Apologies for absence were received from Councillor David Chung, his substitute was Councillor Dennis Pearce.

There were no declarations of pecuniary interest.

In the interest of openness and transparency several  Councillors asked for it to be recorded that they had won tickets to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, held at the All England Tennis Club, in a ballot. The Chair explained that Councillors winning these tickets still had to pay the full price of the tickets themselves.

Councillors declaring that they had won tickets:

Councillor Simon McGrath

Councillor Najeeb Latif

Councillor Laxmi Attawar

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 June 2018 were agreed as an accurate record.

The Chair will announce the order of Items at the beginning of the Meeting.

A Supplementary Agenda with any modifications will be published on the day of the meeting.

Note: there is no written report for this item

Supplementary Agenda: Amendments and modifications to the Officer’s report were published in a Supplementary Agenda. This applied to items 5, 6 and  

Order of the meeting – The Chair announced that the items would be taken in the following order 5,7,6, 8 and 9

Application number: 18/P1141     Ward: Hillside

Officer Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Proposal: Change of use from Offices (Class B1) to Health Clinic (Class D1)

The Committee noted the officer’s report and presentation and information in the Supplementary Agenda

The Objector raised residents’ concerns including:

·         Concerned about radiology room as shielding cannot stop all radiation

·         Have asked Health and Safety Executive(HSE) about this

·         Most radiology rooms are on the ground floor away from residential rooms, this radiology room will be adjacent to residential rooms

·         There are already problems with parking on this road and clinic will make things worse.

The Agent for the Application made comments including:

·         This is a highly accessible site

·         Office use was preferred, but it has been marketed as office space since 2015 but not taken up

·         Policy DMD2 supports a change from Office to Community use

·         As a Clinic there will be fewer employees than an Office use, which will be less intense for residents

·         No radioactive material will be on site

·         The X-ray facility will be designed to meet all safety standards, with wall shielding to protect staff and public

·         There will be no risk from the X-ray machine, and it is entirely regulated by the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017

Officers re-iterated the points made in their Report, that the operation and safety of the  imaging equipment (x-ray, MRI and ultrasound) are issues governed by the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR17).  Compliance with these regulations is Mandatory and is the responsibility of The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Care Quality Commission. Therefore the operation of this equipment is not a material planning consideration. However Officers did assure the Committee that the proposal did include  protective wall shielding that would form a  box within the room. Therefore no window in this room would be exposed to any emissions from the equipment.

Members questioned the description of the Clinic as a ‘Community Facility’ when it was privately operated. Officers explained that it was designated as use class D1 which does cover a variety of uses including private clinics.

Officers answered questions on the marketing of the site, and explained that evidences showing that the site had been marketed as Offices since 2015 was supplied with the application.

Some members were concerned about the lack of parking around the application site. Other Members pointed out that there was a Car Park nearby and that the site had good access to public transport. Members also noted that the proposed use was less intensive than if it was used as offices.

RESOLVED

The Committee voted  to GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

Application number: 18/P1024     Wards: West Barnes

Officer Recommendation: Grant planning permission subject to conditions and S106 legal agreement.

Proposal: Hybrid application for All England Lawn Tennis Club tennis facility: Planning permission in full for 16 x external grass tennis courts, 3 x acrylic tennis courts within permanent air dome, associated landscaping including Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, car parking, amendment to access arrangements; and Outline planning permission (with appearance, landscaping and layout reserved) for replacement two storey clubhouse and new outbuilding for maintenance purposes.

The Committee noted the officer’s report and presentation and additional information in the Supplementary Agenda.

In answer to a Members question officers replied that the land is described as designated open space. In approaching this application Officers have weighed up the benefits and dis-benefits, and consider that the proposal does bring benefits, but there is some encroachment  on open land. Members then asked if a specific number of hours can be set aside for community use each week. Officers suggested that this should be discussed with the Greenspaces Team and relevant Children Schools and Families officers. Members also asked if all Mitcham Schools could be included in the available sessions at the application site, and suggested that all Merton Schools should be approached once.

Members stated that residents had concerns regarding parking on the site. Officers replied that Officers could seek robust fencing along Grand Drive, they also pointed out that the Grass Courts would not be used in the winter months which would relieve the pressure on parking.

Members asked about the extra entrance and exit on Cannon Hill Drive and noted that these were linked to the new maintenance facility that was required for the very sophisticated machinery that will be needed to maintain the new facilities.

RESOLVED

The Committee voted unanimously to GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions  and S106 legal agreement

Application number: 18/P1649     Ward: Village

Officer Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions and the views of the Council’s Flood Risk Manager and Historic England (Archaeology) 

Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension; alterations to existing first floor balcony and balustrade; replacement of existing rear dormer window with two dormer windows together with associated internal alterations and construction of basement beneath part of rear garden.

The Committee noted the officer’s report and presentation and information in the Supplementary Agenda. The Planning Team Leader drew Members’ attention to the Flood Risk Officer comments in the Supplementary Agenda. The Planning Team Leader also informed the Committee that Historic England had commented and had recommended an archaeological protection condition that would become Condition 19.

The Committee received verbal representations from two Objectors, from the applicant’s Agent and from Ward Councillor Andrew Howard.

The Objectors made points including:

·         Neighbours do not object to some development on this site, as they have extended their own homes

·         But this proposal is huge and out of scale with the house, creating 4000 ft² underground

·         The proposed extension is 6m in depth and rises above ground floor level

·         If allowed it would be the biggest underground development in Wimbledon

·         The proposal would affect trees in the Conservation Area

·         The proposal would not meet the requirements of Merton policy DMD2 and is greater than 50% of the area of the garden

·         The new extension should not be considered as part of the garden

·         There is a lack of detail and accuracy in some of the information provided

·         Don’t want to stop neighbours from extending but the size of this basement is unprecedented and almost commercial

·         Neighbours are worried about flood risk given the local hydrology

·         This is a massive excavation that may cause instability in the area

·         There is the potential for noise in the Conservation Area from the air conditioning units that will be required by the basement

·         There is a risk to the mature trees in neighbours gardens from the excavations.

The Applicant’s Agent made points including:

·         The House is a listed building, apart from the removal of the contemporary garage non of the proposed development would be seen from the street

·         The proposal is similar to other recently approved schemes in the area

·         The Council’s tree officer does not believe the development will cause harm

·         The Council’s Design and Conservation Officer has no problems with the proposal

·         The Council’s Engineers have approved the proposals

·         We do fully understand the concerns of neighbours but Merton Council safeguards are stringent and this development meets them all

·         In light of neighbours concerns the basement size has been reduced and is now well under 43% of the garden

·         Other neighbours have built large extensions and basements, this application is not unusual in Wimbledon

The Ward Councillor Andrew Howard made points including:

·         I represent both the applicant and objectors

·         What is needed is a clear determination

·         Both sides have made articulate representations

·         Concerned about very recent amendments, is a deferral for more time required?

Officers explained that as the recent amendment was to reduce the length of the basement it was thought that a re-consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Officer Recommendation:

That Members note the contents of the report.

The Committee noted the report on Planning Appeal Decisions

Officer Recommendation:

That Members note the contents of the report.

The Committee noted the report on Planning Enforcement