Agenda item

Proposal: Application for approval of reserved matters relating to appearance, landscaping, layout, scale, access, pertaining to Buildings E1, E2 and E3, forming Phase 3 of the Eastern Quarter, including the construction of residential units (Use Class C3), commercial floorspace, basement, and new landscaped public space pursuant to planning permission HGY/2017/3117 dated 19th April 2018.

Recommendation: GRANT

The Committee considered an application for the approval of reserved matters relating to appearance, landscaping, layout, scale, access, pertaining to Buildings E1, E2 and E3, forming Phase 3 of the Eastern Quarter, including the construction of residential units (Use Class C3), commercial floorspace, basement, and new landscaped public space pursuant to planning permission HGY/2017/3117 dated 19th April 2018.

Officers and Matthew Rees (on behalf of the applicant) responded to questions from the Committee:

-            The scheme was part of a very large hybrid permission granted in 2018.  Affordable housing had been determined at the outline stage, and 32.5% affordable housing would be provided across the development.  This would mean that some areas of the scheme would have more affordable housing than other areas.

-            There were currently a number of temporary meanwhile uses on the site and these businesses were aware that the tenancies were temporary.

-            The site would create 10,000sqm of employment space.

-            64% of the units were dual aspect, which was an improvement to the 45-55% agreed to in the outline consent.  Any single aspect units would overlook a wide street with trees and planting and not look directly into another unit.

-            The community area would be run as a not for profit space and would be managed by the Estate Management Team.  Any surplus at the end of the year could be used to provide free hire to community groups.  Under the s106, the applicant was required to submit a management plan for the community room and part of this plan could include a suggested list of residents groups and councillors to be consulted on the spending of any surplus funds.

-            The daylight and sunlight levels were reasonable considering the development was in a dense location and the buildings were in the heart of the development. 

-            The development as a whole was required to provide 10% disabled car parking spaces.  This element provided 6% but officers would ensure that 10% was achieved as each element of the outline permission came forward.

-            £7.5m would be collected from the development in CIL payments.

-            The applicant had engaged closely with the Council’s Transport Team who along with TfL supported the road layout proposals.  The pavement and the road would be segregated and any further segregation for cycles would reduce the pedestrian space.  The road would be predominantly used by cyclists so would be cycle-friendly.  Members commented that a separate cycle lane would be preferable.

Councillor Williams proposed that a condition be added to redesign the landscaping to include a segregated cycle lane in the existing road.  Councillor Basu seconded the proposal.

Mr Hermitage summed up the report and advised that the recommendation was to grant the application subject to the s106 agreement, the conditions and informatives set out in the report and addendum, an amendment to the landscaping condition relating to the redesign to include a cycle lane, and an amendment to the community room condition to include an annual consultation with a list of local stakeholders (including local councillors and residents groups).

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

RESOLVED that the planning permission be granted and that the Head of Development Management or the Assistant Director Planning, Building Standards and Sustainability be authorised to issue the planning permission and impose conditions and informatives.