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 Andrew Smith explained that a week before the meeting, all four Members of the 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 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 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 Smith declared in respect of item 1 that he had sat on the committee that had considered the previous application for this site.

2.3       Councillor Hyams declared in respect of items 1 and 2 that the sites are located in her ward. She also declared that in her capacity as a ward councillor she is updated by Capco on issues in Covent Garden but had not expressed a view on the applications on the agenda.

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 6 February 2018 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record of proceedings.

Applications for decision

Use of part basements, part ground and part first to eleventh floor levels as a hotel (Class C1) comprising up to 740 bedrooms; erection of entrance canopy on Shaftesbury Avenue and plant enclosures at levels 07 to 11 and associated works; erection of roof extensions, plant, pool and terraces at levels 12 and 13 for use as a restaurant and bar (Class A3 and A4).

Additional representations were received from Savills (28.2.18) and Nimax theatres Ltd (1.3.18).

Late representations were received from Shaftesbury Plc in the form of a brochure for the proposed development (5.3.18), Rolfe Judd Planning (5.3’s.18) and R.G.G Howard (6.3.18) .

The presenting officer tabled the following changes to the draft decision letter:

(changes in bold):

Condition 24

No music or amplified sound played on the roof top terrace areas shall be audible outside the nearest noise sensitive property at any time.

Reason

To protect neighbouring residents and theatres from noise nuisance, as set out in CS23, CS28 and CS31 of our Core Strategy that we adopted in January 2011 and ENV 6 of our Unitary Development Plan that we adopted in January 2007.R13BC)

Informative 7

With reference to condition 30 please refer to the Council's Code of Construction Practice at (https://www.westminster.gov.uk/code-construction-practice). You will be required to enter into the relevant Code appropriate to this scale of development and to pay the relevant fees prior to starting work. The Code does require the submission of a full Site Environmental Management Plan or Construction Management Plan as appropriate 40 days prior to commencement of works (including demolition).  You are expected to include a clause prohibiting noisy works between 14.30 and 17.15 on Wednesdays. These documents must be sent to environmentalsciences2@westminster.gov.uk.

Appendix A or B must be signed and countersigned by Environmental Sciences prior to the submission of the approval of details of the above condition.

You are urged to give this your early attention

RESOLVED:

1.            That conditional permission be granted subject to:

A)    a S106 legal agreement to secure the following:

i.    The costs of implementing revisions to the traffic order to provide a shared coach and loading bay on Rupert Street and crossover works into the proposed loading bay;

ii.   to enable revisions to the shared coach and loading bay in Rupert Street if the public realm works take place in Rupert Street;

(wording to be agreed in consultation with the chairman)

iii.  A Crossrail payment;

iv.  An employment and training strategy for the demolition, construction and operational phases of the development;

v.   S106 monitoring costs.

B)   The changes to the draft decision letter as tabled and set out above.

C)   Amending condition 25 to permit the roof top restaurant/bar opening at 7.00 am.

D)   An additional condition reserving landscaping to secure improved greening on the terrace roof

E)   An operational management plan for the sky bar/restaurant which is secured by condition must be referred back to the Sub-Committee for consideration and agreement.

F)   Reserving details in respect of the management  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

Use of part ground and the upper floors of the building as a hotel (Class C1) with ancillary cafe at ground floor level; extensions within existing lightwell; alterations to existing and new windows and doors to rear elevation; and installation of new and relocated plant and photovoltaics at roof level.

Late representations were received from the Metropolitan Police Service (Designing Out Crime Group) (2.3.18) and the Theatres Trust (6.3.18).

The presenting officer tabled the following changes to the draft decision letter:

Condition 21:

You must not use any part of the development until we have approved appropriate arrangements to secure the following.

i)          An employment and training opportunities strategy during construction and for the hotel use.

In the case of each of the above benefits, you must include in the arrangements details of when you will provide the benefits, and how you will guarantee this timing.  You must only carry out the development according to the approved arrangements.  (C19BA)

Condition 24:

A minimum of twelve hotel bedrooms (10%) shall be fully wheelchair accessible.

RESOLVED:

That conditional permission be granted subject to:

1.         The changes to conditions as tabled and as set out above.

2.         An additional condition that hotel guests shall only enter/exit the hotel via Strand and no access provided to Exchange Court after 11 pm except in case of emergency.

3.         The Operational Management Plan for the hotel to include (a) arrangements for smoking for staff and guests that should avoid people congregating at the rear of the building and (b) address if there are arrangements for a bottle crusher which if proposed should not be used at night to minimise noise disturbance to those nearby residents and hotel guests.

Excavation of a basement floor below existing house and part of front and rear gardens, demolition and rebuilding of rear lower ground floor level conservatory, enlargement of front lightwell, insertion of rooflight with decorative metal grille over within front lightwell, internal alterations and removal of tree from rear garden.

Withdrawn from the agenda by officers

Excavation of a basement floor below existing house and part of front garden, insertion of rooflight with decorative metal grille over within front lightwell, internal alterations, including the insertion of 3 rooflights in the floor of rear extension between lower ground and new basement level and removal of tree from front garden.

Withdrawn from the agenda by officers

Use of the ground floor and basement as an estate agent (Class A2)

RESOLVED:

An additional representation was received from the Council’s Highways Planning Manager (1.3.18).

That conditional permission be granted.

Excavation of a basement beneath the footprint of the dwelling.

RESOLVED:

That conditional permission be granted.