Issue - meetings

Granted planning permission subject to conditions as amended in condition 6 and informatives.

The Area Planning Manager, Rachael McConnell referred to additional objections received from the Queensbury Area Residents’ Association (QARA) Group of Associations which raised objections to dogs being allowed in the park and from residents on parking facilities. She stated that as the provision of facilities/access for dogs was a park-management issue, the concerns expressed by QARA had been passed on to the Parks Service. She added that supporting statement submitted with the application advised that a 1.2m high fence would be erected to prevent dogs accessing those areas where there was likely to be a higher concentration of people, including the formal gardens, play areas and water fountain areas. This was considered to provide an acceptable balance to meet the needs of the variety of users of the park.  In reiterating the recommendation for approval the Area Planning manager drew members’ attention to an amendment to condition 6 as set out in the tabled supplementary.

Mr Jatin Grover a local resident raised objections on grounds of parking adding that the area was already suffering from commuter parking to the detriment of the residents a situation that would not be helped by the grant of this planning permission.  He requested members to provide about 30-40 parking spaces to meet the needs of local residents.

Mr Robert Dunwell on behalf of the QARA Group of Associations (Brent & Chalkhill Branch) stated that whilst his members did not object in principle to the proposal, they raised objection to dogs being allowed in the park. He therefore requested that a small designated exercise area be provided for dogs with the remainder of the park being made available for people only.

In response to some of the issues raised, the Area Planning Manager stated that under the Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) policies the area was designated as an open space adding that and that the application was unlikely to give rise to parking problems as on-street parking was available in the area.