The Chair introduced the item to the committee and invited the Principal Planning Officer (AC) to present his report. 

 

The Chair thanked the Principal Planning Officer for his report and invited Mr Zak Yousfi to speak against the application.  Unfortunately Mr Yousfi appeared to have left the meeting.  Councillor Collett volunteered to call him, but she was unable to reach him.  The committee noted that he lived nearby to the proposed development.  The Chair decided that there was no option but to continue without hearing from him and invited Ms Dina Cardoso of Rock Townsend to address the committee. 

 

Ms Cardoso commented that the application was made on behalf of Watford Community Housing Trust and that it provided much needed social housing in the area.  The proposed development made good use of the available land and supported the community.  She explained that the site was disused and had never been a park or other designated public space. 

 

Ms Cardoso then went on to describe the proposed development and explained it provided quality housing, with double aspect residences, benefiting from gardens, an amenity space and good parking. 

 

Ms Cardoso concluded by pointing out that full consultation had been carried out with both statutory consultees and neighbours. 

 

The Chair thanked Ms Cardoso for her contribution and commented that whilst he welcomed the application, he felt that the large loft spaces that the design afforded, were a poor use of the space and a missed opportunity for more storage or additional bedrooms for the upstairs flats.  He then invited comments from the committee. 

 

Councillor Johnson commented that he was of the same opinion as the Chair regarding the use of the loft spaces, but that he also supported the application. 

 

Councillor Collett asked that whilst the preservation of trees was not a planning matter, could provision be made to preserve the oak tree on the site, or at least to plant more trees to replace those that were lost. 

 

The Principal Planning Officer assured her that the oak tree would be retained and protected during the construction works. 

 

Councillor Grimston asked if more trees could be planted and she was assured by both the Chair and the Principal Planning Officer that there was a landscaping scheme included as part of the application. 

 

Councillor Bell voiced his support for the scheme.

 

The Chair then proposed a vote that planning permission be approved, subject to the conditions in Section 8 of the officer’s report and the additional conditions in the update sheet.

 

In accordance with Standing Committee Procedure Rules, paragraph 4.2, Councillor Jeffree requested that it be recorded in the minutes how members cast their votes.

 

Those members voting for the motion:

Councillors Bell, Collett, Grimston, Jeffree, Johnson, Sharpe, Smith and Watkin.

 

Those members voting against the motion:

None.

 

Those members abstaining:

Councillor Mills was unable to vote on the motion, due to a temporary technical issue. 

 

The motion was declared to be CARRIED with eight votes for and one abstention.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That planning permission be granted, subject to the following conditions and informatives:

 

 Conditions

 

1.         Three Years

 

The development to which this permission relates shall be begun within a period of three years commencing on the date of this permission.

 

2.         Approved Drawings and Documents

 

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved drawings and documents:

 

-        Drawing Number: RT20052-RTA-XX-00-DR-A-0001. Revision: PL03

-        Drawing Number: RT20052-RTA-XX-00-DR-A-0004. Revision: PL06

-        Drawing Number: RT20052-RTA-XX-00-DR-A-0005. Revision: PL04

-        Drawing Number: RT20052-RTA-XX-00-DR-A-0006. Revision: PL04

-        Drawing Number: RT20052-RTA-XX-XX-DR-A-0007. Revision: PL04

-        Drawing Number: RT20052-RTA-XX-XX-DR-A-0008. Revision: PL04

-        Drawing Number: RT20052-RTA-XX-01-DR-A-0021. Revision: P03

-        Arboricultural Impact Assessment. Document Reference: 5519/20-02 Rev -. Dated: 7^th April 2020. By: PJC Consultancy

-        Arboricultural Method Statement (Preliminary). Document Reference: 5519/20-03 Rev -. Dated: 6^th April 2020. By: PJC Consultancy

-        Preliminary Ecological Appraisal. Document Reference: 4179E/19. Dated: 20^th September 2019. By: PJC Consultancy

-        Design and Access Statement. Revision: PL01. Dated: July 20. By: Rock Townsend

-        Transport Statement. Report Number: 133818-R01(1). Dated: May 2020. By: Jarvis

-        Travel Plan Statement. Report Number: 133818-R02(1). Dated: May 2020. By: Jarvis

 

3.         Detailed Drawings

 

No construction works above foundation level shall commence until detailed design drawings of the proposed building including the external door and window reveals, brick coursing detailing, eaves details and rainwater goods have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out only in accordance with the approved details.

 

4.         Materials

 

No construction works above foundation level shall commence until details of the materials to be used for all the external finishes of the building, including walls, roof, doors and windows, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out only in accordance with the approved materials.

 

5.         Hard Landscaping

 

No part of the development shall be occupied until a detailed hard landscaping scheme for the site including site boundary treatments, drainage of the parking spaces 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.  The detailed scheme shall be based upon drawing number: RT20052-RTA-XX-00-DR-A-0004 revision: PL04.

 

6.         Soft Landscaping

 

No part of the development shall be occupied until a detailed soft landscaping scheme for the site has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The detailed scheme shall be based upon drawing number: RT20052-RTA-XX-00-DR-A-0004 revision: PL04. 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.

 

7.         Cycle and Refuse Store Details

 

No dwelling shall be occupied until details of the cycle and refuse stores have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and have been constructed in accordance with the approved drawings. The bin stores shall be retained as approved at all times.

 

            Informatives

 

1.         IN907 – Positive and proactive statement

2.         IN909 – Street naming and numbering

3.         IN910 – Building Regulations

4.         IN911 – Party Wall Act

5.         IN912 – Hours of Construction

6.         IN913 – Community Infrastructure Levy Liability

7.         IN915 – Highway Works – HCC agreement required

8.         Network Rail Agreement