There was a change of membership for this meeting Councillor Rindl replaced Councillor Martins and Councillor S Williams replaced Councillor Bell.

Councillor Sharpe commented that as an Oxhey Ward Councillor it had been impossible to avoid discussions relating to agenda item 6, 15/00115/OUTM 8,10 & 12 Chalk Hill, which had continued over several years.  However he had not expressed an opinion on the current application.

The minutes of the Development Management Committee held on 18 February 2016 to be submitted and signed.

Copies of the minutes of this meeting are usually available seven working days following the meeting.

All minutes are available on the Council’s website.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2016 were submitted and signed.

Request for a Deed of Variation to the Section 106 agreement associated with planning permission 14/00511/OUTM.

The Committee received the report of the Head of Development Management, including the relevant planning history of the site. 

The Head of Development Management introduced the item, explaining that planning permission was granted in January 2015 for the development of Watford Health Campus.  This permission was subject to a Section 106 (s106) planning obligation which sought to secure, inter alia, land to be utilised for an expansion of Laurance Haines School.

A Deed of Variation relating to the s106 agreement was now required to allow an extension to the time period in which Hertfordshire County Council was obliged to advise the Council and the developer if the previously identified land was required for the expansion of the school.

In the absence of comments from Committee Members, the Chair moved the officer recommendation. 

Councillors Turmaine and S Williams requested that it be noted they had abstained from the vote.

RESOLVED –

That a Deed of Variation to the Section 106 agreement associated with planning permission 14/00511/OUTM be granted to allow an extension of the time period from 31^st March 2016 to 31^st March 2017 in which the County Council are obliged to notify the Council and the Developer if previously identified land is required for the expansion of Laurance Haines School.

Demolition of existing 2 storey office building to front of warehouse and erection of new 5 storey office building.

The Committee received the report of the Head of Development Management, including the relevant planning history of the site and details of responses to the application.

The Development Management Team Leader introduced the item.  He explained that the proposed development would demolish the existing office building, erect a new five storey office block, refurbish the existing warehouse and erect a new canopy over the rear servicing yard.  The frontage would include a drop-off facility, parking spaces and a cycle store.

The Committee welcomed the application which was considered a positive development for the industrial area.  It was noted that, although the height of the proposed office block exceeded that of the adjacent buildings, it was not out of keeping with other buildings in the surrounding estate.

RESOLVED –

That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

Conditions

1.         The development to which this permission relates shall be begun within a period of three years commencing on the date of this permission.

2.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved drawings:-

            4739/2/01, 02, 03, 04, 05

4739/3/06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13

1861/200A, 210A.

3.         No construction works shall commence within the site until a Construction Environmental Management Plan has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The Plan shall include details of access for construction vehicles, contractors parking, the delivery and storage of materials, measures to mitigate noise and dust, wheel washing facilities, plant and equipment and a contact procedure for complaints. The Plan as approved shall be implemented throughout the relevant demolition and construction periods.

4.         No impact piling shall take place until a piling method statement (detailing the depth and type of piling to be undertaken and the methodology by which such piling will be carried out, including measures to prevent and minimise the potential for damage to subsurface sewerage infrastructure, and the programme for the works) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Any piling must be undertaken in accordance with the terms of the approved piling method statement.

5.         No occupation of the office building or refurbished warehouse shall take place until the following documents have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority:

            i)          Delivery and Servicing Management Plan.

            ii)         Workplace Travel Plan.

            Both of these documents shall be based on the draft Plans contained in Appendices F and H respectively of the submitted Transport Statement  dated February 2016 by TTP Consulting. These Plans shall be implemented as approved at all times during the occupation of the development.

Informatives

1.         Road Deposits: Best practical means shall be taken at all times to ensure that all vehicles leaving the development site during construction of the development are in condition such as not to emit dust or deposit mud, slurry or other debris on the highway.

2.         The applicant is advised that storage of materials associated with the development should take place  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78.

Outline application for demolition of existing buildings and construction of up to 121 dwellings and a basement car park for residents of up to 197 spaces.

The Committee received the report of the Head of Development Management, including the relevant planning history of the site and details of responses to the application.

The Development Management Team Leader introduced the item, explaining that outline planning permission was sought for the demolition of all existing buildings and the construction of up to 121 dwellings and a basement car park for residents of up to 197 spaces with a new access junction on Chalk Hill.  All matters were reserved for future determination.

Attention was drawn to the update sheet, which included some amended conditions.

The Committee welcomed the proposed development of the site, which had been the subject of various applications.  There was broad support for the change to residential use.  However concerns were expressed about the scale of the proposed development, the access arrangements and the impact of increased traffic levels on surrounding roads.  Committee members also underlined the need for sufficient affordable housing provision.

Councillor Sharpe observed that the ruling by the planning inspector in October 2010, which stated that the proposed new access junction over the site of 12 Chalk Hill was acceptable in principle, meant that the Committee could not refuse planning permission on access grounds.

In response to a question from the Chair, the Development Management Team Leader confirmed that although there had been scope to secure access via Aldenham Road when the adjacent site had been developed by Persimmon Homes this opportunity had been missed.

The Chair moved the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED –

(A)       That planning permission be granted subject to the completion of a planning obligation under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure the following provisions and subject to the conditions listed below:

Section 106 Heads of Terms

i)          To secure the provision of 35% of the dwellings as affordable dwellings, of which at least 65% are to be for affordable rent, at least 20% for social rent and a maximum of 15% for intermediate tenures, in accordance with Policy HS3 of the Watford Local Plan Core Strategy 2006-31.

ii)         To secure the provision of necessary fire hydrants as required to serve the development.

Conditions

1.         Approval of the details of the access, appearance, landscaping , layout  and scale (hereinafter called the 'reserved matters') shall be obtained from the Local Planning Authority before any development commences.

2.         Application(s) for approval of the ‘reserved matters’ must be made not later than the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

The development to which this permission relates must be begun not later than the expiration of two years from the final approval of the reserved matters or, in the case of approval on different dates, the final approval of the last reserved matter to be approved.

3.         The reserved matters submitted pursuant to Condition 1 shall include a detailed tree survey and arboricultural impact assessment for all trees preserved under Tree Preservation Order 33 that lie within the site and immediately adjoining the eastern and northern  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79.

Variation of Condition 2 of planning permission ref. 14/00779/VAR to incorporate amendments to the ground and first floor retail units, second floor leisure unit, design of the high level glazed canopy, reorientation of the escalators and stairs within the central space and other minor amendments.

The Committee received the report of the Head of Development Management, including the relevant planning history of the site and details of responses to the application.

The Development Management Team Leader introduced the report, explaining that the current application proposed further changes to planning application 13/00972/FULM (granted planning permission in 5 February 2014) to accommodate the requirements of Debenhams, which would occupy the new anchor store within the development.  The changes would not alter the fundamental scale and nature of the proposal and would not have any significant additional impacts on adjacent properties or the wider town centre. All other aspects of the approved scheme remained unchanged.

Concluding his comments, the Development Management Team Leader drew attention to the update sheet, which included some amended conditions.

The Chair opened the debate to Committee Members.

Councillor S Williams raised concerns about the management of the covered market, and particularly whether this would compete with the New Watford Market.  In response to a query from the Chair, the Development Management Team Leader advised that this was not a material planning consideration.

Following a further question from Councillor Turmaine, the Development Management Team Leader confirmed that some changes to the highway were included in the development. 

The Chair moved the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED –

That conditional planning permission be granted subject to the conditions listed below:

Conditions

1.         The development to which this permission relates shall be begun before 5^th February 2018.

2.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved drawings:-

AP (02) 0999 P02, 1000 P02, 1001 P02, 1002 P01, 1003 P01, 1004 P01, 1150 P01, 1151 P01, 1010 P01, 1011 P01, 1012 P01, 1015 P01

AP (04) 1152 P07, 0249 P05, 0250 P08, 0251 P08, 0252 P10, 0253 P12, 0254 P12, 0255 P12, 0256 P11, 0257 P11, 0268 P03, 0269 P01

AP (05) 1600 P13, 1601 P07, 1602 P10, 1603 P05

AP (06) 1700 P08, 1701 P02, 1702 P06, 1703 P06, 1704 P02

3.         No demolition works or construction of the development hereby permitted shall not take place before 8am or after 6pm Mondays to Fridays, before 8am or after 1pm on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays and Public Holidays, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. This shall exclude any internal fit-out works of the individual units by tenants.

4.         The construction of the development shall be registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme and shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of this Scheme at all times.

5.         i) The demolition works shall be carried out in accordance with the Demolition Methodology by Keltbray (ref. 1120-MS-001 Rev.01 dated 15/10/15) approved under ref. 15/01487/DISCON. All deliveries and collections shall only be undertaken within the permitted hours, unless otherwise agreed with the Local Planning Authority.

            ii) The construction works shall be carried out in accordance with the Construction Methodology and Phasing Plan Revision 03 (Laing O’Rourke, dated March 2016) and the Construction Sequencing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.