Agenda item
17/4747 Land rear of 12-14 St Andrews Avenue, St Andrews Avenue, Wembley
Minutes:
PROPOSAL: Erection of 3 two storey detached dwelling houses to rear of 12 and 14 St Andrews Avenue, with provision for 4 car parking spaces, cycle and bin storage, installation of new service road between 12 and 14 onto St Andrews Avenue and associated landscaping
RECOMMENDATION: To grant planning permission subject to conditions.
That the Head of Planning be granted delegated authority to issue the planning permission and impose conditions and informatives to secure the matters set out within the report.
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 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.
Victoria McDonagh (Area Planning Team Leader) introduced the application setting out the description. With reference to the supplementary report, she addressed the issues raised at the site visit by Members. Members heard that the access was 3.5m wide throughout and 28m in length from the boundary with the public footway to the rear boundaries of the existing houses Nos 12 and 14. Space for bin storage would be provided to the side of the existing houses without encroaching onto the access. As access for ambulances was possible but not for fire engines, the London Fire Brigade had confirmed in principle their acceptance of the use of sprinkler systems.
In respect of arrangements for external lighting and security, she reported that the applicant had confirmed that low level hooded lighting would be provided to BS 5489:2013 standards to limit light spillage and also to ensure safe access. She therefore recommended amendment to condition 14, as set out in the supplementary report, to require prior submission and approval of any lighting to be installed.
Ms McDonagh clarified the boundary treatments around the parking court and the side boundary with No 10. She added that access for construction vehicles could be controlled through the Construction Method Statement, (required in Condition 6) and recommended an amendment to specifically refer to construction access, storage of materials, contractor parking and wheel washing as set out in the supplementary report.
She continued that bin storage and collection had been discussed with Waste Services and Veolia, and that the arrangement had been confirmed as acceptable. Ms McDonagh reported that the tree officer had accepted the loss of trees, subject to replacement tree planting, details of which were specified in Condition 10. She advised that amenity space provision was well in excess of standards and that the quality of accommodation exceeded national minimum.
Although the access was not considered wide enough for two cars to pass, Transportation considered it acceptable in this particular case, as the occasions when two cars would meet would be very rare. As St. Andrews Avenue was a quiet local residential access road, occasional reversing out into the road or waiting on the road would not cause highway concerns. Furthermore, there was adequate turning space within the parking court if cars need to reverse and hence, it would not be necessary to reverse onto or wait in St Andrews Avenue.
Mr Sebastian Power (applicant’s agent) stated that density, scale and principle of development were all found to be acceptable. He continued that the driveway access and parking arrangements were acceptable by Highways Officers and that the Fire Brigade considered the use of sprinklers acceptable. He then responded to members’ questions on access, bins and front garden green spaces. Mr Power stated that the width of the road was wide enough for ambulance vehicles to access the site and clarified the arrangements for the bins including the enclosed area, sizes and frequency of collection. He added that the front garden spaces were about 10% below the Council’s soft landscaping target however, they were designed in this way to maximise road safety and therefore found to be acceptable.
In response to members’ enquiry Victoria McDonagh outlined the differences between the current and the previous application that was refused on appeal. She explained that the previous application was for 4 dwelling units whereas the current application was for 3 dwelling units with lower heights and density within London Plan. The separation distance would accord with SPG17 and in addition, the use of hooded lighting would minimise any light spillage.
Mr John Fletcher (Highways and Transportation) in advising on highways issues stated that with only 3 houses, the expected traffic generation would not be significant (between 8 and 10 trips throughout the day) and that visibility was considered to be good. He added that the bend would assist in slowing down traffic, resulting in fewer instances for reversing out. He advised against the suggestion for the removal of 2 car parking spaces as it would result in parking displacement.
In the subsequent discussions, members agreed an additional condition restricting the ability to change the use of the properties to Use Class C4 under permitted development and an additional condition requiring details of a revised frontage layout to include an increase in the width of the vehicular access adjacent to the footway, to allow two cars to pass each other in this location.
DECISION: Granted planning permission as recommended subject to amendments to conditions 2, 6, 10 and 14 as recommended in the supplementary report, an additional condition restricting the ability to change the use of the properties to Use Class C4 under permitted development and a further condition requiring details of a revised frontage layout which would include an increase in the width of the vehicular access adjacent to the footway to allow two cars to pass each other in this location.
(Voting for approval as amended was carried as follows: For 5, Against 2, Abstention 1).
Supporting documents:
- 17.4747 Land rear of 12-14 St Andrews Avenue, Wembley, item 5. PDF 362 KB
- 17.4747 St Andrews Ave SUPP, item 5. PDF 159 KB