Issue - meetings
Southern Area Application 1
Meeting: 17/04/2013 - Planning Committee (Item 5)
5 Former Willesden New Social Club, Rucklidge Avenue, London NW10 4PX (Ref. 13/0507) PDF 303 KB
Decision:
Granted planning permission subject to the completion of a satisfactory Section 106 or other legal agreement and delegate authority to the Head of Area Planning or other duly authorised person to agree the exact terms thereof on advice from the Director of Legal and Procurement.
Minutes:
PROPOSAL:
Erection of a four and five storey building accommodating 22 flats, ground floor A1 and/or D1 floor space and retention of electricity sub-station.
RECOMMENDATION:
(a) Grant planning permission subject to conditions and to an appropriate form of Agreement in order to secure the measures set out in the Section 106 details section of this report, or
(b) If within a reasonable period the applicant fails to enter into an appropriate agreement in order to meet the policies of the Unitary Development Plan, Core Strategy and Section 106 Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document, to delegate authority to the Head of Area Planning, or other duly authorised person, to refuse planning permission.
With reference to the tabled supplementary report, Andy Bates, Area Planning Manager drew members’ attention to the issues raised at the site visit and additional objections raised by Councillors Powney and Hector. He stated that majority of the concerns expressed by residents including issues relating to the cantilevered section and minor alterations to the massing had been dealt with in the main report. Andy Bates continued that Transportation Officers had confirmed that any disabled resident could apply for an on-street parking bay to be provided. In respect of the proposed height of the building, he stated that information submitted with the application confirmed that at its highest point the proposed development would be no higher than the “Design Works” building on the opposite side of Rucklidge Avenue.
Andy Bates clarified that the top floor of the proposed development would be set away from the edge of the building (by 3.3 metres on Rucklidge Avenue elevation) so that the eaves of the new flatted block would actually be 2.7 metres below the height of Design Works. In terms of congestion, he reiterated that the scheme would be "car free" and coupled with existing parking controls, would safeguard parking amenity of the area during peak hours. In addition, the ground floor commercial unit would have its own dedicated servicing bay.
Rita Taylor in objection to the proposal raised the following concerns:
· Due to its overhang on Park Parade, the scheme would be overbearing and out of character with the streetscene.
· Due to its excessive height, the proposed building would fail to integrate with the properties on Rucklidge Avenue
· With small balconies which would fail to meet standards, the scheme would provide poor levels of amenity to future occupiers.
Rita Taylor urged members to refuse the current application and request the applicant to re-submit a scheme with an amended design.
Ian Britton, Chair of Rucklidge Avenue Residents’ Association (RARA), in objecting to the proposed development, raised the following issues:
· The development, which would be forward of the building lines, would be over-intensive and visually overbearing.
· The size, bulk and massing of the proposed development would be out of character with the properties in the area.
· It would represent an intensive development with dense design and poor level of internal amenity.
· The cantilevered design would be out of character with properties in the ... view the full minutes text for item 5