Issue - meetings

Demolition of existing house and erection of a 2 storey, 5 bedroom house with rooms at basement level and in the roofspace.

RECOMMENDATION: Grant permission, subject to conditions.

The Committee considered reports, previously circulated, on the Planning and Conservation Area Consent applications relating to 6A Grange Road, N6. The reports set out details of the proposal, site and surroundings, planning history, relevant planning policy, consultation and responses, analysis and assessment, human rights and equalities issues, and recommended that the applications for planning permission and Conservation Area Consent be granted, subject to conditions. The planning officer gave a presentation on key aspects of the report, and responded to questions from the Committee.

The Committee asked whether the proposed basement for the previous scheme, which went to appeal on the grounds of non-determination, had been of a similar size to the one currently proposed, and whether the Planning Inspector had made any comment regarding the basement element of the application. Mr Smith advised that the previous application had a basement of a similar size to the current proposal; the fact that the Inspector had not raised any issues in respect of the previous basement suggested that this had been considered acceptable. Mr Smith further confirmed that the Inspector had had information with regards to other basements constructed in the area and the issues raised by Professor Wright earlier in the meeting. The Committee asked whether it would be possible to mitigate against any issues that might be revealed by a hydrological survey, in response to which Mr Smith advised that measures could be taken as long as the issues were known and that this was why a hydrological and hydro-geological survey condition was proposed. It was unlikely that the outcome of a survey would mean that construction of a basement would not be possible.

The Committee asked further about whether it was possible for hydrological surveys to look at neighbouring properties to ensure all relevant issues were identified, and whether the authors of such surveys made firm recommendations or conclusions on the basis of their findings, or whether they presented the evidence and final conclusions were made by planning officers. Mr Smith reported that such surveys did take into account the impact of cumulative development in an area, and that any conclusions were made by the professional who was qualified in relation to basement issues, and not planning officers. If the Council were to have concerns regarding a surveyor’s professional qualifications then it would be open to them to challenge their findings with an independent survey of its own, but this would be in extraordinary circumstances only. Mr Dorfman suggested that in order to address any concerns, an informative could be added highlighting those concerns, an additional condition could be imposed requiring construction to be monitored and a further condition could be imposed in respect of cumulative effects, with suggested wording along the lines of “No work shall be carried out on the site until a detailed report examining the cumulative impact of all basements granted planning permission, built and not built, and all permitted development basements built, with regard to ground water flow, land stability, surface water flooding in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 206