Issue - meetings

Proposed conversion of former Police Station to 9 no. residential units.

RECOMMENDATION: grant permission subject to conditions and a s106 agreement .

The Committee considered a report on the application to grant planning permission for the proposed conversion of the former Police Station to 9 no. residential units. 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 and a s106 legal agreement.

The planning officer gave a short presentation highlighting the key aspects of the report. The application remained unchanged from that submitted to Planning Committee on 25 March 2015 and which was refused on the grounds of lack of on-street parking provision inline with the concerns expressed by the Council’s transport team. The applicant had subsequently provided additional data to the transport team regarding parking and the impact on the highway network. The transport team had now withdrawn their objection to the scheme subject to the securing of a package of mitigation measures under the s106 agreement as set out within the report.

Cllrs Berryman and Newton addressed the Committee, Cllr Berryman on behalf of a local resident who was unable to attend the meeting. The following objections were raised:

·         The scheme would exacerbate existing parking problems in the vicinity and as such be detrimental to the amenity of local residents.

·         The average parking impact generated by the Police Station had been low.

·         Nearby streets were generally fully parked despite the building being currently empty.

·         The applicant’s transport survey was flawed and incorrect including underestimating projections of additional vehicles.

·         The proposed affordable housing contribution was derisory. 

·         The travel plan was voluntary in nature and not capable of being enforced.

·         Car capping restrictions would not work with a CPZ not currently in place. Formal consultation on the implementation of a CPZ in the area had yet to be undertaken. Should a CPZ be implemented in the future, restrictions should be placed on the number of permits issued for the scheme. 

·         Using the busier Hornsey Police Station for reference when attempting to assess historic parking demand associated with Muswell Hill Police Station was unfair.

A representative for the applicant addressed the Committee and outlined the key benefits of the scheme in sensitively bringing a Listed Building back into use and providing new housing. Since the previous refusal, further parking survey work had been carried out and the Council’s transport team were now satisfied that the scheme would have nil detrimental impact on parking in the area. 

The Council’s transport officer further clarified that the previous objection had now been withdrawn on consideration of additional information provided by the Police regarding previous on-street parking demand from the Police Station plus additional parking survey information. Based on this data, it could not be demonstrated that a residential scheme would have a severe impact on on-street parking in the area, irrespective of whether or not a CPZ was instated in the future. Officers were satisfied that the parking surveys undertaken were robust.

The Committee raised concern that the site had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14