Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Begum and Councillor Mahmood. Councillor Kabir was present as an alternate for Councillor Begum and Councillor Ahmed was present as an alternate for Councillor Mahmood.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Begum, with Councillor Kabir present as an alternate and Councillor Mahmood, with Councillor Ahmed present as an alternate.

Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, the nature and existence of any relevant disclosable pecuniary, personal or prejudicial interests in the items on this agenda and to specify the item(s) to which they relate.

Committee members advised that they had received approaches from local residents  and applicants in relation to each of the items to be considered on the agenda, but confirmed they had not engaged in discussion on any applications. 

Committee members advised that they had received approaches from local residents  and applicants in relation to each of the items to be considered on the agenda. Members confirmed that they had not engaged in discussion on any of the respective applications.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 12 July 2023 as a correct record

RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 12 July 2023 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 12 July 2023 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

On the basis that a majority of Members on the Committee had indicated they were minded to refuse the application, it was agreed to defer a final decision to a future Committee meeting in order to  enable a further report to be provided addressing the indicative reasons outlined as the basis for refusal, relating to affordable housing and viability, the height and design of the scheme  in relation the surrounding area and whether the development of the site had been optimised  in order to maximise the potential planning benefits.

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.

James Mascall, Senior 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 three additional representations received since the Committee report had been published. The representations raised concerns in relation to the loss of the existing building, impact on neighbouring properties due to the development being overbearing and disturbance during construction works, impact on the nearby Sudbury Court Conservation Area, flooding, lack of on-site parking and impact on street trees, all of which it was reported had been addressed within the committee report. The Committee was advised that none of these were representations were from a new objector or a new address and as such the number of objections remained the same.

The Chair thanked James Mascall for introducing the report, as there were no Committee questions raised at this point, the Chair invited the first speaker Wilhelmina Mitchell Murray (objector) to address the Committee (in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Granted planning permission subject to the referral of the application to the Mayor of London (stage 2 referral) and 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 existing buildings and construction of two new buildings to provide commercial floorspace (Use Class: E) and student accommodation bedspaces (Use Class: Sui Generis), associated access and highways works, amenity space, cycle parking spaces, disabled car parking spaces and refuse/recycling stores.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to:

(1)      The referral of the application to the Mayor of London (stage 2 referral) and the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed in the Committee report and that 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.

(5)      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

Nicola Blake, Principal 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 to construct two new blocks of purpose-built student accommodation. The Southern site would contain a building with a maximum of 27 storeys in heights, dropping to 18 and 6 storeys in parts and a basement to deliver 419 students accommodation units. The northern site would contain a building that extended to 21 storeys in height, providing 200 student accommodation units. The site was located within the Wembley Growth Area within Brent’s Local Plan.

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the supplementary agenda that provided information in relation to the applicant’s submission of a revised drawing pack detailing amendments to the cycle parking, additional objections received, minor alterations to the Committee report and the correction of an error made in relation to the financial contribution to Transport for London (TfL).

The Chair thanked Nicola Blake for introducing the report, as there were no Committee questions raised at this point, the Chair invited the first speaker Alvaro Santos Alonso (objector) to address the Committee (online) in relation to the application. Mr Santos introduced himself to the Committee as a local resident who would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

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

PROPOSAL

Demolition of existing building and erection of a 23 storey building to provide 139 units (Use Class C3) and 801sqm of creative light industrial floor space (Use Class E(g)(iii)) together with associated wheelchair accessible vehicle parking, cycle parking, landscaping, play areas, public realm improvements and associated works (Departure from Policy E4 of the London Plan and BE2 of Brent’s Local Plan).

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to:

(1)      The prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations as detailed in the Committee report and that 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.

Sean Newton, Principal 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 demolition of the existing building to construct a 23 storey building to provide 139 self-contained residential units and 801 square metres of creative light industrial floorspace, together with wheelchairs accessible parking, cycle parking landscaping, play areas and public realm improvements. The development would be car free with the exception of the blue badge /wheelchair accessible parking. The site fell within the Alperton growth Area and the Alperton Tall Building Zone. The site was not located within a Conservation Area.

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the supplementary agenda that provided some minor alterations to the Committee report in relation to the age group the onsite play space catered for and the floor to ceiling height of the commercial units.

It was also clarified that there had been an error made in the Committee report in relation the applicant’s financial contribution to a CPZ, the Committee was advised that the correct figure was £35k.

The Chair thanked Sean Newton for introducing the report, as there were no Committee questions raised at this point, the Chair invited the first speaker, Councillor Georgiou (as local ward councillor) to address the Committee (in person) in objection to the application. The following key points were highlighted:

·                Residents were concerned with what they felt was overdevelopment of the Alperton area.

·                Residents had reported that they had seen limited public benefits from the new schemes and had been negatively impacted by the increasing number of high density developments which they felt caused issues with increased traffic congestion,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Head of Executive and Member Services or his representative before the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 60.

None.

None.