Agenda item

Demolition of existing detached dwelling and the erection of two blocks of flats comprising 3 no. three bed flats and 6 no. two bed flats, with modified access, car parking and landscaping

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

 

The Development Management Team Leader (PB) introduced the item, explaining that the application was to demolish the existing detached dwelling and erect two, two-storey blocks comprising nine flats with 20 car parking spaces.[Description of proposed development]

 

The Chair invited Mr Waqar Rashid to speak on behalf of local residents in objection to the application.

 

Mr Rashid explained that he had lived on Hempstead Road for some 10 years and was speaking on behalf of a wide range of local residents in the surrounding roads to the application site.  Whilst residents were not against a development per se, they felt that the current application was not acceptable.

 

Residents were critical of the size and scale of the proposed units and did not feel that their concerns had been taken on board adequately during the pre-application phase, particularly regarding loss of light and overlooking.  Moreover, there were issues regarding vehicular access and the detrimental impact this would have on the ability of neighbouring properties to enjoy their back gardens.

 

Mr Rashid suggested that Council housing targets should not be met at the expense of good design.

 

The Chair thanked the speaker for his contribution.  He then invited Councillor Hofman, Nascot Ward Councillor, to speak to the Committee.

 

Councillor Hofman expressed concerns about the bulk and scale of the proposed development.  Hempstead Road was a good, well connected location.  Whilst he accepted the need for development of the site, an application for family housing would have been more appropriate.

 

There was a danger that, if approved, the development would have a domino affect on future applications.  The local area would become dominated by large, overbearing flats, which had little regard for local communities.

 

Councillor Hofman questioned the view of Hertfordshire County Council as the Highway Authority that the development would not generate significant additional car journeys on an already congested main artery.

 

The Chair opened the debate to Committee members.

 

Following a query from the Chair, the Development Management Team Leader clarified that there was a range of different housing styles in the area.  As such, it was difficult to defend a suggestion that the proposed development would have a negative impact on the character of the area. 

 

In a further query, the Development Management Team Leader advised that with any development some oblique overlooking was inevitable.  However, the spacing in the proposed application was significantly in excess of design guide requirements.

 

Committee members expressed some frustration at the narrow grounds on which they were able to refuse applications and the presumption in favour of development, which had been discussed during deliberations on the previous application.  It was agreed that the level of harm to surrounding properties voiced by local residents did not provide sufficient grounds to refuse the application.

 

The Chair moved the officer recommendation.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

 

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

            15/109/101B, 102B, 103B, 104B, 201B

           

3.         No demolition or construction of the development hereby permitted shall take place before 8am or after 6pm Mondays to Fridays, or at any time on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays.

           

4.         No demolition or construction works shall commence within the site until an Environmental Management Plan has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. This Plan shall include the timing of deliveries and collections by heavy goods vehicles; contractors parking; the delivery and storage of materials; measures to mitigate noise and dust; wheel washing facilities; plant and equipment and a contact procedure for complaints. The Plan as approved shall be implemented throughout the development period.

 

5.         No demolition or construction works shall commence until details for the formation of a temporary access for construction vehicles across the root protection zones of the protected trees at the front of the site have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and the approved measures have been installed. These measures shall be retained at all times during demolition and construction works.

 

6.         No demolition or construction works shall commence until a detailed tree protection plan (based upon the submitted Phase II Arboricultural Impact Assessment (Ref.835)) for the protection of all trees and hedges to be retained on the site (including the preserved trees on the Hempstead Road frontage and existing trees and hedges along the southern and northern boundaries of the site) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and the approved measures have been installed. These measures shall be retained at all times during demolition and construction works.

 

7.         No construction works shall commence until details for the no-dig construction of the permanent access road, the 3 parking spaces in front of Block A and the entrance path to Block A, all within the root protection zones of the protected trees at the front of the site (as shown on the Tree Protection Plan in Appendix 2 of the Phase II Arboricultural Impact Assessment) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. These details shall utilise the InfraWeb Tree Root Protection System (or other similar system agreed by the Local Planning Authority) and shall include site specific installation method statements. No dwelling shall be occupied until the approved measures have been installed in full.

 

8.         No construction works shall commence until details of a sustainable surface water drainage scheme for the development has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. No part of the development shall be occupied until the approved drainage scheme has been implemented in full.

 

9.         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.

 

10.       No construction works shall commence until detailed plans showing the existing and proposed ground levels within the site and the ground floor levels of all proposed buildings have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall only be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

           

11.       No construction works shall commence within the site until details of the routing of all below ground services and cabling (electricity, gas, telephone, foul water, surface water, etc), including any temporary connections for site huts, showing depth, width and routing of all trenches, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The development shall only be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

                       

12.       No dwelling shall be occupied until the new access junction to Hempstead Road, as shown in principle on approved drawing no. 15/109/201B has been constructed in full.

 

13.       No construction works shall commence until details of the materials to be used for all the external finishes of the buildings, including walls, roofs, doors and windows have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out only in accordance with the approved materials.

 

14.       No construction works shall commence until details of an external lighting scheme for the site have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall be installed as approved before the first occupation of any part of the development.

           

15.       No dwelling shall be occupied until details of the design and materials of the bin stores and the cycle stores, as shown in principle on drawing no.15/109/201B, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and the bin stores and cycle stores have been constructed in accordance with the approved details. The bin stores and cycle stores shall be retained as approved at all times.

 

16.       No dwelling shall be occupied until full details of a soft landscaping scheme have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved landscaping scheme shall be carried out 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.

 

17.       No dwelling shall be occupied until full details of a hard landscaping scheme, including details of boundary treatments, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and the works have been carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

18.       No dwelling shall be occupied until the 18 car parking spaces, as shown on approved drawing no.15/109/201B, have been constructed in full. These spaces shall be retained for the parking of cars at all times.

 

19.       The windows on the north and south facing elevations of Block A and Block B, shown on the approved drawings as being ‘fixed obscure glazing’ shall have non-opening, fixed lights and be fitted with obscured glazing at all times.

 

Informatives

 

1.         In dealing with this application, Watford Borough Council has considered the proposal in a positive and proactive manner having regard to the policies of the development plan as well as paragraphs 186 and 187 of the National Planning Policy Framework and other material considerations, and in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010, as amended. The Council also gave pre-application advice on the proposal prior to the submission of the application and undertook discussions with the applicant’s agent during the application process.

 

2.         Construction standards for works within the highway. The applicant is advised that in order to comply with this permission it will be necessary for the developer of the site to enter into an agreement with Hertfordshire County Council as Highway Authority under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980 to ensure the satisfactory completion of the access and associated road improvements.  The construction of such works must be undertaken to the satisfaction and specification of the Highway Authority, and by a contractor who is authorised to work in the public highway.  Before works commence the applicant will need to apply to the Highway Authority to obtain their permission and requirements. Further information is available via the website http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/transtreets/highways/ or by telephoning 0300 1234047.