Application Number:16/P3738                  Ward: Abbey

Recommendation: Grant permission subject to any direction from the Mayor of London, the completion of a section 106 agreement and conditions

Proposal: Land to the north and east of Marsh Court, Pincott Road, bound by High Path, Pincott Road, Nelson Grove Road and Rodney Place inclusive of garages, Marsh Court Play area and The Old Lamp Works, 25 High Path, London, SW19 2JL

The Committee noted the officers report and presentation. The Planning Officer asked the Committee to note the additional information in the Supplementary Agenda, and explained that these were effectively a fine-tuning of the conditions and an amplification of certain planning matters. The Chair allowed Committee members a five minute break to read this additional information.

The Committee received verbal representations from three objectors and the applicant.

The objectors raised residents concerns including:

·         Concerns about the developer’s record on building maintenance

·         Fails to meet Mayor of London’s standards

·         New development will cause overlooking, noise pollution and emissions above standard

The Agent raised points including:

·         The proposed development would contain 134 homes, all would be offered to current residents. 60% would be socially rented.

·         The new homes would be matched to the needs of residents, including adaptations for residents with disabilities

Members thoroughly discussed the application and asked questions of the Planning Officer and Transport Planning Officer based on the information in the report and in the Supplementary Agenda. The discussion followed the Planning Considerations from the officers report:

Principle of redevelopment

·         The Old Lampworks part of the site is identified in the Sites and Policy plan for residential use or for non-residential institution uses such as as a clinic/nursery. The application does not have to protect scattered employment sites. There is no planning policy protection afforded to garage sites on housing estates.

Demolition of existing buildings and loss of existing uses

·         The site currently provides lock up garages which are not protected by policy

Affordable Housing

·         Members welcomed the high level of socially rented and family sized housing in the proposed development, and the fact that this was for existing tenants.

·         Members noted that in subsequent applications for this estate as a whole, the affordable housing and unit size mix will be different

Layout

·         Members asked about the comments of  the Design Review Panel and noted that the applicant had made changes to the routes through the estate and the landscaping that tackle the concerns of the DRP.

Scale, bulk and massing and impact on locality

·         The Planning Officer  explained that the proposals provided a number of housing typologies that related well to the surrounding context of the various elements of the site and picked up on the townscape objectives in the Council’s draft local plan.

·         One members expressed frustration that the developer had not provided adequate presentation materials to show this application and future developments on the estate as a whole

·         Another Member commented that from the elevations provided, the north-south  path and landscaping was a very attractive concept.

Children’s Playspace

·         Members were keen to ensure that adequate playspace was constantly available during all phases of the development

• Members noted that the condition requiring the improvements to the open spaces on the estate did not have a trigger for implementing the works and asked that this was somehow integrated into the condition.

Daylight, Sunlight and Overshadowing

·         Members noted that 11% of the units proposed fall below BRE standards for sunlight, but that Officers recommended that in this urban setting this figure was acceptable.

Construction phase

·         Members noted that there were very strong conditions in place to prevent disturbance to residents during the construction phase.

RESOLVED

The Committee

1.    voted to GRANT Permission subject to any direction from the Mayor of London, the completion of a section 106 agreement and conditions

2. requested that the relevant condition was amended to ensure that there is a constant provision of playspace.