Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

No formal declarations of interest were made by members in relation to the application to be considered at the meeting.  However, in the interests of openness and transparency, various members indicated an acquaintance with the objectors addressing the meeting or applicant’s agent as set out below the relevant minute. Members did not consider that the relationships could be regarded as affecting their consideration of the item.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Planning Committee held on the 10 March 2016 (attached) and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Planning Committee held on 10 March 2016 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

Demolition of existing buildings on site. Redevelopment of site to provide a mixed use development comprising a retail foodstore with 6 residential units above, with associated car parking, landscaping and access arrangements.

Description

Demolition of existing buildings on site. Redevelopment of site to provide a mixed use development comprising a retail foodstore with 6 residential units above, with associated car parking, landscaping and access arrangements.

Decision

Planning permission is REFUSED for the following reasons:

Reasons:

(1)          The applicant has failed to provide sufficient information and analysis to demonstrate that the Upper High Street and Depot Road car park areas are not suitable and available for the proposed development, which lie in a sequentially preferable location and are allocated for retail development.  The proposed development is not in accordance with the development plan strategy as it promotes retail floor space outside the town centre.  The application is therefore contrary to the requirements of the Section 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework.  It is not in accordance with the plan read as a whole which promotes a town centre first approach to retail development in particular on Policy CS14 of the Core Strategy (2007) and Policies E3 and E14 of the Epsom Town Centre Area Action Plan (2011) and DM29 of the DMPD

(2)          The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the level of car parking to be provided at the development is adequate to meet the demand of the proposed store with respect to staff, customers and the loss of on-street parking associated with the construction of the access, to the detriment of on-street parking conditions in the surrounding area.  The development is therefore contrary to the requirements of Policy CS16 of the Core Strategy (2007), Policy DM37 of the Development Management Policies (2015) and the overall aims of the Epsom and Ewell Parking Strategy (2012).

(3)          There would be inadequate external amenity space for the occupiers of the residential units.  The units would not provide a quality environment which would adequately meet the needs or protect the living conditions of the occupiers of the site and therefore the development is not sustainable.  As such the proposal does not accord with the requirements of Policy CS1 of the Core Strategy (2007) or Policies DM10 (ix) or DM12 of the Development Management Policies Document (2015).

(4)          In the absence of a completed legal obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) the applicant has failed to comply with the provision of affordable housing.

(5)          The proposed development, in close proximity to the five ways junction, will cause an increase in the volume and nature of traffic generated that would have a severe adverse impact on the safety, convenience and freeflow of traffic using the highway, contrary to Policy CS16 of the Core Strategy 2007.

(6)          The footpath to the east side of Church Road fails to provide a safe, convenient and attractive access for all, contrary to Policy CS16 of the Core Strategy 2007.

(7)          The proposed development fails to provide 25% of three, or more, bedroom units to meet identified housing demand within the borough, and is therefore contrary to the requirements of Policy DM22  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

Members are asked to put forward any applications which it is considered warrant a site visit.

The Committee reviewed and considered site visits and decided that a visit should be held at the appropriate time in connection with the following applications:

·                     The Roveries, 59-63 Cox Lane, West Ewell KT19 9NR Ref:  15/01464/FUL

·                     Hindu Temple – 3 & 4 Dell Lane, Stoneleigh, KT17 2NE Ref:  15/01379/FUL