Agenda item

Description:

The erection of a two storey building with second floor accommodation to provide 2 no. one bedroom flats and 7 no. two bedroom flats with associated parking and amenity space.

Additional Information:

The Assistant Head of Planning (Development Management) reported the following:

One late letter of representation had been received raising queries about the boundary treatment and whether the existing wall would be retained.

In response to this, the applicant has indicated that subject to its condition, it is intended to retain the wall and reduce its height to approximately 2m above ground level. Condition 3 deals with boundary treatment details which are required to be submitted for approval.

Amendment to the final sentence of Paragraph 7.14 (red text only):

Furthermore, balconies were approved in these locations in the previous scheme and were considered acceptable and the current balconies will have a very similar impact. It is therefore considered that the impact is acceptable and that refusal can cannot be justified on these grounds.

A consultation response had been received from the Council’s Tree Officer raising no objection to the proposal subject to the implementation of the submitted Arboricultural Method Statement which is secured by Condition 9.

A consultation response had been received from the County Highway Authority raising no objection subject to conditions including an amendment to condition 19.

Amendments to condition 5 (drawing numbers) are required for the condition to read as follows:

Condition 5
The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans and drawings:

Site survey; L2436/LP Revision A; L2436/02; L2436/03; L2436/04; L2436/05 Revision B; received 20 January 2017 and L2436/06 Revision D; L2436/07 Revision D received 3 March 2017.

Reason:- For the avoidance of doubt and in the interest of proper planning.

Amendments to condition 19 to read as follows:

Condition 19
The development hereby approved shall not be first occupied unless and until the existing vehicular access to Chaucer Road has been modified and provided with tactile paving in accordance with the approved plan a scheme to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and redundant sections of the existing access have been reinstated to kerb and footway, all to be permanently retained.

Reason:- The condition above is required in order that the development should not prejudice highway safety, nor cause inconvenience to other highway users, and to accord with the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and policy CC2 (highway Safety) and CC3 (Parking) of Spelthorne Borough Council’s Core Strategy and Policies Development Plan Document February 2009.

The following informative is required to be added to the decision notice:

Informative
Please note that this application is subject to the payment of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).  Full details of the charge, how it has been calculated and what happens next are set out in the CIL Liability Notice which will be sent separately.

If you have not already done so an Assumption of Liability notice should be sent to the Council as soon as possible and before the commencement of development.

Further information on CIL and the stages which need to be followed is available on the Council's website. www.spelthorne.go.uk/CIL

Public Speaking:

There was none.

Debate:

During the debate the following key issues were raised:

·         Not a major change.

·         Overlooking concerns addressed.

·         Marginally bulkier building.

·         Condition 3 should be amended to add reference to a wall being provided on the eastern side.

Decision:

The application was approved as per agenda subject to the amendments to conditions 5 and 19 and the additional CIL informative set out above together with the following amendment to condition 3:

After “erected” add “The boundary treatment shall include, on the eastern boundary, the retention of the existing wall reduced to a height of 2m.  In the event that it is not possible to retain the wall, a replacement wall of 2m shall be provided on the eastern boundary as part of this scheme.”