Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies were received from Councillor Picknell and Woolf

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 B2,B4,B1 and B3

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 29 June be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

Retrospective change of use from a storage and distrubution warehouse (B8) to light industry B1(a) (now Class E). Retention of internal alterations including internal mezzanine floor (amended description) to provide 450 sqm of new Class E floorspace.  The installation of a new roof and rooflights. Construction of new entrance canopy and provision of 20 cycle spaces.

(Planning application number: P2018/4071/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·       The Planning Officer advised of a correction to paragraph 11.1, that Class B8 use does not now fall under Class E and remains unchanged , however the change of use from B8 to B1 (now Class E) is supported by policy and is considered acceptable in land use terms .

·       Condition 1 is to be amended, that the requirement to complete the roof by 4^th February 2022 be deleted and replaced by a standard 3 year commencement condition.

·       Members were advised that in order to be consistent with the enforcement notice, an additional condition is recommended stating ‘that Notwithstanding condition 1 and 6, within 7 months of the date of the permission, the new roof shall be constructed in it’s entirety in accordance with the hereby approved plans and particulars and shall be maintained as such thereafter’

·       The Planning Officer advised that site falls within the Hillmarton Conservation Area, does not comprise any Listed Buildings or fall within the setting of any Listed Buildings and lies within the Nags Head & Holloway key core area.

·       The application has been submitted in response to a Council planning enforcement investigation on 17 Oct 2018, that the use of the subdivided main warehouse and the townhouse in use as 8 flexible units within Class B were in breach of planning control and required planning permission. Similarly the new felt roof is in breach of planning control.

·       Members were informed that it has now been established that the change of use of the townhouse floorspace is a permitted change not requiring planning permission as detailed in paragraph 4.10 of the report

·       With regards the external alterations involving the new metal roof and roof lights, meeting was advised that it is considered that it will preserve the visual appearance and character Hillmarton Conservation Area and would be acceptable in design terms

·       The proposed use of the warehouse for 18 separate units represents a more intensive and efficient use of the site and supports local employment and contributes to the local economy and is supported by development plan policy

·       It was noted that although the proposal is recognised as having potential to generate noise levels due to the various uses, the Council’s Environmental Health Pollution officers have recommended controls through suggested conditions to mitigate any impact

·       In response to a member query the applicant confirmed that a solar PV array would be installed on the roof and a £16,100 carbon offset payment was proposed to meet policy requirements in relation to sustainability and renewable energy

·       In response to a question about wheelchair access, the meeting was advised that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 253.

Application for a minor-material amendment under S73 to vary condition 2 (approved Drawings) and condition 11 (Energy Statement) following a grant of planning permission Ref: P2017/2444/FUL dated 28/11/2017 for the construction of 40 new dwelling units comprising 8 x 1B2P units, 3 x 2B3P units, 27 x 2B4P units, 2 x 3B5P units with associated amenity space and 41.8sqm community use floorspace, provided in six new residential blocks ranging from 2 to 6 storeys in height, along with bicycle storage, improvements to the public realm, and the demolition of existing garages and storage units

The amendments sought are: Increasing affordable housing provision to 100% social rented housing; amendments to the landscaping plan, removal of an additional tree, swapping a 2-bedroom wheelchair accessible home in Block B with a 3-bedroom home from Block G, amendments to design and layout and relocation of cycle parking spaces.

(Planning application number: P2020/3313/S73)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·       The Chair reminded members that the application was a S73 planning application for amendments to a planning permission so to avoid revisiting the issues considered previously that are not subject to the amendments.

·       The Planning Officer informed the meeting that 10 further objections were received since the publication of the agenda, 9 of which did not raise any additional points to those addressed in the report. One representation raised questions regarding the location of Block D. The Planning Officer advised that Block D is enlarged by 0.3 square metres but would continue to be located on the boundary wall. It was advised that the originally approved Design and Access Statement incorrectly refers to the retention of this boundary wall. The Planning Officer advised that recommended condition 2 would be amended to remove reference to the relevant part of the Design and Access Statement

·       The Planning Officer advised that the reference in paragraph 7.4 to paragraph 9.135 should read as paragraph 9.116.

·       The Planning Officer advised of the number of signatories to an online petition

·       In comparison to the previously approved scheme, the Planning Officer informed members that the proposal will result in an increase in affordable housing provision from 55% to 100% social rented housing; an amendment to the landscaping plan; removal of an additional tree; swapping of a 2 bedroom wheel chair accessible home in Block B with a 3 bedroom home from Block G and amendments to design and layout and relocation of cycle parking spaces

·       Key planning considerations are the increase to 100% social rented units, design and layout considerations, which are sympathetic and are of high quality, improvements to daylight levels, tree mitigation and the translocation of a mulberry tree.

·       Members were advised that the amendments to the scheme will result in an improvement to daylight levels received by the flats, and that applicants have provided sufficient tree mitigation measures for the  translocation of the Mulberry tree.

·       In terms of design changes from the original scheme, the Planning Officer informed the meeting that it involves a minor increase in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 254.

Demolition of existing community centre building and MUGA and the erection of four blocks of between four and seven storeys (Buildings A, B & C - part six and part seven storeys and Building D - four storeys) to provide a total of 91 x Class C3 units (17 x studios, 25 x 1-bed, 21 x 2-bed, 25 x 3-bed & 3 x 4-bed), a community centre and estate office, estate-wide play space and landscaping. Alterations to vehicular, service and pedestrian access from North Road, York Way and Market Road, pedestrian footpaths and ramps, car and cycle parking and other associated works including landscaping; amenity space; and refuse storage.

(Planning application number: P2021/0969/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·       The Planning Officer highlighted a correction within the report which incorrectly states that the site is within Caledonian ward instead of Holloway ward

·        Meeting was advised of two updates, an additional condition is being recommended which will require further details of future proofing to connect to a DHP potential energy network connection and secondly on page 151 of the report, reference is made to a contribution of £60,000 towards transport and highway improvement, that a section 278 highway agreement has to be agreed prior to commencement.

·       Site is an existing housing estate and consist of four residential blocks separated by relatively large areas of open grassland and hardstanding and the estate currently includes 275 dwellings with a range of unit sizes and tenures.

·       Site is not within a conservation area and does not contain any designated heritage assets, however there is a grade II listed building (the old ‘Lion’ pub)

·       Members were advised that in land use terms, the scheme involves the re-provision and improvements to community infrastructure and 91 new high quality affordable housing units, all of which will be made available for social rent which is policy compliant

·       Although the scheme will result in the reduction of amenity grassland, members were advised that there will be an overall increase in green space including a well considered landscape proposal with high quality playspace provision.

·       The Planning Officer advised that Blocks A & B will be built on existing green space with some landscaping interventions while blocks C will be around where the existing community centre is located and Block D will be on the site of the existing MUGA

·       Members were advised that following consultation with residents and an audit of the surrounding areas, it was agreed that there is a generous provision of playspace in and around the area, including extensive football facilities.

·       Meeting was advised that Block A which is a part 6/7 storey building will provide 22 new dwellings, Block B will provide 23 new dwellings and Block C with a larger footprint will provide 29 dwellings. In addition, provision for larger families and wheel chair accessibility which is  block D which is 4 storey high will accommodate 17 new dwellings

·       A new space is proposed on the podiums at the centre of the estate defined by play  ...  view the full minutes text for item 255.

Extension, alteration and refurbishment of the existing building to provide re-modelled student accommodation comprising 212 student bedrooms (with 10% wheelchair accessible) with ancillary amenity spaces and secure cycle parking (sui generis use), together with retention and extension of existing office units (Class E) at ground floor and new landscaping at basement level, installation of pavement lightwells, removal of access ramp and replacement with platform lift

(Planning application number: P2021/0616/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

The Planning Officer highlighted a number of updates and amendments listed below:-

§  That description of the proposal be amended to state that ‘Access ramp will now be provided to the front of the building rather than  a platform lift’

§   A number of responses received from objectors following the third consultation phase on June 2021 be included, although all issues raised have been addressed in the report

§  Amend Condition 26 to ensure that it secures a method of evacuation for the ambulant disabled.

§  To amend the BREEAM (New Construction) Condition 14 -to change the reference from BREEAM (New Construction)(2018) to BREEAM “Bespoke”

§  To include condition on hours of use for the external courtyards, that it shall not be used between the hours of 2300 and 0700 and

§  To modify the bird and bat boxes condition, details shall be submitted including the number, design, specification and location prior to the commencement of work.

In the discussion the following points were made:

§  The Planning Officer advised the meeting that application site comprises Willen House, a 7 storey building which is a non-designated heritage asset located within the Moorfields Conservation and is not situated within the setting of any designated listed or locally listed buildings

§  Meeting was advised that building was converted into student halls of residence following planning consent in 2007, initially with 142 bedrooms and with a rear extension it has increased to 157 for post graduate students in City University

§  In land use terms, the Planning Officer advised that the scheme proposes the intensification rather than the provision of new student accommodation which is not constrained by adopted and emerging policy

§  35% of the bedrooms in the uplift will be provided as affordable bedrooms.

§  The accommodation is tied to higher education institutions and existing bedrooms are upgraded and retaining the commercial floor space on the ground floor

§  50 additional student accommodation units will be provided within the development to make it 207 in total

§  Members were advised that the front elevation will be materially and thermally upgraded and the rear elevation will be reconstructed in brick and cladding with new fenestration to make it more sympathetic to surrounding areas and having minimal impact on conservation area

§  In terms of land use consideration, the Planning Officer advised that the scheme proposes the intensification rather than the provision of new student accommodation, that the scheme provides 35% of the uplift as affordable bedrooms, provides for student bursary payments at £22000 pa  ...  view the full minutes text for item 256.