Decision details
19/4541 2A, Part of Former Westend Saab and Boyriven Textile, Bridgewater Road, Wembley, HA0 1AJ
Decision Maker: Planning Committee
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Decisions:
PROPOSAL: Demolition of the existing buildings and structures, the erection of a ‘co-location’ scheme ranging in height from 4 to 19 storeys, incorporating industrial floorspace with residential units, together with associated landscaping, vehicular access arrangements, car and cycle parking, servicing and refuse and recycling facilities.
RECOMMENDATION: To GRANT planning permission subject to the application’s referral to the Mayor of London (stage 2 referral) and the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations set out within the Committee report.
That the Head of Planning be granted delegated authority to negotiate the legal agreement indicated above and to issue the planning permission and impose conditions and informatives to secure the matters set out within the Committee reports.
That the Head of Planning be granted delegated authority to make changes to the wording of the Committee’s decision (such as to delete, vary or add conditions, informatives, planning obligations or reasons for the decision) prior to the decision being actioned, provided that the Head of Planning is satisfied that any such changes could not reasonably be regarded as deviating from the overall principle of the decision reached by the Committee nor that such change(s) could reasonably have led to a different decision having been reached by the Committee.
That, if by the “expiry date” of this application (subject to any amendments/extensions to the expiry date agreed by both parties) the legal agreement has not been completed, the Head of Planning is granted delegated
authority to refuse planning permission.
That the Committee confirms that adequate provision has been made, by the imposition of conditions, for the preservation or planting of trees as required by Section 197 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Ms June Taylor (Principal Planning Officer) introduced the report highlighting the key aspects of the application as set out within the main report and answered Members’ questions. She referenced the supplementary report and informed the Committee that officers had provided Transport for London with further details on the proposed cycle parking provision, and confirmed they had no objection to this aspect of the scheme. She added that the applicants had agreed in principle, to a financial contribution towards public transport and bus service improvements that would be secured through the s106 legal agreement.
Mr Jeffrey Ruffles (applicant) in remote attendance addressed the Committee and submitted the following;
· The proposed residential units would all be for affordable housing, including 50% of units at a policy-compliant split (70% at London Affordable Rent and 30% shared ownership) and the remaining 50% for shared ownership. The proposal complied with Brent Policy DMP15.
· The design was considered to be of high quality, and the overall height and massing were considered appropriate in terms of the emerging street scene with acceptable set back.
· The proposal would provide a high standard of residential buildings with the all accommodation meeting or exceeding minimum space standards.
· The level of parking proposed was considered appropriate given the level of public transport accessibility (PTAL 4), subject to a financial contribution of £60,000 towards implementation of a Controlled Parking Zone, car club membership and operation of a travel plan, all of which would be secured through a S106 legal agreement.
· A comprehensive landscaping scheme was also proposed.
Councillor Anton Georgiou (ward member) in remote attendance raised several objections to the scheme including the following:
· The proposal would be an over-development of the site not in keeping with the area and would thus change the character of the area.
· Inadequate parking spaces which would result in congestion in the area.
· Lack of infrastructure to support the development.
· Inadequate residential amenity which would have implications for future occupiers within the current Covid-19 pandemic.
· The CIL contribution would not necessarily be spent on improvements to the area.
Members discussed the application during which they questioned officers on several issues including the following; height of the building, transport assessment including servicing arrangements, infrastructure and affordable workspaces. Officers’ responses as follows were noted:
· The height of the proposed development was considered acceptable.
· Transport assessment of the scheme concluded that the number of public transport trips associated with the scheme did not warrant the applicant to fund improvements to Alperton Underground Station.
· That infrastructure had been thoroughly evaluated across the borough taking into account projected growth, and that infrastructural requirements were set out in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan and emerging Local Plan. Significant elements of infrastructure had already been secured, including a new nursery a primary health facility at the Northfields development, public open spaces and multi- use community centres. A significant amount of funding has also been secured through the Community Infrastructure Levy.
· The scheme had been designed out of crime to provide natural surveillance and address incidence of anti-social behaviour and that the canals would be maintained.
· Affordable workspaces would be available by commercial arrangements.
With no further issues raised and having established that all members had followed the discussions, the Chair asked members to vote on the recommendation. Members voted by a majority decision to approve the application subject to the amendments set out within the supplementary report.
DECISION: Granted planning permission as recommended.
(Voting on the recommendation was as follows: For 6, Against 1, Abstention 1).
Wards Affected: Alperton;
Publication date: 23/07/2020
Date of decision: 24/06/2020
Decided at meeting: 24/06/2020 - Planning Committee
Accompanying Documents: