There was a change to the Committee for this meeting: Councillor Jeffree replaced Councillor Derbyshire

Apologies were received from Councillor Bell.

Councillor Sharpe had sent apologies as he had been delayed.

There were no Disclosures of Interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2014 to be submitted and signed. 

Copies of the minutes of this meeting are usually available seven working days following the meeting.

(All minutes are available on the Council’s website.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2014 were submitted and signed.

Application for change of use of storage/warehouse building into a residential unit including partial demolition

The Committee received a report of the Development Management Section Head including the relevant planning history of the site and details of five letters of objection. 

The Chair invited Mr Gregory, the Applicant, to speak to the Committee.

Mr Gregory explained that the application site comprised a large building which had remained vacant for 10 years despite his repeated attempts to find a tenant.  He said that he had had comprehensive consultation with Planning officers and that he had complied with all appropriate regulations. 

The proposal was for a ground floor single storey studio flat; Mr Gregory stressed that there would be no overlooking of other residents’ property.  The conversion would provide accommodation in central Watford within a 5 minute walk of both the town centre and Watford Junction.  Mr Gregory drew the Committee’s attention to page 21 onwards in the officer’s report and noted that a positive response to all objections had been provided.

Mr Gregory advised that the building had been in light industrial use from the 1960s.  He considered, however, that such use in future would be detrimental to neighbouring residents: traffic would be increased through delivery vans and possible late night working would impact on residents’ lives.

Mr Gregory said that the practice of converting commercial buildings to residential use had been increasing and was in line with current government advice.  He concluded by stating that the fly-tipping and rough sleeping which had been an aspect of the site in recent years would cease and that the conversion would improve the location and provide much needed accommodation.   

The Committee then discussed the application.

Councillor Williams asked whether it was permissible for sites previously in commercial use to be converted to homes. 

The Senior Planning Officer said that a study had recently been undertaken which had considered whether the conversion of sites in designated industrial areas was likely to be acceptable in the context of strategic employment land availability.  He assured the meeting that the application was not in a designated industrial area but was in a location which was almost totally residential.   As a consequence a residential unit would be more appropriate within the context of the site.   He added that the narrow entrance to the site did not lend itself to either commercial or industrial use.  The Development Management Section Head commented that the employment land study had focussed principally on the need to protect prime office space; in Watford such space was located in Clarendon Road and Bridle Path. 

The Senior Planning Officer further advised that the building had been vacant for a number of years and that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) encouraged conversion of commercial to residential use particularly in an area which had been identified as needing additional housing. 

Councillor Bashir agreed that the application would be an improvement in the area: the building had been vacant for 10 years and was an ‘eyesore’; the proposal would constitute a better use for the site.  He noted, however, that although the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.