Agenda item

Demolition of existing houses and erection of 5 x 3 storey houses (comprising 4 x three bed and 1 x four bed) with associated parking.

RECOMMENDATION: Grant permission subject to conditions and a Section 106 Legal Agreement.               

 

The Committee was informed that this application had been deferred from the previous Planning Committee meeting held on 9 March 2009.  This application was a revised scheme following a previous dismissed scheme.

 

The Committee was advised that the application site was located on Creighton Avenue and had a very large rear garden which backed on to the gardens of Pages Hill.  The application site was currently a pair of semi-detached houses.

 

The design of the houses was considered acceptable as they reflected the height and bulk of existing houses adjacent to the site.  The density (157hrh) was actually lower than the recommended density range.  It was felt that the scheme complied with building overlooking distances and was not overbearing to adjacent properties.   Eight off street parking spaces, one disabled space were proposed along with a 20mph speed restriction which would assist traffic safety measures.

 

The Committee was further advised of a proposal by the applicant to amend the position of a single unit on the left hand side of the site by moving it forward by 1.5 metres.  The applicant had discussed this with the occupants of the property at number 18 who were happy with the proposal.

 

In response to a Members enquiry the officer explained the main differences between the current and previous applications;

 

• Proposal for 5 units rather than 6 in the previous application.
• The roof level had been reduced in terms of its bulk.
• The distance between the rear of the proposed new houses and the rear of houses in Pages Hill, backing on to the  buildings had been increased by 3 metres.
• The provision of parking spaces had been reduced from 12 to 8.

 

A Planning Consultant representing the residents of Pages Hill addressed the Committee and objected to the application on the basis that it was felt to be worse that the previous scheme dismissed on appeal.  It was considered that the reduced height, bulk and scale discussed was not true and the units were actually wider and broader.  The Planning Inspector had felt that the previous scheme would have a dramatic impact on the resident on Pages Hill and that there was no difference in the proposed scheme.  In response to a question raised by the Committee the representative explained that the pitch of the roof was lower, however it made little difference to the occupants on Pages Hill.

 

Cllr Matt Davies addressed to the Committee to requested that this application should be compared to the previous application dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate.  The Planning Inspectorate had been concerned about the impact on the residents of Pages Hill.  The Committee was requested to reject the application for the same reasons the Planning Inspectorate had dismissed the previous appeal because the applications were the same.

 

The applicant responded to the concerns raised and advised that the current application addressed the issues raised by the Planning Inspectorate.  The proposed houses were much smaller and the buildings had been positioned  in line with Creighton Avenue.   The distance of the units at the rear had been increased to 44 metres. 

 

Four cypress trees had been removed between the submission of the two application, however none of the tress along the boundary would be removed and the mature trees beside the allotment would also be retained. 

 

The number of car parking spaces had been reduced and therefore the potential for overlooking had also been reduced.  In response to comments raised in relation to dangerous traffic the applicant replied that vehicles would be able to enter and leave the site in forward gear which was not possible at present.

 

The Committee discussed with the applicant the decking at the rear of a house on Pages Hill and considered whether this would be comprised as stated by the Planning Inspectorate.  The applicant advised the Committee that the decking had been built at the first floor level and considered to be unfair, however to address this issue the buildings had been moved back and the rooms in the loft removed.

 

The Committee was reminded by the Head of Planning that the 4 units respected the front and back building lines of Creighton Avenue and that the bulk and massing was commensurate with what was in the street.  The building supported all the policy principles and recommendations for approval.

 

The Committee viewed the plans.

 

Members moved a motion to move to the vote.  The Chair as seconded the motion and on a vote their being 5 in favour and 4 against the motion was carried.  The Chair them moved a motion to grant the application and on a vote there being 5 in favour and 4 against the motion was carried.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the application be granted subject to conditions, the amended plan to move unit number 5 forward by 2 metres and subject to a Section 106 Legal Agreement concerning education contributions.

 

INFORMATION RELATING TO APPLICATION REF: HGY/2009/0080

FOR PLANNING COMMITTEE DATED 06/04/2009

 

Location: 14 - 16 Creighton Avenue N10

 

Proposal: Demolition of existing houses and erection of 5 x 3 storey houses (comprising 4 x three bed and 1 x four bed) with associated parking.

 

Recommendation: Grant subject to conditions and Legal Agreement

 

Decision: Grant subject to conditions and Legal Agreement

 

Drawing No’s: 208053/001, 010, 030, 031, 032, 110, 120, 121 Rev A, 122, 123, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 & 135.

 

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 the provisions of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and to prevent the accumulation of unimplemented planning permissions.

 

2.       The development hereby authorised shall be carried out in complete accordance with the plans and specifications submitted to, and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority; in particular with amended plan 121 Revision A submitted on 6 April 2009, showing revised siting of house No. 5.

Reason: In order to ensure the development is carried out in accordance with the approved details and in the interests of amenity.

 

3.       That the levels of all thresholds and details of boundary treatment be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In order to safeguard the visual amenity of the area and to ensure adequate means of enclosure for the proposed development.

 

4.       Notwithstanding the provisions of Schedule 2, Part 1 of the Town & Country Planning General Permitted Development Order 1995, no enlargement, improvement or other alteration of any of the dwellings hereby approved in the form of development falling within Classes A to H shall be carried out without the submission of a particular planning application to the Local Planning Authority for its determination.

Reason: To avoid overdevelopment of the site.

 

5.       Before the commencement of any works, all those trees to be retained, as indicated on the approved drawings, shall be protected by secure, stout, exclusion fencing erected at a minimum distance equivalent to the branch spread of the trees and in accordance with BS 5837:2005 and to a suitable height.  Any works connected with the approved scheme within the branch spread of the trees shall be by hand only.  No storage of materials, supplies or plant machinery shall be stored, parked, or allowed access beneath the branch spread of the trees within the exclusion fencing.

Reason: In order to ensure the safety and well being of the trees on the site during constructional works that are to remain after the building works are completed.

 

6.       The construction works of the development hereby granted shall not be carried out before 0800 or after 1800 hours Monday to Friday or before 0800 or after 1200 hours on Saturday and not at all on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

Reason: In order to ensure that the proposal does not prejudice the enjoyment of neighbouring occupiers of their properties.

 

7.       That a detailed scheme for the provision of refuse and waste storage within the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the commencement of the works. Such a scheme as approved shall be implemented and permanently retained thereafter to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In order to protect the amenities of the locality.

 

8.       Notwithstanding the description of the materials in the application, no development shall be commenced until precise details of the materials to be used in connection with the development hereby permitted have been submitted to, approved in writing by and implemented in accordance with the requirements of the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In order to retain control over the external appearance of the development in the interest of the visual amenity of the area.

 

9.       Notwithstanding the details of landscaping referred to in the application, a scheme for the landscaping and treatment of the surroundings of the proposed development to include detailed drawings of:

 

a.       Those new trees and shrubs to be planted together with a schedule of species shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority prior to the commencement of the development.  Such an approved scheme of planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out and implemented in strict accordance with the approved details in the first planting and seeding season following the occupation of the building or the completion of development (whichever is sooner).  Any trees or plants, either existing or proposed, which, within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed, become damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with a similar size and species.  The landscaping scheme, once implemented, is to be maintained and retained thereafter to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority. Reason: In order for the Local Authority to assess the acceptability of any landscaping scheme in relation to the site itself, thereby ensuring a satisfactory setting for the proposed development in the interests of the visual amenity of the area.

 

 

 

INFORMATIVE: The proposed development requires a redundant crossover to be removed and a new crossover to be made over the footway. The necessary works will be carried out by the Council at the applicant's expense once all the necessary internal site works have been completed. The applicant should telephone 020-8489 1316 to obtain a cost estimate and to arrange for the works to be carried out.   

 

INFORMATIVE: The new development will require naming / numbering. The applicant should contact the Transportation Group at least six weeks before the development is occupied (tel. 020 8489 5573) to arrange for the allocation of a suitable address.

 

REASONS FOR APPROVAL

 

The proposal should be approved on the grounds that the site is suitable for low-density residential development.  The proposed houses are traditional semi-detached properties with one detached property that benefit from a road frontage.  The style, design and detailing of the properties means that they are similar to other properties within the area.  The houses have been sited within the plot to have minimum affect on the privacy and amenities of any surrounding properties, the proposed dwellings have been sited closer to the street frontage than any previous application making the distance between the proposed properties and the existing houses in Pages Hill greater.  The line of trees on the boundaries will be retained to further eliminate any adverse affect. This overcomes the reasons for the dismissal of an earlier appeal.

 

In addition the proposal provides five new units that have adequate floor space to meet the minimum standards as set out in SPD Housing.  Each unit will benefit from their own private amenity space; each room contained within the dwellings will benefit from natural lighting and ventilation and will have at least one off-street parking space per unit.

 

As such the proposal is compliant with Policies UD3 'General Principles', UD4 'Quality Design', HSG1 'New Housing Development', OS17 'Tree Protection, Tree Masses and Spines' and SPD Housing of the Haringey Unitary Development Plan.

 

Section 106: Yes.