Issue - meetings

Change of use from Post Office Sorting Office (sui generis use) to retail use (A1 use), external alterations to create new shop front and entrance feature, new pitched roof and rear fire doors, insertion of mezzanine floor and reconfiguration of the service yard to provide additional staff car parking.

RECOMMENDATION: grant permission subject to conditions and the completion of a s106 legal agreement

The Committee considered a report, previously circulated, on the application to grant planning permission for a change of use for Unit 3 Arena Shopping Park, N4 1ED, a Post Office Sorting Office, to retail A1 use with associated internal and external alterations listed within the report. The report set out details of the proposal, the site and surroundings, planning history, relevant planning policy, consultation and responses, analysis, equalities and human rights implications and recommended to grant permission subject to conditions. The Committee were advised of an error to the recommendation listed within the report in that approval would be subject to conditions and not the completion of a s106 agreement. The Committee noted this amendment.

Vincent Maher, the Council’s Head of Development Management, gave a short presentation highlighting the key aspects of the report. Further details were provided on the traffic impact assessment undertaken for the Arena Shopping Park and roads in the vicinity to help scope the potential impact of the application. Since the rejection of the last application, new methodology and modelling approved by Transport for London (TfL) had been developed and which had resulted in the withdrawal of TfL’s previous objection to the development. The assessment had identified that the traffic impact of the development would remain about the same as the current traffic situation in the Park.

The following points were raised in discussion of the application by the Committee:

·        Following a question from Members regarding the potential exacerbation of existing traffic management issues in Arena Park and onto Green Lanes at peak times, confirmation was provided that the traffic analysis had been based on the existing junction, with TfL confirming the existing road layout could cope although it was acknowledged that existing traffic problems would remain. Separate to the planning application, Members proposed that it would be valuable for an additional traffic survey to be undertaken by the Council three months after completion of the development to further assess any impact of the application on traffic issues.

·        In relation to arrangements for parking management in the Park for the new development, it was proposed that officers be delegated to negotiate and draft conditions with the freeholder and tenant which was agreed by the Committee.

The Chair moved the recommendation of the report and it was

RESOLVED

That application HGY/2013/0251 be granted subject to conditions.

CONDITIONS

1.    The development hereby authorised must be begun not later than the expiration of 3 years from the date of this permission, failing which the permission shall be of no effect.

Reason: This condition is imposed by virtue of Section 91 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 and to prevent the accumulation of unimplemented planning permissions.

2.    The development hereby authorised shall be carried out in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted to, and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In order to avoid doubt and in the interests of good planning.

3.    The use hereby permitted shall not be operated before 0800 or after  ...  view the full minutes text for item 281