Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies were received from Councillor Spall.

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.

In relation to Agenda Item B4, Councillor Poyser declared that he was a member of the Highbury Fields Association.

The order of business would be:

B4, B3, B6, B1, B2, B5, B7, B8, B9, B10, B11, B13, B14 and B15.  Item B12 had been deferred by the applicant.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2015 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

Conversion of single dwelling house (C3) into 2 self-contained flats (1 x 3 bedroom, 1 x 1 bedroom) and refurbishment of existing rear extension to include facing brickwork and new timber-framed windows and doors.

(Planning application number: P2015/1525/FUL)

In the discussion the following point was made:

·         The application was policy compliant.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Installation of steel hand railings (1.1m high) at roof level of the building.

(Planning application number: P2015/2620/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The applicant confirmed that the building had a flat roof which had to be accessed for maintenance purposes. Legislation meant safety improvements were necessary for the safety of those undertaking maintenance work. A safety rail would ensure compliance with the legislation.

·         The applicant confirmed that residents did not have access to the roof.

·         The applicant confirmed that the rail was adjustable but would be set at 1.1m high which was recommended by the manufacturer. He also confirmed that the rail would be 1.2m from the ege of the building. If maintenance workers had to go closer to the edge of the building, they would be harnessed.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 2 of the case officer’s report.

The demolition of the existing garage/workshop and the erection of a four storey plus basement building to provide commercial (B1) space at ground floor and basement, and residential use (five x 2 bed flats and one x 1 bed flat) to the four upper floors, together with the incorporation of refuse bin stores and bicycle storage.

(Planning application number: P2015/2834/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer advised that the application was in Caledonian ward and not Barnsbury ward as stated in the officer’s report.

·         The location of the cycle storage provision was discussed.

·         The planning officer advised that this application was for a small part of the site. This scheme would not prevent the rest of the site from being developed at a later stage and it could form part of a more comprehensive development in the future.

·         The scheme was policy compliant.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s 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 case officer’s report.

Single storey extension with pitched roof. Flat roof draught lobby box to the front. Double height extension sitting above the existing gym, spa and plant areas on Eastern side elevation.

(Planning application number: P2015/0386/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer advised that a late objection had been received from the Highbury Pool Group. This included suggestions about windows, materials and landscaping and the group sought a deferral for these to be considered.

·         The planning officer advised that if the proposals were amended, this would require a new full consultation.

·         The planning officer advised that the design and conservation was satisfied with the materials in the proposed scheme.

·         The chair stated that the application had previously been deferred based on design and improvements had been made.

·         The planning officer confirmed that the scheme had not been put to the Design Review Panel due to its small scale nature. The next meeting of the panel was not until February 2016.

Councillor Poyser proposed a motion to defer the consideration of the application to enable further discussion to take place between the applicant and the objectors in relation to windows, materials and landscaping. This was seconded by Councillor Chowdhury and carried.

RESOLVED:

That the consideration of the application be deferred to enable further discussion to take place between the applicant and the objectors in relation to windows, materials and landscaping.

Installation of a Freestanding Self Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on the pavement at corner of Killick Street and Caledonian Road.

(Planning application number: P2015/3954/ADV)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The applicant advised that the sites selected for display panels had been chosen based on footfall. Any sites that received permission for display panels would be included within one contract and a tendering process would then take place. There was a separate planning application for each of the sites and individual decisions were required for each application.

·         The application was consistent with policy.

RESOLVED:

That advertisement consent be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Demolition of existing rooftop structures and erection of additional storey on New North House to form 396 sqm of additional business (B1) space.

(Planning application number: P2015/2290/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer confirmed that the existing lift shaft was small but in the view of the planners it was not reasonable to require the applicants to enlarge it due to the small size of the development.

·         The planning officer advised that one window failed the daylight and sunlight test but it passed the average daylight factor test. A small number of windows were minimally affected by a reduction in light.

·         The proposal would return the building to look similar to how it looked during World War II.

·         The proposal was generally policy compliant.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Installation of a Freestanding Self Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on the pavement area outside Islington Central Library.

(Planning application number: P2015/3957/ADV)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         It was considered that the display panel would result in street clutter which would detract from the library which was a Grade II* Listed Building.

·         It was noted that there were currently a number of signs on the library.

RESOLVED:

That advertisement consent be refused for the reason set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Installation of a Freestanding Self-Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on the pavement of north side of Old Street opposite Mallow Street.

(Planning application number: 2015/3961/ADV)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         Transport for London (TfL) had raised concerns that the display panel could cause a distraction for drivers.

·         The Service Director, Planning and Development stated that as Highways was also the applicant, in the interests of transparency, this application could be referred to Traffic and Engineering for their view on the TfL comments.

Councillor Khan proposed a motion to defer the application for it to be referred to Traffic and Engineering to consider the TfL comments. This was seconded by Councillor Poyser and carried.

RESOLVED:

That the consideration of this application be deferred to enable Traffic and Engineering to comment on the TfL comments.

Installation of a Freestanding Self Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on the pavement on south side of Pentonville Road, west of Penton Rise.

(Planning application number: P2015/3962/ADV)

RESOLVED:

That advertisement consent be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Installation of a Freestanding Self Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on pavement opposite 32-34 Clerkenwell Road.

(Planning application number: P2015/3959/ADV)

In the discussion the following point was made:

·         The application was consistent with policy.

RESOLVED:

That advertisement consent be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Installation of a Freestanding Self Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on the pavement opposite 541/543 Caledonian Road.

(Planning application number: P2015/3953/ADV)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The location of the display panel was considered.

·         Although objectors had raised concern about the site being near a conservation area, it was not in a conservation area and was therefore policy compliant.

RESOLVED:

That advertisement consent be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Installation of a Freestanding Self Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on the grass verge outside of Seven Sisters Road opposite Medina Road.

(Planning application number: P2015/3963/ADV)

RESOLVED:

That it be noted that this item had been deferred by the applicant.

Installation of a Freestanding Self Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on the pavement on the bridge between Farringdon Road and Turnmill Street.

(Planning application number: P2015/3955/ADV)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         It was considered that the display panel would result in street clutter which would detract from the nearby Grade II* Listed Building.

·         The proposed display sign would be higher than the wall behind it.

·         The applicant advised that before the wall was rebuilt, there were multiple advertising hoardings in this location.

RESOLVED:

That advertisement consent be refused for the reason set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Installation of a Freestanding Self Illuminated Advertisement Display Panel (6 Sheet) on the green area adjacent to Holloway Road.

(Planning application number: P2015/3952/ADV)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         Transport for London (TfL) had submitted concerns about street clutter and the impact of the display panel on a TfL tree.

·         The application was consistent with policy.

RESOLVED:

That advertisement consent be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.

Erection of a 48 Sheet externally illuminated, static, wall-mounted hoarding.

(Planning application number: P2015/3960/ADV)

RESOLVED:

That advertisement consent be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in Appendix 1 of the case officer’s report.