Agenda item

Ward

Sunbury Common

 

Proposal

Erection of extension on top of the existing building to provide a further 14 residential units comprising 6 x 1 bed, 7 x 2 bed and 1 x 3 bed units.

 

Recommendation

This application is recommended for approval.

 

Councillor Harvey arrived at 19:21 so was unable to take part in the debate and was not able to vote on this application.

 

 

Description:

Erection of an extension on top of the existing building to provide a further 14 residential units comprising 6 x 1 bed, 7 x 2 bed and 1 x 3 bed.

 

Additional Information:

3 additional letters of representation have been received. Issues noted but not previously addressed include the inaccurate car park layout, lift shafts on plan, planning conditions and biodiversity.

 

In regard to biodiversity the proposal is for a roof top extension to an existing building. The proposal does provide some areas of ‘Green roofs’ and in addition some outside space for new residents, which may have capacity for some form of vegetation, although limited, will be an improvement to the existing. The proposal is considered to be acceptable in regard to Policy EN8 and the NPPF paragraph 180, which seeks to support opportunities to improve biodiversity in and around developments.

 

An amended parking layout plan has been submitted showing a reduction of 6 parking spaces - a reduction of the existing 80 spaces to 74 and proposed 70 to 64. This is to account for some spaces shown on the parking layout not being useable and adequate to park in, due to obstructions such as columns. This is referred in paragraphs 3.7 and 7.52 in the report. The CHA has been consulted on these amended plans and raise no objection. There continues to be no objection on parking grounds, subject to the imposition of a condition requiring the proposed layout to be implemented, including line markings, which are currently not present on site. 

 

 

The Senior Planning Officer reported the following:

3 additional letters of representation have been received. Issues noted but not previously addressed include the inaccurate car park layout, lift shafts on plan, planning conditions and biodiversity.

 

In regard to biodiversity the proposal is for a roof top extension to an existing building. The proposal does provide some areas of ‘Green roofs’ and in addition some outside space for new residents, which may have capacity for some form of vegetation, although limited, will be an improvement to the existing. The proposal is considered to be acceptable in regard to Policy EN8 and the NPPF paragraph 180, which seeks to support opportunities to improve biodiversity in and around developments.

 

An amended parking layout plan has been submitted showing a reduction of 6 parking spaces - a reduction of the existing 80 spaces to 74 and proposed 70 to 64. This is to account for some spaces shown on the parking layout not being useable and adequate to park in, due to obstructions such as columns. This is referred in paragraphs 3.7 and 7.52 in the report. The CHA has been consulted on these amended plans and raise no objection. There continues to be no objection on parking grounds, subject to the imposition of a condition requiring the proposed layout to be implemented, including line markings, which are currently not present on site. 

 

Additional amended conditions:-

Mechanical ventilation

11. Before the development is first occupied:

• Details shall be submitted for the approval of the Local Planning Authority of on-site mitigation measures (to include mechanical whole dwelling ventilation to all properties) with the air intakes located at high level away from the direction of adjacent sources of air pollution and with consideration of the prevailing wind direction from such sources, to protect the occupiers of the development from poor air quality. The mechanical ventilation system must incorporate adequate filtration/treatment to be effective against the ingress of roadside air pollutants to the dwellings. The development shall not be first occupied until those mitigation measures have been provided and are operational.

• Details shall be submitted for the approval of the Local Planning Authority of the location of the air intakes and the complete specification and maintenance regime for the equipment, which must be established and in place before the development is first occupied. The equipment shall thereafter be retained and maintained in accordance with the approved details’

 

Car parking layout

12.Prior to the occupation of the development hereby approved, the approved parking spaces shall be laid out and marked as shown on the approved plan and shall thereafter be retained as such.

 

In addition further informatives are recommended as follows:-

 

10. The applicant is advised to provide full user packs of the mechanical ventilation system to the occupants of the flats, including its full purpose (including local air quality) and how to use it.

 

11. The applicant is requested to incorporate, Electric vehicle charging points where possible, into the development hereby approved:

 

12. The applicant is requested to submit a Travel Plan incorporate, (following the Surrey County Council ‘Travel Plan Good Practice Guide’) to the Local Planning Authority and regularly updated as necessary, in association with the development hereby approved.

 

13.The applicant's attention is drawn to the ACPO/Home Office Secured by Design (SBD) award scheme, details of which can be viewed at www.securedbydesign.com.

 

14.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

 

15. it is recommended that the parking spaces are allocated, and that prospective residents are made aware by the developer if they are able to have a parking space before moving in.

 

 

Public Speaking:

In accordance with the Council’s procedure for speaking at meetings, Naadim Shamji sent in a prepared statement against the proposed development, that was read out by the Committee Manager, raising the following key points:

 

-       Parking concerns had not been addressed

-       Discrepancies in the feasible number of spaces in the car park

-       Basement car parks have a number of unusable spaces due to their small size and wooden structures that protrude into the spaces

-       Level 3 has 12 usable spaces versus the proposed 14

-       Level 2 has 9 useable spaces versus the proposed 18

-       Level 1 has 14 useable spaces versus the proposed 16

-       Total number of useable spaces is 58 versus the proposed 70

-       If application is approved a condition is included to tarmac surfacing and painted car park lines to be painted in line with the plans

 

In accordance with the Council’s procedure for speaking at meetings, Adam Covell spoke for the proposed development raising the following key points:

 

-       Building has large areas of roof

-       Basement parking

-       Proposed penthouse floors utilise the site to its best potential

-       Application helps support the provision of additional housing in Spelthorne

-       Development has suitable access to infrastructure and facilities.

-       Site is within walking distance of the local centre

-       The effect of noise and disturbance to the existing flats during construction can be mitigated with appropriate building techniques and methodology

-       Previous flooding issues were caused by a block water pump so if appropriate maintenance was in place this would not reoccur

-       Parking provision is for 70 spaces which is acceptable due to the sustainable location

-       Current parking is underutilised

-       The LPA supports the design

-       Appropriate locations for bins and space for bins to be stored will be provided

-       This revised scheme addresses the previous concerns raised

 

Debate:

During the debate the following key issues were raised:

 

-       There are already a number of taller buildings nearby so this development would not stand out

-       The additional units would help towards the Council meeting its housing number target

-       Good stepped design

-       Proposal has tilted balance in favour of approving

-       Current residents would be negatively impacted during construction works with noise and dust

-       Concerns over lack of adequate environmental sustainability provisions

 

 

Proposed by Councillor R Sider BEM

Seconded by Councillor C Bateson that:

 

A condition be added to any approval that would restrict building works to Monday to Friday 08:00hrs to 18:00hrs and not at all on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays

 

Decision:

The application was approved as per the recommendation subject to the recommended additional condition and informatives provided in the update to the Planning Committee and subject to the following amendments:

 

Additional Condition:

Construction work should only be carried out between 08:00hrs to 18:00hrs Monday to Friday and not at all on Saturdays, Sundays or any Public and/or Bank Holidays;

Reason: In the interest of the amenity of surrounding residential properties.

 

The application was approved as per the recommendation subject to the recommended additional condition and informatives provided in the update to the Planning Committee and subject to the following amendments:

 

Informative 6 to read as follows:

 

You are advised that the Council will expect the following measures to be taken during any building operations to control noise, pollution and parking:

a)    The quietest available items of plant and machinery should be used on site. Where permanently sited equipment such as generators are necessary, they should be enclosed to reduce noise levels;

b)    Deliveries should only be received within the hours detailed in (a) above;

c)    Adequate steps should be taken to prevent dust-causing nuisance beyond the site boundary. Such uses include the use of hoses to damp down stockpiles of materials, which are likely to generate airborne dust, to damp down during stone/slab cutting; and the use of bowsers and wheel washes;

d)    There should be no burning on site;

e)    Only minimal security lighting should be used outside the hours stated above; and

f)     Building materials and machinery should not be stored on the highway and contractors' vehicles should be parked with care so as not to cause an obstruction or block visibility on the highway.

Further details of these noise and pollution measures can be obtained from the Council's Environmental Health Services Unit. In order to meet these requirements and to promote good neighbourliness, the Council recommends that this site is registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme (www.ccscheme.org.uk/index.php/site-registration

 

Amendment to Condition 2 – plans numbers due to amended car park layout

 

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

278_2_001, 103, 104, 105, 106, 201 received on 5 November 2021, amended plans  278_2_107A, 108A, 109A, 110A, 200A, 202A and 203A received on 8 February 2022, amended plan 112A received on 11 February 2022 and amended plans 100 B, 101 B, 102 B, 111 A and 112 B received on 02 March 2022.

 

Amendment to informative 11 to include reference to further renewable energy/solar voltaic on roof

 

11. The applicant is requested to incorporate further renewable energy strategies, in addition to the 10% required by condition, to include solar voltaic on the flat roof sections as well as Electric vehicle charging points where possible, into the development hereby approved