Agenda item
21/00765/OUTM Watford General Hospital Vicarage Road Watford WD18 0HB
- Meeting of Development Management Committee, Tuesday, 5 September 2023 7.00 pm (Item 8.)
- View the background to item 8.
Minutes:
The Associate Director of Planning, Infrastructure and Economy delivered his team’s report.
The Chair thanked the officer and invited Dr Aylett to speak against the application.
Dr Aylett stated he opposed the application as it was against the Local Plan and would be inappropriate for Watford Hospital. He believed this would be used as a precedent for taller buildings being constructed across the borough. Dr Aylett believed the case set out by the officers for breaching the Local Plan was weak; he described the design as not being outstanding. He quoted the Place Shaping Expert Review Panel who had said a more ‘innovative design’ was required. He further stated that the three-finger tower design was seen as unfavourable compared with a four-tower design. He stated that he believed the panel would welcome the opportunity to view it again. Dr Aylett repeated that he did not believe the design was outstanding, especially given how close the towers would be to each other – only sixteen metres apart and all in a row. He stated that this did not fit the standard for residential developments. Dr Aylett finished by stating that daylight and sunlight availability was not favourable.
The Chair thanked Dr Aylett and invited the Associate Director of Planning, Infrastructure and Economy to respond to his points.
The Associate Director of Planning, Infrastructure and Economy responded; he stated that it was not a residential development so those standards would not apply, and the design panel had been involved in the process and there would be further designs as the process continued. He also stated that the taller building policy was not designed to prevent the construction of tall buildings but to only permit them where they would deliver significant public benefits. In this case, this is fulfilled by providing a significant health facility for the community.
The Chair thanked the Associate Director of Planning, Infrastructure and Economy and invited Councillor Stotesbury to speak.
Councillor Stotesbury called on the committee to support the scheme stating that it would provide improvements for patients and staff. He stated that the council had already provided council land to allow for new buildings while the hospital continued to function. He further stated that it had good sustainability factors and was considered green. It would be a modern hospital and would bring employment in to the town. He finished by stating that the council should hold government to account to continue making funds available.
The Chair thanked Councillor Stotesbury, and shared his thoughts with the committee. He stated that the detail and the quality would come back to the committee in time and those issues would be discussed then. He further stated that the resolution had already been passed and that this committee was to decide if the plans met the Local Plan in principle. He then invited the committee to discuss the development.
Councillor Bell stated that he saw no major changes to the plan from two years earlier. He did not believe it detracted from the Local Plan and stated that the final design would come later. Furthermore, he had no issues with tall buildings on this occasion. He stated that his position was to send a clear message to the government that funding would be needed to get this done for the residents of Watford.
Several other councillors spoke giving their support for the hospital development, recognising that there would be time in the future to finalise the design.
The Chair moved for the committee to vote on the officer’s recommendation.
On being put to the committee, the application was approved.
RESOLVED –
That outline planning permission be granted subject to the completion of a planning agreement under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure the provisions of the updated s.106 Heads of Terms and subject to the conditions as detailed below.
Section 106 Heads of Terms
i) To secure the provision and maintenance of a safe and direct
pedestrian and cycle route from the north of the site to Vicarage Road
at all times following occupation of the new hospital with details to be
submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. Details of
this route shall include its position, width, surface finish, lighting,
signage and any level changes;
ii) To secure an updated Travel Plan and financial payment to
Hertfordshire County Council of £6,000 for the long term monitoring of
the Travel Plan for the site;
iii) To secure a financial payment of £600,000 to Hertfordshire County
Council towards bus services in the vicinity of the hospital;
iv) To secure a financial payment of £250,000 to Hertfordshire County
Council for the improvements along Thomas Sawyer Way;
v) To secure a financial payment of £150,000 to Watford Borough Council
for improvements to pedestrian and cycling routes to the hospital;
vi) To secure the submission and implementation of an Employment and
Training Plan to support training, skills and professional development of
local people.
Conditions
1. Reserved Matters
Approval of the details of the following reserved matters shall be obtained
from the Local Planning Authority before any development commences:
(a) appearance; (b) access; (c) landscaping; (d) layout; (e) scale.
2. Time Limit
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. Drawing Numbers
The development shall be carried out in accordance with the following drawings
and documents unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning
Authority. The following drawings are hereby approved:
WHHT-BDP-WGH-00-DR-T-03001- C01 Application and Ownership Boundary
WHHT-BDP-WGH-00-DR-T-03002 - C01 Existing Site Block Plan
WHHT-BDP-WGH-XX-DR-T-22301 - C01 Existing Site Sections AA and BB
WHHT-BDP-WGH-XX-DR-T-22302 - C01 Existing Site Sections CC and DD
WHHT-BDP-WGH-00-DR-T-20021 - C01 Site Plan - Proposed Demolitions
WHHT-BDP-WGH-00-DR-T-20000 C01 - Parameter Plan- Development Plot
WHHT-BDP-WGH-00-DR-T-20002 - C01 - Parameter Plan - Maximum Height
WHHT-BDP-WGH-00-DR-T-20003 - C01 - Parameter Plan - Access and
Movement WHHT-BDP-WGH-00-DR-T-20004 - C01 - Parameter Plan -
Frontages and Spaces
WHHT-BDP-WGH-XX-RP-T-00103 - Design Code
4. Surface Water Drainage Scheme
No development shall commence until a surface water drainage scheme for
the site, based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the
hydrological and hydro geological context of the development, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The
drainage strategy should demonstrate the surface water run-off generated up
to and including the 1 in 100 year plus climate change critical storm will not
exceed the run-off from the undeveloped site following the corresponding
rainfall event. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance
with the approved details before the development is completed. A full
detailed drainage design and surface water drainage assessment should
include:
1. A drainage strategy which includes a commitment to providing appropriate
SuDS in line with the non-statutory national standards, industry best practice
and HCC Guidance for SuDS.
2. Full detailed design drainage plan including location of all the drainage
features.
3. Where infiltration is proposed, evidence of ground conditions/ underlying
geology and permeability including BRE Digest 365 compliant infiltration tests.
4. Detailed calculations of existing/proposed surface water storage volumes
and flows with initial post development calculations and/or modelling in
relation to surface water are to be carried out for all rainfall events up to and
including the 1 in 100 year including an allowance for climate change.
5. Evidence that if the applicant is proposing to discharge to the local sewer
network, they have confirmation from the relevant water company that they
have the capacity to take the proposed volumes and run-off rates.
6. Discharge from the site should be at an agreed rate with the water
company. This should be at Greenfield run-off rate; technical justification will
be needed if a different rate is to be used.
7. An indicative maintenance plan detailing how the scheme shall be
maintained and managed.
5. Construction Environment Management plans
No development shall commence until a Construction Management Plan has
been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority,
including elements of the CLOCS standards as set out in the Highway
Authority’s Construction Management template. Thereafter the construction
of the development shall only be carried out in accordance with the approved
Plan. The Construction Management Plan / Statement shall include details of:
a. Construction vehicle numbers, type, routing;
b. Access arrangements to the site;
c. Traffic management requirements
d. Construction and storage compounds (including areas designated for car
parking, loading / unloading and turning areas);
e. Siting and details of wheel washing facilities;
f. Cleaning of site entrances, site tracks and the adjacent public highway;
g. Timing of construction activities (including delivery times and removal of
waste) and to avoid school pick up/drop off times;
h. Provision of sufficient on-site parking prior to commencement of
construction activities;
i. Post construction restoration/reinstatement of the working areas and
temporary access to the public highway;
j. where works cannot be contained wholly within the site a plan should be
submitted showing the site layout on the highway including extent of
hoarding, pedestrian routes and remaining road width for vehicle movements;
k. Phasing Plan.
6. Contamination remediation
Prior to the commencement of development approved by this planning
permission (or such other date or stage in development as may be agreed in
writing with the Local Planning Authority), the following components of a
scheme to deal with the risks associated with contamination of the site shall
each be submitted to and approved, in writing, by the Local Planning Authority:
i) A site investigation, based on the Ground Conditions and Contamination Risk
Assessment prepared by GB Geotechnics Ltd (Report ref. WHHT-BDP-WGH-XXRP-T-00116), to provide information for a detailed assessment of the risk to all receptors that may be affected, including those off site. This should include an assessment of the potential risks to: human health, property (existing or
proposed) including buildings, crops, pests, woodland and service lines and
pipes, adjoining land, ground waters and surface waters, ecological systems,
archaeological sites and ancient monuments.
ii) The site investigation results and the detailed risk assessment (i) and, based
on these, an options appraisal and remediation strategy giving full details of the
remediation measures required and how they are to be undertaken.
iii) A verification plan providing details of the data that will be collected in order
to demonstrate that the works set out in (ii) are complete and identifying any
requirements for longer term monitoring of pollutant linkages, maintenance
and arrangements for contingency action. Any changes to these components
require the express consent of the local planning authority. The scheme shall
be implemented as approved.
7. Tree protection
Prior to the commencement of development, an Arboricultural Method
Statement (AMS) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local
Planning Authority. This shall be in accordance with the Arboricultural Impact
Assessment (Rev C02) and shall also include the following:
i) Facilitation pruning details;
ii) Underground services and drainage layout; and
iii) General construction precautionary measures including detail of
Tree Protection Plan
The approved measures and details shall be installed and maintained
throughout the development unless otherwise approved in writing by the
Local Planning Authority.
8. Fire Hydrants
No construction 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 to and approved in writing by
the Local Planning Authority. No occupation of the development shall take
place until the approved mains water scheme been provided in full.
9. Energy Statement
i) Prior to the commencement of development, an Energy Statement in
accordance with the targets and objectives set out in the Energy
Statement shall be submitted to an approved in writing by the Local
Planning Authority.
ii) Prior to occupation, evidence demonstrating that the approved
measures have been implemented, together with detail of ongoing
management and maintenance to ensure the measures continue to
achieve the predicted CO2 emissions reduction shall be submitted and
approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.
10. Sustainability Statement
Prior to commencement of development, a Sustainability Statement based on
the Sustainability Statement submitted, shall be submitted for approval in
writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be constructed
in full accordance with the approved Sustainability Statement prior to
occupation.
11. Slow-worm Translocation
Prior to commencement of development within the donor area indicated in
‘Slow Worm Translocation Strategy V01’ drawing, the Translocation Strategy
for slow-worms as detailed in the Preliminary Ecological Assessment Rev C02
[WHHT-BDP-WGH-XX-RP-T-00112] shall be implemented.
12. Bat survey
If the proposed demolition of the existing buildings or felling of identified
trees has not been carried out before the end of April 2022 a further Bat
Survey shall be undertaken and submitted and approved in writing by the
Local Planning Authority prior to commencement of the development. The Bat
survey shall consist of a Preliminary Roost Assessment and Emergence/Reentry
Survey undertaken by a suitably qualified ecologist.
13. Compliance Statement
All Reserved Matters applications shall be accompanied by a Compliance
Statement to demonstrate compliance of the Reserved Matters applications
with the outline permission and shall include to following details:
i) Demonstrate compliance with the approved Parameters Plans
ii) Demonstrate compliance with the approved Design Code
iii) Detail if and why there are any instances where the Reserved Matters
application deviates from the Indicative Scheme of section 5.2 of the
Design and Access Statement for the outline application
14. Maximum Heights
All Reserved Matters applications shall accord with the approved Parameter
Plan for Maximum Height as follows:
i) No part of the building, with the exception of flues and roof top plant,
shall exceed the maximum heights of the development as detailed in
the Maximum Height Parameter Plan;
ii) Where the Maximum Height Parameter Plan approves an area of
building up to a maximum height of +150m AOD for up to 60% of the
area, the remainder of the building in this area shall not exceed a
maximum height of +112m AOD; and
iii) Where the Maximum Height Parameter Plan approved an area of
building up to a maximum height of +112m AOD for up to 75% of the
area, the remainder of the building in this area shall not exceed a
maximum height of +90m AOD.
15. Appearance
Any application in respect of reserved matter (a) ‘Appearance’ shall include
details of all matters of appearance including, but not limited to, the following:
i) All plant and equipment including gas storage, roof plant, PV, cleaning
cradles, lift overruns, railing, flues, vents and telecommunication equipment
and any associated mitigation to avoid noise impacts;
ii) Bridge links which shall have a transparency of 60-80% on elevations;
iii) Entrances and Active Frontages, as identified on the Parameter Plan for
Frontages and Spaces, to include shopfronts and direct accesses to ancillary
retail units;
iv) How the design of the building responds to micro-climate issues such as
wind and sun, including any screening or mitigation to prevent adverse wind
impact or overheating
16. Landscaping
Any application in respect of reserved matter (c) ‘Landscaping’ shall include
details of all matters of site landscaping including, but not limited to, the
following:
i) Access arrangements for public and non-public spaces;
ii) Access, landscaping and management of roof terraces and podiums;
iii) How the landscaping design responds to micro-climate issues such as wind
or shading, including any mitigation;
iv) Location and detail of all public seating and seating associated to the
ancillary retail uses including microclimate mitigation for these areas
including screens, shelters or heating;
v) Location and detail of public art;
vi) Site wide scheme of wayfinding; and
vii) External lighting scheme.
17. Final ground and floor levels
Details of the proposed finished floor levels of all buildings and the finished
ground levels of the site, in relation to existing site levels of surrounding
property shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning
Authority with the submission of any reserved matters application. The
development shall thereafter be carried out in accordance with the approved
levels.
18. Contamination verification
Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation
scheme and prior to the first use or occupation of the development, a
verification report that demonstrates the effectiveness of the remediation
carried out must be produced together with any necessary monitoring and
maintenance programme and copies of any waste transfer notes relating to
exported and imported soils shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority
for approval. The approved monitoring and maintenance programme shall be
implemented.
19. Foul Water- Thames Water
The development shall not be occupied until confirmation has been provided
that either:- 1. All wastewater network upgrades required to accommodate
the additional flows from the development have been completed; or- 2. A
development and infrastructure phasing plan has been agreed with the Local
Planning Authority to allow development to be occupied. Where a
development and infrastructure phasing plan is agreed, no occupation shall
take place other than in accordance with the agreed development and
infrastructure phasing plan.
20. BREEAM Excellent
Within 6 months of first occupation the final post construction BREEAM
certificate(s) indicating that a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating has been achieved
shall be submitted to the local planning authority and approved in writing.
21. Travel Plan
At least 3 months prior to the first occupation or use of the approved
development a detailed Travel Plan for the site shall be submitted to and
approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved Travel Plan
shall be implemented in accordance with the timetable and target contained
therein and shall continue to be implemented unless otherwise approved in
writing by the Local Planning Authority
22. Accesses installed
No part of the development shall be occupied until the new vehicular
accesses, as shown in principle on Parameter Plan Connections and Access
(WHHT-BDP-WGH-00-DR-T-20003 - C01), have been laid out and constructed
in accordance with the details to be approved under reserved matter (b)
Access.
23. Surface Water Drainage Completion
Upon completion of the drainage works, a management and maintenance
plan for the SuDS features and drainage network must be submitted to and
approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The management and
maintenance plan shall include:
1. Provision of a complete set of as built drawings including the final drainage
layout for the site drainage network.
2. Maintenance and operational activities for the lifetime of the development.
3. Arrangements for adoption and any other measures to secure the
operation of the scheme throughout its lifetime.
24. Cycle Storage to be installed
The cycle parking approved by any subsequent reserved matters application
shall be installed and made available for use prior to the occupation of any
part of the development and shall be retained at all times for cycle storage
only and shall not be used for any other purpose.
25. Car free Green Spine
The Pedestrian Priority Route to the north east of the site, identified on the
Connections and Access parameter Plan, and referred to as the ‘Green Spine’
in the Design Code, shall be ‘car-free’ and used only by pedestrians and cycles
other than for maintenance and emergency vehicle access.
26. Soft Landscaping carried out
The soft landscaping scheme to be approved under reserved matter (c)
Landscaping shall be carried out as approved not later than the first available
planting and seeding season after completion of the development. Any trees
or plants whether new or existing which within a period of five years die, are
removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the
next planting season with others of similar size and species, or in accordance
with details approved by the Local Planning Authority.
27. Unexpected contamination
In the event that contamination is found at any time when carrying out the
approved development that was not previously identified it must be reported
in writing immediately to the Local Planning Authority. An investigation and risk
assessment must be undertaken in accordance with the requirements of
Condition 6, and where remediation is necessary a remediation scheme must
be prepared in accordance with the requirements of Condition 6, which is
subject to the approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority. Following
completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme a
verification report must be prepared, which is subject to the approval in writing
of the Local Planning Authority in accordance with Condition 6.
28. Materials Panel
Construction of the superstructure shall not commence until:
a) Full details of the materials to be used for all the external surfaces have
been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority;
and
b) Sample panels have been constructed on site to show the typical facades
including panelling, window frames and glazing, and have made available for
inspection and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.
29. Access
No development shall commence until full details (in the form of scaled plans
and / or written specifications) have been submitted to and approved in
writing by the Local Planning Authority to illustrate the following:
i) Roads, footways.
ii) Cycleways.
iii) Foul and surface water drainage.
iv) Visibility splay
v) Access arrangements
vi) Parking provision.
vii) Loading areas.
viii) Turning areas.
30. Vehicular access
Prior to the first occupation or use of the development hereby permitted the
vehicular access shall be completed and thereafter retained as shown on
drawing number(s) (20175/019 Rev A, 20175/026 Rev C, 20175/027 Rev A and
WHHT-BDP-WGH-00_DR-T-20140 Rev C01) in accordance with
details/specifications to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local
Planning Authority. Prior to use appropriate arrangements shall be made for
surface water to be intercepted and disposed of separately so that it does not
discharge from or onto the highway carriageway.
31. General Vehicle Through Route Closure
Prior to the first occupation or use of the development hereby permitted
general vehicle through routes via the hospital between Vicarage Road,
Willow Lane and Thomas Sawyer Way will be closed to general traffic.
Supporting documents:
- 21/00765/OUTM Watford General Hospital Vicarage Road Watford WD18 0HB, item 8. PDF 433 KB
- Appendix 1 for 21/00765/OUTM Watford General Hospital Vicarage Road Watford WD18 0HB, item 8. PDF 1 MB
- Appendix 2 for 21/00765/OUTM Watford General Hospital Vicarage Road Watford WD18 0HB, item 8. PDF 436 KB
- Appendix 3 for 21/00765/OUTM Watford General Hospital Vicarage Road Watford WD18 0HB, item 8. PDF 3 MB
- Appendix 4 for 21/00765/OUTM Watford General Hospital Vicarage Road Watford WD18 0HB, item 8. PDF 637 KB