Agenda item

Change of use of existing HMO (House of Multiple Occupation) to allow the creation of 7 no. self - contained residential units – 3 no.1bed  flats, 2 no. 3 bed  houses, and 1 no. 5 bed  house. Excavation at lower ground floor level to increase the floor to ceiling heights and enlarge the existing rear light wells. Alterations to the front and rear elevations including installation or metal railings, new access gates, and proposed landscaping, refuse and cycle parking provision and other associated works

(Planning application number: P2019/2651/FUL)

In the discussion the following points were made:

• The Planning Officer informed members of the following updates  –

Floor plans PL11-PL14 (proposed lower level ground to proposed second level floor plan) in condition 2 of the Committee report need to be amended to Rev. P2. These revisions were submitted during the course of the application to demonstrate a soft spot  in the proposed dwelling where a floor lift could be located had been changed to the installation of a lift and to address inclusive Design Officer comments.

• In addition, the Planning Officer highlighted changes to the Heads of Terms – Correct recommendation (a) – Requiring the 7 no.units to be for social rented housing including the requirement for the nomination rights for the ‘Move On’ units to return to Islington in accordance with local authority lettings policy should the GLA ‘Move On’ scheme cease to exist.

• The Planning Officer advised the meeting that the site is not within an Employment Growth Area, Employment designated area or within the Central Activities Zone.
  
  
• Members were reminded that the loss of the existing vacant HMO is considered acceptable having consulted the Council’s Environmental Health Team who manage and license HMO’s within the Borough. The team had assessed the existing accommodation as not of good quality.
  
  
• Members were advised that the Council’s Housing Team had not objected to the loss of HMO and welcomes the change of use as the proposal would deliver affordable homes which is one of the Council’s key objectives identified in Part G of Policy CS12 of Islington’s Core Strategy Policies (2011).
  
  
• The Planning Officer acknowledged that excavation works is to be carried out in the basement and is considered acceptable in design terms, and that the proposed works are compliant with the Council’s Basement SPD in regards to its structural impact. The Building Control Officer had reviewed the application and raised no objections to the excavation works from a structural perspective.
  
  
• A member of the public stated that whilst he supported the proposal and had a good relationship with One Housing Group who had been supportive in discussions with him, he did have concerns over the excavation works to the basement, which according to a structural engineers report could cause cracking and problems to his property. He requested for a waiver especially on this issue. (Following questions from the committee the objector clarified that his use of the term ‘waiver’ was intended to mean that he was requesting that the committee agree to omit the basement excavations from the application.)
  
  
• In response to the objectors concerns, the applicant stated that a structural engineers report had been submitted with the application. The Planning Officer acknowledged no works would commence until a structural report had been submitted and were issues to arise in the future this would be addressed through Party Wall agreement. Meeting was informed that a structural engineer would be engaged on site to assess any problems. The Chair stated that in addition if the applicant wished to engage his own structural engineer then the applicant would be liable for the cost of this under the Party Wall Act.
  
  
• Members welcomed and supported the scheme considering that the building that had been abandoned for quite a while and importantly the addition of the new social rented housing units.

Councillor Klute proposed a motion to grant Planning Permission. This was seconded by Councillor Mackmurdie and carried unanimously

RESOLVED:

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