There was a change of membership for this committee.  Councillor Collett replaced Councillor Johnson.

There were no disclosures of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2019 to be submitted and signed.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2019 were submitted and signed.

Redevelopment of the site to provide a mixed use scheme comprising 30 residential units and flexible commercial floorspace

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

The Development Management Team Leader explained that the application proposed the redevelopment of the site to provide a mixed use scheme comprising 30 residential units (Class C3), flexible commercial floor space (Class A1/A2/B1/D2), cycle parking, landscaping and associated works.

It was noted that an additional letter of support had been received in support of the application.

The Chair invited Josh Gordon, representing the applicant GS8, to speak to the committee.  Mr Gordon reminded members that the principle of development had been established in the previous application, which had been refused on 25 July 2018.  In response to the committee’s concerns, the applicant had worked with officers, stakeholders and interested parties to agree a number of changes to the scale, design and materials to address the reasons for refusal. 

Mr Gordon highlighted the contribution the development would make towards meeting Watford’s housing need.  In addition, the applicant would make a commuted sum of £290,000 which would be linked to the Watford Community Housing scheme at The Brow to enable the provision of additional social rented units.

The Chair invited comments from the committee.

Members of the committee welcomed the new application which represented a positive contribution to the street scene and successfully overcame the previous reasons for refusal. 

Although it was noted that the height of the building remained slightly higher than some of the surrounding buildings, it was acknowledged that the weight of government guidelines underlined the need to make efficient use of sites. 

The Chair moved the officer’s recommendations subject to the successful completion of a section 106 undertaking.

RESOLVED –

That, pursuant to a planning obligation under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 having been completed to secure the following Heads of Terms, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions listed below:     

Section 106 Heads of Terms

i)          To secure a financial payment to the Council of £290,000 towards the provision of affordable housing in the Borough of Watford;

ii)         To secure a financial payment to the Council of £2,000 towards the variation of the Borough of Watford (Watford Central Area and West Watford Area) (Controlled Parking Zones) (Consolidation) Order 2010 to exclude the site from the controlled parking zone, thereby preventing residents’ parking permits being issued to this development;

iii)        To secure a financial payment to the Council of £31,200 towards survey work and a public consultation into the potential to extend the operating hours of the local controlled parking zone (Zone K);

iv)        A financial contribution of £6,000 to Hertfordshire County Council for monitoring of the Travel Plan for the site. 

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:-

            1715-LS-X-XX-DR-A-0100_P1

1715-LS-X-XX-DR-A-1000_P1  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

Demolition of existing garages and bungalow and erection of 9 dwelling houses, access road and car parking

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

The Development Management Team Leader introduced the report.  He advised that the application sought the demolition of the existing garages and bungalow and subsequent erection of nine dwelling houses, an access road and car parking.

The Chair invited Central Ward Councillor Steve Bolton to speak to the committee.  Councillor Bolton outlined the compact and congested nature of the site.  Residents were concerned that the proposed development would exacerbate existing parking and manoeuvring difficulties in the surrounding area, particularly during the evenings.

Despite exclusion from the controlled parking zone preventing residents’ parking permits being issued to the site, residents were concerned that there would be overspill parking from the new development.

In response to a query from the Chair, the Development Management Team Leader advised that Hertfordshire County Council (Highways Authority) had raised no objections to the development.

The Chair invited comments from members. 

Although noting the significant concerns of residents about on-street parking problems in the area, members welcomed the development which provided a different housing choice to many of the applications brought to committee.  It was suggested that current parking enforcement arrangements should be kept under review.

The Chair moved the officer’s recommendation subject to the successful completion of a section 106 undertaking.

RESOLVED –

That, pursuant to a planning obligation under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 having been completed to secure the following Heads of Terms, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions listed below:

Section 106 Heads of Terms

i)          To secure a financial payment to the Council of £2,000 towards the variation of the Borough of Watford (Watford Central Area and West Watford Area) (Controlled Parking Zones) (Consolidation) Order 2010 to exclude the site from the controlled parking zone, thereby preventing residents’ parking permits being issued to this site.

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:-

Site location plan

Site block plan

2015/302/01A, 2015/302/02

3.         The development shall only be carried out in accordance with the Environmental Management Plan detailed in the Supporting Statement by Battram Associates dated 28th November 2018 as approved under planning ref. 18/01573/DISCON.

4.         No demolition of the existing buildings below ground level or construction of the development shall commence until a detailed scheme to deal with the risks associated with the potential contamination of the site has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. That scheme shall include all of the following elements:

i)          a preliminary risk assessment which has identified:

·        all previous uses

·        potential contaminants associated with those uses

·        a conceptual model of the site indicating sources, pathways and receptors

·        potentially unacceptable risks arising from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.