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Agenda item

Cottam House, 36-40 York Way, London, N1 9AB

Minutes:

Change of use of ground floor from office (Class B1) to clothing manufacturing place and showroom (Sui Generis) for a temporary period of 2 years

 

(Planning application number: P2019/3552/FUL)

 

In the discussion the following points were made:

  • The Planning Officer informed the meeting that site is located within the Central Activities Zone and an Employment Growth Area and that the section of York Way is predominantly mixed-use in character, with many commercial and residential buildings and some ground floor retail/restaurant/bar uses.

  • Members were advised that the application for consideration is for a temporary period of 2 years.

  • The Planning Officer informed the meeting that G2G processing use is akin to a B1(c)(light industrial use) and that showrooms can fall under a number of different use classes, including A1(retail).

  • The Planning Officer acknowledged that there would be a slight increase in vehicular access to the site which will have no impact on  impact on highway traffic.

  • On the issue of noise and vibration concerns, the meeting was advised that the applicant has submitted an acoustic report and the Council’s Public Protection (Noise) officer have welcomed the proposal subject to conditions which will address operational noise limits for the new equipment and the installation of a timer. Members were also informed that the report indicated that the plant would be contained in a double glazed glass enclosure.

  • The Planning Officer stated that a number of conditions have been included in the planning permission which addresses issues around the operations on the site, as outlined in the report.

  • A Member of the Public, was concerned that placing the new plant/machinery at the end of the courtyard was like an ‘echo chamber’, and this would exacerbate noise to residents of the Ironworks Building. A resident was concerned that considering the planning permission was only limited for 2 years, an alternative site should have been found, and in his view the proposed site was in the wrong place.

  • Meeting was reminded by residents that the owners were a Hong Kong based company and the owners renting the site were both connected and requested for a more effective condition relating to deliveries be imposed and that the application was not in accordance with the vision for the Regents Quarter development.

  • A resident stated that on moving into the development in 2005 there was no discussion at that time of it being an industrial site. He added that the proposed plant/machinery was only in existence in another part of the world, and was sited in a converted water mill and contained in a shipping container.

  • An objector was concerned that there was insufficient information provided by the applicant with regards to vibration and mitigation measures which needs to be addressed before granting planning permission.

  • A Member of the Public stated that the noise acoustic report submitted by the applicant was flawed and that no noise monitoring had been conducted in the courtyard and that only background noise was measured. The machinery that would be used was for industrial manufacturing and was not B1 use. It was also felt that deliveries should be to the York Way entrance.

  • The applicant’s agent stated that the proposed tenant is Mills Fabrica UK and that company and the Cottam House site is owned by a Hong Kong company, however they were operated as separate companies. The application was only for a temporary period of 2 years, and was an exciting opportunity for the process to be viewed before moving onto another  location.

  • The applicant’s agent stated that the applicant was willing to accept the conditions on noise/vibration limitation and that he was confident that there would be no impact on residents. This is an innovative scheme in terms of recycling and manufacture, and is a unique opportunity for the borough.

  • A Member stated that he supported the scheme, and that whilst he appreciated that residents were concerned, the flexibility of B class usage was protected and the Regents Quarter was originally intended for a mixed use.

  • The applicant’s agent stated that he was willing to accept the additional condition proposed and acknowledged that there will be no use of the courtyard for vehicular access, other than servicing, and vehicular access should be via the York Way entrance.

  • Members agreed that the additional condition which addresses the concern about the use of the lift to the rear be delegated to the Planning Officer and the Chair. 

 

 

Councillor Convery proposed a motion to grant planning permission, subject to the additional condition referred to above. 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.

 

Supporting documents: