Agenda and minutes

Councillor Poyser welcomed everyone to the meeting and informed all that due to techincal issues the meeting will not be webcased. Members of the Committee and officers introduced themselves.

Apologies were received from Councillor Ibrahim.

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 as per the agenda.

The minutes of the previous meeting were not yet available and would be presented to the next meeting.

Section 73 (minor material amendment) to remove condition 11 (Tree Planting Plan) of planning permission ref: P2021/1874/FUL dated 28/10/2021 which granted planning permission for the following:

Demolition of existing building and erection of a replacement building for use in connection with the adventure playground and other community uses; erection of refuse facilities and associated works.

The condition involves the planting of 6 trees within and/or around the site.  

(Planning application number: P2023/0508/S73)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·       Planning Officer advised application site is a children’s adventure playground located along the south-western side of Cornwallis Road, within Cornwallis Park

·       The Planning Officer advised that application before committee seeks to remove condition 11 (Tree Planting Plan) of planning permission ref: P2021/1874/FUL dated 28/10/2021, that the condition requires the planting of 6 trees in and around the application.

·       Meeting was advised that a number of options were explored in order to discharge condition 11 and that a Director’s Agreement had been secured which will enable a tree planting contribution of £6,000 (£1,000 per tree) for 6x trees to be planted within the Tollington Ward.

·       Meeting was advised that applicant will work with planning and tree conservation officers, that trees will be planted within the ward and the costs dealt with accordingly.

·       In response to a question on why the planting of trees within the playground wasn’t picked up during the application stage, officers advised that at the time there was no detailed design.

Councillor Klute moved a motion to grant planning permission. This was seconded by Councillor Poyser and carried.

RESOLVED:

That following consideration of the case officer’s report (the assessment and recommendations therein), the presentation to Committee, and submitted representations, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report.

Creation of new office floorspace (Use Class E(g)) including demolition and replacement of existing fourth, fifth and sixth floors together with the erection of a seventh storey extension, internal and external alterations, plant alongside other associated works.

(Planning Application Number: P2022/3596/FUL)

The planning officer informed the Committee of a typographical error with Condition 16 which incorrectly makes references to first floor, that it should have read basement. The following issues were highlighted:

·       The Planning Officer advised that building is located within the Central Activity Zone, an Employment Priority Area and that the building is Locally Listed Grade A. Site is located on the borough boundary with the other side of City Road being within the Borough of Hackney.

·       Planning Officer highlighted the differences between the existing and proposed scheme in terms of road elevations, basement and ground floor plans, proposed sixth floor and pavilion floor plans.

·       The benefits of the application highlighted in the report include 861sqm (GIA) of additional office floorspace; refurbishment of existing building which would meet modern office requirements; provision of pavilion roof level extension with external terrace area.

·       In addition to the above benefits, the Planning Officer noted that the scheme will result in a positive impact on street scene and have no impact on the wider Conservation Area; that the plant and sustainability features will meet BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating; new cycle parking provision for whole building with end of trip facilities and improved accessibility into and around building etc.

·       In response to questions regarding whether the Section 287 agreement requested from Transport for London had been captured, the planning officer informed the Committee that this was Condition 17 for on site visitor cycle parking.

·       On whether contact had been made with Moorfields Eye Hospital with regards the skyline and its impact, the applicant acknowledged that their concerns had been addressed in Condition 4.

·       The planning officer advised Committee that the in-house design team had been consulted on the application and were supportive and that ultimately, the design was considered acceptable.

·       On the question of whether condition 4 (p) would address concerns of the patient group, the planning officer noted that applicants will be expected to submit details regarding this issue, that it is believed that their concerns will be incorporated when drafting detailed proposals.

·       The applicant confirmed that they had engaged with Moorfields Eye Hospital, specifically regarding the needs of the patient group, that their concerns around accessibility during the proposed works had been taken on board.

·       Councillor Klute proposed a motion, seconded by Councillor Hayes, that the wording of Condition 4 (p) be revised to specify that the applicant should consult with and agree aspects of the Construction Management Plan with Moorfields Eye Hospital.

RESOLVED:

That following consideration of the case officer’s report (the assessment and recommendations therein), the presentation to Committee and submitted representations, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report with the amendments to the condition outlined above