Agenda and minutes

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The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual, or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair advised that the meeting was to be live streamed on the Council’s website.

The Planning Committee abides by the Council’s Planning Protocol 2017.  A factsheet covering some of the key points within the protocol as well as some of the context for Haringey’s planning process is provided alongside the agenda pack available to the public at each meeting as well as on the Haringey Planning Committee webpage.

The planning system manages the use and development of land and buildings.  The overall aim of the system is to ensure a balance between enabling development to take place and conserving and protecting the environment and local amenities.  Planning can also help tackle climate change and overall seeks to create better public places for people to live, work and play.  It is important that the public understand that the committee makes planning decisions in this context.  These decisions are rarely simple and often involve balancing competing priorities.  Councillors and officers have a duty to ensure that the public are consulted, involved and where possible, understand the decisions being made.

Neither the number of objectors or supporters nor the extent of their opposition or support are of themselves material planning considerations.

The Planning Committee is held as a meeting in public and not a public meeting.  The right to speak from the floor is agreed beforehand in consultation with officers and the Chair.  Any interruptions from the public may mean that the Chamber needs to be cleared.

Noted.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Adamou, Hinchcliffe and Mitchell.

Councillor Morris was in attendance as substitute for Councillor Hinchcliffe.

It being a special meeting of the Planning Sub Committee, under Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 17, of the Council’s Constitution, no other business shall be considered at the meeting.

None.

None.

Proposal: Demolition of existing buildings and construction of a part 7, part 24 storey building to provide 600sqm retail floorspace (Class E uses) accommodation at base; and 473 rooms of purpose-built student accommodation with communal amenity & ancillary spaces above; ancillary uses to student housing at ground level, with associated cycle parking & refuse storage at basement level; and associated landscaping and public realm works (elements of which will provide servicing and disabled drop off).

The Committee considered the pre-application briefing for the demolition of existing buildings and construction of a part 7, part 24 storey building to provide 600sqm retail floorspace (Class E uses) accommodation at base; and 473 rooms of purpose-built student accommodation with communal amenity & ancillary spaces above; ancillary uses to student housing at ground level, with associated cycle parking & refuse storage at basement level; and associated landscaping and public realm works (elements of which will provide servicing and disabled drop off).

The applicant team responded to questions from the Committee:

-           In terms of communal space, there was a gym on the 1^st floor, a large lounge with kitchen, study and seating areas on the 7^th floor and a large lounge at the top of the building.  There was 50-60% more amenity space than in recent student schemes.

-           The building was planned to be 24 storeys high.  Daylight and sunlight studies had been carried out and the building would not block the light to the hotel at the opposite end of the block.

-           The applicant did not currently own the site – if planning permission was granted then the purchase of the site would be completed.

-           A 6-8 week consultation had been carried out, and there had been very limited feedback from local residents.

-           On the lower floors there was one kitchen between six bedrooms and two kitchens to 20 bedrooms on the upper floors.

-           A monetary donation would be made to the park, and the applicant would like to have a hand in the design for landscaping the street areas with the Council.

-           The walls of the building would be 50cm thick, with high spec double glazed windows, which should block out the noise of the busy road junction.

-           There were 16 bike spaces at ground floor level, along with secure parking in the basement.

-           The site allocation plan indicated that the site was suitable for commercial use.  The masterplan required all applicants to complete a commercial strategy to ensure there was a mix of commercial and residential.

-           The scheme would be carbon neutral, car free and would connect to the energy network which would be available from 2024 (the scheme would complete in 2025).

-           There would be two sets of stairs in the building.  The building would have sprinklers and the fire safety strategy designed by experts.  The safety standards would exceed current regulations and meet regulations due to be implemented at the end of the year.

-           The affordable housing contribution proposal was to provide 35% of rooms at a discounted rate to make them more affordable for students.  However, the Council’s preference was for a financial contribution to be made for offsite affordable housing in the borough.

The Chair thanked the applicants for attending.

(a) The Depot (Nos. 867-879 High Road & B&M store to rear);

(b) The Goods Yard (Nos. 36 & 44-52 White Hart Lane & land to rear) and

(c) The Printworks (Nos. 819-829 High Road & land to rear).

Proposal: Two separate ‘full’ planning applications: The Depot & Goods Yard sites combined (Sites (a) and (b)) and The Printworks (Site (c)). A Listed Building Consent application is also proposed for Nos. 819-821 High Road, which forms part of The Printworks site.

The Committee considered the pre-application briefing for the Depot & Goods Yard sites combined (Sites (a) and (b)) and The Printworks (Site (c)). A Listed Building Consent application is also proposed for Nos. 819-821 High Road, which forms part of The Printworks site.

The applicant team responded to questions from the Committee:

-           The development had been designed in such a way to ensure that the three buildings were part of a ‘family’ of buildings which added layers to the local area.  By increasing the height of the buildings, more public space had been created at ground level.

-           The team had ensured that a ‘landing spot’ would be made available onto Spurs land if any future applications as part of the wider masterplan included a bridge link to the railway station.

-           The affordable housing contribution was expected to be slightly higher than 35%.

-           The development would be connected to the decentralised energy network and would be very close to zero carbon.

-           The stairwells had been agreed with fire engineers, and all buildings would have sprinklers.  The details for this would be signed off at Building Control stage.

-           4500 homes in Haringey and Enfield had been consulted with, and two public webinars held to present the scheme.  Some changes had been made following consultation.

-           There would be no vehicle connection from one end of the scheme to the other, therefore eliminating ‘rat runs’.

-            

Members commented that the first building looked enormous from street level and did not feel sympathetic to the area at all.  From the West it looked like a huge wall of blocks, and out of scale for the area.  It was also felt that the three different colours would make the development look municipal.  Members also added that 27 storeys as opposed to 18 was a cause for concern.

The Chair thanked the applicants for attending.

27 May 2021 (on the rise of the Council AGM) – Strategic Planning Committee (to approve the membership of the Planning Sub-Committee)

7 June 2021, 7pm – Planning Sub-Committee

27 May 2021 (on the rise of the Council AGM) – Strategic Planning Committee (to approve the membership of the Planning Sub-Committee)

7 June 2021, 7pm – Planning Sub-Committee