Agenda item
Yellow Car Park, Fulton Road, Wembley (Ref. 14/4573)
Decision:
Granted planning permission subject to conditions listed after paragraph 75 of the remarks section of the main report amendments to recommended conditions 17 and 21, additional conditions relating to the resilience of the development to terrorism and/or legal agreement securing local employment initiatives.
Minutes:
PROPOSAL: Proposed erection of theatre (Use Class Sui Generis) on corner of Fulton Road and Olympic Way incorporating a restaurant, foyer, bar area, back of house facilities, and associated landscaping, bicycle parking and ancillary works for a temporary period of 10 years.
RECOMMENDATION: Grant planning permission subject to conditions listed after paragraph 75 of the remarks section of the main report.
With reference to the supplementary report, Rachel Murrell (Area Planning Manager) responded to the queries raised at the site visit. Members heard that further images for design, appearance and materials had been submitted confirming the quality of the building. She added that Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) would become payable if permanent permission was granted. In respect of highways improvements to Olympic Way/Fulton Road she stated that as the crossing was part of the adopted highway and controlled by the Council, Transportation had been looking into various options including the possibility of reducing the speed limit along that part of Fulton Road to 20 mph, narrowing of the road and the provision of a pelican crossing. The application submission demonstrated that the proposed theatre was unlikely to result in a significant change to the traffic and parking demand. It was noted that Quintain were willing to fund the suggested improvements to the road layout.
The Area Planning Manager informed the Committee that a solar study had been submitted to show that the level of overshadowing would be relatively limited between the spring and autumn equinox. The Council’s Safer Streets’ officers had confirmed that the proposal was unlikely to result in noise nuisance, providing the insulation achieved or exceeded the minimum levels set out in the main reports. Members also heard that the capacity of disabled seating had been increased to 14. The Area Planning Manager then referred to a request by the MET Police that conditions be added to the consent regarding measures that may be required to ensure that the proposed development was suitably resilient to terrorism. Accordingly she recommended that an additional condition be attached to the consent requiring the submission and approval of details relating to the resilience to terrorism.
Harvey Goldsmith (applicant) and Paula Carney (agent) addressed the Committee. Members were informed that the proposed theatre would provide state of the art facilities which would attract in excess of 360,000 national and international visitors. In addition to employment the proposal would provide training and educational opportunities. It was anticipated that construction of the theatre would commence in April 2015.
Members then raised a number of questions including the application for a temporary (rather than a permanent) planning permission, disabled persons seating capacity, level of acoustics, payment of London Living Wage and employment of local persons and sustainability measurers. In response to the above, the applicant stated that Quintain (landowners) had provided him with a 10 year lease for the site with a possibility of an increase. He confirmed that the seating spaces for the disabled would be fourteen (14) which would be in excess of requirement and more than most theatres in the West End. The agent added that robust acoustics testing had been carried out to ensure that the theatre performances could run concurrently with Wembley National Stadium events. She continued that in addition to the conditions on materials, adequate sustainability measures would be put in place including the siting of solar panels to minimise any overshadowing that could result.
In welcoming the application, members added a further condition or a legal agreement for securing local employment initiatives.
DECISION: Granted planning permission as recommended and an additional condition or legal agreement for securing local employment initiatives.
Supporting documents: