Agenda and draft minutes

Cllr Hayes 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 Cllr Clarke

Cllr North as a substitute for Cllr Clarke for Item B4 – 33-37 Corsica Street, N5 1TJ

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.

Cllrs Klute and Nanda recused themselves from Item B4 – 33-37 Corsica Street, N5 1TJ as they were not present when the original decision was made.

The order of business was as follows:

Item B4 – 33-37 Corsica Street, N5 1TJ

Item B2 – Shearling Way Estate, N7

Item B1 – Archway Leisure Centre, N19 5DD

Item B3 – Penthouse Flat

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the previous meeting be signed by the Chair as a correct record

Demolition of the existing dwellinghouse and erection of a replacement two-storey (plus basement) dwellinghouse with rooftop PV panels and Air Source Heat Pumps and associated boundary treatment and landscaping works.

(P2023/3394/FUL)

The chair noted that the committee considered the application on the 18th of June, 2024, and resolved to grant planning permission for 33-37 Corsica Street, London, N5 1JT, subject to conditions and a legal agreement. Since the previous committee meeting, the planning department received a detailed letter expressing concerns about the assessment of the application concerning trees. Given the previous resolution and the nature of the concerns, it was proposed to the Committee that discussions focused on the issues outlined in the addendum report and avoid reopening previously considered matters. The Committee also had an obligation to maintain consistency in its decision-making. Therefore, the item will be reviewed by the same councillors who considered it before: Councillor Hayes, Councillor North, and Councillor Hamdache, with Councillors Nanda and Klute recusing themselves.

The Planning Officer introduced the application. The proposal involved demolishing the existing house and constructing a replacement two-story dwelling with a basement. A comparison was made in the presentation between the existing and proposed building footprints, with the basement area highlighted in purple.

Regarding trees and landscaping, the proposal included the removal of five trees, categorised as B, C, and one unrated dead tree. Therefore, four were living trees. The Japanese maple tree in the rear garden was unrated, not considered to be a living tree. Existing site layout photos were shown, including images of the retained ash tree (T9) in the back garden.

As part of the development, 12 new trees were proposed for planting, bringing the total number of trees on-site to 13, including the retained ash tree. An illustration displayed the proposed tree planting locations. Another diagram showed that the green areas represented tree canopy cover at the time of planting, while blue lines indicated the extent of canopy growth over 10 years. A series of illustrations compared the existing tree canopy, the coverage immediately after planting, and the expected increase.

In addition to on-site tree planting, the applicant agreed to a legal agreement securing a £9,000 financial contribution for planting three new trees off site, which included tree pits and three years of aftercare.

The recommendation was to grant planning permission, subject to the legal agreement and conditions outlined in the committee report. This concluded the presentation.

In response to questions from the committee the officer clarified, on the canopy cover slide, there would be greater canopy cover on site in 10 years. The growth between year one and year 10 had been considered exponential. The calculation for reaching the existing canopy had not been specified in exact years, but typically, within the policy, it had allowed up to 10 years for the canopy cover in those scenarios. Regarding the Indian Bean Tree’s proximity to the existing building, its future success could have diminished if the building had been demolished. The tree had a good  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

Landscaping works to former ball court to create communal garden space and play area. (COUNCIL OWNED)

(P2024/1600/FUL)

The planning officer introduced the application. The site is located within the Sherling Way Estate, an Islington-owned residential estate off North Road, with pedestrian access to Caledonian Road. The proposal concerns the northeastern corner of the estate, currently occupied by a gated ball court and a pedestrian walkway. The ball court is locked and unusable due to poor condition and past antisocial behaviour. The proposal aims to transform this area into a landscaped space with play equipment. The plan includes three sections: an improved communal walkway with landscaping and play equipment, a parklet space replacing most of the ball court, and a community garden with soft landscaping and communal features. The project aims to enhance green space and community access, and planning permission is recommended subject to conditions.

Cllr Ward spoke in support of this application, he stated It was a pleasure to introduce this application alongside Holloway Ward colleagues, Councillor Jackson and Councillor Zammit. All three councillors attended because of their strong support for the project, which was the result of years of hard work. The space at the bottom of Shearing Way had previously been dark, uninviting, and unsafe, with an unusable, locked ball court. In 2020, new lighting and a wall were installed to improve safety, but in 2022, a commitment was made to go further. A promise was made to the residents of Holloway, particularly those in the Shearing Way Estate, to transform the neglected area into a vibrant community space. The proposed communal garden and play area were shaped by input from estate residents through surveys and community drop-ins. The plans included a climbing wall, bird’s nest swing, stepping logs, a balance beam, and a wobbly bridge for children. Additionally, picnic tables, a tennis table, seating, food-growing beds, and two new trees were incorporated to ensure something for everyone. This project aimed to turn a wasted space into a cherished community area, and there was great enthusiasm for seeing it come to life.

Councillor Klute acknowledged the extensive work that had gone into the scheme, noting that it had been carefully developed to provide a well-thought-out range of facilities. He expressed his full support for the proposal. Councillor Nanda thanked the Holloway Ward councillors for their input, stating that their insights had been valuable in reaching a decision. Councillor Hayes also highlighted the importance of understanding the consultation process undertaken before recommendations were presented to the committee.

The committee proceeded to a vote. The resolution to grant planning permission, subject to the conditions set out in Appendix 1, was approved unanimously. The committee expressed appreciation to the Holloway councillors for their attendance and for providing background information on the application.

RESOLVED:

That following consideration of the case officer’s report (the assessment and recommendations therein), the presentation to Committee, submitted representations at this meeting, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

Installation of air source heat pump at roof level with associated works and installation of water source heat pump within existing energy centre. (COUNCIL OWNED)

(P2024/3095/FUL)

Since the publication of the reports, it was confirmed that two external buffer vessels had been proposed to serve the air source heat pump rather than the water source heat pump, as initially noted.

The site in question was a council-owned and operated swimming pool and gym facility. The site was bordered by MacDonald Road to the west and Vorley Road to the south.

An aerial view highlighted the section of the building where the air source heat pump and its ancillary equipment would be located. Further images illustrated the proposed heat pump, including an acoustic screen, a rail surround, and the green-coloured buffer vessels. It was noted that the water source heat pump would be fully internal and not visible from the public realm.

The recommendation was to grant planning permission subject to conditions.

A concern was raised regarding the potential noise levels of the air source heat pumps, as they had previously been known to be quite loud. It was asked whether the proposed arrangement, including the pumps and acoustic screening, would effectively mitigate the noise to meet the required 5 dB(A) limit. Officers confirmed that a noise assessment had been submitted and reviewed by Environmental Health Officers, who raised no objections. Additionally, the assessment considered the impact on a nearby residential development, and confidence was expressed that the proposal met acceptable noise standards.

It was further explained with the noise mitigation process, a multi-stage assessment was conducted, including background noise monitoring over 24 hours, performance calculations, and the design of noise attenuation measures. The air source heat pump would be enclosed to minimise noise in all directions while allowing airflow for efficiency. Additionally, a dense acoustic screen would be installed to block noise from traveling beyond the site. The assessment also considered communal and residential areas, leading to an increased screen height to provide further noise reduction.

During deliberations, Councillors expressed their support for the scheme. Councillor Hamdache noted that while the application needed committee approval, future fast-track processes for similar developments should be considered. Councillor Nanda welcomed the environmental benefits and public consultation efforts. A vote was taken, and the committee resolved to grant planning permission.

RESOLVED:

That following consideration of the case officer’s report (the assessment and recommendations therein), the presentation to Committee, submitted representations at this 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 head of terms as set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.

Infilling of two courtyard areas, the extension of an existing external terrace area and the installation of two rooflights at second floor level to penthouse flat.

(P2024/1466/FUL)

The application concerned a penthouse flat within a conservation area, though it was largely obscured from public view. The proposal included infilling two internal courtyards, extending an existing roof terrace, and installing two roof lights.

Revisions were made to address concerns about overlooking by relocating windows and introducing wall screening. The proposed changes were considered acceptable in terms of impact on both the conservation area and neighbouring properties. Planning permission was recommended for approval subject to conditions.

It was clarified that the proposed infilling of the two courtyard areas continues the existing roofline without adding mass to the building. The changes remained within the existing boundaries, with only a minor increase in footprint. The only visible alteration is the extension of the roof terrace and its screening, which remains largely hidden from public view. The terrace area will be fully screened, ensuring privacy for occupants.

Cllr Klute proposed to support the application. Cllr Hayes seconded. Planning permission was granted unanimously.

RESOLVED:

That following consideration of the case officer’s report (the assessment and recommendations therein), the presentation to Committee, submitted representations at this 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 head of terms as set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.