Agenda item
Wembley Link-Adoption of Supplementary Planning Document
This report asks Planning Committee to consider the consultation responses to the draft Wembley Link Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and the proposed changes to the consultation draft. The Planning Committee is asked to add its support to the consultation responses and changes to the Wembley Link SPD draft which the Executive will be asked to adopt on 14 March 2011.
Minutes:
The Committee received this report which asked members to consider and support the consultation responses to the draft Wembley Link Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and the proposed changes to the consultation draft. The report also asked members to support the consultation responses, changes to the Wembley Link SPD draft and the Executive when they would consider a report asked them to adopt the SPD on 14 March 2011.
In setting out its key features, Dave Carroll (Planning Policy Manager) stated that the Wembley Link SPD would encourage new development along the Wembley Link with retail and other town centre uses including office floor space and residential uses over the ground floor retail. The SPD would also bring forward good servicing arrangements for new shops whilst limiting car parking for residential development and securing improvements to key junctions and bridges. He added that except for key locations at either end of the study area, a limit of between 4 and 8 storeys would be the norm whilst at the same time promoting food store and encouraging family housing where possible.
Dave Carroll then submitted the following responses to the consultation; in respect of Chesterfield House he stated that the height limit was an indication of the level of development that would be appropriate as indicated in the SPD and based on thorough analysis (not arbitrary) conducted by the Council and the strong concerns expressed by the public about building heights in the Chesterfield House and Copland Village areas. With respect to proposals for development of the Chiltern Railway embankment on Mostyn Avenue, he stated that the SPD contained objective to minimise the impact of development on the nature conservation area. The SSA supported higher density development including residential along the south side and made clear that only a limited amount of residential development may be considered on the north side. Dave Carroll also added that the proposed Wembley Area Action Plan covering the whole Wembley Regeneration Area which would be produced in 2011/2012 for the Committee’s consideration, would set out comprehensive transportation measures including junction improvements for the whole area.
Whilst welcoming the report, Councillor Hashmi requested officers to resist developments that involved excessive height and by multi-national food stores in the Wembley area. Councillor Daly asked about measures to ensure that the wildlife corridor in the northern embankment was preserved and adequate infrastructure facilities were available. In a similar vein Councillor Long expressed a view that with the amount of development in the area there was likely to be a shortage of school places. She added that the under-usage of Ecclestone Place was encouraging various forms of anti-social behaviour. Councillor Sheth enquired about alternative provision to replace the “Triangle”, a view which was echoed by Councillor McLellan.
In responding to issues raised by members, Dave Carroll stated that the proposed height was not hugely significant from existing standards and that in planning terms, there could not be a blanket refusal for applications by food stores. He added that the development on the embankment would strike a reasonable balance to ensure that the wildlife corridor prevailed and that the northern half of the embankment was largely untouched. He added that the infrastructure framework document also set out measures to address potential deficiencies in health facilities in the area. In respect of school places, he stated that in addition to working in close partnership with Quintains on how to identify land for additional school places, the Executive had also received a report on the Council’s 3 year strategy for school places. Dave Carroll added that several alternative design options were being considered to replace the removal of Wembley Triangle to facilitate traffic flow. In response to Councillor Kataria’s enquiry about extra car parking spaces, Dave Carroll stated that in addition to limiting parking to a 2 hour maximum, Quitain’s would submit proposals for 3 car parks which would provide 600 car parking spaces.
RESOLVED:-
(i) that the responses and changes proposed to the draft Wembley Link SPD as a result of public consultation be endorsed and recommend the Executive to adopt the Wembley Link as a SPD, supplementary to the council’s 2010 Core Strategy and Site Specific Allocations DPD;
(ii) that officers be instructed to progress the Wembley Area Action Plan to unify the various Wembley planning documents into one Development Plan Document.
Supporting documents:
- 2- Wembley Link Adoption of SPD, item 2. PDF 767 KB
- 2a - Wembley Link SPD appendix1, item 2. PDF 5 MB