Agenda and minutes

To note any changes to the membership.

1.1           It was noted the Councillor Guthrie McKie was substituting for Councillor Tim Roca.

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any pecuniary interests or any other significant interest in matters on this agenda.

2.1      Councillor Robert Rigby explained that a week before the meeting, all four Members of the Sub-Committee were provided with a full set of papers including a detailed officer’s report on each application; together with bundles of every single letter or e-mail received in respect of every application, including all letters and e-mails containing objections or giving support. Members of the Sub-Committee read through everything in detail prior to the meeting. Accordingly, if an issue or comment made by a correspondent was not specifically mentioned at this meeting in the officers’ presentation or by Members of the Sub-Committee, it did not mean that the issue had been ignored. Members will have read about the issue and comments made by correspondents in the papers read prior to the meeting.

2.2      Councillor Susie Burbridge declared that in respect of Items 1 and 2 she had been a member of Planning Sub-Committee meetings which had heard previous applications on the same sites, but this would not preclude her from hearing these applications. In respect of Item 3 she had been a member of a Licensing Sub-Committee meeting which had heard a licensing application for the Premises, but this would not preclude her from hearing this application.

2.3      Councillor Mark Shearer declared that in respect of Item 1 he had a prejudicial interest in that he had attended and participated in residents’ meetings regarding the application. He advised that he would withdraw from the meeting during the consideration of this application.

To sign the minutes of the last meeting as a correct record of proceedings.

3.1      RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2021 be signed by the Chair as a correct record of proceedings.

Applications for decision

1.        Variation of Conditions 1, 10, 12, 13 and 40 of planning permission dated 19 March 2018 (RN: 17/09368) for conversion of the building to a hotel with flexible hotel/retail/restaurant/bar/leisure (C1/A1/A3/A4/D2) uses and residential apartments (85 dwellings) namely; to allow amendments to the Quadrangle courtyard including amendments to the cobble layout; installation of a sesame lift; installation of rising bollards within carriageway entrance; amendments to kerb levels within the Quadrangle; amendments to roof top bar at sixth floor level and flexible use as hotel/restaurant/bar (C1/A3/A4); installation of additional windows to the fifth floor and installation of external grilles to the to the east and north elevations.

2.        Variation of Conditions 1, 8, 13 (part vi) and 19 (part h) of listed building consent dated 17 February 2020 (RN: 19/09926/LBC) for alterations in connection with conversion of the building to a hotel with flexible hotel/retail/restaurant/bar/leisure uses and residential apartments (85 dwellings) namely; to allow amendments to the Quadrangle courtyard including amendments to the cobble layout; installation of a sesame lift; installation of rising bollards within carriageway entrance; amendments to kerb levels within the Quadrangle; amendments to roof top bar at sixth floor level; installation of additional windows to the fifth floor; amendments to internal layout of two residential units; installation of external grilles to the east and north elevations and submission of details reserved by Condition 13 vi) internal finishes and Condition 19 h) stonework and ironwork gate details.

Having declared a prejudicial interest Councillor Shearer stepped down from the Sub-Committee and left the meeting during the consideration of the application.

Nick Brindley addressed the Sub-Committee in support of the application.

           RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1)        That conditional permission be granted subject to a deed of variation to the original S106 dated 10 July 2017 to secure all the planning benefits previously agreed.

2)        That if the S106 legal agreement had not been completed within eight weeks of the Committee resolution then:

a)        The Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning should consider whether the permission can be issued with additional condition to secure the benefits listed above. If this was possible and appropriate, the Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning was authorised to determine and issue such a decision under Delegated Powers, however, if not

b)        The Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning should consider whether permission be refused on the grounds that it had not proved possible to complete an agreement within an appropriate timescale, and the proposal was unacceptable in the absence of the benefits that would have been secured; if so, the Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning was authorised to determine the application and agree appropriate reasons for refusal under Delegated Powers.

3)        That conditional listed building consent be granted.

4)        That the reasons for granting listed building consent as set out in Informative 1 of the draft decision letter be agreed

Erection of a roof extension to provide two additional residential units and lift overruns, creation of two parking spaces, installation of associated plant equipment, green roofs and PV panels.

RESOLVED (Councillors Rigby, Burbridge and Shearer in support, Councillor McKie abstaining:

That conditional permission be granted subject to:

a)             An additional condition requiring details on how the green roof would be maintained; and

b)             An additional informative encouraging the applicant to liaise with the building’s residents in order to mitigate disruption during construction, with particular regard given to ensuring lift access would not be impeded.

Variation of Condition 21 of planning permission dated 28 March 2017 (RN: 14/11804/FULL) for 'Use of the fire station as a 26 bed hotel (Class C1). Demolition of part of the existing building at the rear, including demolition of enclosures in the ground floor and basement courtyards and demolition of the steel practice tower. Erection of a part three and five-storey wing to main building. Excavation of courtyard to create basement level accommodation, including plant room. Rear extensions to main building. External and internal alterations; namely minor internal alterations at ground to third floor, alterations to glazing at basement to third floor, raising parapet wall at ground and first floor (south elevation), addition of rooflight at 1st floor, double glazed windows within doors to terrace at 2nd floor, repositioned roof access hatch at fourth floor (roof), flue at roof level within recessed dormers (north west corner), omission of louvered roof grill, window cill dropped to create doors at basement and ground floor'; NAMELY, to enable the courtyard for outside dining/drinking between the hours of 09:00 and 22:00 each day for a temporary period until to 30 September 2021.

Additional representations were received from twelve local residents (18.02.21, 19.02.21, 20.02.21, 22.02.21, 24.02.21 and 25.02.21) and five interested parties (19.02.21, 21.02.21, 22.02.21 and 23.02.21).

Late representations were received from three local residents (26.02.21, 27.02.21 and 02.03.21), Comm Comm UK (02.21), The Baker Street Quarter Partnership (01.03.21), an interested party (01.03.21) and Chiltern Firehouse (02.21 and 01.03.21).

Hamish Thompson addressed the Sub-Committee in support of the application.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1)              That conditional permission be granted, for a temporary period until 30 September 2021, subject to:

a)              A deed of variation of the existing legal agreement dated 18 December 2014; and

b)              An additional informative encouraging the operator to liaise with local residents and explore various methods of engagement.

2)        That if the legal agreement had not been completed within six weeks of the date of the Committee resolution, then:

a)        The Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning should consider whether the permission can be issued with additional conditions attached to secure the benefits listed above. If this was possible and appropriate, the Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning was authorised to determine and issue such a decision under Delegated Powers; however, if not

b)        The Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning should consider whether permission should be refused on the grounds that it had not proved possible to complete an agreement within the appropriate timescale, and that the proposals were unacceptable in the absence of the benefits that would have been secured; if so, the Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning was authorised to determine the application and agree appropriate reasons for refusal under Delegated Powers.

Lime (T2) – Fell.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

That consent to remove the tree be refused due to the detrimental impact it would have on local amenity and the adverse effect its loss would have on the character and appearance of the Westbourne Conservation Area.

T1 maple – fell, T9 sycamore – reduce by 3m all round to suitable branch junctions.

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RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1)             That consent to remove the T1 Maple (20/06739/TPO) be refused due to the detrimental impact it would have on local amenity and the adverse effect its loss would have on the character and appearance of the St John’s Wood Conservation Area.

2)             That consent to prune the T9 Sycamore (21/00849/TPO) be granted as it would not be significantly detrimental to its amenity value.