Agenda item

Change of use of ground floor from Use Class B1 (Offices) and Use Class B8 (Storage) to Use Class A1 (Shops) to include alterations to front elevations and new shopfronts.

Recommendation: Approval.

Change of use of ground floor from Use Class B1 (Offices) and Use Class B8 (Storage) to Use Class A1 (Shops) to include alterations to front elevations and new shopfronts.

In introducing the report, officers directed the Committee to note the changes in the Addendum circulated at the meeting.

In accordance with the Council’s constitution a representative of the petitioners in objection to the application addressed the meeting.

The petitioner made the following points:

§         That the proposed change of use from Use Class B1 (Offices) and Use Class B (Storage) to Use Class A1 (Retail) would cause harm to the amenities of the surrounding properties.

§         That Policy S12, Service Uses in Secondary Shopping Areas was not applicable to this application as Cherry Orchard was not within the boundaries of the Secondary Shopping Area and would therefore lead to retail units being located within a residential area.

§         That there was a history of traffic and parking problems on Cherry Orchard and Station Road caused by the narrowness of the road. Problems had persisted despite the fact that a petition to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling had led to parking restrictions in the area.

§         A plumbing firm which had previously used the units had presented no problems but later occupants of the units had created parking issues for local residents. It was feared that this development would cause similar problems.

§         That the proposals did not meet fire service access requirements. The petitioner noted that they had witnessed emergency service vehicles being unable to access the area due to current parking arrangements. This would be worsened by new retail units and associated parking.

§         There was concern raised that any conditions to mitigate parking issues and the risk of emergency services having insufficient access to the area would not be enforceable.

The agent made the following points:

§         The proposed development would lead to unsightly buildings being developed into useful units which would help to improve the area.

§         Deliveries to the units would be no more than a few cardboard boxes per week and would not involve the use of vans or lorries.

§         The Council’s Highways Officer had scrutinised the plans and considered them acceptable.

Officers confirmed that Cherry Orchard was within the Secondary Shopping Area and that the change of use would not lead to an increase in parking. It was also noted that there were loading facilities on Station Road and that it would therefore be difficult to sustain a refusal on parking grounds.

Members noted that parking and traffic in this area were problematic and that these problems were partly caused by the servicing of the shops in the area. It was noted that the prospect of new businesses in West Drayton was positive but that it would not be possible to determine whether the application should be approved without a site visit to assess the parking, loading and traffic situation.

It was noted that an additional condition should be added to prevent any amalgamation of the two retails units. Members also requested that all relevant standard informatives be added.

Resolved – That the application be deferred to enable Members to carry out a site visit.