Agenda and minutes

To note any changes to the membership.

1.1      Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Ruth Bush.

1.2      A Councillor was required to Chair the evening’s meeting and the Sub-Committee

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Jason Williams be elected Chair of Planning (Major Applications) Sub-Committee for that evening’s meeting.

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 Williams explained that a week before the meeting, all 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 emails 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 would have read about the issue and comments made by correspondents in the papers read prior to the meeting.

2.2      Councillor Butler-Thalassis declared that in respect of Item 1 she was the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Voluntary Sector, however she had held no discussions with any parties regarding the application.

2.3      Councillor Williams and Fisher declared that in respect of Item 2 they had both sat on a previous Sub-Committee which had considered a different proposal on the same application site.

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

3.1      RESOLVED:

That subject to Councillor Cara Sanquest being listed as present at the meeting, the minutes of the meeting held on 4 July 2023 be signed by the Chair as a correct record of proceedings.

Applications for decision

Demolition of Dean Bradley House and redevelopment to provide double basement, ground, nine upper floors and plant at 9th and roof level with terraces at all levels and erection of a separate 3-storey gatehouse building facing Romney Street for dual/alternative use either to provide 134 care home units and associated facilities such as library, restaurant, communal lounges and quiet rooms, therapy rooms, art studio and hydrotherapy pool (use Class C2) [option 1] or providing two (non-food) retail units at ground floor level (Class E(a)), clinical use at basement, part ground and first to fifth floor levels (Class E(e)) and 40 post operative care units at sixth to ninth floor levels (Class C2) with hydrotherapy pool and reception area [option 2]. Creation of car and cycle parking at sub-basement level, landscaped communal area and vehicular access in Romney Street.

An additional representation was received from one local resident (25.08.23).

Late representations were received from Medici Lifecare (undated) and one local resident (undated).    

The presenting officer tabled the following amendments to the conditions:

Amendment to Conditions:

8.        You must apply to us for approval of detailed drawings of a landscaping scheme which includes the surfacing of any part of the site not covered by buildings. You must not start work on the relevant part of the development until we have approved in writing what you have sent us.  You must then carry out the landscaping according to these approved drawings within one planting season of completing the development (or within any other time limit we agree to in writing).  (C30AC)

9.        Pre Commencement Condition. You must apply to us for approval of the ways in which you will protect the trees which you are keeping, as shown on drawings 14060-SQP-XX-00-DR-A-PL104 rev. D and 14060-SQP-XX-00-DR-A-PL114 rev. D You must not start any demolition, site clearance or building work, and you must not take any equipment, machinery or materials for the development onto the site, until we have approved in writing what you have sent us. The tree protection must follow the recommendations in section 7 of British Standard BS5837: 2012. You must then carry out the work according to the approved details.  (C31AC)

19.      Pre Commencement Condition. No demolition of the existing buildings shall take until a Construction Logistics Plan (CLP) to manage all the freight vehicle movements to and from the site has been submitted to and approved by the City Council in consultation with Transport for London. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved CLP.

20.       You must provide, maintain and retain the fire safety measures set out in the Fire Statement Ref: 21919-HYD-XX-XX-RP-FE-001 rev.03 dated 01 July 2022. You must not remove any of these features. 

21.      You must not occupy the premises for care home use (Class C2) (option 1) until a detailed scheme for the ground floor windows facing Horseferry Road and Dean Bradley Street has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The scheme shall include  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

Erection of roof extensions at 5th, 7th and 9th floors on the Shaftesbury Avenue frontage to accommodate up to 84 hotel rooms in conjunction with the existing hotel (partially retrospective application). Creation of new roof terraces at 7th floor facing Shaftesbury Avenue. Installation of screening to existing plant at 11th and 12th floor levels.

Luke Raistrick addressed the Sub-Committee in support of the application.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1)              That conditional permission be granted subject to:

a)                        An additional condition to secure samples of materials;

b)              An amendment to condition 12 to prohibit any music or amplified music from being played on the roof terraces which would be audible at the nearest noise sensitive properties; and

c)              A legal agreement to secure the following:

i)         A financial contribution of £59,997 (index linked) towards the City Council's Carbon Off Set fund (payable prior to the commencement of the development);

ii)        Monitoring and reporting on the actual operational energy performance of the building, including as-built and in-use stage data;

iii)        A financial contribution of £25,628 (index linked) towards initiatives that provide local employment, training opportunities and skills development and supporting the Westminster Employment Service (payable prior to the commencement of the development);

iv)       The costs of monitoring the S106 agreement.

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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 Town Planning and Building Control 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 Town Planning and Building Control was authorised to determine and issue such a decision under Delegated Powers; however, if not

b)        The Director of Town Planning and Building Control 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 Town Planning and Building Control 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 conditional listed building consent as set out in the informative on the draft listed building consent decision letter be agreed.