Agenda item

Demolition of existing building and redevelopment to provide new hotel (Class C1) and restaurant (Class A3) floorspace across two basements, lower ground, ground floor and 11 upper floors together with other associated and enabling works.

A late representation was received from DP9 (11.12.19).

The presenting officer tabled the following amendment to the recommendation highlighted in bold:

1)              That subject to referral to the Mayor of London, conditional permission be granted subject to a S106 legal agreement to secure the following:

i.                 All highway works immediately surrounding the site required for the development to occur (including dedication of land), review of highway restrictions around the site and any associated alterations to the public realm including necessary changes to footway levels, on-street restrictions, removal of bollards, relocation of the Transport for London cycle hire docking station and associated work (legal, administrative and physical);

The presenting officer also tabled the following additional condition and informative:

“39. You must apply to us for approval of a travel plan. You must not occupy the development until we have approved what you have sent us.

The travel plan shall be followed for the life of the development.”

An additional informative will be added reminding the applicant of the need to engage with Network Rail regarding protection of servicing access for Charing Cross and other matters during the construction period.

David Laycock addressed the Sub-Committee in support of the application.

David North addressed the Sub-Committee in objection to the application.

Richard Brown addressed the Sub-Committee in objection to the application.

Councillor Tim Mitchell addressed the Sub-Committee in his capacity as Ward Councillor in objection to the application.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1)              That subject to referral to the Mayor of London, conditional permission, as amended, be granted subject to:

a)         a S106 legal agreement to secure the following:

i.                 All highway works immediately surrounding the site required for the development to occur (including dedication of land), review of highway restrictions around the site and any associated alterations to the public realm including necessary changes to footway levels, on-street restrictions, removal of bollards, relocation of the Transport for London cycle hire docking station and associated work (legal, administrative and physical);

ii.               A financial contribution of £162,050 (index linked), payable on commencement of development towards the Westminster Employment Service;

iii.              Provision of an Employment and Skills Plan for approval and adherence with the approved plan; and

iv.              Monitoring costs of £500 for each of the above clauses

b)        The applicant submitting an appropriate robust Operational Management Plan within 6 months after the commencement of the development; which needed to mitigate the operation of the hotel on nearby residents in Craven Street, and this Operational Management Plan should be reported to the Planning (Major Applications) Sub-Committee.  

c)        To mitigate the impact on residents’ an additional condition be imposed requiring the applicant to submit a travel plan to reduce the potential for taxis and private hire vehicles to use Craven Street; and

2)         If the legal agreement had not been completed within six weeks of the date of the Committee resolution, then:

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

ii.         The Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning 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 was authorised to determine the application and agree appropriate reasons for refusal under Delegated Powers.

3)              That Committee authorised the making of a draft order pursuant to s247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for the stopping up of parts of the public highway and creation of new public highway to enable this development to take place.

4)              That the Director of Place Shaping and Town Planning, Executive Director of City Management and Communities, or other such proper officer of the City Council responsible for highway functions, be authorised to take all necessary procedural steps in conjunction with the making of the orders and to make the orders as proposed if there were no unresolved objections to the draft orders.