Agenda and minutes

To note any changes to the membership.

1.1       There were no changes to the membership.

To receive declarations by members and officers of the existence and nature of any personal or prejudicial interests in matters on this agenda.

2.1       Councillor Beddoe advised that in his capacity as Deputy Cabinet Member for The Built Environment it was inevitable and part of his role that he gets to know, meet and talk to leading members of the planning and property industry including landowners and developers and their professional teams such as architects, surveyors, planning consultants, lawyers and public affairs advisers as well as residents, residents associations and amenity groups.  It was his practice to make such declarations.  He stated that it did not mean that they were his personal friends or that he had a pecuniary interest but that he had worked with them in his capacity as Deputy Cabinet Member for The Built Environment.

2.2       He also explained that all four Members of the Committee are provided a week before the meeting 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 Committee read through everything in detail prior to the meeting, often taking a whole day over the weekend to do so.  Accordingly, if an issue or comment made by a correspondent is not specifically mentioned at this meeting in the Officer’s presentation or by Members of the Committee, it does not mean that we have ignored the issue as we would have read about it in the papers read prior to the meeting.

2.3       Councillor Beddoe further declared in respect of the individual applications on the agenda that in respect of item 1 the site is located in his ward, that he had been involved in discussions regarding Walmer Place over a number of years and that he is a governor of St Mary's Bryanston Square Church of England Primary School which is located adjacent to the site.

2.4       Councillor Church declared that in his capacity as Ward Councillor for West End ward which includes Fitzrovia, Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho he meets and engages regularly with residents associations, amenity societies, residents, businesses and others. He considers many members of both the Majority and Minority party as friends and meets with them regularly.  Such meetings are transparent and documented and in no way affect the decisions he makes as a member of this committee. He further declared that the site associated with item 3 is located in his ward.

2.5       Councillor Bush declared in respect of item 4 that she had received separate representations on the application. In respect of item 7 she declared that the application site is located in her ward and that in respect of item 8 she had sat on the committee that considered an equivalent application the previous year.

To sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 21 October 2014 as a correct record of proceedings.

3.1       RESOLVED: That with the consent of the committee the minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2014 were signed by the chairman as a correct record of proceedings.

Applications for decision

Demolition of existing buildings and erection of new building on basement to fourth floors with rooftop plant enclosure; new rear lightwells/railings on Walmer Place; creation of living roof and green wall. Use of the building as 12 flats with associated balconies/terraces (Class C3).

RESOLVED:

1.            That conditional permission be granted subject to

A.     a S106 legal agreement to secure the following:

·                Provision of £552,000 towards the City Council's affordable housing fund (index linked and payable upon commencement of development);

·                Provision of £10,000 to fund parking review studies in the area;

·                Provision of lifetime car club membership (minimum 25 years) for all 12 flats;

·                The costs of monitoring the S106 agreement.

B.    Amending condition 16 to require the route and timings of traffic movements to be agreed under the Construction Management Plan taking account of the timing of traffic movements of vehicles serving the nearby Magistrates Court.

2.         If the S106 legal agreement has not been completed within six weeks of the date of          this resolution then:

(a)     The Operational Director shall consider whether it would be possible and appropriate to issue the permission with additional conditions attached to secure the benefits listed above. If so, the Operational Director is authorised to determine and issue the decision under Delegated Powers; however, if not;

           (b)     The Operational Director shall consider whether the permission should be refused on the grounds that the proposals are unacceptable in the absence of the benefits which would have been secured; if so, the Operational Director is authorised to determine the application and agree appropriate reasons for refusal under Delegated Powers.

3.        The Committee authorises the making of a draft order pursuant to Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for the stopping up of that area of highway required to enable the development to take place.

4.         That the City Commissioner for Transportation be authorised to take all necessary procedural steps in conjunction with the making of the order and to make the order as proposed if there are no unresolved objections to the draft order.

A memorial to Gandhi in the form of a bronze statue, set within the existing memorials on the west side of Parliament Square Gardens, together with associated landscaping.

RESOLVED:

That conditional permission be granted.

Alterations including the erection of an extension at rear second floor level and the installation of replacement windows on all elevations at first floor to fifth floor level; erection of a new rear metal access stair to roof level and installation of solar panels to main roof. Use of the first to fifth floors as seven residential flats (including ground floor entrance) (Class C3).

A late representation was received from Leith Planning Limited (3/11/14)

RESOLVED:

Had an appeal not been lodged, permission would have been refused on the grounds that inadequate information has been provided to show that the proposed residential units would provide a satisfactory living environment for future occupiers, particularly in relation to noise disturbance.

Demolition of existing building and erection of a single dwellinghouse (Class C3) comprising lower basement, basement, ground and one upper floor.Associated works including landscaping, alterations to boundary walls and existing vehicular and pedestrian entrances and installation of condenser units within enclosure to eastern boundary of site.

Additional representations were received from Mr Premal Patel (30/10/14), Mark and Belinda Richards (30/10/14), Michael Levi (31/10/14), John Stephen (30/10/14),The Matthiesen Gallery (28/10/14 and 31/10/14) Ricky Diwan (28/8/14 and 30/10/14), Michael De Lathauwer (30/10/14), M I Khan (31/10/14), Avril Davis (7/8/14), and Stephen Hough (31/10/14).

Late representations were received from Councillor Judith Warner (4.11.14); Councillor Lindsey Hall (4.11.14) and Councillor Peter Freeman (4.11.14).

RESOLVED:

That conditional permission be refused against recommendation on the grounds that the size, height and bulk and facing materials of the proposed dwellinghouse would harm the character and appearance of the surrounding conservation area.

Erection of a single storey extension at rear first floor level to dwellinghouse.

RESOLVED:

That permission be granted against recommendation as the committee considered that the proposal will not harm the character and appearance of the building or the conservation area.

Councillor Bush dissented to the decision.

Retention of garden room extension at lower ground floor level. 

RESOLVED:

That conditional permission be granted.

Councillor Bush dissented to the decision.

Application 1: Installation of external wall insulation to the rear of Nos. 14-32 Ashmore Road.

Application 2: External alterations to Nos. 14-32 Ashmore Road comprising the installation of new aluminium sash windows and installation of external wall insulation to rear elevation.

A late representation was received from Noel Brosnan (Octavia Housing) (3.11.14).

RESOLVED:

That determination of the application be deferred to obtain details of the reduced heat losses from the proposed replacement windows and from the external wall insulation.

The Committee noted the criteria set out in the report relating to other properties in Ashmore Road where external wall insulation would not be appropriate.

Variation of Conditions 2, 6 and 9 of planning permission dated 27 May 2014 (RN: 14/00964) for the use of Leicester Square for a Christmas Funfair for a temporary period from 1 December 2014 to 1 January 2015; 1 December 2015 to 1 January 2016 and 1 December 2016 to 1 January 2017; namely, to hold the Christmas Funfair from 28 November 2014 to 3 January 2015, 27 November 2015 to 2 January 2016, 25 November 2016 to 2 January 2017, excluding 25 December 2014, 25 December 2015 and 25 December 2016; to extend the hours of operation to between midday to 22.00 Monday to Thursday, between midday to 23.00 Friday and Saturday, between midday to 22.00 on Sunday; and to require the removal of all structures by 3 January 2015; 2 January 2016; and 2 January 2017.

Leicester Square WC2

Amend description of development and wording of draft Condition 9 to allow for 5 days dismantling time referred to in Section 5 of the committee report.

Amended description of development:

 Variation of Conditions 2, 6 and 9 of planning permission dated 27 May 2014 (RN: 14/00964/FULL) for the use of Leicester Square for a Christmas Funfair for a temporary period from 1 December 2014 to 1 January 2015; 1 December 2015 to 1 January 2016 and 1 December 2016 to 1 January 2017; namely, to hold the Christmas Funfair from 28 November 2014 to 3 January 2015, 27 November 2015 to 2 January 2016, 25 November 2016 to 2 January 2017, excluding 25 December 2014, 25 December 2015 and 25 December 2016; to extend the hours of operation to between midday to 22.00 Monday to Thursday, between midday to 23.00 Friday and Saturday, between midday to 22.00 on Sunday; and to require the removal of all structures by 8 January 2015; 7 January 2016; and 7 January 2017.

Amended Condition 9:

Within 5 days of the following dates you must remove all structures from the site and make arrangements with the City Council to return the land to its previous condition and use:

a)  3 January 2015

b)  2 January 2016

c)  2 January 2017

RESOLVED:

That conditional permission be granted subject to the amendment to the description of development and to Condition 9 as tabled and set out above.