Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed members of the public to the Special meeting of the Planning Committee and noted that some members of the members of the public would be listening to the proceedings in the Reception Hall from the loud speakers and asked speakers to confirm who they were and who they represented.  The Chair referred to the tragic death of Baby P and requested that speakers should not bring this into their representations to the Committee.

The Chair referred to the death of Councillor Fred Knight a former Member of the Committee who passed away on the 13 November 2008.  All present stood in a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.

By permission of the Chair, Cllr Oakes raised two points of order.  First, that the Chair should stand down as having a predisposition interest in respect of applications concerning the Wards Corner site to disqualify on the Grainger applications as well as the alternative Coalition application.  Secondly, that Cllr Stanton should also stand down as his partner Zena Brabazon had led the project for the redevelopment of Wards Corner.  The Council’s Planning Solicitor advised the Committee that the first point of order had already been covered in correspondence.  The Head of Legal Services had reviewed representations in the light of published guidance from the Standards Board for England and taken the firm view that the assertions were far too frail to disqualify Cllr Peacock from participating in decisions on the Grainger applications.  On the second point of order the Solicitor stated that Zena Brabazon had not been involved with the project for over three years and advised the Committee against the point of order.

Cllr Diakides had laid a paper round the table for Committee Members only.  The Chair ruled that this was out of order.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Mallett for whom Cllr Adamou was substituting and from Cllr Patel for whom Cllr Stanton was substituting.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business.  Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear.  This being a special meeting of the Committee, under Part Four, Section B, Paragraph 17 of the Council’s Constitution, no other business shall be considered at the meeting.

There were no items of urgent business.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

Cllr Beacham declared a personal interest in agenda item 5, Wards Corner site, N15.  Cllr Beacham advised that he was employed by London Underground Limited.

Demolition of existing buildings and erection of mixed use development comprising Class C3 residential and Class A1/A2/A3/A4 with access parking and associated landscaping and public realm improvements.

RECOMMENDATION: Grant planning permission subject to conditions,  Section106 Legal Agreement subject to direction of the GLA.

The Planning Officer advised the Committee that in respect of the application before them there were some amendments to the drawings as follows:

• Drawing number P(0222) was not submitted as part of the application and therefore removed from part of the decision.
• Drawing number 100A should be 100B and,
• Drawing number 101A should be 101B.

The planning authority had also received a number of objections which had been received after the planning application report had been written:

1.      A letter from David Lammy MP dated 13 November 2008, explained his position and welcomed development on the site which would benefit everyone in the future.

2.      Seven emails of objections were received on 13 November 2008. 

3.      An email from David Schmidt dated 14 November 2008. An email objection from Sue Penny, Justin Hinchcliff, representative of Tottenham Conservatives, Philip Roberts objections, two further email were received, three letters were also received.

4.      A further 43 letters of objections were received on 17 November 2008,  consisting of standard letters signed by local people.

5.      A number of emails were also received on 17 November 2008.

6.      A petition with approximately 20 pages, each page had 24 signatures, making an approximate total of 480 signatures.

7.      Nineteen typed letters, with no headers, footers or signatures were also received.

8.      A total of 128 standard letter format, signed by individual people objecting to the application was received.

The Officer presented the report and informed the Committee that the Wards Corner site comprised 227 - 259 High Road, 709 – 723 Seven Sisters Road, 1a -11 West Green Road and 8 – 30 Suffield Road.  The site contained the former Wards Corner department store and was situated above the Seven Sisters Victoria Line Underground Station and tunnels.

The front of the site fell within the Page Green/Seven Sisters Conservation Area.  The Tottenham High Road historic corridor policy identified Wards Corner as a key regeneration site.  The site also fell within the Bridge NDC boundary and within Wards Corner/Seven Sisters Underground Development Brief dated January 2004.

The proposed development comprised retail on the ground floor of the Seven Sisters, High Road and West Green Road frontages.  A variety of unit sizes were proposed amounting in total 3700 square metres of floor space with access via a secure service road with gated entrance onto Suffield Road.  A café-bar/restaurant was proposed at first floor level on the High Road frontage.  The residential development comprised 197 new flats at first floor level and above, and 18 family units with direct access onto Suffield Road situated around a communal garden square at first floor level, accessed via a main foyer with access from the High Road frontage.  The proposed development would include improvements to the public realm on the High Road and other frontages including the provision of public art.  The proposal included the provision of 44 car parking spaces, including 3 disabled spaces in the basement car park.

The Planning Officer further advised that in January 2004 the council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 304.

Demolition of 227 – 259 High Road. 1a,1b and 1 West Green Road, N15.

RECOMMENDATION: Grant Conservation Area Consent subject to conditions and Section 106 Legal Agreement and subject to direction of the GLA.

The application for Conservation Area Consent was for the demolition of 18 buildings which fell within the boundary of Seven Sisters/Page Green Conservation Area within the application site.  The remainder of the buildings on the application site fell outside the Conservation Area boundary and do not therefore require consent to be demolished.  There were no listed buildings on the site.

The Planning Officer informed the Committee that it had been demonstrated that the cost of repair and maintenance and the loss of value associated with the retention would be prohibitive in relation to the existing buildings.  It was further demonstrated that the alternatives to demolition in the form of retention of the Wards Corner building, retention, replication or redesign of the façade would not be viable.

The proposed development was considered to contribute to the character of Seven Sisters Conservation Area and fulfil the vision of the planning brief, which would result in a range of positive benefits to the community and kick start the regeneration of the locality. 

It was considered that the decision in this case as to whether or not to allow Conservation Area Consent should be made in the context of the significant community benefits which would result from the proposed redevelopment of the application site.

The Committee was asked to consider Conservation Area Consent for the demolition of 227 -259 High Road.  1a, 1b and 1 West Green Road N15.

The Chair moved a motion to grant Conservation Area Consent for the above proposal subject to conditions and a Section 106 Legal Agreement subject to Direction of the GLA. 

RESOLVED

On a vote there being five in favour and four against Conservation Area Consent was granted.  The Committee agreed to grant Conservation Area Consent as planning permission for the application outlined in PC302 above was granted.

INFORMATION RELATING TO APPLICATION REF: HGY/2008/0322

FOR PLANNING COMMITTEE DATED 17/11/2008

Location: Wards Corner Site, High Road N15

Proposal: Conservation Area Consent for demolition of existing buildings and erection of mixed use development comprising Class C3 residential and Class A1/A2/A3/A4 with access parking and associated landscaping and public realm improvements.

Recommendation: Grant subject to conditions and Legal Agreement subject to direction of the GLA

Decision: Grant subject to conditions and Legal Agreement subject to direction of the GLA

Drawing No’s: P (00) 00, P (00) 01C, P (00) 02, P (00) 03, P (00) 04, P (00) 05, P (00) 06, P (00) 07A, P (00) 08A, P (00) 09, P (00) 10, P (00) 20, P (00) 21, P (00) 100B, P (00) 101A, P (00) 102A, P (00) 103A, P (00) 110A, P (00) 111A.

Design and Access Statement: Wards Corner Seven Sisters Design and Access Statement and accompanying statements Pollard Thames Edwards Architects January 2008.

Conservation Area Audit and Statement  Addendum Report 2008

Former Wards Corner Store - 227 -229 Tottenham High Road - appraisal of options for retention or redevelopment

Public Artwork Outline Brief Dated 20th June 2008.

Conditions:

1.       The demolition hereby permitted shall  ...  view the full minutes text for item 305.

Monday 8 December 2008

Please note that under the Council’s Constitution, Part Four, Section B, Paragraph 17 no other business shall be considered at the meeting.

Monday 8 December 2008

The meeting concluded at 10:45pm