Agenda item

To consider the reports by the Director for the Economy, attached as Item 5.

1

 

 

The Head of Planning and Development introduced the report, and the Committee were shown an aerial view of the site.  

 

The application was to demolish and replace the existing 40 flats.  The Officer advised that the applicant, Southern Housing Group, had spent some time liaising with tenants about the  replacement of the dated and deteriorating flats.  The proposal was for 74 flats, which included a great proportion of one bedroom flats, and ranged from 3 to 6 storeys in height.

 

The Committee were shown a number of photographs of the existing building and its location within the surrounding area, and the Officer advised there had been some concerns raised by neighbours as to the potential increase in overlooking and the introduction of balconies on the south elevation.  

 

Green amenity space had also been significantly reduced as a result of the increased footprint of the building and the Parks Manager had requested a contribution of £15,000 towards enhancing off site provision.  It was felt that the Ham Road Recreation Ground and skate park to the east of the site would benefit from additional planting and enhancement.  In the event of an approval of the scheme, that commitment, alongside others outlined in the report, would be included in a Legal Agreement.    

 

Members were shown a number of plans to assist in their consideration of the proposal, and the Officer referred to the proposal’s relationship with neighbouring properties in New Road to the south.  Reference was made to the proposed balconies, and the applicant confirmed the potential use of obscure balcony screens, a type of perforated lattice work, that would obscure any view whilst seated on balconies, there was also the scope to use obscured and toughened glass.  An additional condition was recommended to require details of balcony screening.

 

The Officer referred to car parking and the retention of the 27 spaces to include 3 wheelchair accessible bays.  The applicant had committed to the inclusion of EV charging points to deal with air quality mitigation and encourage more sustainable modes of transport, together with a large cycle store within the site which met the current WSCC standards.

 

A CGI of the scheme had been produced by the applicants and shown to Members.  The applicants had been in discussions with Officers who had wanted to encourage a greater variation in brickwork, particularly on the ground floor, to generate more visual interest.  Sample images were shown of the proposed bricks to be used and examples of the suggested balcony screening.  The Officer suggested that during the delegation period on the Legal Agreement they could return to the Committee with the precise bricks proposed for the development to ensure Members’ agreement.

         

The Officer concluded his presentation by providing updates to the report since the agenda was published, which included the Environment Health Manager’s further comments, and outlined the amended and additional conditions should the proposal be approved.

 

Members raised a number of queries with the Officer, which were answered in turn to their satisfaction.  In summary, these included:-

 

• parking provision/Car Club Membership;
• financial viability of the scheme; and
• housing mix/layout details in relation to wheelchair accessible units and fire risk.

 

There were further representations from:-

 

Objector:                     Mike Damiano

Ward Councillor:         Cllr Catherine Arnold 

Supporter:                   John Murch (Agent)

 

Members considered the proposal and generally agreed there was a need to maximise the site for more dwellings.  However, some Members felt the design fell short of expectations and that the applicant/architect had missed the opportunity to create a more interesting and vibrant building.  

 

The Head of Planning and Development agreed that, should the proposal be accepted, during the delegation period there would be an opportunity for Members to view and agree the proposed materials.

 

A Member referred to the potential of overlooking which had been expressed by the speaker in objection.  The Officer outlined various mitigation measures and agreed there was scope for extra planting and for the roof garden to be set back a further one metre away from the southern boundary of the site.

 

The Committee Members unanimously voted to agree the Officer’s recommendation to approve the planning application.

 

Decision  

 

The Committee APPROVED the application, subject to the satisfactory comments of Environmental Health and the completion of a S106 Agreement covering the matters set out in the report, together with a contribution of £15K towards off site enhancements of Ham Road Recreation Ground, and subject to the conditions set out in the agenda, with the following amendments and additional comments made  in relation to proposed materials:-

 

Condition 17 to be amended to relate to the provision of air source heat pumps unless otherwise agreed in writing.  Condition 18 to include (i) All glazing shall be installed as specified in the Noise Impact Assessment unless otherwise agreed and retained thereafter, and (ii) Ventilation system to be implemented in accordance with details to be submitted based on the submitted Energy Assessment and retained and maintained thereafter unless otherwise agreed. Condition 19 to include noise/vibration risk and mitigation for the proposed plant room / comms room / switching and tank rooms and agreed additional conditions.

 

During the delegation period Members requested to see the proposed materials and indicated that greater thought needed to be given to creating more visual interest in the principal elevations.

 

General

 

1.         Approved Plans including amendments to material detailing.

 

2.         Time limit – 3 years.

 

3.         The submission of plans at a scale of 1:20 plans to ensure high quality design.

4.         Materials to be submitted and agreed.

 

5.         Hard and soft landscaping and implementation, including biodiversity measures.

 

6.         Means of Enclosure and Permitted Development restriction on future fences or increased heights.

 

Highways

 

7.         Provide and retain access, parking, manoeuvring space including delineation car club space and electronic vehicle charging points, with 100% cabling.

 

8.         Engineering specification details for access and parking/manoeuvring areas.

 

9.         Any gate to the parking area to be positioned at least 2.5m back from the edge of the highway in order that a vehicle may wait clear of the highway whilst the gate is being operated.  Details of any gate and entry control (if Used), to be approved.

 

10.       Cycle parking provided – plans to show detail of amended cycle shed.

 

11.       Travel Plan – to be submitted and agreed (implemented and monitored through s.106).

 

12.       Provide and retain refuse stores and unobstructed space for collection.

 

13.       Fire hydrant details to be approved and implemented.

 

Drainage

 

14.       Drainage – details of and timing of provision to be approved in consultation with Southern Water. 

 

15.       Drainage – Sustainable surface water drainage to be approved including calculations – runoff including the 100 year event, plus climate change, not to exceed current values and to be managed and maintained.

 

 

Sustainability

 

16.       Communal Heating – details and implementation.

 

17.       The provision of air source heat pumps, unless otherwise agreed in writing and details to be submitted and approved.  

 

Amenity

 

18.       Noise - Acoustic specifications, including acoustic glazing and means of ventilation.
(i)   All glazing shall be installed as specified in the Noise Impact Assessment unless otherwise agreed and retained thereafter, and

            (ii)  Ventilation system to be implemented in accordance with details to be submitted based on the submitted Energy Assessment and retained and maintained thereafter unless otherwise agreed.

 

19.       Noise - Details of future plant to be approved and noise/vibration risk and mitigation for the proposed plant room / comms room / switching and tank rooms.

 

20.       Lighting – Details to be approved for security and to minimise light pollution.

 

21.       Communal aerial, no other external aerials.

 

22.       Levels – details to be approved. No subsequent increase in levels.

 

23.       Construction Environment Management Plan, including hours of construction work and minimising of pollution and nuisance.

 

Archaeology

 

24.       Written scheme of investigation and recording to be approved.

 

Environmental Health

 

25.       Foundation design and ground-water protection.

 

26.       Remediation, as recommended by Environmental Health Officer.

 

Additional conditions as follows:

 

(i)  All gas fired boilers to meet minimum NOx values (40mgNOx/kwh).

(ii) Details of balcony screens on the south elevation to be submitted to and agreed in writing incorporating measures to reduce overlooking (obscure glazing and/or perforated metal screens).

(iii) Notwithstanding submitted plans, the roof terrace on the south elevation shall be set back a further one metre northwards.

(iv) Approval of details of centralised heating system.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 8.20 pm, and reconvened at 8.25pm.

 

Councillor Pat Beresford left the meeting at 8.20 pm, and did not return to consider the remainder of the applications. 

 

2

 

 

The Chairman advised the application was being considered by the Committee having been submitted by Sompting Parish Council.  However, the Head of Legal had recently advised that subsequent applications from the Parish Council would not need to be considered by the Planning Committee.

 

The Head of Planning and Development outlined the application, and the Committee were shown a photograph of the building, together with existing and proposed plans.  No objections had been received and the Officer’s recommendation was for approval.   

 

Decision

 

That the planning application be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1. Approved Plans
2. Standard 3 year time limit

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

The Head of Planning and Development advised that the remainder of the applications were only being considered as the District Council were providing  Disabled Facilities Grants.  He advised the District Council had effectively been acting as an agent, assisting the owners of the properties with the applications.  The Head of Legal had now confirmed that in the future such applications would not need to be considered by the Planning Committee.

 

The Officer also advised there were ongoing discussions being held with the Head of Legal to ascertain whether applications for minor works at Adur Homes properties still needed to be considered and approved at Committee.   

  

The Head of Planning and Development outlined the application and stated he was happy to recommend approval.  

        

Decision

 

That the planning application be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1. Approved Plans
2. Standard 3 year time limit

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

Decision

 

That the planning application be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1. Approved Plans
2. Standard 3 year time limit

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

Decision

 

That the planning application be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1. Approved Plans
2. Standard 3 year time limit

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

 

 

Decision

 

That the planning application be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1. Approved Plans
2. Standard 3 year time limit

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

Decision

 

That the planning application be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1. Approved Plans
2. Standard 3 year time limit