There were no apologies for absence.

Councillor Bell declared that he had spoken with certain people about the application however he had not made any judgement.

The minutes of the Development Management Committee held on 25^th June 2015 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.)

CONDUCT OF THE MEETING

The Committee to take items in the following order:

1. All items where people wish to speak to the Committee and have registered to do so by telephoning the Democratic Services Team.
2. Any remaining items that the Committee agree can be determined without further debate.
3. Those applications where Members wish to discuss matters in detail.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2015 were submitted and signed.

Application for proposed change of use of ground, first and second floors of mixed use commercial building to provide 43 residential units, retention of commercial units at lower ground floor; associated external elevational treatment to comprise remodeled entrances and reconfigured fenestration; associated bin stores and cycle parking.

APPLICATION FOR THE PROPOSED CHANGE OF USE OF GROUND, FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS OF MIXED USE COMMERCIAL BUILDING TO PROVIDE 43 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, RETENTION OF COMMERCIAL UNITS AT LOWER GROUND FLOOR; ASSOCIATED EXTERNAL ELEVATIONAL TREATMENT TO COMPRISE REMODELLED ENTRANCES AND RECONFIGURED FENESTRATION; ASSOCIATED BIN STORES AND CYCLE PARKING.

The Committee received a report from the Head of Regeneration and Development including the relevant planning history of the site and details of responses to the application.

The Major Cases and Enforcement Manager introduced the application, explaining to the Committee that the application site was a brownfield site which was in a predominantly residential area and there was limited demand for commercial use of the existing development.

Although 15 units of affordable housing were viable, the application only proposed 13 units due to the internal configuration of the building. To offset the loss of the 2 units it was proposed that 6 of the 13 units be social rented. This arrangement was deemed acceptable by housing officers.

The Major Cases and Enforcement Manager highlighted that objections had been received from the Kodokan Kendo Club and Sport England which raised concern regarding noise, parking and the provision of toilets. It was noted the developer was willing to provide the kendo club with 2 toilets on the lower ground floor as they would lose the use of the toilets located on the first floor. A noise survey had been undertaken and a range of mitigation measures were proposed which could be attached to a planning permission as conditions. There would also be an opportunity for the kendo club to lease a small number of secure parking spaces however the club had no parking in their existing lease arrangements.

The Chair invited Mr Paul Budden to speak to the Committee in objection to the application.  

Mr Budden, representing the Kodokan Kendo Club, highlighted the club’s strong reputation in Watford as well as nationally. He informed the Committee that junior members of the club had recently taken part in a once in a lifetime trip to Japan through the club and the trip would not have been possible had they not been where they were.

He expressed concern that the development was just an opportunity for developers to make money out of the site and for the Council to obtain more council tax. He was of the opinion that the development had been pushed through by stealth and the Council was compliant. He described the marketing of the existing commercial use as non-existent and noted the changes to access had reduced the viability of carrying out B1 and B2 activities on the site.

Mr Budden warned against building a thoughtless development that would increase congestion, place further strain on local health services and become a ghetto of the future.

With reference to a letter from a solicitor representing the kendo club, Mr Budden also informed Members that the club had a legal right to toilet facilities and that the club wanted 3 toilets to be provided  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.