Erection of 3 three bedroom townhouses, 1 one bedroom apartment and 1 two bedroom apartment.

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 the report.  He explained that the proposed application was for the erection of three townhouses, and two apartments.

Attention was drawn to the update sheet which included an amendment to the terms of the legal agreement and to a number of the conditions.

The Chair invited Miles Young from MRPP to speak for the application.  Mr Young advised the committee that over time this had proved a difficult site on which to deliver a viable development.  Linked to application 17/00862/FULM (85 Chalk Hill) it would, in effect, become a donor site to deliver larger affordable housing units at a central location in the town.  The development included two houses for market sale.  All the properties would be excluded from the CPZ which would prevent residents parking permits being issued.

The Chair invited comments from the committee.

In addition to comments made by the committee on the previous linked application, members of the committee welcomed the St John’s Road development, both for its delivery of larger affordable housing units and for its pleasing design.

The Chair moved the officer’s 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, conditional planning permission be granted subject to the conditions listed below:

Section 106 Heads of Terms

(a)   To secure the 3 no. 3-bed houses proposed in the planning application to be Affordable Housing units;

(b)   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;

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          No construction works above damp proof course level shall commence until full details and samples of the materials to be used for the external surfaces of the building, including doors, and windows have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, the development shall only be implemented in accordance with the approved details.

3          The windows and the doors to be inserted in the external walls of the building shall be recessed a minimum of 6cm from the external walls, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

4          No construction works above damp proof course level shall commence until full details of the provision for bicycle storage facilities, refuse and re-cycling storage have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior to the first occupation of any part of the development and shall be retained thereafter.

5          No construction works above damp proof course level shall commence until details of the siting, height and type of fencing or other means of enclosure around the boundaries of the site and within the site have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The fencing or other means of enclosure shall be provided as approved prior to the first occupation of the dwelling hereby approved and shall be maintained as such at all times thereafter.

6          Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (or any modification or re-enactment thereof), no development permitted under Schedule 2, Part 1, Classes A, B, C, D, E, F and G of the Order shall be carried out to the dwellings hereby approved without the prior written permission of the Local Planning Authority.

7          No construction works above damp proof course level shall commence until a hard and soft landscaping scheme for the site (including a detailed method statement covering tree planting, tree, shrub and grass specie, planting size and density and all hard surfacing materials) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved hard landscaping shall be carried out prior to the first occupation of any part of the development and shall be retained at all times. The soft landscaping 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.

8         No construction works above damp proof course level shall commence until details of the stopping up of the existing accesses on St. Johns Road and Estcourt Road, by raising the existing dropped kerbs and reinstating the footways, and highway boundary to the same line, level and detail as the adjoining footway, and highway boundary have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in conjunction with the Highway Authority. The development shall not be brought into use until the access has been stopped up in accordance with the approved details.

9          Notwithstanding the drawing hereby approved, no development shall commence until details of the front gable features and the rear dormer windows have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, the development shall only be implemented in accordance with the approved details.

10        All materials and equipment to be used during the construction shall be stored within the curtilage of the site unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Highway Authority prior to commencement of the development.

11        Notwithstanding the information already submitted, no development shall commence until detailed plans showing the existing and new or altered ground levels within the site and the floor levels of each of the proposed dwellings have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out only in accordance with the details approved under this condition.

12        The scheme hereby approved shall be carried out strictly in accordance with drawings number 1962/P2/1, 1962/P2/2, 1962/P2/3 and 1962/P2/4, unless it is agreed in writing by the local planning authority.

Informatives

1          In accordance with the unilateral agreement in respect of the development of 85 Chalk Hill Watford WD19 4BT, under planning application Ref; 17/00862/FULM, granted on  … the three houses fronting the St. John Street should only be used for affordable purposes.

2          This planning permission is accompanied by a planning obligation under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure financial contributions under ‘Saved’ Policy T24 of the Watford District Plan 2000 and Policy INF1 of the Watford Local Plan: Core Strategy 2013.

3          The applicant is reminded that this planning permission does not obviate the need to obtain the separate consent of the owner of the adjoining property prior to commencing building works on, under, above or immediately adjacent to their property (e.g. foundations or guttering). The Party Wall Etc Act 1996 contains requirements to serve notice on adjoining owners of property under certain circumstances, and a procedure exists for resolving disputes.  This is a matter of civil law between the two parties, and the Local Planning Authority is not involved in such matters.

4          Before commencing the development, the applicant shall contact South West Highways Area Office, Shire House, Bridle Path, Watford, WD17 1AL to obtain i) their permission/requirements regarding access for vehicles involved in the demolition of the existing and construction of the new buildings; ii) a condition survey of any adjacent highways which may be affected by demolition any construction vehicles together with an agreement with the Highways Authority that the developer will bear all costs in reinstating any damage to the highways.

5          Works to be undertaken on the adjoining highway will require an agreement with the Highway Authority. Before commencing the development the applicant shall contact the South West Highways Area Office, Shire House, Bridle Path, Watford, WD17 1AL to obtain their permission/requirements. This is to ensure any works 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.

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

7          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:

                        o          Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm      

                        o          Saturdays 8am to 1pm

                        o          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