Issue - meetings

Demolition of the existing buildings and redevelopment of the site to provide a 7 storey building fronting Lawrence Road and a part 5, 3 and 2 storey building which forms an intermediate block and mews to the rear comprising 47 residential units (use class C3) and 176sqm of commercial floor space (use class B1) on ground floor, including 8 car parking spaces and associated landscaping and cycle parking

RECOMMENDATION: grant permission subject to conditions and subject to sec. 106 Legal Agreement.

The Committee considered a report on the application to grant planning permission for the demolition of the existing buildings and redevelopment of the site to provide a 7 storey building fronting Lawrence Road and a part 5, 3 and 2 storey building forming an intermediate block and mews to the rear comprising 47 residential units (use class C3) and 176sqm of commercial floor space (use class B1) on ground floor, including 8 car parking spaces and associated landscaping and cycle parking. 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 subject to a s106 Legal Agreement.

The planning officer gave a short presentation highlighting the key aspects of the report.

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

·         Concerns were raised that a number of the units were below London Plan space standards. In response, it was advised that the three units in question to the top floor of the scheme were considered acceptable as they exceeded studio unit space standards and also benefitted from large balconies and south facing orientation.

·         Assurances were sought over the determination made that the scheme would not be required to provide child play space onsite, in particular the projections that the scheme would house only 8 children. The applicant advised that a GLA toolkit had been used to forecast future child occupancy and that the figure generated was below the threshold requiring the onsite provision of play space. In addition, all units would have private amenity space plus the larger family size units would benefit from generous outdoor space. The site was also located in close proximity to local green spaces including Elizabeth Place Park.

·         Clarification was sought on vehicular access to the site. The applicant advised that the main access was off Lawrence Road, plus a secondary route via the adjacent Bellway scheme.

·         Concerns were raised regarding the viability assessment for the scheme and the low level of affordable housing proposed of 5 shared ownership units plus only a 10% contribution by the applicant as financial compensation for the loss of employment floorspace onsite. Officers advised that the viability assessment had been independently assessed by the Council and which had assessed viability at zero affordable housing units in consideration of issues such as the constraints of the site, high build costs and the existing use value of the land. The applicant was however proposing 19% affordable housing based on habitable rooms and as such the levels were comparable with other schemes in the area. The Committee were reminded that the Council’s 40% affordable housing target was on a borough and not individual scheme basis and to date was on track to be achieved. Cllr Bevan proposed deferring determination of the application to permit reassessment of the viability assessment. The Ass Director Planning reiterated that the applicant’s viability assessment had been independently assessed using a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7