Agenda item

The redevelopment of the site to provide a mixed use development with the erection of a building up to 11 storeys, comprising office accommodation, coffee bar and 59 dwelling units (21 affordable).

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 (HN) introduced this item, explaining that the application was for the redevelopment of the site to provide a mixed use development with the erection of a building of up to 11 storeys.  This would comprise 6,247m² of office accommodation, 140m² of coffee bar use and 59 dwellings (21 affordable).

 

Attention was drawn to the update sheet, which included some additional information received since the committee papers were published. 

 

A model of the development was available for viewing in the Council Chamber.

 

The Chair invited Nick Shute from Nick Shute Associates to speak against the application.  Speaking on behalf of four of the current business occupiers at 53 Clarendon Road, employing some 250 employees, who would be displaced (possibly outside the borough) if this redevelopment were permitted, Mr Shute stated that Clarendon Road should be protected as an employment area.  This was in line with the council’s own policies which had sought to prevent office to residential conversions.

 

Businesses were concerned that placing residential development in the heart of the town’s main office area would increase congestion and downgrade the quality of Clarendon Road for business.  It would limit the future redevelopment potential of adjoining businesses for office purposes and its height would dwarf surrounding buildings on Monmouth Road.

 

Mr Shute also questioned whether the council’s procedural rules had been followed correctly for this application.

 

Responding to this last point, the Head of Development Management refuted that there had been any procedural irregularities in this application.  All required procedures had been followed strictly by officers, including undertaking the appropriate consultations and placing press advertisements and site notices relating to the amended plans.

 

The Chair invited comments from the committee.

 

Members of the committee considered the scheme to be both well designed and an efficient use of land, which would enhance the quality of office space on Clarendon Road.  Although the development would be higher than surrounding buildings, the committee accepted that the council’s Supplementary Planning Document, Skyline  (Watford’s Approach to Taller Buildings), had identified Clarendon Road as a suitable location for taller buildings.

 

The committee also welcomed the additional housing in the mixed development, which was a common feature in central London.  The sustainable accommodation was considered to provide a good level of amenity space and would include 35% affordable housing units for which there would be a separate entrance to allow easier management of the flats.

 

Committee members noted that the developer had sought to ensure that the amenities of the adjoining occupiers in terms of loss of light and privacy had been reasonably protected.

 

The Chair moved the officer recommendation.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That, pursuant to a planning obligation under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 having been completed to secure the following Heads of Terms, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions listed below:

 

Section 106 Heads of Terms

 

i)          The provision of 21 units of affordable accommodation in accordance with Policy HS3 of the Core Strategy.

ii)         The payment of £2,000 towards the variation of the relevant traffic regulation order to exclude the development from the local controlled parking zone, to ensure future residents of the development are not entitled to resident’s permits, in accordance with saved Policy T26 of the Watford District Plan 2000.

iii)        The provision of fire hydrants to serve the development in accordance with Policy INF1of the Watford Local Plan Core Strategy 2006-31 and saved Policy H10 of the Watford District Plan 2000 if this were to be required.

 

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:- PL_005, 099, 100101, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 120, 201, 202, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505 and 521.

           

3.         No construction works shall commence until full details and samples of the materials to be used for the external surfaces of the building (including walls, roofs, windows, doors and balconies) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

           

4.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved surface water drainage assessment carried by ESI consultancy.

 

i)          Providing attenuation to ensure no increase in surface water run-off volumes for all rainfall events up to and including the 1 in 100 year + climate change event.

ii)         Undertake the drainage in specified Proposed Surface Water Drainage Strategy (report ref; 64499.00.01R1) finalised February 2017

iii)        Implement appropriate drainage strategy based on attenuation and discharge into Thames surface water sewer.

 

            The mitigation measures shall be fully implemented prior to occupation and subsequently in accordance with the timing / phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme, or within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority.

 

5.         No development above damp proof course shall take place until a detailed surface water drainage scheme for the site based on the approved Drainage Strategy and 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 1 in 100 year + 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.

 

i)          Detailed engineered drawings of the proposed SuDS features including their size, volume, depth and any inlet and outlet features including any connecting pipe runs.

ii)         Final detailed management plan to include arrangements for adoption and any other arrangements to secure the operation of the scheme throughout its lifetime.

 

6.         No impact piling shall take place until a piling method statement (detailing the depth and type of piling to be undertaken and the methodology by which such piling will be carried out, including measures to prevent and minimise the potential for damage to subsurface sewerage infrastructure, and the programme for the works) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Any piling must be undertaken in accordance with the terms of the approved piling method statement.

 

7.         If, during development, contamination not previously identified is found to be present at the site then no further development shall be carried out until the developer has submitted to, and obtained written approval from, the Local Planning Authority for a remediation strategy detailing how this unsuspected contamination is to be dealt with. All works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

           

8.         No part of the development shall be occupied until the refuse and recycling store to serve the development, as shown on the approved drawings, has been constructed and made available for use. This facility shall be retained as approved at all times.

 

9.         No part of the development shall be occupied until a detailed soft landscaping scheme for all the land within the site has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The details shall include the depth of the planter boxers over the basement areas as well as those over the terraces. The approved landscaping scheme shall be carried out not later than the first available planting and seeding season after completion of 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.

 

10.       No part of the development shall be occupied until a detailed hard landscaping scheme for all the land within the site, including details of all site boundary treatments and external lighting, has 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.

 

11.       The office floorspace shall not be occupied until a detailed Travel Plan, based upon the Hertfordshire County Council document 'Hertfordshire Green Travel Plan Guidance’, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning. The travel plan shall then be implemented in accordance with the approved scheme thereafter.

 

12.       No dwelling shall be occupied until details of a communal terrestrial television aerial(s) and satellite dish(es) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

           

13.       For the avoidance of doubt, no communications development permitted by Class B or Class C of Part 16 of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 shall be undertaken on the building.

 

14.       No plant or equipment shall be sited on the external elevations of the building unless details of the plant or equipment have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The details shall include size, appearance, siting and technical specifications relating to noise.

 

15.       No development above damp proof course level shall take place until a detailed scheme in respect of the natural ventilation for the development hereby approved has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The ventilation system shall then be implemented in accordance with the approved scheme and retained as such thereafter, unless a subsequent scheme is agreed in writing by the local planning authority.  

                                   

Informatives

 

1.         You are advised of the need to comply with the provisions of The Control of Pollution Act 1974, The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, The Clean Air Act 1993 and The Environmental Protection Act 1990.

 

            In order to minimise impact of noise, any works associated with the development which are audible at the site boundary should be restricted to the following hours:

 

·         Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm

·         Saturdays 8am to 1pm

·         Noisy work is prohibited on Sundays and bank holidays

 

            Instructions should be given to ensure that vehicles and plant entering and leaving the site comply with the stated hours of work.

 

            Further details for both the applicant and those potentially affected by construction noise can be found on the Council’s website at:

 

            https://www.watford.gov.uk/info/20010/your_environment/188/neighbour_complaints_%E2%80%93_construction_noise.

 

2.         This development may be considered a chargeable development for the purposes of the Community Infrastructure Regulations 2010 (as amended). The charge is non-negotiable and is calculated at the time planning permission is granted. The charge is based on the net increase of gross internal floor area of the proposed development.

 

            A person or party must assume liability to pay the levy using the assumption of liability form 1 which should be sent to the CIL Officer, Regeneration and Development, Watford Borough Council, Town Hall, Watford, WD17 3EX or via email (semeta.bloomfield@watford.gov.uk).

 

            If nobody assumes liability to pay the levy this will default to the land owner.  A Liability Notice will be issued in due course. Failure to adhere to the Regulations and commencing work without notifying the Council could forfeit any rights you have to appeal or pay in instalments and may also incur fines/surcharges.

 

3.         This planning permission is accompanied by a unilateral undertaking under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure a financial payment towards the provision of affordable housing in the Borough and to exclude the development from the local controlled parking zone.

 

4.         All new developments granted planning permission and to be constructed require naming or numbering under the Public Health Act 1925. You must contact Watford Borough Council Street Naming and Numbering department as early as possible prior to commencement on streetnamenumber@watford.gov.uk or 01923 278458. A numbering notification will be issued by the council, following which Royal Mail will assign a postcode which will make up the official address. It is also the responsibility of the developer to inform Street Naming and Numbering when properties are ready for occupancy.

 

5.         With respect to crime prevention issues you are advised to follow the following:

 

•     It will be important for residents when returning to their home, that the walkway from Clarendon Road to the residential block is welcoming with suitable lighting, so as to reduce any fear of crime.  I would recommend suitable CCTV coverage of the outside area as well as the ground floor entrance areas, to help deter any offenders.

 

•     The basement parking to be secured with suitable access control for vehicle access.  This will help protect parking for the intended users, as well as protecting this area from criminals and rough sleepers, and thus reducing a fear in crime for users.   The stair core areas from the basement parking will need to be to a security level to stop tailgaters gaining access to the residential and commercial internal areas.

 

•     In October 2015, Approved Document Q (ADQ) came into force that requires under Building Regulations dwellings are built to “Prevent Unauthorised Access”.  This applies to any “dwelling and any part of a building from which access can be gained to a flat within the building”.   Achieving the Secured by Design (SBD) award meets the requirements of Approved Document Q (ADQ), and there is no charge for applying for the Secured by Design award.    Further details are available from Hertfordshire Police Crime Prevention Design Advisors at 01707-355226.

 

•     The development to adhere to the physical security standards of Secured by Design.

 

6.         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 advice on the proposal and sought amendments during the application process.