Application Number: 19/P0140      Ward: Village

Officer Recommendation: GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

PAC Resolved that Application 19/P0140 is:

Granted Planning Permission subject to Conditions

Proposal: Part demolition of existing building (retention of dwelling façade) and erection of a replacement 2 storey dwellinghouse including accommodation at roof and basement levels, car lift in front garden and new front boundary treatment.

The Committee noted the officer’s report, presentation, and additional information, including the updated basement reports, in the Supplementary Agenda – Modifications.

The Committee received a verbal representation from a local resident who raised objections including:

·         Neighbours have commissioned an independent engineers report that shows that the application fails to meet council policy

·         It will negatively affect neighbour amenity, and fails to consider water diversion.

·         The engineers report and the concerns it raises have been ignored by Planning Officers

·         Neighbours will not give permission to use their land for construction purposes

·         The screening at first floor could be removed, and the bicycle shed will block access

The Committee received a verbal representation for the Applicant’s Agents who made points including:

·         We have consulted with Council Officers and made amendments, reducing the scale and massing, reducing the terrace and adding screening, including tree planting and adding obscure glazing to some windows

·         This Conservation Area is punctuated by modern buildings, there are others on Parkside gardens

·         The application is policy compliant

·         A professional team have looked at the basement and its water management to alleviate the neighbours’ concerns

·         The current house is in poor condition, and the application will use high quality materials to update the building.

In reply to the objector’s comments, the Planning Team Leader North made points including:

·         The Council’s engineers have assessed the basement application and are happy with the flood risk and stability arrangements

·         The basement design has been amended to reduce the size and to bring it 1m in from the boundary of the neighbour’s basement

·         The basement is large and it does contain a car lift but this does not go above ground – this is conditioned

·         The screening around the terrace cannot be removed by condition

A member asked if it would be possible to condition that the monitoring of potential movements caused by the basement construction be continued for 12 months after construction finishes. The Planning and Building Control Manager explained that this was not possible as The Party Wall Act takes over on issues between neighbouring properties once they are built, and Officers cannot replicate actions under different sections of legislation. Therefore planning conditions cannot apply once the Party Wall Act comes into force.

In reply to other Member Questions, the Planning Team Leader North said:

·         The proposal will be the same height as the existing building

·         The Flood Risk and Structural Engineers reports are necessary with basement construction, but Thames Water consultation is not.

A member expressed concern that the applicant originally requested total demolition, he continued by asking what recompense would the Council have if the façade did not survive the partial demolition now proposed. The Planning Team Leader North replied that the retention of the façade was requested by condition, therefore if it failed the application would be in breach of its planning permission and would have to be rectified. As it is in a Conservation Area the applicant could be prosecuted if they do not construct properly. The Council’s Structural Engineer has requested further information to be submitted by condition.

Councillor Peter Southgate requested that it be noted that he had concerns that given the original request for total demolition he was not satisfied that there was adequate recompense in the case of the façade not surviving the construction process.

RESOLVED

The Committee voted to GRANT Planning Permission subject to conditions

NOTE: Councillor Latif asked that it be noted that he did not vote on this item