Erection of an attached, 3 storey house.

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 item, explaining that the application was to erect a three storey, attached house with single storey side extension within the side garden area of the application property.  The house would have five bedrooms and two car parking spaces on the frontage.

Attention was drawn to the update sheet.  This included comments from the Highway Authority, as well as from one of the ward councillors, and recommended changes to two of the conditions.

The Chair invited Mr Frost to speak against the application.  Mr Frost explained that he was speaking on behalf of local residents, who had a number of objections to the application.  The first concerned road safety.  Due to the large number of parked cars, only some of which belonged to local residents, the road was dangerous to navigate particularly at the junction of Wentworth Close and Melrose Place.  Residents considered that the proposed development would exacerbate these parking and road safety problems.

Mr Frost continued that residents questioned the applicant’s motive for building the new dwelling.  It was suggested that the house was being built to provide a rental income, rather than as a family home.  This was contrary to stipulations contained in a local covenant.

Residents also had concerns about the detrimental impact of the development on the environment, specifically relating to water, sewerage and drainage issues. 

Concluding his remarks, Mr Frost commented that residents considered the development would change the character of the area.  The new dwelling would be an over development and should be refused by the committee.

The Chair invited Mr Jenkins to speak for the application.  Mr Jenkins explained that he was the agent for the applicant, who was seeking permission to build a home for himself and his family.  Constructive discussions had taken place with planning officers at pre-application stage and the final design was both sympathetic and fully compliant with all relevant local and national policies.

Mr Jenkins responded to a series of objections which had been raised by residents, confirming inter alia that no protected trees had been removed during early site works; the proposed design included off street parking and bicycle storage; and room sizes conformed to nationally prescribed standards.

Rather than being a garden grabbing scheme, Mr Jenkins advised that the proposed development would provide a good sized family home for his client, which would contribute to meeting Watford’s housing need.

In response to a query from the Chair about highway safety concerns, the Development Management Team Leader confirmed that the Highway Authority had not raised any objections to the development other than in regard to the pedestrian visibility sight splays.  Conditions 4 and 5 had been amended to reflect the Highway Authority’s comments. 

The Development Management Team Leader further advised that existing car parking issues were outside the remit of the Development Management Committee, but could be addressed by the introduction of double yellow lines around the junction and resident only parking restrictions.

The Chair invited comments from the committee.

Members of the committee expressed sympathy with local residents about the impact of parking issues, which were experienced at numerous locations in the borough.  However, it was acknowledged that this was not a material planning consideration and residents should consider working with their local councillors to introduce new measures to mitigate their concerns.

Committee members expressed the view that the design of the proposed property was fully compliant with Watford Borough Council’s own guidelines, including the internal space standards which exceeded current requirements.

There was a short discussion about the question of back garden developments and about potential flooding concerns.  The Development Management Team Leader confirmed that Hertfordshire County Council was the lead local flood authority but was not required to be consulted on developments of less than 10 dwellings. The site was not within a flood risk zone.  Neither issue provided grounds for refusal.

The Chair moved the officer recommendation, subject to amendments to Conditions 4 and 5 to reflect the request of the Highway Authority for pedestrian visibility splays.

RESOLVED –

That planning permission be granted subject to the following 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:-

            3040/P/71B, 72C, 73B, 74B, 75B, 76B, 77B

3.         No construction works shall commence until details of the materials to be used for all the external finishes of the building, including walls, roof, balconies, 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.

4.         The new dwelling hereby approved shall not be occupied until full details of a soft landscaping scheme 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. The scheme shall include the provision of 2m x 2m visibility splays either side of the parking spaces, free from obstruction between a height of 600mm and 2.0m. 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.

5.         The new dwelling hereby approved shall not be occupied until full details of a hard landscaping scheme 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.  The scheme shall include details of all site boundary treatments and all fencing within the site and the provision of 2m x 2m visibility splays either side of the parking spaces, free from obstruction between a height of 600mm and 2.0m.

6.         The new dwellings hereby approved shall not be occupied until a sustainable drainage scheme for the drainage of the car parking spaces has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and the approved scheme has been implemented in full.