Apologies had been received from Councillor Joynes.

There were none.

The minutes of the Development Management Committee held on 14 December 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 14 December 2016 were submitted and signed.

Conversion and extension of existing building and erection of a new building to provide eight new dwellings – in addition to two existing flats on site – with associated open space, landscaping and infrastructure

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

The Principal Planning Officer introduced the item, explaining that the application sought planning permission for the conversion and extension of the existing building to provide three new flats and the erection of a new building behind comprising five new flats. The two flats in the existing building at 147 St Albans Road would be retained.  This would provide 10 flats in total on the site, five within the extended building and five within the new building.

It was noted that planning permission had been granted for the extension and refurbishment of the existing building at 147 St Albans Road (13/00854/EXT).  Some preparatory ground works had taken place.  The current application would maintain the same building footprint and overall proportions of those approved under this previous permission.

The Chair invited Nick Stafford, the agent, to speak in support of the application.  Mr Stafford underlined the existing planning permission for the site, as well as the need for housing in the locality.  The proposed development would provide a net increase of eight dwellings. 

Constructive dialogue had taken place with Council officers, particularly with the Urban Design and Conservation Manager.  The result was a sympathetic and fully compliant development which would make a positive contribution to the Nascot Conservation Area.

Mr Stafford advised that this would be a car free residential development.  The applicant had entered into a Unilateral Undertaking to ensure that future occupiers of the flats would not be entitled to parking permits in the surrounding Controlled Parking Zone.  This would ensure that the development did not result in any significant increase in on-street parking.

The Chair invited comments from the committee.

Members of the committee welcomed the proposed development, which would improve the appearance of the local area.  The design blended in well with the Victorian style of the Nascot Conservation Area, and would make a positive contribution to the surrounding terraced street scene.

There was some discussion about the loss of the commercial unit, which had formed part of the previous planning permission.  However, it was noted that the existing unit had proved difficult to let and had been left vacant for some time.  It was also a single unit, rather than forming part of longer row of shops.

In response to a query regarding boundary distances raised by Network Rail, the Principal Planning Officer explained that the close proximity of the proposed development to the railway land did not necessarily mean that it was unacceptable, but certain procedures had to be followed.  He further explained that it was understood the applicant had been liaising with the Asset Protection Engineer at Network Rail to ensure that the necessary procedures were in place.  The Principal Planning Officer advised that the necessary measures would have to have been agreed prior to the site clearance works, which had already been undertaken.

Committee members expressed concern  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

Deed of Variation to the s106 agreement to allow the issuing of a parking permit for a single vehicle to park in the surrounding Controlled Parking Zone

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

The Head of Development Management introduced this item.  He explained that the application sought a Deed of Variation to the existing s106 planning obligation which had accompanied the original planning application for the construction of eight bedsits (02/00650/FUL).  This would allow the issuing of a single parking permit to provide a single vehicle to be parked in the surrounding Controlled Parking Zone.  The key worker restrictions should also be deleted.

In the absence of any substantive comments from the committee, the Chair moved the officer recommendation.

RESOLVED –

That, a Deed of Variation to the existing s106 Planning Obligation be entered into to:

Section 106 Heads of Terms

i)                    To allow a single vehicle to be parked within the surrounding Controlled Parking Zone and the Traffic Regulation Order (Watford Central Area and West Watford Area Controlled Parking Zone Consolidated Order 2010) will be varied accordingly;

ii)                  Paragraphs 3 (d) and 3 (e) (Key Worker restrictions) are deleted in their entirety.