Issue - meetings

Demolition of existing office buildings and redevelopment of Application Site to provide 98 apartments/dwellings, including conversion of the Grade II* Listed Woodcote Grove and Grade II Listed Stable Block, with parking, access, landscaping and other associated works

Description

Demolition of existing office buildings and redevelopment of Application Site to provide 98 apartments/dwellings, including conversion of the Grade II* Listed Woodcote Grove and Grade II Listed Stable Block, with parking, access, landscaping and other associated works.

Decision

The Committee noted a presentation from the Planning Development Officer.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor Liz Frost, Ward Member, who spoke in objection to the Application. The Committee also heard from an objector, and an agent to the Applicant.

The following points were raised by the Committee:

a)            Parking facilities: Members noted the number of proposed car parking spaces, and raised concerns regarding the impact this may have on the local area. Members also noted possible ways in which overflow parking may be managed, and that parking spaces would be allocated to residential units.

b)            Housing density: Members noted concerns regarding the high density of the proposed residential development and the impact that it would have upon the local area. It was noted that the proposed development would play a positive role in fulfilling the borough’s housing need.

c)            Amenity space: Members spoke about the private and shared amenity space for the proposed flats. It was noted that not all of the proposed housing units would meet the standard of amenity space, as it would not be suitable to attach balconies onto a Grade II Listed Building. It was noted that a management plan could be set up to maintain the proposed children’s play area for the use of all residents.

Councillor Neil Dallen proposed a refusal. This was seconded by Councillor Previn Jagutpal. The reason for this refusal was based on concerns regarding parking facilities, density and harm to the conservation area.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 5 Members voting for and 8 Members voting against that:

The refusal was NOT ACCEPTED.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 8 Members voting for and 5 Members voting against that:

Planning permission is PERMITTED subject to the following:

Part A:

Subject to a legal agreement being completed and signed by 23.12.2020 to secure the following Heads of Terms:

·                     Provision of eight affordable units, at the tenure mix of seven shared ownership and one social rented unit

·                     Secure £15,950, as a payment in lieu of on-site affordable housing

·                     A S106 monitoring fee in respect of monitoring implementation of the obligations in the S106 agreement of £2000 to be paid upon to the Council upon commencement of the development

·                     Implementation of a review mechanism for the submission of a revised Viability Statement

·                     Should trees become irreparably damaged, a financial retainer is held, equivalent to the CAVAT value of the threatened trees, to be determined by the Local Planning Authority (LPA), with the value to be paid into the LPA’s green infrastructure funds, to compensate the local community

·                     Applicant to prepare and enter into a Landscape Ecological Management Plan

·                     A financial monitoring fee to be paid within three months of the site being 50 percent occupied of £4,600 towards future auditing of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3