Agenda item

Proposal: Redevelopment of the site to provide 32 residential units and commercial floorspace with associated disabled parking, landscaping and access

Planning Officer, Valerie Okeiyi proposed the report for redevelopment of the site to provide 32 residential units andcommercial floorspace with associated disabled parking, landscaping and access.

The following was noted in response to questions from the committee:

·         In terms of the commercial space, it would sit within the site allocation for mixed use and there was a quantum of commercial space to be provided across the whole area. At the QRP they felt that it would be preferable as a residential led scheme. There were merits in that as it was a small site which sat behind other residential units. However, there was a desire for a link through the scheme and the planners felt that there was an ability to tie in commercial activities. The size of the commercial unit being 1.1 square meters would be suitable for a smaller business.

·         The 2017 site allocation document had largely come to fruition in terms of planning permissions. The demand for workspace was high and there was not anything in terms of material planning considerations that would necessarily steer officers away from that.

·         Site access would only be from Hornsey Park Rd, but there would be a construction management plan that would be put forward with the application to detail how the works would be managed. The applicant had dealt with sites with tighter access than this. It would equally come down to the sizes of the vehicles and also the method of construction used; those things could be mitigated. Surveys could also be carried out for residents.

·         All of the flats would have kitchens. There would only be dual aspects within the scheme. The applicant had worked to mediate between houses on Hornsey Park Road therefore did not believe these homes would look out of place. The shared ownership would be roughly 55% of private sale value. A 2-bedroom flat would estimate around £300,000.

·         The applicant had not looked at opening the Moselle and turning it into an open river. This would create issues with adjoining properties if opened and then closed. This could create a weak spot; the boundary of the site ran down the middle of the Moselle therefore this would have to be in conjunction with the other adjoining landowners.

·         Initially, affordable housing was going to be situated within block B. Currently, the scheme was showing 6%-14% affordable offering. It had proven difficult to put social housing in with private housing as housing associations preferred not to mix due to their own costs. The applicant was in the early viability stage and was reviewing with the external consultant; this would be an opportunity to look at the committed sum. The team hadn’t yet discussed the community space but were predominantly looking at class E use.

·         The site would be adjacent to the Clarendon site but also next to the other houses, the applicant was looking to create a transition between the two. There had been extensive discussions with the QRP and chairs review and following on from that changes have been made to the design.

·         Following on from the recent viability studies, there would be potential for a maximum of 4 affordable units provided and minimum of 2. Once the applicant had confirmed the number of units and the Council agreed, there could then be further discussions around a Council offering.

·         Class E commercial space could be shops, restaurants, cafes, offices, nurseries, creches or a small health centre. Due to the location of the site and size there was not an expectation of a large business expressing interest; however, the applicant would be open to flexibility.