Redevelopment of existing garage and surface parking areas for 90 one and two bedroom apartments in one 8 storey building and one 10 storey building

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 (PB) introduced the report explaining that the application proposed the redevelopment of existing garage and surface parking areas for 90 one and two bedroom apartments in one eight storey building and one 10 storey building with associated hard and soft landscaping areas.

 

Attention was drawn to the update sheet which included some comments from Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) as the Lead Local Flood Authority.  HCC had removed its earlier objection subject to the imposition of three additional conditions.

 

The Chair invited Trevor North, a local resident, to speak against the application.  Speaking on behalf of residents from both Central and Nascot wards, Mr North commented that local people from the area surrounding the site were not against redevelopment in principle.  However there were concerns that the current proposal was an overdevelopment of the site and did not create an effective, sustainable solution for the lifetime of the development, would be harmful to the health of existing residents and would contribute to a loss of character or privacy of the area.

 

Mr North had submitted a lengthy document, containing detailed evidence to back-up these assertions.  This had been sent to the committee members ahead of the meeting.

 

Responding to a series of queries from the Chair about the issues raised by Mr North, the Development Management Team Leader confirmed that the air quality management area on St Albans Road did not extend to this site.  In addition, a microclimate report had not been considered necessary.  The street canyon effect was less relevant to the current application, since the street was not characterised by tall buildings extending along the length of the street.  Indeed, St John’s Road was on the boundary of two character areas, with taller buildings at either end (on St Albans Road and Clarendon Road) and lower residential buildings in between.

 

It was confirmed that whilst car ownership by residents in car-free developments could not be stopped, the use of controlled parking zones, possibly using extended hours, would provide considerable discouragement.

 

The Chair invited Douglas Bond from Woolf Bond Planning, to speak to the committee.  Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Mr Bond explained that considerable consultation had been undertaken with the council, housing representatives, local residents and ward councillors to come up with a workable solution for the site.  The resultant policy compliant scheme would redevelop a brownfield site to provide high quality accommodation (33% affordable).   The development would complete the gap in this stretch of St Albans Road, stepping down in height to complement adjacent houses on surrounding roads.

 

The change of use of the site would reduce traffic to and from the garage and free up on-street parking space for local residents with the decrease in the number of cross over points.  Although car free, the development was 400 metres from a car share scheme.

 

The Chair invited Central Ward Councillor Steve Bolton to speak to the committee.  Councillor Bolton commented that new and particularly large scale developments always gave rise to concerns.  Whilst residents were not against the development of the site, there were questions about the feasibility of its car-free design and particularly the impact this would have on disabled car users.  Councillor Bolton proposed that opportunities for on-street parking bays for disabled users should be maximised and the success of the overall scheme be monitored over time.

 

In a clarification from the Chair, the Head of Development Management confirmed that work outside the site could not be conditioned.  However, it was noted that condition 12 of the officer’s recommendation required existing vehicular crossovers on St John’s Road to be removed and the footpaths reinstated prior to occupation of the development.

 

The Chair thanked the speakers and invited comments from the committee.

 

Members of the committee welcomed the affordable housing provision, the mix of which had been broadly supported by the council’s housing team.   It was noted that in order to increase the unit size of the accommodation, it had been agreed to reduce the number of affordable rented units.

 

There was some debate about the feasibility of the car-free development and the impact this might have on local parking concerns.  The Portfolio Holder responsible for parking confirmed that the possible extension of the CPZ hours of operation was being considered by the council to alleviate parking pressures on local streets.  It was anticipated that this would particularly benefit residents living close to car-free developments.

 

In addition, some members questioned whether the allocation of cycle storage spaces should be increased in order to encourage alternative transport use. 

 

Although part of the national planning policy framework, committee members argued that wholly car-free developments on this scale were new to Watford and their success should be monitored closely.

 

The Chair moved the officer’s recommendation subject to the three additional conditions included in the update sheet.

 

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)          To secure 30 two bed flats as affordable housing comprising 25 flats for affordable rent and 5 flats for shared ownership.

 

ii)         To secure a financial payment to the Council of £2,000 towards the variation of the Borough of Watford (Watford Central Area and West Watford Area) (Controlled Parking Zones) (Consolidation) Order 2010 to exclude the site from the controlled parking zone, thereby preventing residents’ parking permits being issued to this site.

 

iii)        To secure the provision of fire hydrants to serve the site as required by Hertfordshire County Council.

 

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:-

           

            216012/PA/110A, 120A, 121A, 122A, 123A, 124A, 125A, 126A, 130A, 131A, 132A, 133A, 134A, 135A, 140, 141, 150

           

3.         No demolition of the existing buildings or construction of the development shall commence until a detailed scheme to deal with the risks associated with the potential contamination of the site has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. That scheme shall include

           

i)          a site investigation scheme, based on the Desk Study report by Geotechnical and Environmental Associates Limited dated 4^th May 2017 (ref. J17057), to provide information for a detailed assessment of the risk to all receptors that may be affected, including those off-site;

 

ii)         the results of the site investigation and risk assessment referred to in (i) above 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 the remediation strategy in (ii) are complete and identifying any requirements for longer-term monitoring of pollutant linkages, maintenance and arrangements for contingency action.

 

            No changes to these components shall be undertaken without the written approval of the Local Planning Authority. All works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

4.         No construction works shall commence until a verification report demonstrating completion of the works set out in the approved remediation strategy (see Condition 3 above) and the effectiveness of the remediation has been submitted to and approved, in writing, by the Local Planning Authority. The report shall include results of sampling and monitoring carried out in accordance with the approved verification plan to demonstrate that the site remediation criteria have been met.

 

5.         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.

 

6.         The development permitted by this planning permission shall be carried out in accordance with the principles of the approved surface water drainage assessment carried out by SLR Consulting Limited, SLR reference 402.06524.00002, version number 1, dated September 2017, the Indicative Drainage Layout drawing, drawing number 002B, revision 1 and the following mitigation measures detailed within the drainage strategy:

 

            i) Draining the surface water run-off generated by the critical storm events during the 1 in 100 year event plus 40% of climate change event into the ground.

 

            ii) Providing storage 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 providing of total storage volume in permeable paved area.

 

            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.

 

7.         Prior to the construction of the drainage scheme a detailed surface water drainage scheme for the site, based on the approved drainage strategy and sustainable drainage principles, shall be 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.

            i) BRE Digest 365 Standards infiltration tests at the exact locations of the proposed permeable paving areas.

 

            ii) Final, detailed modelling for the drainage scheme reflecting the obtained infiltration tests on the site. This should reflect as well the proper contribution area for the development sites, as described in the additional information provided by the applicant, dated 11th December 2017.

 

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

 

8.         Upon completion of the development works an updated management and maintenance plan for all the SuDS features and structures included within the drainage strategy must be submitted and shall include arrangements for adoption and any other arrangements to secure the operation of the scheme throughout its lifetime. This should include as-built drawings of all SuDS features and the final surface water drainage layout.

 

9.         No development (excluding demolition works) shall commence until a noise mitigation scheme for each of the residential dwellings, based upon the recommendations of the Noise Assessment dated September 2017 (SLR Ref. 402.06524.00002.002 by SLR Consulting, has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall include the details and specifications of the sound reduction performance of all glazed and non-glazed elements of the building facades. No dwelling shall be occupied until the approved mitigation measures have been installed in full, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

10.       No development (excluding demolition works) shall commence until the specification of a mechanical air supply/extract system for each of the residential dwellings with windows facing St Albans Road has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The system must be capable of providing background and rapid ventilation for cooling with the windows of the respective dwelling remaining closed. The system must not compromise the sound insulation of the façades. Details of the siting of any air intake; extraction units; generators and other mechanical equipment serving this system that are likely to give rise to noise should be submitted, along with details of noise attenuation measures to be incorporated to ensure these units do not give rise to a noise nuisance. No dwelling shall be occupied until the approved ventilation system has been installed in full, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

11.       No development (excluding demolition 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, balconies and privacy screens) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall only be constructed in the approved materials.

           

12.       No dwelling shall be occupied until a detailed soft landscaping scheme for all the land within the site (based upon the Landscape Design Statement (ref. PRI21395DAS dated August 2017) by ACD Environmental) and Landscape Masterplan has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. This shall include new tree and shrub planting. 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.

 

13.       No dwelling shall be occupied until a detailed hard landscaping scheme for all the land within the site (based upon the Landscape Design Statement (ref. PRI21395DAS dated August 2017) by ACD Environmental) and Landscape Masterplan 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.

 

14.       No dwelling shall be occupied in the respective blocks until details of the refuse and recycling stores and secure and weatherproof cycle stores to serve the dwellings, as shown in principle on the approved drawings, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and these stores have been constructed as approved and made available for use. These facilities shall be retained as approved at all times.

 

15.       No dwelling shall be occupied in the respective blocks until the existing vehicular crossovers on St John’s Road serving both the northern plot of land and the southern plot of land have been removed and the footpaths reinstated.

 

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

           

17.       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 either of the buildings hereby approved.

           

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 30 flats as affordable housing, the exclusion of the development from the local controlled parking zone and necessary fire hydrants to serve the development.

 

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.         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 entered into extensive pre-application discussions with the applicant and requested amendments during the consideration of the application.

 

6.         All works required to be undertaken on the highway network will require an Agreement with the Highway Authority. Before commencing the development the applicant shall contact HCC Highways Development Management, County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford, SG13 8DN to obtain their permission and requirements. This is to ensure any work undertaken in the highway is constructed in accordance with the Highway Authority's specification and by a contractor who is authorised to work in the public highway.