Agenda item
21/2989 - Euro House, Fulton Road, Wembley, HA9 0TF
Decision:
Granted planning permission subject the conditions (as amended below) and informatives set out in the report and supplementary agenda along with:
(1) any direction by the London Mayor pursuant to the Mayor of London Order;
(2) any direction by the Secretary of State pursuant to the Consultation Direction;
(3) the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed within the report
Condition 33 – landscaping strategy to include an additional requirement securing the provision of access from the Brook side edge to the podium gardens for all residents.
Minutes:
PROPOSAL:
Demolition and redevelopment of the site to provide erection of five buildings ranging from ground plus 14 to 23 storeys; comprising up to 759 residential units, retail floor space and workspace/ storage floor space, private and communal amenity space, car parking, cycle parking, ancillary space, mechanical plant, landscaping and other associated works.
Application subject to an Environmental Statement.
RECOMMENDATION:
(1) That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to:
(a) Any direction by the London Mayor pursuant to the Mayor of London Order.
(b) Any direction by the Secretary of State pursuant to the Consultation Direction.
(c) The prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed in the report.
(2) That the Head of Planning is delegated authority to issue the planning permission and impose conditions and informatives to secure the matters as set out within the report
(3) That the Head of Planning is delegated authority to make changes to the wording of the committee’s decision (such as to delete, vary or add conditions, informatives, 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.
(4) 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.
Toby Huntingford, Principal Planning Officer introduced the report set out the key issues and answered members questions. In introducing the report members were advised the application proposed the mixed use redevelopment of the site, including demolishing the existing two storey industrial building and replacing it with five new blocks (A-E) ranging from 12 to 24 storeys in height. The five blocks would be physically connected by a podium level which would create a continuous frontage around the edges of the site. Two of the blocks (C&D) would be connected at upper floor levels and would appear as a single building on the skyline. The development would provide a total of 759 residential flats with a proposed mix of 134 studio, 242 x 1 –bed, 305 x 2-bed and 78 x 3-bed units. 218 affordable homes would be made available within the scheme, with 80 of these being at London Affordable rent (all located within Block E). A further 62 units would be provided at Affordable rents and the remaining 76 units would be provided as Shared Ownership homes located across Blocks D & E. All dwellings had been assessed as meeting internal space standards as set out in Policy D6 of the London Plan and would have access to both private and communal amenity space. Replacement light industrial floor space would be provided across two large units at the base of Blocks B & D and C & E, with the remaining commercial floor space comprising of retail units mainly consolidated at the base of Block A. The proposal would also include improved public realm and the enhancement of linkages to Wealdstone Brook to the north of the site. Members were advised that the subject planning application was seeking permission for an alternative redevelopment of the site, including an increased number of residential units and additional commercial floor space, compared with the previous scheme which members had previously resolved to grant planning consent for in 2020.
In reference to the supplementary report circulated in advance of the meeting, the Principal Planning Officer drew members’ attention to the correction of minor inaccuracies in the Affordable Housing tenure splits detailed with section 23 of the original report. Having considered and addressed the issues raised within the supplemental report the recommendation remained to approve the application subject to the Section 106 obligations, legal agreement and conditions listed within the committee report and referral of the application for Stage 2 review by the Mayor for London.
In response to questions from members, officers clarified that the scheme had been presented to Planning Committee for consideration as it related to a new application by a new developer and met the threshold due to its overall scale rather than level of any objections received.
Nigel Bidwell, the applicants representative, was then invited to address the Committee (in person) and highlighted the following points:
· The proposals would transform the site and the opportunity for this part of Wembley Park, by opening up what had been a closed, private industrial site with no public spaces and allowing the public access to the Wealdstone Brook and to be able to move through the site and spend time in one of the four new and safe public spaces.
· At the heart of the proposals was the re-provision of workspace and these had been designed to ensure they was flexible, futureproofed and desirable to a range of different occupiers.
· The carefully designed nature of the scheme. To the West of the site, the buildings had been pulled back to create the ‘Welcome Space’, which would provide address for the new scheme and create breathing space on Fulton Road. It would also enliven the area with retail spaces, a residential lobby and soft landscaping. South of the site would include new workspaces with a series of stepped terraces along Fifth Way with the “Goods Yard” to the east providing a hard space to manage the servicing requirements for the workspaces.
· The important aspect of the space to the north, which would involve Wealdstone Brook being opened up with extensive new landscaping, all overlooked, well-lit and with CCTV. The brook edge would also be designed to offer increased biodiversity and improve its status as a site of importance for nature conservation (SINC).
· The residential buildings above the workspace would be simply organised in a north/south orientation which would allow neighbours to the south a better aspect compared with the consented scheme.
· The residential accommodation across all tenures would be of high quality with no solely north-facing homes and with an emphasis on resident experience.
· The work undertaken to address and consider the overall architecture and massing of the buildings, which it was felt would provide a more flexible and futureproofed workspace along with high quality residential accommodation and an uplift in affordable homes.
Members raised queries including concerns around flood risk management; public safety relating to the overall layout and lighting of the site (with particular reference to the safety of women within the development); the consultation process with local residents with clarification also sought as to whether all residents regardless of tenure would have equal access to facilities and garden space.
In response to the above queries from members the developer’s representatives clarified the following points:
· The applicant had understood the nature of Wealdstone Brook and whilst the channel of the brook itself did not fall directly within the application site the proposals had been designed to dramatically improve and enhance the brook edge increasing the biodiversity of the site, creating additional green space and an improved landscaping of the area that would also support flood risk management. Confirmation was also provided that the developer had reviewed the flood capacity provision within the design of the brook, which had been taken into account as part of the landscaping of the Brook side area and addressed through the flood risk and Environmental Impact Assessment.
· The extensive nature of the consultation and engagement process undertaken with local residents which had involved the public being given opportunities to engage with developers in the consultation period via Zoom events, newsletters and the offer of 1:1 in person meetings.
· The developers have carefully considered public safety, including consultation with the Metropolitan Police, in order to review the layout of the development and explore how to make its overall design as safe as possible. The design provided enhanced lighting with the workspace, retail and residential units designed to provide enhanced sight lines and an element of overlooking, providing natural surveillance. Provision was also included for CCTV along the Brook.
· In response to concerns that social housing residents in Block E would have restricted access to facilities and garden space, clarification was provided regarding the entrance points on different levels that had been included as part of the overall design of the scheme and dedicated access already provided for residents in Block E to communal garden space and facilities. Confirmation was provided they would be willing to explore the possibility of including access to the podium garden space from the Brook side edge for residents in Block E in line with all other residents.
· The wider regenerative and overall benefits of the proposals compared to the previously consented scheme, which it was felt would provide a more significant and flexible futureproofed workspace along with an increase in the level of high quality residential accommodation and uplift in affordable homes. The enhanced overall designed of the scheme would also enable the site to be opened up with the provision of safe public spaces and it was confirmed would be tenure blind, with one approach to architecture throughout the development.
In the ensuing discussion, members raised a number of issues including the Affordable Housing and Housing mix, design and layout, neighbouring amenity, environmental impact including flooding, drainage and sustainability. Officers then clarified a number of key points including:
· Confirmation was provided that the scheme would provide a total of 218 affordable units of which 80 would be low cost homes provided at a London Affordable Rent with 62 units at Affordable Rent and 58 intermediate homes. Whilst below both Brent and London Plan threshold targets, officers advised it had been demonstrated through a financial viability appraisal that this exceeded the maximum amount of affordable housing which could be viably provided on site and was therefore policy compliant. Further clarification was provided in relation to the difference between the use of London Affordable and Affordable Rents, with the use of both being in line with existing and emerging policy requirements.
· In response to a councillor question around how this plan differed in carbon emissions against the previous consented scheme, officers confirmed that if the scheme was building to baseline building regulations it would emit 717 tonnes CO2 per annum. However with the air source heat pump, fabric efficiency of the insulation used and PV panels to be used in the development this would see a 49% reduction down to 352 tonnes of CO2 per annum. The measures outlined would achieve the required improvement on carbon savings within London Plan policy and would secure the necessary planning obligations in relation to the carbon offset fund.
· Addressing the issue of access for residents within Block E to a wider range of communal garden areas, officers advised they would seek to secure this through the inclusion of an additional requirement within the landscaping condition requiring the provision of access from the Brook side edge to the podium gardens for all residents.
· The breakdown by type of Shared Ownership units being provided within the scheme with suitable income caps for eligibility to be secured via the s106 agreement in order to meet the requirements of “London Shared Ownership” housing. In terms of the shared ownership tenure split, the scheme was policy compliant.
· The summary of daylight and sunlight results, with officers clarifying the different benchmarks used to assess impact. Whilst noting the comments raised by the GLA in relation to the single aspect percentage of the units and massing in relation to impact on internal daylight and sunlight, members noted that the quality of residential accommodation had been assessed as being of sufficient high quality and one that would achieve good outlook with a significant provision of dual aspect units and none with a sole north facing aspect, which had been welcomed and was in accordance with guidance in the Mayors Housing SPG. In terms of internal daylight and sunlight members were advised that the results for the scheme were comparable with those of the previous consented scheme, with it noted that the current scheme performed more strongly than the previous when measured on the basis of the more accurate daylighting (Average Daylight Factor). Additional clarification was provided in relation to the specific layout of units (B-0204; B-0304 to 1104) and design solution identified to achieve better light and outlook which would be secured via condition.
· Whilst noting that the proposed percentage of three bedroom family sized units was below the Policy and emerging Policy target of 25%, this was considered to be acceptable when assessed against the benefits associated with the increased provision of affordable homes and impact on scheme viability arising from the provision of a higher proportion of family sized homes.
· Officers assured the committee that the schemes drainage strategy and flood mitigation strategy had been carefully considered and that Thames and Affinity Water and the Environment agency had raised no concerns on the basis of the submitted drainage strategy and flood risk assessment, which would be secured by condition. It was noted that the site was located within the lowest category of Flood Zone (1) with the flood risk assessment modelled to accommodate latest projections in relation to potential flood events linked to climate change and the landscaping designed to enhance natural drainage provision with the addition of rain water attenuation tanks. Collectively it was considered these measures would improve rather than negatively impact any potential flood water being pushed further downstream.
· Whilst noting the shortfall in terms of amenity space against policy DMP19 the scheme had sought to maximise amenity space provision across the development with the provision of high quality external communal terraces, gardens and private balcony space along with the opening up and delivery of new publicly accessible amenity spaces at ground floor level and adjacent to Wealdstone Brook. On balance the proposed amenity space provision was therefore considered acceptable for a high density scheme.
With no further issues raised and having established that all members had followed the discussions, the Chair thanked all speakers for their contributions and asked members to vote on the recommendations.
DECISION: Granted planning permission subject to the conditions (as amended below) and informatives set out in the report and supplementary agenda along with:
(1) any direction by the London Mayor pursuant to the Mayor of London Order;
(2) any direction by the Secretary of State pursuant to the Consultation Direction;
(3) the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed within the report
Condition 33 –landscaping strategy to include an additional requirement securing the provision of access from the Brook side edge to the podium gardens for all residents.
(Voting on the recommendation was as follows: For 6 & Against 1)
Supporting documents:
- 04. 21/2989 - Euro House, Fulton Road, Wembley, HA9 0TF, item 4. PDF 634 KB
- 04 Supp. Supplementary Update - 21/2989 Euro House, Fulton Road, Wembley, HA9 0TF, item 4. PDF 101 KB