Application: 20/P2438                                                   

Ward: Ravensbury

Recommendation: Grant Planning Permission subject to

conditions.

RESOLVED that the application number 20/P2438 be GRANTED planning permission subject to conditions.

Proposal: Erection of Replacement Bridge to reconnect Bishopford Road to London Road in Mitcham, where the A217 crosses over the River Wandle.  The proposal included a change in the road alignment to the north of the bridge and changes that would be required to the eastern boundary of Ravensbury Park.

The Committee noted the report and the plans presented by the Senior Estates Development Management Officer. The Committee also noted the modifications contained in the supplementary agenda. The Senior Estates Development Management Officer provided updates on various matters relating to the amendments.

Two residents had registered to speak in objection and at the invitation of the Chair, raised a number of point including the following:

·         the proposal was costing millions of pounds and it should be designed to last well over 100 years;

·         it needs to be fit for purpose for the future;

·         the plans caused unnecessary harm, including loss of trees, parked vehicles, noise and pollution, which would harm the conservation area;

·         the plans failed to meet the cycling standards;

·         the new bridge would be out of date and needed a better design;

·         the proposed application was against Council policy in respect of loss of MRL and loss of public open space which would be a detrimental impact on the conservation area.

The applicant’s agent had registered to speak and at the invitation of the Chair highlighted the following points:

·         the collapse of the bridge in June, 2019 had presented a number of considerable challenges for the Council. The loss of a the infrastructure had affected people's lives, particularly those travelling to key sites such as a local hospital and schools;

·         the Council wanted a bridge that was both fit for purpose and affordable;

·         the new bridge would provide additional cycle and would also enhanced local amenity within the constraints exist;

·         following the pre-application consultation in May, the bridge design had been changed to add a segregated cycling to the northbound.. This complied with the latest government guidance on cycle design.

·         the new bridge would offer not only a return to normality for many residents, it represented a tangible improvement;

·         the application was supported by the Environment Agency and the Metropolitan Police .

The Senior Estates Development Management Officer advised the Committee that a further petition was received in support of the application with additional 33 signatures.

In response to questions from the Committee regarding further widening the bridge to the east into National Trust, Local Nature Reserve Land,Watermeads; the Senior Estates Development Management Officer addressed the following points: 

·         widening the bridge even further (which had already been widened westwards) would cause significant transport (healthy streets) and ecological barriers;

·         the issues with widening of the bridge eastwards, i.e. upstream into the  National Trust’s Local Nature Reserve land, Watermeads would result in permanently reducing the width of the existing pavement?outside the houses on London Road (Mitcham town centre side); 

• this would also result in removing on-street parking for London Road, ?removing London Road resident’s vehicle crossovers;  
• there would be further implications of removing the street trees and not being able to replace them on the narrower pavement.  Furthermore, there would be implications on utilities and how these would be facilitated;
• at present, other than the carriageway, the new bridge design showed there would be x3 routes for cyclists over the river (both north and south – the western segregated cycle lane, the eastern shared surface and the wooden footbridge).? If we count the highway, then cyclists would have x5 routes across the river;
• pedestrians would have only two routes (the eastern shared surface and the wooden footbridge) and those are shared with cyclists in all instances;  
• the new bridge has already expanded westwards (to improve the cycle provision and to improve the highway alignment) and is now 1metre from wooden footbridge.

With regards to Ecological Impacts, the Senior Planning Officer expressed thefollowing concerns that would arise if the Bridge was to be further widened into the Eastern Side;

• greater width of shaded area would adversely affect aquatic ecology, habitat connectivity, fish migration etc;
• the Environment Agency would not approve with an increased width of shading;  
• several large trees would be lost, as they were already on the cusp of being damaged by the works;
• any extra width of footprint, the roots would be too severely impacted, and would have to be felled;
• the loss of large trees would be a significant loss of visual amenity as well as ecological value;
• loss of larger value trees would also result in a large financial impact.

Councillor Peter McCabe had registered to speak on behalf of his ward and constituents.  He advised the Committee since the bridge had collapsed he had played a very active role in trying to get the bridge repaired.  Officers had worked hard to come up with a plan that meets all the conflicting needs. The design of the new bridge provided additional cycling capacity and would reduce the flood risk to properties. The local people would benefit from the new bridge and look forward to using it for the future.

During the debate, Members’ expressed both their support and concerns relating to this proposal and stated it was prudent to have a bridge that was sustainable and user friendly.  

The Chair moved to the vote on the officer’s recommendation and it was

RESOLVED that the application number 20/P2438 be GRANTED planning permission subject to conditions.