Issue - meetings

Granted planning permission subject to the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed in the Committee report; and the conditions and informatives as set out in the Committee report; and supplementary report.

PROPOSAL

Demolition of the existing building and the erection of building of up to five storeys to provide residential dwellings (Use Class C3); car and cycle parking; landscaping, amenity space and play area; and refuse storage and other associated works.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to:

(1)      The completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed within the Committee report and the Head of Planning is delegated authority to negotiate the legal agreement.

(2)      That the Head of Planning is delegated authority to issue the planning permission and impose conditions and informatives as detailed in 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, 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.

(4)      That, if by the “expiry date” of this application (subject to any amendments/extensions to the expiry date agreed by both parties) the legal agreement has not been completed, the Head of Planning is delegated authority to refuse planning permission.

The Committee were reminded that the application to be considered had been deferred at the 9 August 2023 Planning Committee due to the Committee’s concerns in relation to affordable housing, scale of development, site optimisation and potential and potential planning benefits. David Glover, Development Management Manager advised that the application remained unchanged since it was last presented to the Committee, however the report now included additional comments from officers in response to the issues the Committee had cited as reasons for potential refusal and subsequent deferral. The Committee was reminded that following its previous deferral, Member’s would need to consider the application based on the report and representations they were presented with at the meeting in order to support any decision to refuse or approve the application.

James Mascall, Planning Officer, North Area Planning Team, introduced the report and set out the key issues. In introducing the report members were advised that the application sought the development of a 3 to 5 storey building to provide a total of 42 new homes with the following mix; 15 x 1 bedrooms, 16 x 2 bedrooms and 11 x 3 bedrooms, 5 homes would also be wheelchair accessible. The proposal included 24 car parking spaces with vehicular access into the site to remain from the service road alongside Sudbury Court Drive and Watford Road. A communal amenity area to include a children’s play area would be situated towards the south western part of the site.

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the supplementary agenda that provided information in relation to an additional point of objection  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5