Agenda item

Application to demolish ten existing bungalows and erect two, three storey blocks comprising 32 one and two bedroom flats and a community garden.

The Committee received the report of the Major Cases Manager, including the relevant planning history of the site and details of responses to the application.

Introducing the item, the Major Cases Manager explained that the application involved several elements: the demolition of the existing 10 bungalows; the erection of two L-shaped, three storey blocks; the widening and improvement of the pedestrian entrance to the recreation ground; the closure and stopping up of the highway in front of the bungalows and incorporation of land into a public open space in front of the flats; and the provision of new car parking.

The Major Cases Manager also drew the Committee’s attention to the update sheet which included a number of amendments to the report. 

The Chair invited Mrs Jane Owen of Save the Bungalows to speak in objection to the application.

Mrs Owen stated that she was speaking on behalf of the Leavesden Green community, the majority of whom were opposed to the application.  517 people had signed a petition against the proposed development, which they considered to be hideous and quite out of keeping with the character of the existing buildings. 

The proposed flats were thought to be too high (98% higher than the bungalows and 30% higher than the existing houses) and would have the effect of making the area feel cramped and overdeveloped.  There were concerns about a loss of privacy.

Residents also had issues about the loss of green space and the encroachment the development would make onto the children’s play area.  This would set a precedent for other developments.

There were significant concerns about the proposal to close part of Hemming Way and the detrimental impact the development would have on parking in the area.  The accuracy of the parking survey was questioned.

Local residents also expressed doubts about the ability of the local sewerage system, as well as local schools and doctors surgeries, to cope should the development be approved. 

The Chair then invited Mrs Lisa Cathro from Watford Community Housing Trust (WCHT) to speak for the application.

Mrs Cathro outlined the benefits of the proposed development, which, using an exchange of land with Watford Borough Council, represented a new vision for the Leavesden Green estate.

The development would provide a net gain of 22 affordable homes, a new entrance to the park and a restructuring of the local roads to connect residents to the recreation area.  The design was of high quality and unit sizes would be above minimum standards.

The Trust had undertaken a series of consultations with local residents, whose views had been taken on board.  As a consequence, a number of changes had been made to the parking arrangements, to the appearance of the buildings and to security.

Responding to criticism of the treatment of bungalow residents, Mrs Cathro underlined the Trust’s sympathy with the upheaval moving represented.  She highlighted the positive feedback received from some of those affected.  However, it was important to focus on the material planning issues of the application.

The Chair thanked the speakers for their contributions and then invited Councillor Crout, Stanborough Ward Councillor, to speak to the Committee.

Whilst sympathetic to the need for affordable housing in Watford, Councillor Crout considered the application to be the wrong building in the wrong place.  It would dwarf surrounding buildings and would fail to meet the needs of existing residents, both in terms of future affordability due to a lack of social rented units and, particularly for the bungalow owners, community support networks.

Older residents would be less likely to volunteer to downsize their housing accommodation as their needs changed if they felt that alternative provision would leave them feeling socially isolated.  This would serve to fuel future housing shortages.

The Chair asked the Major Cases Manager to clarify two points: first how the parking survey had been undertaken and second the proportion of social rented units proposed in the application.

The Major Cases Manager explained that the parking survey was carried out using a respected and widely adopted methodology.  It included a range of separate surveys to assess demand.  Although the development would result in a net increase in the number of cars in the area, it was anticipated that there would be sufficient car parking capacity to meet this.

In regard to social housing provision, the Major Cases Manager highlighted WCHT’s financial constraints in the development following the government’s announcement on rent levels.  This would mean that, from April 2016, the Trust’s rental income stream would be reduced by 1% year on year.  As a consequence, providing additional social rented units within the scheme was not a viable option.

Councillor Williams expressed sympathy with the large number of residents who had voiced their concerns about the proposed development.  Two of their key concerns: car parking and the loss of the bungalows, however, did not provide grounds for planning refusal.

The Committee had greater scope on the question of design and Councillor Williams criticised the “soviet style” blocks included in the application.  He considered that Leavesden Green required special attention and the current proposal did not meet that need.

Councillor Turmaine echoed these comments, in addition querying transport links to the area with the Major Cases Manger.  These were confirmed to be poor, with most transport routes going around, rather than through the estate.

Councillor Sharpe took up criticism of the design aspects of the application.  Whilst design was a subjective matter, he considered that the proposed flats were out of keeping in bulk and scale.  A better designed scheme might be possible, but the current one had little merit.

Drawing discussions to a conclusion, the Chair commented that Councillors appeared to be widely critical of the design aspects of the application.  He invited Councillor Williams to move a motion to refuse planning permission on the grounds that it would fail to provide a high standard of design and would be out of character with the residential aspects of the area, having the appearance of being overdeveloped.

RESOLVED –

that planning permission be refused on the grounds that it would fail to provide a high standard of design and would be out of character with the residential aspects of the area, having the appearance of being overdeveloped, contrary to the provisions of the Residential Design Guide (RDG) and Policies SS1 and UD1 of the Watford Local Plan Core Strategy 2006-31.