Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Higgins.

There were no declarations of interest.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2017 were agreed.

None.

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

Erection of a six storey building on land facing Belmont Road comprising 335 sq. m of floor space for use in Classes A1 - A5 at ground floor level and 33 residential dwellings, associated works including disabled car parking areas, landscaping, bin storage areas and cycle parking.

Recommendation: Approval + Sec 106

RESOLVED: That the application was approved, subject to additional conditions, and delegated authority be given to the Head of Planning and Enforcement, in agreement with the Chairman and Labour Lead Member to confirm the approval of the plans.

Erection of a six-storey building on land facing Belmont Road, compromising 335 square metres of floor space for use in Classes A1 - A5 at ground floor level and 33 residential dwellings, associated works including disabled car parking areas, landscaping, bin storage areas and cycle parking.

Officers introduced the report and highlighted the addendum.

Councillors sought clarification on the impact on sunlight and overshadowing, as the application was considered acceptable in the report, but the BRE Guide indicated there may be an impact on sunlight for properties at Orchard Place. The Committee also asked for confirmation on the distance between the proposed building and Orchard Place. As officers did not have the BRE Guide to hand, the Chairman proposed a brief adjournment of the meeting to allow officers to consult the document, and then report back to the Committee when reconvened.

Councillors moved, seconded and voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 18.14.

The meeting was reconvened at 18.28.

The Head of Planning and Enforcement confirmed that the distances between the proposal and Orchard Place were above the threshold for loss of sunlight. The Committee also heard that the report reflected the current plans, and the BRE Guide was potentially referring to a previous proposal. Officers confirmed that to ensure there was not an impact on neighbouring properties at Orchard Place, and the Committee confirmed that delegated authority be given to the Head of Planning and Enforcement, in conjunction with the Chairman and Labour Lead, to confirm the report accurately reflects the plans.

Members commented on the first floor balcony which overlooked neighbouring properties at Orchard Place, and officer confirmed that a privacy screen could be conditioned to prevent loss of amenity. The Committee also stated that the accessibility of the roof garden should not be right to the edge of the building, and asked if there were measures in place to prevent this. Officers confirmed that, if the application was approved, further details on the roof garden will be finalised in negotiations, and a condition could be added to ensure that this is confirmed in those negotiations.

The officer's recommendation was moved, subject to additional conditions, and delegated authority given to the Head of Planning and Enforcement, in conjunction with the Chairman and Labour Lead, to confirm the approval of the plans as outlined in the report. This recommendation was seconded, and upon being put to a vote was unanimously agreed.

RESOLVED: That the application was approved, subject to additional conditions, and delegated authority be given to the Head of Planning and Enforcement, in agreement with the Chairman and Labour Lead Member to confirm the approval of the plans.

Mixed use redevelopment of the Pressing Plant, at The Old Vinyl Factory site, including the partial demolition of the Pressing Plant (formerly Apollo House), retention of front facade and part of the western facade of the Pressing Plant and construction of a 3 screen cinema, with retail, bar, restaurant and exhibition spaces and construction of the Machine Store, comprising 81 residential units, a health centre, bars/cafes, associated parking, landscaping, and access works. (AMENDED PLANS - Increased scale of Health Centre provision plus 1 no. additional residential unit)

Recommendation: Approval

RESOLVED: That the application was approved, subject to additional conditions.

Mixed use redevelopment of the Pressing Plant, at The Old Vinyl Factory site, including demolition of the Pressing Plant (formerly Apollo House), retention of front facade and part of the western facade of the Pressing Plant and construction of a three-screen cinema, with retail, bar, restaurant and exhibition spaces, and construction of the Machine Store, comprising 81 residential units, a health centre, bars / cafes, associated parking, landscaping and access works. (Amended Plans - Increased scale of Health Centre provision, plus one additional residential unit).

Officers introduced the report to Members, and highlighted the addendum. The Head of Planning and Enforcement confirmed that this was a full planning application, although outline planning permission was granted on the site in 2012. Since then, the applicant has withdrawn their plans for a hotel and, following negotiation with officers, added a Health Centre to the application as this was considered vital to the Borough.

Councillors expressed concern that there was no provision for affordable housing, but expressed support for the proposed Health Centre. The Committee also questioned whether there were provisions to guarantee the delivery of the Health Centre, and asked that should the Health Centre plans could not be completed, could affordable housing take its place.

The Head of Planning and Enforcement confirmed that relevant Health Centres are supportive of the idea, and that the Council will be able to negotiate the Health Centre provision with a strong legal document, and Members heard that any use beyond a health centre would require the application to come back to Committee for a further approval. Officers confirmed that the applicant must deliver a planning gain should the health centre not be delivered, and the Section 106 agreement triggers the Affordable Housing Trigger Mechanism.

Members asked for clarification on the number of disabled parking spaces, and were informed that there was an allocation of 15 parking spaces, including 3 disabled parking spaces, to be shared between the health centre and the cinema. The Committee expressed concern that there might be parking issues when both buildings have busy times, and suggested a Car Parking Management Plan would help ease parking concerns, along with a condition that ensured the Health Centre had priority on the allocation of disabled spaces.

The Committee also expressed concern that parking spaces had previously been sold off separate to a mortgaged property, and would like to see parking spaces included for residents in the price of the property. It was proposed that a non-standard condition could be added to the application for to ensure this, with delegated authority to the Head of Planning and Enforcement to confirm this condition with the agreement of the Chairman and Labour Lead.

Councillors moved, seconded and unanimously agreed the officer's recommendation, subject to additional conditions regarding a car parking management scheme, residential car parking spaces, and the affordable housing mechanism trigger should the health centre not be delivered.

RESOLVED: That the application was approved, subject to additional conditions.