Agenda item
20/2033 Euro House, Fulton Road, Wembley, HA9 0TF
Decision:
Granted planning permission subject to the legal agreement, conditions and informatives as set out in the main report, with revisions to condition 30 as set out in the supplementary report.
Minutes:
PROPOSAL:
Demolition and redevelopment to provide new buildings ranging between 11 and 21 storeys with basement levels; all for a mix of uses comprising 493 residential units, retail (Use Class A1) and industrial floorspace (Use Class B1(c); provision of private and communal space, car parking, cycle parking, ancillary space, mechanical plant, landscaping and other associated works.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to:
Any direction by the London Mayor pursuant to the Mayor of London Order
Any direction by the Secretary of State pursuant to the Consultation Direction
The prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations set out within the Committee reports.
That the Head of Planning be granted delegated authority to negotiate the legal agreement indicated above.
That the Head of Planning be granted delegated authority to issue the planning permission and impose conditions and informatives to secure the matters set out within the Committee reports’
That the Head of Planning be granted 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.
That the Committee confirms that adequate provision has been made, by the imposition of conditions and obligations, for the preservation or planting of trees as required by Section 197 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Mr Neil Quinn (Principal Planning Officer) introduced the report, set out the key issues and answered Members’ questions. He referenced the supplementary report that amended the levels of external amenity space provided for Block B and an amendment to condition 30 on details of archaeological works.
Mr Richard Ward (agent) addressed the Committee and answered Members’ questions. He welcomed the recommendation for approval of the application as it complied with the planning policy for the development of the site including the height of buildings, its location within the Wembley Park core tall building zone and the capacity for 500 homes. He drew attention to the comprehensive consultation process that resulted in; reducing the height of buildings A and B, increasing the proportion of London Affordable Rent homes beyond what was required by planning policy and increasing the amount of external amenity space at ground level. Mr Ward then went on to outline the benefits of the scheme including as set out in the officers’ report. These included the following; 493 new homes, including 98 affordable homes, almost 3,000 square metres of new flexible industrial space, much-improved setting and proposed enhancements to Wealdstone Brook, a car free development with 930 cycle spaces and a £550,000 contribution towards bus service enhancements to support the Council’s aspirations to provide sustainable transport solutions in the area.
In response to Members’ questions, Mr Ward submitted the following:
· The scheme would be tenure blind with shard allotment space that would be pursued via the landscape condition.
· The impact to the nearby student accommodation and the relationship with the buildings within the Wembley opportunity area were considered acceptable.
· The amount of affordable housing was the maximum that could be provided after the robust independent financial viability assessment.
· The scheme would provide 3 dedicated service bays with access controlled by bollards and on-site management services as part of the management plan within the S106 legal agreement.
In the ensuing discussions, members sought the justification for and further clarification on the following main issues; affordable housing, height, density, lighting, overlooking to neighbouring properties’ potential anti-social behaviour and traffic impact. Members noted the following submissions by officers:
· The affordable housing provision was the maximum achievable within the Local Plan and followed a robust financial viability assessment for a scheme that favoured London Affordable Rent and family size units in addition to the provision for employment and industrial workspace.
· In view of its challenging site, the scheme struck a right balance mix in terms of density and height as it offered the following; a separation distance in excess of the 18m requirement to minimise overlooking, 54% dual aspect windows, high quantum of communal amenity space and a 5m of private amenity space per dwelling unit.
· Secure by design measures coupled with active frontages and a condition on external lighting strategy would provide natural surveillance and thus address potential anti-social behaviour from the development.
· Officers in Transportation were supportive of the current one-way traffic system in Fulton Road, however, there was a long term aspiration to convert this to a 2-way traffic system that would enhance a safer cycle route in the area.
With no further issues raised and having established that all members had followed the discussions, the Chair thanked all speakers for their contributions and asked members to vote on the recommendation. Members voted by a majority decision to approve the application.
DECISION:
Granted planning permission subject to the legal agreement, conditions and informatives as set out in the main report, with revisions to condition 30 as set out in the supplementary report.
(Voting on the decision was as follows: For 5; Abstention 1; Against 2)
Supporting documents: