Agenda item

Variation of conditions 1 and 24 of planning permission dated 27 March 2019 (RN: 16/11376/FULL) for the: Demolition of the existing buildings at 19-35 Baker Street, 88-110 George Street, 69-71 Blandford Street and redevelopment to create a mixed use scheme providing offices (Class B1), retail (Class A1 and flexible Class A1/A3 units) and up to 51 residential units (Class C3) within a new ground plus nine storey building (and an enclosed plant area) on Baker Street; a new stepped ground plus four to ground plus six storey building on George Street; refurbishment, extension and the change of use of the first floor from office to residential at 30 Gloucester Place; creation of a single storey basement level linking the Baker Street and George Street buildings to provide car and cycle parking, refuse and servicing; creation of a new central, publicly accessible courtyard; removal of 5 trees and replacement trees across the site, a new publicly accessible route at ground level connecting Baker Street and Gloucester Place; associated plant, landscaping, replacement pavements in part and other associated works.  Namely, to allow the revision of energy strategy to omit the gas-fired boilers and replace with all electric air source heat pumps across buildings C and D; revisions to facade design of 19-35 Baker Street (building C); and associated alterations.

Benjy Lesser addressed the Sub-Committee in support of the application.

Rosemary Hook addressed the Sub-Committee in objection of the application.

A late email was tabled by officers from Toyin Omodara (12.11.19)

A late email was tabled from Rosemary Hook to Councillor Iain Bott (06.11.19)

A late email was tabled from Robert Hook to Councillor Iain Bott (12.11.19)

A late email was tabled from Robert Hook to Councillor Iain Bott (11.11.19)

A late email was tabled from Robert Hook to Councillor Iain Bott (10.11.19)

RESOLVED: (Councillors Melvyn Caplan, Robert Rigby, Jim Glen and Elizabeth Hitchcock for, Councillors David Boothroyd and Geoff Barraclough against)

1.         Subject to referral to the Mayor of London, grant conditional permission subject to a deed of variation to a S106 legal agreement to secure:

i)     provision of 10 affordable housing units at 30 Gloucester Place, (including securing rent levels) to be made ready for occupation prior to the occupation of the market housing on George Street (building D) 

ii)   a financial contribution of £10 million towards the City Council's affordable housing fund (index linked and payable on commencement of development)

iii)  a viability review mechanism

v)   costs relating to highways works around the site to facilitate the development

v)   provision of unallocated residential parking

vi)  lifetime car club membership (25 years) for each residential unit payable on first occupation

vii)a lift management and maintenance plan

viii) a financial contribution to the carbon offsetting fund carbon offsetting fund of £76,665 for the residential part of the development prior to commencement of development

ix)  the applicant pays the City Council's reasonable costs of making and consulting on an Order pursuant to Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) (as amended) to 'stop-up' an area of public highway. 

x)   Crossrail payment of £2,696,155 (index linked) to be paid on commencement of development

xi)  a financial contribution towards the cost of off-street tree planting on George Street, Gloucester Place and Blandford Street. 

xii)monitoring costs

2.         If the deed of variation to the S106 deed of variation legal agreement has not been completed within six weeks of the date of the Committee resolution then:

a)   The Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning shall consider whether the permission can be issued with additional conditions attached to secure the benefits listed above.  If this is possible and appropriate, 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 it has not proved possible to complete an agreement within an appropriate timescale, and that the proposals are unacceptable in the absence of the benefits that would have been secured; if so, the 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 the highway required to enable the development to take place.