Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall

Contact: Ishbel Morren  Email: legalanddemocratic@watford.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence/committee membership

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

 

The Chair welcomed Councillors Mills and Smith, who were new to the committee.

2.

Disclosure of interests

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of interest.

3.

Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 May 2018 to be submitted and signed.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 May 2018 were submitted and signed.

4.

18/00542/FULM 147a, 149a, 149b and land to the rear of 149 St Albans Road pdf icon PDF 175 KB

Redevelopment of the site to provide a mixed use scheme comprising of 146 residential units, flexible commercial units and associated cycle parking, car parking, play space etc.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 Development Management Team Leader introduced the report explaining that the application was for the redevelopment of the site to provide a mixed use scheme comprising 146 residential units (Class C3), flexible commercial units (Classes A1/A2/B1/D1/D2) and associated cycle parking, car parking, play space, landscaping and associated works.

 

The committee was advised that there had been a discrepancy between the minutes and the decision notice issued by the case officer after the meeting on 31 January 2018, namely that the decision notice had not specifically referenced the 11 storey block (Block B).  However, the arguments had been set out fully in the minutes of that meeting.  It was noted that the applicant had appealed the committee’s decision to refuse planning permission on 31 January 2018, but no date had been set for the public inquiry.

 

Attention was drawn to the update sheet, which included information about some additional representations, a correction to the affordable housing mix and some amended conditions.

 

The Chair invited Kevin Ambrose from the Nascot Residents Association to speak in opposition to the application.  Mr Ambrose outlined four main objections to the application.  These were: a failure to meet with the requirements of the council’s taller buildings policy as set out in its document Skyline – Watford’s approach to taller buildings; the unwelcome precedent set for development of the western side of St Albans Road by not focussing clusters of tall buildings around Watford Junction station; the piecemeal nature of the development which omitted to include key sites, not least the Tyre City depot; and the negative impact on the Nascot Conservation Area, particularly with the retention of the tyre outlet in such a prominent location.

 

Responding to a query from the Chair, the Head of Development Management confirmed that the council’s taller buildings approach was to cluster tall buildings in identified areas of the town and to step down building heights towards lower level surrounding streets.  The Watford Junction Special Policy Area included both sides of the St Albans Road.  Although taller buildings would be located on the western side, the height of those buildings would be generally lower than on sites closer to the station.

 

The Chair invited Sam Hine from DP9 to speak in support of the application.   Mr Hine suggested that the principle of developing the site had been accepted and it was anticipated that this would be a positive change for the area. 

 

Following previous consideration and feedback from the Development Management Committee, various changes had been made to the proposed scheme, not least a reduction in the height of Building B from 13 to 9 storeys.  The development retained a sizeable affordable housing contribution of some 22%, including affordable rented which was most sought after by the council’s housing team.

 

In addition to the positive regeneration of the area with a quality, brick built  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

17/01544/FUL Watford Arches Retail Park, Lower High Street pdf icon PDF 132 KB

Erection of a new building for coffee shop/cafe use with 'drive thru' lane and associated physical works to site layout.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 report.  She explained that the application was for the erection of a new building measuring 205 sq m for coffee shop/cafe use (use classes A1/A3) with 'drive thru' lane and associated physical works to site layout.  It was confirmed that the application was not seeking permission for the establishment of a 24 hour fast food take-away restaurant as had been suggested by some objectors.

 

Attention was drawn to the update sheet which included an updated consultee response from the Lead Local Flood Authority and changes to the conditions.

 

The Chair invited Tim Price, the agent from Savills, to speak in support of the application.  Mr Price drew the committee’s attention to the comments from the statutory consultees who had not raised any objections to the application, including in regard to any detrimental impact on local residents’ amenity. 

 

Reiterating the intended use of the proposed development and referring to a letter of support received from the Costa coffee chain, Mr Price suggested that the scheme was entirely consistent with the surrounding area and would mainly serve existing visitors to the retail park.  It represented an investment in the borough and would generate new jobs in the town.

 

The Chair invited comments from the committee.

 

Committee members broadly welcomed the development.  It was noted that condition 10 ensured that a separate application would be required should a change of use from a coffee shop/café be proposed in the future.

 

In a clarification, the Principal Planning Officer confirmed that the main risk of flooding in the area came from the river and not from surface water.  For this reason, reference to the Environment Agency had not been required.  However, condition 8 had been amended by Hertfordshire County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority to prevent any increased risk of flooding both on and off site.  In addition, condition 11 had been added to the permission to further address any flooding risks.

 

The Chair moved the officer’s recommendation.

 

RESOLVED –

 

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

 

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 shall be carried out in accordance with the following drawings, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The following drawings are hereby approved:

 

14492-11A - Location Plan

14492-111 – Existing Overall Site Plan

14492-112 – Existing Site Plan

14492-113G – ‘Proposed Overall Site Plan’;

14492-114J – ‘Proposed Site Plan’; and

14492-115B – ‘Proposed GA and Roof Plan’.

14492-116D – ‘Proposed Elevations’.

14492-117A - Proposed Cycle Details

Drive thru barrier details

 

3.         No works shall commence until a detailed scheme for the provision of mains water services to serve the development, including, where necessary, fire hydrants, has been submitted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

18/00449/FUL Watford Arches Retail Park, Lower High Street pdf icon PDF 108 KB

Proposed minor physical alterations to reconfigure car park creating five additional spaces.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 report, explaining that planning permission was sought for some minor physical alterations to reconfigure the car park to create five additional spaces.

 

This was a linked application to the previous item (17/01544/FUL).  Although the application represented an increase in parking in the retail park, the net effect – should planning permission be granted to both applications – would be a reduction of 24 parking spaces.

 

There were no additional speakers and the Chair invited comments from the committee.

 

In response to a query, the Head of Development Management advised that none of the parking spaces to be created under this application would be for disabled use only.  Within the retail park there was a policy requirement for 5% of the available parking spaces to be disabled bays.  This threshold was met, with dedicated spaces more conveniently located next to the retail entrances. 

 

In addition, the Head of Development Management confirmed that there would be no loss of disabled spaces as a result of the previous application (17/01544/FUL) and parking immediately adjacent to the proposed café would include disabled provision.

 

The Chair moved the officer’s recommendation.

 

RESOLVED –

 

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

 

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 shall be carried out in accordance with the following drawings, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The following drawings are hereby approved:

           

            14492-120 - Location Plan

            14492-121 - Existing Site Plan

            14492-122 – Proposed Site Plan

 

3.         No development shall commence until the details of the type, design and location of staff and visitors’ cycle parking, lighting and access lock(s) to the cycle store(s) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The cycle storage shall be installed in accordance with the approve details and retained as such unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

Informatives

 

1.         The Local Planning Authority has been positive and proactive in its consideration of this planning application, in line with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework and in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015. The Local Planning Authority suggested modifications to the development during the course of the application and the applicant submitted amendments which result in a form of development that maintains/improves the economic, social and environmental conditions of the District.

 

2.         You are advised that this permission does not dispense with the necessity of obtaining approval or consent under the Building Regulations, Building Acts and other relevant legislation or regulations.  You should contact the Building Control Manager of this Authority if you require information.

 

3.         You are advised of the need to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

 

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