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Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Ola Adeoye 

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Items
No. Item

1.

Introductions

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Poyser welcomed everyone to the meeting. Members of the Committee and officers introduced themselves and the Chair outlined the procedures for the meeting.

2.

Apologies for Absence

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Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Picknell, Ibrahim, Williamson and Kay.

3.

Declarations of Substitute Members

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Minutes:

Councillor Wayne substituted for Councillor Khondoker.

4.

Declarations of Interest

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.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

5.

Order of Business pdf icon PDF 49 KB

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Minutes:

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

6.

Minutes of Previous Meeting - 22 February 2022 pdf icon PDF 354 KB

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Minutes:

 

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2022 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

7.

Minutes of Previous Meeting - 8 March 2022 pdf icon PDF 336 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2022 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

8.

158-160 Pentoville Road N19LJ pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Demolition of the existing building and erection of a part 4, part 5 storey building, with single basement level, comprising 487 sqm of office use (Class E(g)(i) ) at the ground and basement levels and 9 residential units on the upper levels

(Planning application number: P2022/0547/FUL)

Councillor Wayne was not involved in the consideration of this item as he left after item B4.

In the discussion the following points were made:

·       The presenting officer provided a committee update to the members with specific regard to an additional consultation response submitted after the publication of the committee report and some proposed changes to the planning conditions. 

·       Following publication of the committee report, a consultation response was received from the Islington Swift Group welcoming the inclusion of a green roof and a request for this to be a biodiverse roof as they identify that the development is in an area where swifts are currently nesting and potentially nest.  The Islington Swift Group also requested a significant number of swift nest box bricks be installed near roof level. 

·       Officers have taken this consultation response into consideration, noting that condition 16 requires that details of the green roof are submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA.  This will ensure that a biodiverse roof is used in accordance with the Islington Biodiversity Action Plan.  Condition 26 is to be added requiring details of bird and bat boxes/bricks are submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. 

·       Other updates have been made including the triggers of conditions 4 and 8 to make trigger prior to commencement with exception of demolition works.

·       Condition 14 has been updated requiring that the obscure glazing strategy is agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. 

·       Condition 2 has been updated to reflect the submission of revised Proposed Section AA and West Elevation.

·       Meeting was informed that condition 27 is proposed to retain office use on site.  This is to safeguard the vitality and viability of the Central Activities Zone.

·       The development site had been occupied by a homeless charity called Rhythms of Life which used the site to store contributed food before distribution, however they were served with a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Order in October 2021 which prohibited the site from being used to store food with the result that the Rhythms of Life charity vacated the site. 

  • Meeting was informed that Officers support the loss of social infrastructure in place of CAZ appropriate office floorspace as the accessibility and standard of provision of social infrastructure on the site is poor.
  • It was noted that the existing structures are not appropriate for a social infrastructure use and that the former training use does not represent a flexible use.
  • Site lies within the Central Activities Zone, which prioritises office floorspace and that when application (P2019/2290/FUL) was presented to the meeting on April 2020, Committee resolved to approve the loss of social infrastructure at this site to be replaced by office floorspace. 
  • Policy DM5.1  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

250 City Road, London EC1V 2PU pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Change of use of 5,288.5sqm (GEA) of existing business floorspace from Use Class B1 (office) to use classes E(g)(i) (office), E(g)(ii) (research and development), E(g)(iii) (light industrial), E(e) (healthcare) and F1(a) (education).

(Planning application number: P2021/3078/FUL)

Councillor Wayne was not involved in the consideration of this item as he had left after item B4.

In the discussion the following points were made:

·       The Planning Officer advised the Committee that no physical changes are being proposed to the existing building.

·       That Office use will be retained but consented uses  to be widened to include healthcare and education uses.

·       Meeting was advised that for over 24 months, marketing was carried out without success.

·       The remaining uses in the wider City Forum development, including affordable workspace, to be retained.

·       The potential loss of office floorspace is not considered to unduly compromise the operation of the wider area.

·       Meeting was advised that no neighbour objections were received.

 

Councillor Poyser proposed a motion to grant planning permission. This was seconded by Councillor North and carried.

 

RESOLVED:

That following consideration of the case officer’s report (the assessment and recommendations therein), the presentation to Committee, submitted representations and objections received at the meeting, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report and subject to the prior completion of a Deed of Planning Obligation made under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing the heads of terms as set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.

 

 

At the end of this item, Councillor Klute moved a motion on whether the Committee were minded to delegate to a Sub Committee scheduled for 19 April especially as there is no Planning Committee meeting scheduled till June 2022. This is in relation to item - P2021/3255/FUL - William Martin Court, 65 Margery Street, London, WC1X 0JH. Members voted in favour of item being delegated.

10.

30 Bastwick Street, London EC1V 3PS pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Demolition of existing building and construction of a four-storey building (with basement levels) comprising Office use (Class E) with associated works

(Planning application number: P2021/1692/FUL)

Councillor Wayne did not participate in this item as he left after the consideration of item B4.

In the discussion the following points were made:

·       The Chair reminded the meeting that item was deferred at the meeting on 22 February following concerns raised regarding daylight and sunlight transgressions to neighbouring properties and also objectors request for a site visit to understand the impact of the scheme. The Chair noted that he was able to visit the site.

·       Also Members had requested that the applicants review the massing of the building and seek betterments to the daylight and sunlight reductions.

·       The Planning Officer advised that since the last meeting further representations had been received bringing the new total to 35, noting that no new material considerations had been raised from those which had been addressed within the 22 February Committee report.

·       Further, the meeting was advised that the Applicant submitted amended plans and an updated daylight sunlight report since the 22 February meeting and that revisions to the proposal include the stepping back of part of the upper most floor and the introduction of a pitched roof to the rear of the This has led to a 20sqm reduction in floor area (GIA floor space has reduced from 1,788sqm to 1,758sqm).

·       The Planning Officer acknowledged that amendments to the mass of the proposed development has led to betterments, albeit marginal to daylight and sunlight reductions to neighbouring properties.

·       The Planning Officer highlighted a number of amended conditions that were recommended in the 22nd February 2022 Committee Report, that

Condition 2 has been amended to include the revised drawings, condition 11 has been amended to include restricted hours for deliveries and servicing of the building so that they do not disturb standard nightime/sleeping hours (between 2300 and 0700); and Condition 12 has been amended to restrict demolition and construction to weekdays only (no Saturday, Sunday or Public Holidays).

·      An objector requested that the application be deferred, as the minimal reductions to the massing makes a mockery of the committee’s reasons for deferral, as it would not address the issues raised by the neighbouring residents, stating that the scheme would need to be reduced in line with the residential properties on each side so as to preserve the open spaces and mitigate light loss. He was concerned with the terraces, roof gardens and balconies as it would result in privacy loss and overlooking, noting that the main roof should be a green roof. The objector acknowledged a potential light loss to his property but not a 100% light loss as it would be detrimental to his amenity.

·       A further objector was concerned with the format of the meeting especially as residents don’t have the right to reply during Council and Planning meetings, with the result of the risk of council being misled by the Applicant.

·       The objector  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Former Holloway Prison Parkhurst Road, London N7 0NU pdf icon PDF 664 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Phased comprehensive redevelopment including demolition of existing structures; site preparation and enabling works; and the construction of 985 residential homes including 60 extra care homes (Use Class C3), a Women’s Building (Use Class F.2) and flexible commercial floorspace (Use Class E) in of buildings of up to 14 storeys in height; highways/access works; landscaping; pedestrian and cycle connection, publically accessible park; car (blue badge) and cycle parking; and other associated works.

(Planning application number: P2021/3273/FUL)

Councillor Klute was not in the meeting room nor involved in the consideration of this item. Councillor Poyser chaired the Committee for this item.

In the discussion the following points were made:

·       This application has been brought back to the Committee in order to comply with a resolution by the Committee on 8 March 2022 to secure a mid-stage viability review mechanism and a further resolution requiring that details of that mechanism be brought back for approval.

·       Planning permission has been granted subject to any direction by the Mayor of London to refuse the application or for it to be called in and conditional upon the prior completion of a Deed of Planning Obligation made under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

·       In addition, the resolution to grant planning permission imposed an additional obligation on the developer to appoint a fundraiser with regards the Women’s building and a further requirement on the developer to secure a £2.9 million contribution to the fit out of the Women’s Building.

·       The Service Director, Planning and Development informed the meeting that the reason for the item being brought back before Members is to approve the wording of the Head of Terms in relation to the mid stage review mechanism as set out in paragraph 3.60 of the Case Officer’s report and the associated details as set out in Appendices One and Two of the report.

·       Members were reminded that Peabody has agreed that upon commencement of Phase 3 of the Development, it would conduct a bespoke mid-stage viability review to be secured in accordance with Appendix Two of the Case Officer’s report and if the review was to indicate a surplus, this will be used to convert some of the proposed shared ownership homes in Phase Three to London Living Rent homes. 

·       The conversion of shared ownership homes to London Living Rent homes, would be capped at 50% of the total shared ownership floorspace.  The officer noted that if this conversion could be achieved through grant funding the requirement for a mid - stage review mechanism would fall away.

·       Members were advised that the proposed 985-home development provides 60% affordable housing, which exceeds the 50% strategic affordable housing target of both GLA and Council policies, that it delivers the affordable housing provision at a policy compliant affordable housing tenure split of 70% social rent and 30% London Shared Ownership in accordance with Policy CS12 Part G.

·       The Service Director of Planning and Development informed the meeting that as set out in the report, it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.