Apologise were received from Councillors Imran Uddin, Abigail Jones, Peter Southgate, and Najeeb Latif.

The Chair thanked the following substitutes for attending Councillors Laxmi Attawar, Joan Henry, Daniel Holden, John Sargeant, and Stephen Crowe.

No Declarations of Pecuniary Interest were made.

Councillor John Bowcott made a statement  to inform the Committee that he Chaired the Design Review Panel meeting that considered two of the applications on the agenda (Item 07 and 14) but he did not take part in the debate or vote on the proposal.

The minutes of the meeting on 23 May 2016 were agreed as a true record.

Officer Recommendation:
The recommendations for each individual application are detailed in the relevant section of the reports.  (NB.  The recommendations are also summarised on the index page at the front of this agenda).

The published Agenda and Supplementary Agenda tabled at the meeting form part of the Minutes:

a)    Supplementary Agenda: A list of modifications for agenda items 5,11, 12, 13, 14 and 17 was published as a supplementary agenda.

b)    Verbal Representations: The Committee received verbal representations detailed in the minutes for the relevant item.

c)    Order of the Agenda – The Chair amended to order of items to the following: 15,5,7,8,11,13,17,9,14,6,10,12,16

Application No: 16/P1164  Ward: Wimbledon Park

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to Conditions

Proposal: Change of use from communal alleyway to part of private  curtilage of 100 Ashen Grove and rerouting of existing alleyway with security gate and new fencing ( existing garage to be demolished).

The Committee noted the Officers report and presentation, verbal representations from two objectors to the application and the applicant, and additional written representations summarised in the Supplementary Agenda – Modifications Sheet.

The Committee noted that there was no public right of access to this path and the land ownership rights was a separate civil issue not covered by the planning legislation.  Members asked if an additional condition could be added to require the relocation of the existing security gate to the new alleyway entrance.

RESOLVED

A.   The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to Conditions.

B.   The Committee agreed that an additional Condition be added on the relocation of the existing Security Gate.

C.   The Director of Environment & Regeneration be given delegated authority to agree the detailed wording of the additional condition.

Application No: 16/P0315  Ward: Raynes Park

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Erection of high ropes and skytrail structure, ancillary building and associated parking and landscaping.

The Committee noted the Officers report and presentation. Members noted that the development would promote recreation, ecological improvement and biodiversity.

RESOLVED

The Committee GRANTED Planning Permission subject to conditions.

Application No: 15/P4633  Ward: West Barnes

Recommendation:  GRANT Planning Permission subject to section 106 agreement for affordable housing and conditions

Proposal: Demolition of existing MOT garage (Sui generis) and carpet shop (A1) and the erection of 41 residential units (C3), 25 car parking spaces, 63 cycle parking spaces and associated landscaping.

The Committee noted the request from MOTEST Ltd to extend the time limit for assistance in finding new premises to 9 months.

Members discussed parking at the development and the possibility of a CPZ in the area, The Transport Planning Officers said he was content with the parking on the development and that a CPZ on Cavendish Road was being considered but was it was for the future.  The Committee were content to leave consideration of a CPZ to Officers.

Members noted that the developers had offered 20% (8 units) of affordable housing from the development .  Officers confirmed that they would seek to deliver these 8 units and if any change to this occurred the application would be brought back to Committee for consideration.

Members noted that refuse areas on site were readily accessible and of adequate size.

RESOLVED

A.   The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to a section 106 agreement for affordable housing and Conditions.

B.   The Committee requested that the Heads of Terms be changed such that the applicant has 9 months to assist MOTEST Ltd to find suitable, appropriate and equivalent premises for their operation.

C.   The Director of Environment & Regeneration be given delegated authority to agree the detailed wording of the above change.

Application No: 16/P0796  Ward: Merton Park

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Demolition of existing concrete shed in rear garden and erection of a single storey wooden outbuilding to be used as an office ancillary to main dwelling house.

The Committee noted the Officers Report and verbal presentation, and verbal presentations by two objectors to the application and the applicant.

Members discussed the issue of rooflights. While they did not resolve to refuse if the roof lights were not relocated they indicated that they raised no objection to officers seeking relocation to the garden side of the building before issuing permission. The Committee noted that the applicant was happy to discuss the positioning of the roof lights with Officers.

Officers explained that issues with noise could be dealt with by other legislation, administered by LBM Environmental Health Team.

Members noted that the proposal was for accommodation ‘ancillary’ to the main dwelling house, and not self contained, with the result that elements of the proposal such as the shower could not be opposed by conditions. Members noted that if in future the use appeared to show permanent residents/tenants in the building then this would be counter to the proposed permission.

RESOLVED

The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to Conditions.

Application No: 16/P0749  Ward: Raynes Park

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Application for the erection of single storey and two storey front and rear extensions; the incorporation of the garage into the main house involving an increase in the footprint and alterations and enlargements to the existing garage roof to create a new garage and garden room; the erection of a rear roof extension including alterations to the roof and internal alterations to the main house.

The Committee noted the Officers report and verbal presentation, and noted comments that this proposal would improve the house as a backdrop to the Conservation area.

Members asked if an additional condition could be added to phase of the development, so that the extension could not be occupied until the new garage is built. Officers advised that a condition could be attached if members considered that it met the key tests for imposing conditions and that by not attaching the condition the appearance of the resulting building would be unacceptable if only partially constructed.         

RESOLVED

A.   The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

B.   The Committee requested that Officers add an additional condition. regarding phasing of the development

C.   The Director of Environment & Regeneration be given delegated authority to agree the detailed wording of the additional condition.

Application No: 16/P0666   Ward: Merton Park

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Use as a day nursery (Use within Class D1) in addition to existing use as a tennis/social club (Use within Class D2)

The Committee noted the Officers report on the planning application.

RESOLVED

The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Application No: 16/P0092  Ward:

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Conversion of existing 2-bed house into 1 x 2 and 1 x 3 bedroom flats, involving erection of a single storey rear extension, two storey side infill extension, replacement of existing hipped roof with gable ended roof with rear mansard roof extension with increase in ridge height by 200MM and 2 x dormer windows and two roof lights to front roof elevation and erection of rear external staircase to provide access to the garden.

The Committee noted the Officers Report and additional information in the Supplementary Agenda – Modifications, and the Officers verbal presentation, a verbal representation by an objector to the application and by the applicant and his architect, and a by the Ward Councillor – Councillor Suzanne Grocott.

The Committee noted that the neighbouring property, Number 54 and 54A had an extant planning permission for similar changes to the roofscape as those proposed at 52.  Officers suggested that if the large rear window at the first floor was unacceptable that the size could be reduced or it could be part obscured by condition, but Members decided not to request such a condition.  Members asked about the closing of the gap between numbers 50 and 52 and noted that the proposed wall would not touch the wall at number 50, and any party wall agreement was outside of Planning requirements.

RESOLVED

The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to Conditions and the submission of an affordable housing viability appraisal unless that requirement is subsequently dropped by the Council in due course.

Application No: 15/P2647  Ward: Colliers Wood

Recommendation:  Grant planning permission subject to any direction from the Mayor of London the completion of a signed Section 106 Unilateral

Undertaking/Legal Agreement and conditions.

Proposal: Amendments to conditions, attached to planning permission reference 10/P2784 for the demolition of the existing multi-storey car park, conversion of and alterations / extensions to the tower block to provide a mixed use development of 213 dwellings, 3 units (598 m² in total) for use within Classes A1 (retail), A2 (Financial and professional services) and A3 (Restaurants/cafes), 523 m² for community use (Use within Class D1) 301 m² for use as offices (Class B1) or  community use ( Class D1), creation of public open space together with car and cycle parking provision and landscaping.

The Committee noted the officers report and presentation and the information in the Supplementary Agenda.  The Item was deferred from the 23 May 2016 PAC meeting so that Officers could provide additional detailed information on the size of the apartments in relation to the London Plan space standards.. 

Also so that a Legal view could be provided on whether all the variations could be considered under the terms of a section 73 application.

Officers reported that the view from the Legal Team was that it was acceptable to consider the proposed variations under the terms of a section 73 application, and that the provision of additional units, notwithstanding that this would need to be the subject of a separate application, shouldn’t be a bar to this.

Officers asked the Committee to note the information in the Supplementary Agenda regarding the re-classification of the units from 4 person units to three person units. The result of this being that the shortfall in floorspace of the units was now less.  The Committee noted that 149 units were still below the London Plan space standards.

Councillor Andrew Judge spoke about the importance of the outcomes of this development for Colliers Wood, and the importance of the Officer negotiations on s106 and affordable housing contributions.

RESOLVED

The Committee agreed to GRANT the planning permission subject to any direction from the Mayor of London the completion of a signed Section 106 Unilateral Undertaking/Legal Agreement and conditions.

Application No: 15/P3760  Ward: Village

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Erection of a three-storey end of terrace building comprising two self-contained flats (1 x 1 bedroom (2 person) and 1 x 2 bedroom (3 person))

The Committee noted the Officers report and additional information in the Supplementary Agenda – Modifications, the Officers verbal presentation, and verbal presentations from two objectors to the application and the Agent/Architect.

The Transport Planning Officer commented that he had no concerns regarding parking in the vicinity, and the proposal would not adversely affect   visibility.

Members asked about the three windows of number 5 obscured by the application and noted that they were to a bathroom, a cupboard and a secondary second window to a bedroom.

Members discussed the suitability of the proposed materials, and requested that an additional condition be added by Officers, such that material samples should be approved by Officers prior to use.

RESOLVED

A.   The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

B.   The Committee agreed to request that Officers add a condition that requires samples of all materials to be approved by Officers

C.   The Director of Environment & Regeneration be given delegated authority to agree the detailed wording of the above extra condition.

Application No: 16/P0882  Ward:

Recommendation: : GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Erection of a new leisure centre with access, parking, landscaping and ancillary work together with change of use of a parcel of land from recreational land to car parking for disabled users, and the demolition of existing Morden Park pools, reinstatement of landscape and transfer to Metropolitan Open Land (MOL).

The Committee noted the Officer Report, the additional Supplementary Urban Design Comments in the Supplementary Agenda – Modifications Sheet, and the Officers verbal presentation.

The Committee noted that the application  covered the full extent of the facilities.  Members were pleased to see the old facility being replaced but there were concerns expressed regarding the design of the new building.  Councillor Bowcott expressed disappointment that the expert views of the DRP were neither rebutted nor taken into account, and although the building is functional internally it is unsatisfactory externally.  Councillor Judge said that internal configuration was very important and that this proposal was a good outcome.

Members were concerned about the process of consultation between the DRP and the Officers and design consultants. Members asked that there be a continuing discussion with the design consultants regarding the external materials with these being muted as much as possible.

The Chair spoke about the application and how complex it was to fit all the required facilities into the limited space within budget constraints.

RESOLVED

The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions.

Councillor Bowcott requested that it be recorded that he voted against this decision on Design Grounds.

Application No: 15/P3783  Ward: Village

Recommendation: GRANT variation of Condition

Proposal: Application for s.73 variation of Condition 2 (Approved plans) in relation to LBM Planning Permission 13/P3848 for the construction of a replacement house. Revisions in respect of (i) siting of house 1.8m further into rear garden and away from the front boundary – retrospective and (ii) incorporation of changes previously approved under 14/P3534 for increased size master bedroom, 1.5 square metre increase in floorspace and alteration of roofslope to 55 degree pitch.

The Planning Applications Committee noted the Officers report and presentation and additional information in the Supplementary Agenda- Modification sheet which included two plans. In addition the Committee noted verbal representations from 3 objectors to the application, and a verbal representation by the applicant.

The Committee noted that the massing and scale of the building was the same as the approved design, but the siting of the building had been changed. Members asked about the history of the building and when Officers first became aware of the departure from the approved scheme, and noted that Enforcement Officers became involved in April 2015.  Members noted that the extant permission for 8 St Marys Road would alter the relationship with number 10 as constructed.

RESOLVED

The Committee agreed to GRANT the variation of condition

Application No: 16/P0875   Ward:  Lower Morden

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Single Storey Rear Extension

The Planning Committee noted the Officers report that detailed the planning application.

RESOLVED

The Planning Committee GRANTED Planning Permission subject to Conditions

Application No: 15/P2852  Ward: Hillside

Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Demolition of existing house and erection of a five bedroom detached house with basement accommodation.

The Committee noted the Officers Report and additional information in the Supplementary Agenda, and Officers verbal presentation, a verbal presentation by an objector to the application and the Agent/Architect to the application.

The Architect/Agent replied to the Objectors concerns regarding the preservation of an ivy hedge and wisteria, saying that they intended to retain these and all hedges and trees on site.

The Committee noted that  Officers had requested amendments from the applicant on a number of issues and that they were now happy with the footprint and height of the proposal.

RESOLVED

The Committee agreed to GRANT Planning Permission subject to Conditions.

Officer Recommendation:

That Members note the contents of the report.

The Committee noted the report on Planning Appeals

Officer Recommendation:

That Members note the contents of the report.

The Committee noted the report on Planning Enforcement