Proposed redevelopment of the site to provide 227 residential units in buildings ranging from 3 to 11 storeys, with 160 car parking spaces (including car club and accessible provision); communal landscaped amenity areas, secure cycle parking and other associated development

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 Principal Planning Officer explained that the application proposed the redevelopment of the site to provide 227 residential units in buildings ranging from 3 to 11 storeys, with 160 car parking spaces (including car club and accessible provision), communal landscaped amenity areas, secure cycle parking and other associated works.

 

Attention was drawn to the update sheet which included an additional condition.

 

It was noted that members of the committee had undertaken a site visit prior to the committee meeting.

 

The Chair invited Jonathan Rickwood to speak to the committee against the application.  Mr Rickwood acknowledged that there was a need for new homes in the town and that this was an ideal site for development.  However the current scheme would be a significant overdevelopment of the area and would generate a huge influx of people with only limited access via the already heavily congested Sydney Road.

 

Mr Rickwood outlined the inevitable strain on local doctors surgeries, Watford General Hospital, schools and parking, and suggested that a more modest development would be more appropriate for the site.

 

The Chair invited Mark Jackson, Fairview New Homes, to speak for the application.  Mr Jackson explained the costly decontamination of the site which the developer had undertaken.  Taking this and other factors into account, lengthy discussions had been held with planning officers to devise two affordable housing options for the committee to consider.

 

Mr Jackson outlined the ground level changes across the site which would accommodate 227 much needed residential units in a car-light development with communal landscaped amenity areas.  The developer had considered the adjacent development to devise a complementary scheme which was fully policy compliant.

 

The Chair invited Holywell Ward Councillor Matt Turmaine to speak to the committee, however Councillor Turmaine declined stating that his earlier comments applied equally to the current development.

 

The Chair invited comments from the committee asking them to state their preferred affordable housing option.

 

Committee members reiterated concerns raised in consideration of the previous scheme, particularly in regard to the impact on local infrastructure.  It was suggested that this question should be given careful consideration in discussions on the new Local Plan for Watford.

 

Although significantly below the 35% affordable housing target, members of the committee agreed that Option B would meet the most acute housing needs of the borough, providing social rented units.  It was noted that this option was preferred by officers.

 

The Chair moved the officer’s recommendation Option B subject to the successful completion of a section 106 agreement, and the addition of condition 16.

 

RESOLVED –

 

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

 

Section 106 Heads of Terms – Option B

 

i)                    To secure 19 units in Block B of the development to be Affordable Housing units comprising 11 no. Affordable rented units (3 no. 1B2P, 2no. 2B3P, 2no 2B4P, 1no. 3B 4P and 3no. 3B5P) and 8 no. Social rented units (2 no. 3B4P and 8 no. 3B5P);

 

ii)                  To secure a review mechanism of the viability of the development to be undertaken towards the end of the project when actual build costs and sales values of the flats are known. This shall allow financial payment to be made towards affordable housing provision where the viability of the development can be shown to have improved to provide a financial surplus;

 

iii)                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;

 

iv)                To secure a financial payment to Hertfordshire County Council of £6,000 for the long term monitoring of the proposed Travel Plan for the site;

 

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

 

vi)                To secure a financial payment to Hertfordshire County Council of £7,200 towards the provision of a shelter at the nearest westbound bus stop and easy access kerbing at the nearest eastbound bus stop;

 

vii)              To secure the operation of a Car Club from the land for use of residents of the development and residents in the vicinity of the development. To also secure the provision of two car parking spaces made available as Car Club Spaces. This is subject to a clause to release the obligation if the Car Club is not viable to a car club operator. 

 

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:-

            3134-D1000 Rev 00 Site Location Plan

3134-D3099 Rev 02 Lower Ground Floor Plan

3134-D3100 Rev 03 Upper Ground Floor Plan

3134-D3101 Rev 01 First Floor Plan

3134-D3102 Rev 01 Second Floor Plan

3134-D3103 Rev 01 Third Floor Plan

3134-D3104 Rev 01 Fourth Floor Plan

3134-D3105 Rev 01 Fifth Floor Plan

3134-D3106 Rev 01 Sixth Floor Plan

3134-D3107 Rev 01 Seventh Floor Plan

3134-D3108 Rev 01 Eighth Floor Plan

3134-D3109 Rev 01 Ninth Floor Plan

3134-D3110 Rev 01 Tenth Floor Plan

3134-D3120 Rev 01 Roof Plan

3134-D3700 Rev 00 Elevation AA and BB

3134-D3701 Rev 01 Elevation CC and DD

3134-D3702 Rev 00 Elevation EE and FF

3134-D3703 Rev 00 Elevation GG and HH

3134-D3704 Rev 00 Elevation JJ and KK

3134-D3705 Rev 01 Elevation LL and MM

3134-D3850 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 01

3134-D3851 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 02

3134-D3852 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 03

3134-D3853 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 04

3134-D3854 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 05

3134-D3855 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 06

3134-D3856 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 07

3134-D3857 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 08

3134-D3858 Rev 00 Elevation Detail 09

3134-D3500 Rev 01 Sections AA and BB

3134-D3501 Rev 01 Sections CC and DD

3134-D3502 Rev 01 Sections EE and FF

3134-D3800 Rev 00 Aerial View 1

3134-D3802 Rev 00 Aerial View 3

3134-D3803 Rev 00 Aerial View 4

3134-D3810 Rev 00 View 01

 

3.         Other than demolition and site investigation works, no development shall take place until a detailed surface water drainage scheme for the site based on the approved drainage strategy and sustainable drainage principles, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed:

 

1.                  Detailed engineered drawings of the proposed SuDS features including cross section drawings, their size, volume, depth and any inlet and outlet features including any connecting pipe runs. This should include details of sedum blankets for the roof areas.

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

 

4.         The development permitted by this planning permission shall be carried out in accordance with the approved surface water drainage assessment carried out by Infrastructure Design Ltd (IDL), reference number IDL/868/DS/01, dated June 2018:

 

1.                  Limiting the surface water run-off generated by the critical storm events so that it will not exceed the surface water run-off rate of 5 l/s during the 1 in 100 year event plus 40% of climate change event.

2.                  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 a minimum of 409.4 m3 (or such storage volume agreed with the LLFA) of storage volume in Tubosider Helibore feature and additional 96 m3 and 106 m3 (or such storage volume agreed with the LLFA) in permeable paving areas.

3.                  Discharge of surface water from the private drainage system into the Thames Water surface water sewer network.

 

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.         Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme (Remediation Strategy and Options Appraisal prepared by Card Geotechnics Limited (Document Ref: CG/28211A)) and prior to the first use or occupation of the development, a verification report that demonstrates the effectiveness of the remediation carried out must be produced together with any necessary monitoring and maintenance programme and copies of any waste transfer notes relating to exported and imported soils shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval. The approved monitoring and maintenance programme shall be implemented.

 

6.         In the event that contamination is found at any time when carrying out the approved development that was not previously identified it must be reported in writing immediately to the Local Planning Authority. An investigation and risk assessment must be undertaken, and where remediation is necessary a remediation scheme must be prepared, which is subject to the approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority. Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme a verification report must be prepared, which is subject to the approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority.

 

7.         No external facing materials shall be installed on any building of the development until full details and samples of all the materials to be used for the external surfaces of the buildings have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

8.         No part of the development shall be occupied until a detailed hard landscaping scheme for the site, including site boundary treatments, children’s play area 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.

 

9.         No part of the development shall be occupied until a detailed soft landscaping scheme for the site, including details of an appropriate irrigation systems, and a landscape management and maintenance plan, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The detailed scheme shall be based upon the Landscape Proposals of the approved drawings. The approved soft 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 the modified access and egress arrangements from Sydney Road, as shown in principle on the approved drawings has been completed in full.

 

11.      No dwelling within each block of the development shall be occupied until the bin and bicycle storage of that block has been provided for the use of residents, in accordance with the approved drawings. These facilities shall be retained at all times for the use of the residential occupiers of the dwellings.

 

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.       No dwelling shall be occupied until the details of car parking allocation have

            been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning. The provision shall include an agreed allocation of on-site residential car parking spaces for use by the affordable housing units. The car parking spaces shall remain available for use by the allocated residents, in accordable with the agreed allocations, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority

           

14.       All residential units shall achieve the recommended maximum internal noise levels under BS 8233 through the following provisions in accordance with the Noise Impact Assessment dated June 2018 Ref 18-4127 Rev B.

·        Façade construction to achieve an Rw of at least 55dB

·        Double glazed window units with a Sound Reduction Index (SRI) of at least 28 dB Rw

·        Installation of acoustic trickle vents.

           

15.       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.

 

16.       The north facing windows of Block H serving the landing and stairwells at upper ground floor, first floor, second floor, third floor, fourth floor and fifth floor levels, shall be installed and retained with obscure-glazing, and shall be non-opening other than in parts of the windows which are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed.

 

Informatives

 

IN912 Hours of Construction         

IN913 Community Infrastructure Levy

IN914 S106 Agreement

IN909 Street Naming and Numbering

IN907 Consideration of the proposal in a positive and proactive manner

IN915 Highway Works – HCC agreement required