Issue - meetings

Granted planning permission subject to:

·       The conditions and informatives as set out in the main Committee report, as updated within the supplementary report.

·       Stage 2 referral to the Mayor of London along with the prior completion of a satisfactory s106 legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed within the report.

PROPOSAL

Demolition of existing buildings and structures and erection of up to seven buildings ranging in height from 5 to 15 storeys to provide purpose built student accommodation (Sui Generis use), light industrial (Use Class E(g)(iii) and cafe (Use Class E(a)) floorspace, car and cycle parking, amenity space (internal & external), new public realm, landscaping, alterations to vehicular access, highway works and other associated works. (REVISED plans and supporting technical information received).

RECOMMENDATION

That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to:

(1)  The conditions and informatives as set out in the main Committee report; and

(2)  Stage 2 referral to the Mayor of London along with the prior completion of a satisfactory s106 legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed within the report.

Gary Murphy (Principal Planning Officer) introduced the planning application committee report, detailing the proposal to demolish all existing buildings and develop two parcels of land situated both to the north and south of Fifth Way, Wembley, as purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) buildings, together with light industrial floorspace and a café.

The proposed PBSA was to be accommodated in seven buildings ranging in height from 5 to 15 storeys (Sui Generis use), 1,232sqm of light industrial floorspace (Use Class E(g) (iii) and a 100sqm café (Use Class E). In association with this, it was proposed to provide ancillary communal facilities for students, internal and external amenity space, hard and soft landscaping, new public realm, alterations to existing vehicular access, highways works and other associated works.

A total of 759 student bedrooms was proposed, comprising of 192 x cluster units and 567 x studio units. A minimum of 50% of these bedrooms (379 bedrooms) would be provided as affordable student accommodation. Provision of 609 cycle parking spaces was also proposed, along with on-site servicing facilities and disabled parking spaces.

Attention was drawn to the supplementary report, detailing further representations received after the publication of the committee report, corrections and clarifications to the published report, and the conditions and informatives outlined in the main committee report as updated within the supplementary report.

The Chair thanked Gary Murphy for introducing the report. As there were no Committee questions raised at this point, the Chair then invited Roya Latif (who had registered to speak as an objector) to address the Committee in relation to the application, who highlighted the following points:

• The Edge site comprised an elongated parcel of land which was approximately 0.6 ha in size and historically formed part of the railway line. The southern part of the site adjacent to Latif House measured approximately 1300 sqm and 20m in width.

• The proposals comprised the erection of buildings up to 15 storeys, providing 735 student bedrooms alongside 1,377 sq. m of light industrial space and a small café (class E). The southern part of the site comprised three buildings accommodating a café, student housing, and student amenity space, each measuring approximately 48m in height.

• The buildings were located to the east of the site, immediately adjoining the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4