Agenda item

Planning permission granted for a 1 year temporary permission and restricted to use by the Neasden Gateway Club only.

PROPOSAL:

Variation of condition 4 (opening hours) to allow opening of the premises between 8:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday and 8:00 to 22:00 Saturday and Sunday of full planning permission reference 10/0438 dated 19/04/2010 for development of land comprising the former scout hut and adjacent car park at the John Billam Playing Fields off Woodcock Hill with a two storey adult learning and support centre (to relocate the Albert Road Day Centre and ASPECT facility) with adjustments to the boundary with the John Billam playing fields.

RECOMMENDATION: Grant planning permission subject to conditions.

Rachel McConnell, Area Planning Manager, informed members that Gujarati Arya Association London (GAAL) had expressed concerns that the existing use was not following the agreed arrangements set out in the management plan for the car park.  They stated that minibuses for the John Billam Resource Centre had been using the incorrect route and had not followed the agreed protocol for parking during sporting events. In reference to the tabled supplementary report, she set out the measures that GAAL had requested to be put in place if planning permission were to be granted. Members heard from the Area Planning Manager that an existing management plan was in place for the shared use of the car park between GAAL and Brent Council. The management plan set out the times that authorised park users can use the car park and also required Brent Parks Service to provide a list of scheduled events for the year in liaison with GAAL. It also included a provision for annual monitoring of use of the site and a stipulation that GAAL events would take precedence.

Rachel McConnell continued that as the site had been operating for only eight months, the annual monitoring had not taken place to date but that officers would remind both Brent Park Service and GAAL of the agreed protocol as set out in the management plan.  In addition, officers had also instructed Brent Transport Service to adhere to the agreed entrance and exit route from the site in response to the concerns raised by GAAL about minibuses for the John Billam Resource Centre driving through the car park rather than along the access road.  In reiterating the recommendation for approval, the Area Planning Manager drew Members’ attention to amendments as set out in the supplementary report

Mr B Chauhan, objecting on behalf of GAAL, stated that by not adhering to the car park sharing agreement, the Resource Centre were causing traffic congestion in breach of the Transport Management Plan and to the detriment of GAAL.  In response to Members’ questions, Mr Chauhan stated that the car parking problems were significant on GAAL event days when their visitors required the full use of the car park.

In responding to Members’ questions, Rachel McConnell confirmed that as there was no additional space, John Billam Resource Centre had no plans to extend parking capacity.  She added that adherence to the Transport Management Strategy would be controlled via conditions.  Stephen Weeks, Head of Area Planning clarified that in view of the distance between the site and the nearest residential properties, there would be no resulting detrimental impact on residential amenities.  In addition to reviewing the Transport Management Strategy he recommended additional measures including staggering minibus arrival times as set out in the report.  Councillor Cummins proposed an amendment for a one year temporary permission with the use restricted to the Neasden Gateway Club which was put to the vote and agreed.

DECISION: Temporary planning permission granted for one year and restricted to use by the Neasden Gateway Club only.