Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dixon

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dixon

Al so Present: Councillor Colacicco (online as local ward councillor) for Agenda items 4 & 5.

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

No declarations of interest were made at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 26 January 2022 as a correct record.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the previous Planning Committee held on Wednesday 26 January 2022 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 26^th January 2022 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

Ahead of hearing the applications Gerry Ansell, Head of Planning and Development Services informed the committee that this would be the first Planning Committee where applications were being considered under the revised Local Plan that had been approved at the Full Council meeting on 24 February 2022. The adoption of Brent’s updated Local Plan had required a number of previous policies contained within the previous version to be revoked and replaced by updated policies to support the new Local Plan, which had included the Brent Core Strategy 2010, Site Allocations 2011, Wembley Area Action Plan 2015 and the Development Management Policies 2016, with the updated policies now supporting consideration of each planning application.

Granted planning permission subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report and supplementary agenda.

PROPOSAL

The proposal seeks to demolish the car park and 1-2 & 5-18 Windmill Court maisonettes in order to redevelop the site to provide 60 flats in two separate buildings rising to 7 storeys, to include car parking, cycle parking, access routes, refuse and recycling storage, amenity space, landscaping, boundary treatments, a substation and other associated works.

In addition the ground and first floors of the existing Windmill Court block are to be internally reconfigured and private terraces are to be provided to 2 x ground floor (3 & 4 Windmill Court) flats alongside associated external works including new brickwork and cladding, windows and doors.

The existing on site community room will also be refurbished and extended with associated external works including the provision of a new entrance and windows.

RECOMMENDATION~:

(1)    That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission and that the Head of Planning is delegated authority to issue the planning permission and impose the conditions and informatives as set out within the report.

(2)    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.

Damian Manhertz, Planning Team Leader, South Team, introduced the report and set out the key issues. In introducing the report members were advised that the 1 hectare site was located to the south of Mapesbury Road and to the west of Shoot Up Hill on the boundary of the Mapesbury Conservation area. The application sought to demolish the car park, 1-2 & 5-18 Windmill Court maisonettes and redevelop the site to provide 60 flats in two separate buildings rising to 7 storeys. The redevelopment would also see the existing 17 storey Windmill Court block undergo significant improvements including the internal reconfiguration of the ground and first floor flats with private terraces provided to existing flats 3 & 4 Windmill Court. In addition to this new brickwork, cladding, windows and doors would be provided and the existing on site community space would be increased from 156 square metres to 194 square metres. The Committee were shown aerial views and CGI of the layout of the proposed development to illustrate how the proposed development would compare against the existing site. The Committee were advised that the accompanying addendum and supplementary agenda to the report included a correction to the public consultation section that ensured all the information was provided, further clarification on amenity space and the inclusion of suggested conditions from Thames Water. A further condition had also been added to ensure affordable housing would be delivered correctly and a correction had been made to reflect the number of new flats  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Granted planning permission subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report and supplementary agenda.

PROPOSAL

The proposal seeks the demolition of 1-11 Watling Gardens, 1-30 Claire Court and the associated podium car parking and substation and redevelopment to provide 125 flats: 80 for general needs (Use Class: C3) and 45 for extra care (Use Class:C3 (b)) in three separate buildings ranging from 3 to 14 storeys alongside access improvements, car parking, cycle parking, refuse and recycling storage, amenity space, landscaping and other associated works

RECOMMENDATION~:

(1)    That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission and that the Head of Planning is delegated authority to issue the planning permission and impose the conditions and informatives as set out within the report.

(2)    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.

Damian Manhertz, Planning Team Leader, South Team, introduced the report and set out the key issues. In introducing the report members were advised that the 1.4 hectare site of Clair Court sat to the South of Windmill Court and was bounded by Shoot Up Hill to the East, Wiltern Court to the north and Exeter Road (which formed part of the Mapesbury Conservation Area to the west and Cedar Lodge and Jubilee Heights to the South. The current site had 164 residential units across a number of buildings that varied from 2 – 12 storeys. The proposed application sought the demolition of 1-11 Watling Gardens and 1-30 Claire Court in order to regenerate the site to provide 125 new units of accommodation within 3 blocks, 80 for general needs tenants and 45 for extra care tenants.

The development would include 33% family sized homes, 59 parking spaces, and the provision of 8 blue badge spaces. Attention was drawn to the supplementary reports that included additional comments received which included comments on the removal of trees, this had been addressed and the tree assessment was considered acceptable to officers. The provision of community space had been corrected to 135 square metres, the bat survey had been updated and an additional condition related to the delivery of affordable housing had been included.

As there were no registered public speakers on the application, the Chair invited Councillor Colacicco in her capacity as the local ward councillor to speak (online) to share local resident’s views as follows:

·            Most local residents were supportive of the proposals, however there had been a small number of objections received from residents who were concerned that due to the close proximity of the NAIL block (New Accommodation for Independent Living) to the rear gardens on Exeter Road, there would be a reduction  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Granted planning permission subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report.

PROPOSAL

The proposal seeks the demolition of the garage and the erection of a single storey dwelling comprising of a one bedroom house to the land to the rear of 1 Hillway, including the provision of car parking, cycle parking and the insertion of a front wall to enclose the dwelling.

recommendation

(1)    That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission and that the Head of Planning is delegated authority to issue the planning permission and impose the conditions and informatives as set out within the report.

(2)    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.

Victoria McDonagh, Planning Team Leader, North Team, introduced the report, set out key issues and answered member questions. In introducing the report members were advised that the application related to the demolition of the existing garage situated in the garden of the semi-detached bungalow, 1 Hillway to be replaced with the construction of a 1 bedroom single storey dwelling with one car park space and cycle parking. 

As there were no registered speakers for the application the Chair moved straight on to deal with member questions, in response to which officers clarified the following points:

·            In response to a query regarding the loss of green space, the Committee was advised that the design had been assessed as representing a good standard and one that would not result in harmful impact on the character and appearance of the local area or on the residential amenities of neighbouring occupiers in terms of noise, disturbance, daylight, sunlight or overlooking.  The proposal would also provide an increase in green space which would include enhancements to the soft landscaping and a doubling of the Urban Greening Factor.  As such the proposals were felt to have overcome the earlier reasons for refusal of the application on the same site.

·            Officers confirmed that permitted development rights had been removed for this proposed development to ensure that there could be no subsequent additions to the floors of the dwelling.

As there were no further issues raised and having established that all members had followed the discussions the Chair asked members to vote on the recommendations.

DECISION: Granted planning permission subject to the conditions and informatives as set out within the report.

(Voting on the recommendation was as follows: For 6 & Against 0.)

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

None.

The meeting closed at 8:00pm.

COUNCILLOR KELCHER

Chair