Agenda, decisions and minutes

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RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2017 be approved as a correct record.

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It was confirmed that all items were Part I and would be heard in public.

Demolition of 3 detached dwellings and redevelopment to provide 24 residential flats (13 x 1 bedroom units; 8 x 2 bedroom units; and 3 x 3 bedroom units), amenity space and associated car parking (Re-consultation following receipt of revised plans including highway works)

Recommendation: Approval + Sec 106

RESOLVED:  That the application be approved, subject to conditions and the completion of a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as per the officer's report.

Demolition of 3 detached dwellings and redevelopment to provide 24

residential flats (13 x 1 bedroom units; 8 x 2 bedroom units; and 3 x 3

bedroom units), amenity space and associated car parking (Re-consultation following receipt of revised plans including highway works)

Officers introduced the report and highlighted the addendum. Members were reminded that the application had been deferred at the Major Applications Planning Committee held 4 October 2016, to allow the applicant the opportunity to submit a revised junction design for the entrance to the site, and a highways safety audit of the revised scheme.

In the interests of expediency, the Council's Highway Engineers had reviewed the existing design, traffic and speed data provided by the applicant and had produced alternative designs for the new access to the site, which had subsequently been adopted by the applicant's own highway consultant. A revised internal layout had been produced, that allowed for new pedestrian crossing facilities, revised siting for disabled parking spaces, and better access and egress for refuse lorries.

A stage 1 road safety audit had been completed for the revised scheme, which the application had passed. Officers confirmed that they believed that the actions taken had addressed the queries raised previously, and the application was therefore recommended for approval, subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement, as set out in the report.

Members sought clarity regarding the proposed changes to the application. Officers confirmed that the area in front of the parking spaces had been widened to allow additional turning space and access for refuse vehicles. Right turns out of the site would be banned, communicated to road users via road markings and signs. It was confirmed that this was not unusual, with many developments having similar turning prohibitions.

Approaches on either side of the site access would have anti-skid surfaces, whilst pedestrian access to the east of the junction would have tactile pavings and a central island.  On the west of the junction, there would be a smaller island with a keep-left sign. Visibility requirements had been met, with 70m of visibility to the west and 90m to the east. As confirmed previously, the stage 1 safety audit had been carried out on the initial plans and had passed, with a stage 2 audit to be carried out on the detailed designs, once submitted. Stage 3 would be carried out immediately after construction, and stage 4 carried out one year after construction.

Members expressed concerns over the safety of pedestrians using the crossing on what was a busy road, where vehicles often drove at speed. It was confirmed that the previous position of the pedestrian crossing was on the west of the site access.  Following Member feedback, the crossing had been relocated to the east, and the new siting had been through the safety audit and had been deemed to be safe.

Members questioned whether vehicles would need to reverse into the access road in order to turn out of the allotted parking bays. Officers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 142.

Erection of 13 terrace dwellinghouses with associated parking, landscaping and external works, following demolition of existing building.

Recommendation: Approval + Sec 106

RESOLVED:  That the application be approved, subject to:

1.                    conditions and the completion of a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as per the officer's report;

2.                    the addition of a condition to remove the householder permitted development rights; and

3.                    the addition of a  condition to reorganise the disabled parking layout.

Erection of 13 terrace dwellinghouses with associated parking, landscaping and external works, following demolition of existing building.

Officers introduced the report and highlighted the addendum. Officers confirmed that the existing building was in a poor state of repair, currently vacant, and not fit for use. The British Legion currently attended organised meetings and events at the Yiewsley and West Drayton Community Centre, located approximately 90m to the south of the site.

The Local London Plan and NPPF policy all supported additional family sized houses, and the proposed buildings were considered to be of good quality and design, that would make a positive contribution to the local area. They were not considered to adversely affect the West Drayton Conservation Area, or the nearby Grade II listed building, Drayton Hall.

The Council's Conservation and Urban Design Officer had reviewed the proposal and considered that it would be acceptable in design terms. The proposed development had been set aside from nearby properties and would therefore have no impact on those properties due to its size and bulk.

In terms of transport, the Council's Highway Engineer was satisfied with the parking and access arrangements. The development would provide 20 surface parking spaces, which included 2 disabled spaces and 2 motorcycle spaces.

The development would reflect the 12 core principles of sustainable development as set out in the NPPF, and the application scheme met the strategic policy objectives of the London Plan as well as the aims and objectives of local Council policy. It was therefore recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions and the completion of a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure the items referred to in section 7.20 of the report.

Members expressed concern at the allocation of disabled parking spaces per residential block. Officers confirmed that the allocation of a parking space for Block 2, rather than having two spaces assigned to the main block, could be mandated via an additional condition, though this would result in the loss of a small amount of landscape verge.

Members raised concerns over the potential for overshadowing on Plot 8 due to its proximity to Plots 9 & 10. Officers confirmed that as this was a new development only the HDAS Residential Layout policy, which specified broader guidelines relating to daylight and sunlight, applied, rather than the HDAS Residential Extensions policy. Members conceded that, whilst concerns remained, on balance they would accept potential overshadowing on Plot 8 as the need for affordable housing was so great.

In addition, Members were mindful that the householder permitted development rights would allow further extensions to the rear of the properties that, together with the potential for future reorganisation of internal space to create more bedrooms, could result in the reduction of the minimum garden area required for a development on this size. For this reason, it was suggested that the permitted development rights be removed.

Members welcomed the scheme, and were minded to approve the application, subject  ...  view the full minutes text for item 143.

Demolition of existing office building and re-development of the site to provide a 4 storey building with basement parking comprising 40 residential units with associated car parking, amenity space and landscaping. Amended plans and supporting information received.

Recommendation: Approval

RESOLVED:  That the application be deferred.

Demolition of existing office building and re-development of the site to provide a 4 storey building with basement parking comprising 40 residential units with associated car parking, amenity space and landscaping. Amended plans and supporting information received.

Officers introduced the report, and confirmed that the application site was located at the southern end of Ruislip town centre, adjacent to the Grade II Listed Ruislip Underground Station and to the south of the Ruislip Village Conservation Area. The site comprised a modest two storey office building, and there were no objections to the loss of the office use or the building, which had little architectural or historical merit. There were no objections in principle to the site's residential re-development.

Following a number of pre-application submissions and a number of revisions to the current application, it was considered that the proposed building achieved an appropriate scale, massing and design for this prominent and sensitive site. The Council's Conservation/ Urban Design Officer had raised no further concerns with the scheme, subject to detailed design considerations and use of materials, which would be controlled by condition.

Members were informed that the scheme would not harm the residential amenities of adjoining occupiers. Although the scheme was slightly deficient in terms of satisfying amenity space standards, the scheme would predominantly provide studio and one bedroom flat accommodation within a town centre location, and in such circumstances design guidance advised that amenity space standards could be applied more flexibly. Currently the scheme met approximately 90% of the amenity space requirements, which was high for a town centre development, though this did rely on balconies to achieve that figure.

Therefore it was considered that the scheme, with all units having good sized balconies together with the provision of a good sized communal space, would provide an appropriate amount of amenity space and the standard of residential amenity afforded for its future occupiers would be satisfactory. It was highlighted that a park was located within easy walking distance of the application site.

The scheme would provide an appropriate level of off-street parking in the area, which had a high PTAL score, and the trip generation would not be detrimental to highway efficiency and/ or safety as compared to the existing trip generation of the office building. The scheme had also been carefully designed, with the building raised on its southern end to allow for flood waters to flow underneath, and provided appropriate mitigation so that the development would not result in flooding elsewhere. It was confirmed that the application had the support of the Council's Flood Advisor.

The scheme would safeguard the more important trees and ecological features on site and would provide additional trees and comprehensive landscaping, and included a green roof.

A total of 31 parking spaces were proposed, made up of 20 spaces, including 4 disabled spaces, in the basement (accessible via a car lift), together with 6 spaces located alongside the site entrance and 5 spaces retained from the previous office building. The proposal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 144.