Agenda item

Proposal: Hybrid planning application for the re-development of part of the St Ann's Hospital site to provide a new residential neighbourhood of circa 995 new homes including 60% affordable housing in buildings up to nine storeys in height, 2,400sqm of non-residential uses (including refurbishment of existing buildings), landscaping and public realm improvements, 160 parking spaces and cycle parking.

The Committee considered the pre-application briefing for hybrid planning application for the re-development of part of the St Ann's Hospital site to provide a new residential neighbourhood of circa 995 new homes including 60% affordable housing in buildings up to nine storeys in height, 2,400sqm of non-residential uses (including refurbishment of existing buildings), landscaping and public realm improvements, 160 parking spaces and cycle parking.

The applicant team and officers responded to questions from the Committee:

·         Some members enquired about the location and safety of the main vehicular entrance to the site and any mitigations. The applicant team stated that moving the entrance had been considered but would create issues with the nearby ambulance station or would result in an entrance closer to junctions or dense foliage in the conservation area. It was explained that safety audits had been undertaken and it was considered that the current proposal was the best available main access point to the site.

·         In relation to the location of taller blocks and concerns of residents in Warwick Gardens, the applicant team noted that the highest building in Phase 1a would be nine storeys and would be located approximately 90 metres from Warwick Gardens. It was added that the tallest building would be located close to open space and that its building footprint had been reduced to ensure the retention of an existing tree on site. In relation to alternative locations for the building, it was stated that the proposed location was the optimum location to minimise overshadowing.

·         The applicant team noted that they supported the maximisation of walking and cycling opportunities on the site. It was added that the inclusion of a south to west link was a key part of the proposal and would be a link from the main masterplan site to Warwick Gardens.

·         In terms of green spaces, the applicant team noted that the St Ann’s new neighbourhood site was located near Chestnuts Park but did not seek to compete with this space about would provide a different type of space with more greenery and more intricate spaces.

·         It was confirmed that the applicant would be retaining the wall on site but, based on feedback from consultation, would be creating a number of new openings for site access and visibility.

·         In relation to a query about the water tower, the applicant team confirmed that they had consulted extensively with the local community and a variety of uses had been considered. It was explained that this was still being determined but would not be a residential use. It was confirmed that the applicant would manage all maintenance standards on site, with the exception of any internal parts should the Council decide to take up its option to purchase.

·         It was confirmed that the owner of the building would be responsible for service charges.

·         In response to a query about the height and detailed design of the proposal, the applicant team believed that nine storeys would fit comfortably on the site. It was added that there was some variety between buildings and that this was often considered to be subtle. It was highlighted that the applicant team had examined the settings of all buildings and considered that the design was contextual and contemporary.

Cllr Hymas spoke as ward councillor and noted that there would be 167 car parking spaces with a maximum of 10% of these spaces for disabled people. It was commented that, under the London Plan, there was an expectation that developments would be car free and it was queried why the proposal would provide this level of parking. It was added that the homes in the development would be 60% affordable and that car ownership levels were expected to be low. It was suggested that a much lower level of parking could be provided, particularly given the nearby location of schools and local support of reduced car usage.

The applicant team commented that the development proposed 167 car parking spaces, which amounted to 0.17 of parking spaces per home. It was noted that the area had a relatively low Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL). It was explained that the London Plan policy proposes 3-7% of the total number of spaces for accessible spaces, with a maximum of 10%, which meant that up to 100 accessible spaces could be provided on site. It was also noted that 17% of the units would be 3-bed and 4-bed homes and were expected to require access to a vehicle at times and there were also some requirements for vehicles that people used for work purposes. The applicant team considered that the proposal achieved a balance which would be supplemented by car clubs, a transport assessment, and a car parking management plan.

Cllr Harrison-Mullane spoke as ward councillor and enquired how the proposal would interact with the District Energy Network (DEN). It was noted that residents were supportive of including a higher number of solar panels as part of the scheme. It was also commented that some residents had expressed safety concerns about the near entrance onto Warwick Gardens. The Assistant Director of Planning, Building Standards, and Sustainability explained that the DEN was not specific to this proposal but was a wider, Council project to provide decentralised energy. It was noted that a decision on the outline business case had been made at Cabinet report in December 2021. The applicant team stated that provision would be made on site if a connection to the DEN became available but that, in the interim, air source heat pumps were proposed and would be supplemented by solar panels. It was added that the scheme planned to have a significant number of solar panels on the roof space. In relation to the pedestrian entrance, the applicant team felt that this would provide a number of wider benefits to the community around access to and through the site. It was added that the applicant was incorporating safety considerations into the design of the site and was working with the Police Secured by Design officer.

The Chair thanked the applicant team for attending.