Agenda item

Proposal: Demolition of existing buildings and erection of two part-three part-four storey residential blocks and a row of three-storey terraced houses (total of 29 units) and provision of a pedestrian/cycle link connecting Crawley Road to Downhills Way, plus landscaping, cycle and car parking, and other associated works.

Recommendation: GRANT

The Committee considered an application for approval of the demolition of existing buildings and erection of two part-three part-four storey residential blocks and a row of three-storey terraced houses (total of 29 units) and provision of a pedestrian/cycle link connecting Crawley Road to Downhills Way, plus landscaping, cycle and car parking, and other associated works.

The Planning Officer gave a presentation highlighting the key aspects of the report. 

Officers and the applicant responded to questions from the Committee:

-           The brick colour was likely to be buff, rather than yellow, which was sympathetic to the local area.

-           The intention was to create some form of traffic calming at either end of the development.  The space would be narrowed by landscaping and a footpath, and Downhills Way would likely be calmed through public realm work.  Landscaping would also be used in front of properties to discourage parking against properties.

-           A number of environmental conditions were included on the addendum.

-           There would be 67 cycle spaces provided.

-           A contribution of £35k would be provided towards landscaping to the east of the site.

The Chair moved that the application be approved, and following a vote it was unanimously

RESOLVED that:

i)          reserved matters be approved, and the Head of Development Management, or the Assistant Director of Planning be authorised to issue the planning permission and impose conditions and informatives as set out in the Committee report, subject to the signing of a Section 106 Legal Agreement providing for the obligations set out in the Heads of Terms as set out in the Committee report.

ii)         That the section 106 legal agreement referred to in resolution (i) above is to be completed no later than 4^th November 2019 or within such extended time as the Head of Development Management or the Assistant Director of Planning shall in her/his sole discretion allow; and

(iii)    That, following completion of the agreement(s) referred to in resolution (i) within the time period provided for in resolution (ii) above, planning permission shall be granted in accordance with the Planning Application subject to the attachment of the conditions; and

(iv)    That delegated authority be granted to the Assistant Director of Planning/Head of Development Management to make any alterations, additions or deletions to the recommended heads of terms and/or recommended conditions as set out in this report and to further delegate this power provided this authority shall be exercised in consultation with the Chairman (or in their absence the Vice-Chairman) of the Sub-Committee.

(v)   That, in the absence of the agreement referred to in resolution (i) above being completed within the time period provided for in resolution (ii) above, the planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

1.         The proposed development, in the absence of a legal agreement securing the provision of on-site affordable housing, would fail to provide much needed affordable housing stock within the Borough and would set an undesirable precedent for future similar planning applications. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policy SP2 of the Council's Local Plan 2017 and Policy 3.12 of the London Plan 2016. 

2.         The proposed development, in the absence of a legal agreement to work with the Council’s Employment and Skills team would fail to support local employment, regeneration and address local unemployment by facilitating training opportunities for the local population. As such, the proposal is contrary to Local Plan 2017 Policies SP8 and SP9.

3.         The proposed development, in the absence of a legal agreement to secure planning obligations for mitigation measures to promote sustainable transport, by reason of its lack of car parking provision would significantly exacerbate pressure for on-street parking spaces in surrounding streets, prejudicing the free flow of traffic and conditions of general safety along the neighbouring highway and would be detrimental to the amenity of local residents. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policy 6.13 of the London Plan 2016, SP7 of the Local Plan 2017 and Policy DM32 of the Development Management Development Plan Document 2017.

4.         The proposed development, in the absence of a legal agreement securing sufficient energy efficiency measures and/or financial contribution towards carbon offsetting, would result in an unacceptable level of carbon dioxide emissions. As such, the proposal would be contrary to Policies 5.2, 5.3 and 5.7 of the London Plan 2016, Local Plan 2017 Policy SP4 and Policy DM21 of the Development Management Development Plan Document 2017.

5.         The proposed development, in the absence of a legal agreement to secure works to the public highway and other public realm improvements including the connection through the application site to Downhills Way, would have an unacceptable negative impact the visual amenity of the area and the operation of the public highway, and would fail to meet the requirements of Site Allocation SA60. As such, the proposal would be contrary to Policies DM1 and DM33 of the Development Management DPD 2017, Policy 7.5 of the London Plan 2016, and the aims and objectives of SA60 of the Site Allocations DPD.

(vi)    In the event that the Planning Application is refused for the reasons set out in resolution (v) above, the Head of Development Management (in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Sub-Committee) is hereby authorised to approve any further application for planning permission which duplicates the Planning Application provided that:

              i.        There has not been any material change in circumstances in the relevant planning considerations, and

            ii.        The further application for planning permission is submitted to and approved by the Assistant Director within a period of not more than 12 months from the date of the said refusal, and

           iii.        The relevant parties shall have previously entered into the agreement contemplated in resolution (1) above to secure the obligations specified therein.