Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Jackson.

There were no declarations of substitute members.

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The order of business would be as per the agenda.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th September 2023 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

Demolition of the existing buildings and construction of a part 5, part 6 and part 7 storey building with basement, comprising Class E(g)(i) Office floorspace, including the provision of affordable workspace, alongside Class E(a) Retail, Class E(b) Food and Drink and Class E(d) leisure uses at ground, lower ground, and basement levels. The proposals also comprise the delivery of a dedicated off-street servicing yard and the delivery of cycle parking alongside the provision of landscaped roof terraces and wider public realm works at grade, and all associated and ancillary works (Departure from Development Plan)

(Planning application number: P2022/2893/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

• At the meeting of 18th July 2023, the Committee resolved to defer consideration of the application without hearing it, so as to provide both officers and applicants sufficient time to address concerns regarding the quality of affordable workspace, the whole life carbon assessment, and the impact to the protected characteristics of residents of Epworth Street, under the Equality Act. All of these issues had the potential to result in major redesigns of the scheme which would have made it difficult for the Committee to consider.
• The Planning Officer informed the meeting that since the Committee’s deferral in considering the application, the applicant had worked closely with Council officers and the Greater London Authority (GLA) to revise the affordable workspace unit, whole life carbon assessments, and circular economy workspace statements.
• The meeting was also informed that the public sector equality duty concerning the protected characteristics of Epworth Street residents had been addressed in the addendum to the Committee Report at section five.
• Since the publication of the Committee report, there had been thirty-seven further objections made to the application, bringing the total to 170.
• The Planning Officer noted that Islington’s Full Council adopted the new Local Plan on 28th September 2023. The application put forward to the Committee of 18^th July 2023, had referred to policy that was current at that time. Officers have advised that the application had now been considered in light of the new Local Plan policies, which carry full weight, and have reached the same conclusions.
• The meeting was informed that the site was located within the Central Activities Zone, the City Fringe Opportunity Area the Bunhill and Clerkenwell Key Area, and an Employment Priority Area. It was presently an existing three to four storey building, in use as offices (Class E(g)), adjoining Epworth Street, Paul Street and Clere Street, which also bordered the London Borough of Hackney on two sides of the site.
• The meeting was informed that the key planning considerations included Land Use, Design and Appearance, Neighbouring Amenities, Transport and Highways, and Energy and Sustainability. The site had been designated Site Allocation BC48, highlighting the opportunity to intensify office use, provide level access and create an active frontage to the street.
• The Planning Officer also advised that there was to be a 13% uplift in affordable workspace, exceeding the 10% required in the Council’s Local Plan. The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82.

Application to vary Conditions 2 (Approved drawings), 4 (Details and Samples), 13 (Energy Strategy - School Site), 14 (Energy Strategy - Commercial Site), 16 (PV Panels), and 19 (Cycle Parking) of planning application ref: P2022/1001/S73, dated 23/12/2022 (Application to vary condition 2 (Approved drawings) of planning application ref: P2019/3572/S73 dated 28 July 2020 for: (Demolition of existing Block B and erection of a replacement four storey building to provide science teaching facilities; alteration and refurbishment of the Tabernacle Building; development of a partially sunken sports hall within the school courtyard; improvements and alterations to existing school buildings including listed buildings; demolition of the existing former sixth form block on Tabernacle Street and erection of an eight storey office (Use Class B1a) building; landscaping and associated works.). The applicant seeks to vary these conditions to allow for revisions to the commercial element of the development, comprising new design, materiality and layouts as well as an updated energy strategy and amendments to the end of journey facilities.

(Planning application number: P2023/2279/S73)

In the discussion the following points were made:

• The Planning Officer told the Committee that the application was for a material amendment (under section 73) to the previous planning permission, specifically to the consented commercial development located at the eastern end of the site, in addition to a revised design approach amending the façade design and slightly increasing the height and massing, introduction of a roof terrace for improved amenity offer, and improvements to end-of-journey facilities, cycle parking and sustainability.
• The Planning Officer had also noted that there had been some amendments to wording of some conditions to make it clear what was the responsibility of the school and what was the responsibility of the developer, but no changes had been made to the scheme that was presented to members.
• The Planning Officer informed the meeting that the site was located within the Bunhill Fields and Finsbury Square Conservation Area (CA22), an Archaeological Priority Area, the Central Activities Zone (CAZ) and the ‘Inner Core’ of the City Fringe Opportunity Area. Although there were listed buildings within the wider site, the subject building however, was not a listed building. Officers were satisfied that the roof access would not be visible from public level.
• The Planning Officer also noted that the proposals were in keeping with the consented scheme, although there was an uplift in floor space on the consented scheme due to internal layouts and the proposed roof terrace.
• The Planning Officer advised that whilst no amendments had been made in terms of additional storeys other than that to the lift overruns and the staircase, there was a slight increase in terms of the building’s height due to the roof terrace and additional plant equipment, but this would not result in a noticeably taller or more imposing building compared with the consented scheme. The Council’s Design & Conservation Officer had reviewed the proposal and was not of the view that it would adversely impact heritage assets.
• The meeting was informed that the development  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83.