Agenda item

Demolition of the upper floors of 48-49 Brook's Mews and erection of building comprising ground and first to eighth floor levels; alterations to the basement and roof structure of 41-43 Brook Street; use of ground and first floors of 48-49 Brooks Mews as restaurant floorspace, use of lower ground and ground floors of 41-43 Brook Street as retail and use of the remainder of both buildings as hotel guestrooms in connection with the adjoining Claridge's hotel. (SITE INCLUDES 48-49 BROOK'S MEWS AND CLARIDGE'S HOTEL).

Late representations were received from the occupier of Flat 1, 50 Brooks Mews (3.9.2019), the occupier of Flat 5, 50 Brooks Mews (2.9.2019), the occupier of Flat 2, 50 Brooks Mews (3.9.2019), the occupier of Flat 7, Huguenot House, 19 Oxendon Street, London (3.9.2019), Innovate Planning (2.9.2019), Claridges (30.8.2019) and Four Communications (3.9.2019).

Paul Jackson spoke in support of the application.

Lady Michele Michels spoke in objection to the application.

Richard Cutt of the Residents’ Society of Mayfair and St James’s spoke in support of the application.

Councillor Jonathan Glanz spoke in objection to the application in his capacity as Ward Councillor.

RESOLVED: (for:  Councillors Rigby, Spencer and Hyams; Against:  Councillor Noble)

1.              That conditional permission be granted, subject to:

(A)              the completion of a S106 agreement to secure the following planning obligations:

i.            A financial contribution of £116,880 (index linked and payable on commencement) to the Carbon Off-Setting Fund.

ii.           All highway works on Brooks Mews relating to the removal of the redundant vehicle crossover and associated works (legal, administrative and physical) prior to occupation of the new restaurants on Brooks Mews.

iii.          The costs of monitoring the agreement.

(B)      The following changes to the draft decision letter:

          i.       An additional condition requiring obscure glass to the eight             bedroom windows in the east facing side elevation to a height               of 1.6m and obscured glass to the bathroom windows to these       bedrooms.

      ii.      Amending condition 11 so that the doors to Brooks Mews serving the two restaurant premises are to be shut between 21:00 and 07:00 hours daily and are not to be used by staff or patrons except in case of emergency.

      iii.     Amending condition 22 so that the access to the external courtyard for staff and guests is between 09:00 hours to 20:00 hours daily to mitigate the impact on the residents in Brooks Mews.

      iv.     Amending condition 18 reserving the approval of an operational management plan (OMP) for the extended hotel and restaurant uses which should include revised hours of access to the external courtyard as per B(iii) above.       The OMP, in respect of the use of the external courtyard to be reviewed, in terms of its effectiveness, six months post occupation.

      v.      Additional minor changes to existing conditions and the reasons for them.  

      vi.     An additional informative that the committee is keen to see no smoking in the external courtyard and that the applicant should seek to address this in the OMP.  An additional informative regarding how Claridges intends to liaise with residents during construction works.

vii.    The revised draft decision letters to be determined by officers under delegated powers subject to consultation and agreement with the Chairman.

2.        If the legal agreement has not been completed within 6 weeks of the date of the Sub-Committee meeting then:

           a)        The Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning 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 Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning is authorised to determine and issue such a decision under Delegated Powers; however, if not;

           b)        The Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning shall consider whether 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 Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning is authorised to determine the application and agree appropriate reasons for refusal under Delegated Powers.

3.        That conditional listed building consent be granted.

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