Agenda item

Proposal: Redevelopment of existing car parking area to both Arundel Court and Baldewyne Court to provide 30 residential units over 4 blocks of three-storeys with associated amenity space, refuse/recycling and cycle stores. Reconfiguration of parking area accessed off Lansdowne Road, provision of additional communal amenity space, new cycle facilities and replacement refuse/recycling facilities. Enhanced landscaping across Arundel Court and Baldewyne Court

Planning Officer, Kwaku-Bossman Gyamera introduced the item for redevelopment of existing car parking area to both Arundel Court and Baldewyne Court to provide 30 residential units over 4 blocks of three storeys with associated amenity space, refuse/recycling and cycle stores. Reconfiguration of parking area accessed off Lansdowne Road, provision of additional communal amenity space, new cycle facilities and replacement refuse/recycling facilities. Enhanced landscaping across Arundel Court and Baldewyne Court.

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

• Both schemes provided dual aspect and triple aspect units. There were kitchen-diners within the scheme. Bulk storage would be provided on both schemes, this was separate to resident waste disposal.
• There had been a parking survey carried out, and there was off-street parking available. 10 out of 32 spaces were not used in Arundel and 10 out of 31 in Baldwyn were not used. There was scope for further spaces and sufficient capacity within the local area. Residents could apply for permits however new residents could not apply as this development would be a car free development.

Rorie Ash, Resident of Baldwyn Court attended the committee to speak in objection to this proposal. The following was noted from his speech:

Rorie explained he had submitted an objection letter in June and in his view his concerns had not been taken into account. He believed the layouts of the existing flats were not considered properly. His kitchen was an independent room and held a view of 40m down Lansdowne road, this development would obstruct this view. The new blocks would require steel gates, he was concerned about the noise implications from these. The new bin stores would be accessed through the alleyway, bin stores should be external.

The following responses was noted in response to questions to the applicant:

• Officers did not consider the kitchen windows particularly beneficial to the existing dwellings because they were quite small high-level windows.
• New steel gates and new steel fences would be installed, officers were confident they would be rarely used, and the Council could make sure that they were fitted with rubber pads to prevent them from making too much noise.
• BVRE guide does not expect the applicant to know the internal layout of neighbouring buildings. The standards were based on neighbouring windows, the existing neighbouring windows achieved excellent daylight and sunlight levels.
• With the Neighbourhood Move scheme, existing residents within the given area would have a degree of priority.
• Noise baffling on high quality materials was provided and materials would be subject to planning conditions.
• During the evolution of this scheme, the view was taken that if there were internal bins stores, these would take up less space. It was simply about trying to maximise the amount of public realm and landscaping which was available to the existing residents in the future.
• Officers could look to consult with residents in the existing blocks to identify whether there were circumstances in which the location of the bin stores could be the subject of a separate later application. Officers would undertake this as part of the co-production exercise.
• The scheme had been to the QRP panel.
• The contractual obligations for the subsequent contractors require that there would be a two year period during which those contractors post completion undertake a full maintenance of all landscaping for the subsequent 3 year periods. The housing delivery team would undertake the maintenance and upkeep of those newly planted landscaped areas.
• Officers had a governance process that required them to report back to Cabinet and ultimately to full Council on the outcome of all schemes after the rectification period, roughly 2 years post completion. The fundamental part of that exercise is that officers undertake a survey of as many residents.

The Chair asked Robbie McNaugher, Head of Development Management and Enforcement Planning to sum up the recommendations as set out in the report. He noted including a condition for landscaping at point for noise mitigation for gates. The Chair moved that the recommendation be granted following a vote with 8 for, 0 against and 0 abstentions.

RESOLVED

1.            That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission and that the Head of Development Management or the Assistant Director of Planning, Building Standards & Sustainability is authorised to issue the planning permission and impose conditions and informatives subject to an agreement providing for the measures set out in the Heads of Terms below.

2.            That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Development Management or the Assistant Director Planning, Building Standards and Sustainability to make any alterations, additions or deletions to the recommended measures 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 Chair (or in their absence the Vice-Chair) of the Sub-Committee.

3.            That the agreement referred to in resolution (2.1) above is to be completed no later than 8/01/2025 within such extended time as the Head of Development Management or the Assistant Director Planning, Building Standards & Sustainability shall in his sole discretion allow; and

4.            That, following completion of the agreement(s) referred to in resolution (2.1) within the time period provided for in resolution (2.3) above, planning permission be granted in accordance with the Planning Application subject to the attachment of the conditions.

Conditions

1. Time limit

2. Drawings

3. Materials and elevations

4. Landscaping

5. External lighting

6. Secure by design accreditation

7. Land Contamination

8. Unexpected Contamination

9. Construction Environmental Management Plan

10. Arboricultural Impact Assessment

11. Tree Protection Measures

12. Cycle parking

13. Disabled parking bays

14. Car Parking Management Plan

15. Delivery and servicing Plan and Waste Management

16. Satellite antenna

17. Restriction to telecommunications apparatus

18. Piling Method Statement

19. Energy strategy

20. Overheating

21. Living roofs

22. Biodiversity

23. Urban Greening Factor

24. Sustainable Design and Construction

Informatives

1) Co-operation

2) CIL liable

3) Hours of construction

4) Party Wall Act

5) Street Numbering

6) Sprinklers

7) Water pressure

8) Asbestos

9) Secure by design

10) Thames Water Groundwater Risk Management Permit