service Director, Planning and Development/Head of Service – Development Management or, in their absence, the Deputy Head of Service and subject to the conditions and informatives in the case officer’s report.

Councillor Rupert Perry was thanked for his work as Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee and Chair of Planning Sub-Committee A.