Agenda item

Four storey extension to the existing rear (north) elevation, part three part four storey extension to the west of the existing building, four storey extension to the east of the existing building and a single storey addition at roof level to provide 1195m² of flexible class B1(c)/B8 (Light Industrial/Storage and Distribution) use at ground floor level; and flexible B1(a/b/c) (Office, Research and Development, Light Industrial) floorspace above (3539m²), together with associated reconfigured parking and servicing arrangements.

(Planning application number: P2017/1969/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

·         The planning officer advised that there were typographical errors in Condition 8 and it should be amended to read: “At least 2,517sqm (GIA) of B1c floorspace and 1,195sqm (GIA) of B8 shall be provided. The B1c and B8 floorspace shall be strictly limited to uses within the use B1c and B8 use class category respectively and not for the purposes of Use Class B1a or B1b – of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Class) Order 1987 as amended 2005 (or the equivalent use within any amended/updated subsequent Order).

REASON:  To ensure that the use hereby approved is not able to change to B1a via permitted rights allowed under the Town and Country Planning (Use Class) Order 1987 (As Amended) in the interest of preserving the economic function of the Locally Significant Industrial Site.”

·         A member asked whether the design would enable each floor to be self-contained so the building could be multi-tenanted. The applicant stated that no decision had yet been taken on this and detailed design work had not yet been undertaken but they wanted to keep the space flexible.

·         In response to a member’s question about daylight and sunlight, the planning officer advised that the previous application had an extension and this had now been reduced so the daylight and sunlight figures should have improved.

·         The applicants confirmed they would like to keep the current occupiers in place for as long as they could.

·         A member stated that there was a cluster of technical services industries in the area and it was hoped the design would encourage similar businesses to the current occupiers, to locate there.

·         The Chair raised concern about the design and the comments expressed by the design and conservation officer.

Councillor Klute proposed a motion to amend the last sentence of Condition 23 to read, “The details shall include a revised top floor and roof-form to be shown in context and to scale of 1:100 to address concerns expressed by the design and conservation officer”. This was seconded by Councillor Chapman and carried.

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and informatives set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report with Condition 23 amended as above 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 officer report.