Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Manjit Khatra, with Cllr John Morse substituting.

Cllr John Morse declared a pecuniary interest in Item 8. He left the room and did not participate in the item.

None.

All items were considered in Public, with the exception of items 15 to 17 which were considered in Private.

Single storey side/rear extension to doctors surgery to provide additional consulting room, maintenance shed, office/record room, reception extension and entrance porch enlargement to dormer to provide enlarged managers office involving demolition of existing rear and side elements.

Recommendation: Approval

Single storey side/rear extension to doctors surgery to provide additional consulting room, maintenance shed, office/record room, reception extension and entrance porch enlargement to dormer to provide enlarged managers office involving demolition of existing rear and side elements.

Officers introduced the report and provided an overview of the application.

In accordance with the Council's constitution, a representative of the petitioners supporting the proposal addressed the meeting.

The petitioner supporting the proposal made the following points:

·         The surgery was faced with a number of operational changes / NHS and Governmental requirements.

·         The surgery was initially designed to cater for 3,800 patients, but over time, this had increased to 6,000.

·         The main reason for the increased number of patients was an ageing population.

·         In terms of layout, the current waiting room was too small to cater for the number of patients. Additional space was required for wheelchair users as well as less mobile members of the public.

·         At present, the reception desk did not comply with CQC guidelines.

·         There was no space for staff to have their lunch or an appropriate area for storage.

·         There was need for additional consulting space for the growing over 75's population.

·         The surgery front door/entrance needed to be increased in size and width and include a ramped access for wheelchair users.

A representative of the applicant / agent addressed the meeting and made the following points:

·         The proposal complied with all the Council's policies.

·         The surgery needed to expand (for the reasons cited by the petitioner).

·         The Ward had seen significant population growth and there was a requirement for the Practice to meet this need.

·         An ageing population meant there was growing need.

·         The waiting room needed to be increased in size for a number of reasons.

·         The Transport Statement illustrated that there would be no impact on the Public Highway should it be approved.

·         The proposal was a low key design which would enhance the local service to residents.

Officers acknowledged that while the application did represent a significant increase to the size of the practice, a balance had been made between the overall benefit of securing improvements for the community. In response to a Committee question, Officers confirmed that there were no overlooking or privacy issues associated with the proposal. The Committee agreed that the proposal would benefit the wider community and as such was recommended for approval. It was moved, seconded and on being put to the vote agreed that the application be approved.

Resolved -

That the application be approved.

Part first floor rear extension and two rear dormer windows to upper floor flat

Recommendation: Refusal

Part first floor rear extension and two rear dormer windows to upper floor flat

Officers introduced the report and provided an overview of the application.

Officers made reference to the extensive planning history associated with the site and the Committee noted that the overall design had been deemed to be detrimental to the character and appearance of the original property. The report also suggested that the design was also detrimental to the visual amenity of the street scene and the wider area, due to the overall size, scale, design, position and bulk of the proposed extension and dormer.

The scheme was also considered to be detrimental to residential amenity of occupiers due to a restricted level of natural light and lack of outlook to a habitable room. Officers highlighted that the revise proposal was smaller in scale than previous applications but was still considered unacceptable in planning terms.

Having discussed the scheme, it was moved and on being put to the vote agreed that the application be refused as per the Officer recommendation.

Resolved -

That the application be refused.

Replacement roof involving increasing ridge height and first floor rear extension

Recommendation: Approval

Replacement roof involving increasing ridge height and first floor rear extension

Officers introduced the report and highlighted the main planning issues.

Officers explained that the overall height increase of the proposal would be acceptable and the proposed roof form would be in keeping with the character and appearance of a number of existing roof forms in the street scene.

Officers confirmed the proposed first floor rear extension would be acceptable in terms of its bulk and scale and with regards to design, the extension would match the existing building in terms of materials and the proposed replacement pitched roof would ensure that the first floor extension did not appear as a discordant addition to the property.

In overall terms, Officers explained that the proposed scheme would be acceptable with regards to residential amenity and would not result in a loss of privacy to the application property and its neighbouring properties,

Having discussed the application, it was moved, seconded and on being put to the vote agreed that the application be approved.

Resolved -

That the application be approved.

APPROVED, as per recommendation, subject to:

- Removal of Informative 3 and its replacement with the following additional condition: 

Notwithstanding any details shown to the contrary on the approved plans, the planning permission hereby granted does not extend to the to the 'additional shop storage' shown on drawing numbers 14/95/WERH/201 and 15/95/WERH/405. Prior to the commencement of any works on site revised plans detailing the removal of this 'additional shop storage' area shall be submitted to and approves in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter the development shall be constructed in full accordance with the details as approved.

REASON

In accordance with the Policies of the Hillingdon Local Plan: Part Two Saved UDP Policies (November 2012)

Installation of 10 freestanding smoking shelters

Recommendation: Approval

Installation of 10 freestanding smoking shelters

Officers introduced the report.

It was moved, seconded and on being put to the vote agreed that the application be approved.

Resolved -

That the application be approved.

Single storey, 4-bed, detached dwelling with habitable roofspace including associated parking and amenity space involving demolition of existing detached bungalow (Part Retrospective)

Recommendation: Refusal

Single storey, 4-bed, detached dwelling with habitable roofspace including associated parking and amenity space involving demolition of existing detached bungalow (Part Retrospective).

Officers introduced the report and provided an overview of the application.

Providing a description of the planning history, Officers explained how the previous dwelling was demolished in its entirety and how the current dwelling represented an increase in scale and bulk compared to the previous dwelling.

The Committee heard that the new dwelling included a habitable roof space where previously only a single storey ground floor was habitable, and the choice of material used in the reconstruction had changed considerably the appearance of the building. Furthermore, the current scheme had also repositioned the new dwelling further into the site compared to the location of the original dwelling.

Officers explained the current dwelling was at an advance stage in its construction and only the internal fit-out and external works were required for completion. Taken together, Officers explained that the new dwelling was an inappropriate form of development within the Green Belt  and did not demonstrate "very special circumstances" nor can it be seen as an exception, as described in Paragraph 89.

The Committee agreed that the application represented an inappropriate form of development in the Green Belt. On being put to the vote, it was moved, seconded and agreed that the application be refused.

Resolved -

That the application be refused.

Conversion of 2 existing barns into 4 family dwellings with associated parking and amenity space (Listed Building Consent)

Recommendation: Approval

Conversion of 2 existing barns into 4 family dwellings with associated parking and amenity space.

Officers introduced the report and provided an overview of the application.

Discussing the main elements of the scheme, the Committee were informed that it would not have a detrimental impact on the character, appearance or setting of the Grade II Listed Lanz Farmhouse or on the visual amenity of the surrounding Green Belt.

The Committee welcomed that the proposal would not result in a loss of privacy or residential amenity of occupiers of the site or neighbouring properties.

It was moved, seconded and on being put to the vote agreed that the application be approved.

Resolved -

That the application be approved as per the Officer report.

Conversion of 2 existing barns into 4 family dwellings with associated parking and amenity space (Listed Building Consent)

Recommendation: Approval

Conversion of 2 existing barns into 4 family dwellings with associated parking and amenity space (Listed Building Consent)

Officers introduced the report and provided an overview of the application.

It was moved, seconded and on being put to the vote agreed that the application be approved.

Resolved -

That the application be approved as per the Officer report.

Alterations to existing outbuilding to rear for use as a gym/play area

Recommendation: Refusal

Alterations to existing outbuilding to rear for use as a gym/play area

Officers introduced the report and provided an overview of the application.

Officers explained that the application sought planning permission for alterations to the existing outbuilding to rear for use as a gym/play area.

This application sought permission to amend the depth of the outbuilding (reduced by 0.5m) and to alter the internal arrangement of accommodation to remove the partitions, create an open plan gym/games room and provide a shower room.

Having reviewed the application, the Committee agreed that the proposal would represent an over dominant and visually obtrusive form of development

It was moved, seconded and on being put to the vote agreed that the application be refused.

Resolved -

That the application be refused.

Change of use from drinking establishment (Use Class A4) to hotel (Use Class C1) with associated external works (Retrospective)

Recommendation: Approval

Change of use from drinking establishment (Use Class A4) to hotel (Use Class C1) with associated external works (Retrospective)

Officers introduced the report and provided an overview of the application.

The Committee noted there were several modest outbuildings within the site that had previously been used as staff accommodation and storage. These had now been refurbished and were being used for guest accommodation.

A further new building had been constructed on the footprint of an old storage building and was also used for guest accommodation. The Committee noted that the application was retrospective as the works had been carried out.

Officers explained that as proposed, the scheme would not result in a detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the local area. It would preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area and not detrimentally impact on the visual amenity of the Green Belt.

The Committee expressed concern about the likelihood of the rooms being used as a long term B&B and asked Officers for conditions to be imposed to prevent this possibility from occurring. In response to concerns about cooking facilities within the accommodation, Officers explained that these had been removed and the Committee could only determine the application before it. For further assurance, the Committee asked Officers to condition the use of a log book within the accommodation which could be inspected by the Local Authority to demonstrate that the accommodation was being used in accordance with the Planning permission which had been sought.

APPROVED, as per amended recommendation, subject to: 

Officers in presenting the application made a verbal amendment to the recommendation to alter condition 2. The amended wording to be used is:

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of Part 3, Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (or any order revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification), the guest accommodation hereby approved shall be used only for purposes as ancillary accommodation in conjunction with the main use of the property as a drinking establishment/restaurant and hotel (Use Classes A3/A4/C1) use and for no other purpose of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended).

REASON

In accordance with the Policies of the Hillingdon Local Plan: Part Two Saved UDP Policies (November 2012)

An additional condition is also required to ensure that the operators of the facility provide on an annual basis, to the LPA, records of the occupancy of the hotel rooms hereby permitted. This information shall include details of the guests and their length of stay. The final wording for this condition to be agreed in consultation with the Chairman and Labour Lead.

1. That the enforcement action as recommended in the officer’s report was agreed.

2. That the Committee resolved to release their decision and the reasons for it outlined in this report into the public domain, solely for the purposes of issuing the formal breach of condition notice to the individual concerned.

This item is included in Part II as it contains information which a) is likely to reveal the identity of an individual and b) contains information which reveals that the authority proposes to give, under an enactment, a notice under or by virtue of which requirements are imposed on a person. The authority believes that the public interest in withholding the Information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraphs 2 and 6(a) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended).