Agenda item

Alterations to the existing building including the creation of new pedestrian and vehicular entrances; alterations to bottle balustrades and parapets; extensions to create three additional storeys at fifth, sixth and seventh floors; extension of the existing basement to create two additional basement storeys; partial demolition and reconstruction of the central wing; demolition, relocation and reconstruction of the facades comprising the Triangular Courtyard incorporating extensions to the existing building at ground to fourth floors; external alterations to the facades comprising the Quadrangle including the creation of new pedestrian entrances; landscaping works to the Quadrangle and Triangular Courtyard; creation of external terraces at fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh floor levels; addition of entrance canopies; alterations to security walls and bollards and the removal and replacement of street trees; all in connection with the change of use of the building from offices (Class B1) to a hotel (Class C1) comprising up to 125 hotel bedrooms/suites with flexible hotel/retail/restaurant/bar use at part ground floor (Class C1/A1/A3/A4), flexible hotel/restaurant use at part lower ground, part ground and part second floors (Class C1/A3); flexible hotel/bar use at part fifth and part sixth floors (Class C1/A4); flexible retail, leisure, restaurant or bar use at part ground floor (Class A1/D2/C1/A3/A4), leisure/spa facilities within the basement levels and part of the lower ground floor (Class D2/C1) ancillary ballroom, event space and meeting rooms, food and beverage facilities, back of house facilities and associated car and cycle parking and servicing facilities; together with the creation of up to 88 residential dwellings (Class C3) with ancillary communal amenities, associated car and cycle parking and servicing facilities, and other associated works.

 

Additional representations were received from UNA-UK (08/02/17), Whitehall Court London Ltd (06/02/17) and 57 Whitehall S.a.r.l. (06/02/7).

 

Late representations were received from The Victorian Society (09/02/17), one interested party (10/02/17), Westminster City Council Head of Affordable and private Sector Housing (09/02/17), Councillor Adam Hug (10/02/17), Westminster City Council’s Arboricultural Officer (10/02/17), Artoc Group (06/02/17), WATG (11/02/17), Corinthia Residences (13/02/17), Gerald Eve (10/01/17) and Corinthia Hotels 913/02/17).

 

The Planning Officer tabled the following amendment to the recommendation and conditions:

 

Recommendation – wording of S106 obligations:

 

1.     viii) a financial contribution of £302,400 towards the City Council’s carbon off-set fund in the first instance (index linked and payable on occupation) and the developer to use reasonable endeavours to connect the development to Whitehall District Heating Scheme (WDHS) within 5 years of occupation with a further carbon offset payment of £352,800 if this has not been achieved.

 

Amended Conditions

 

16/09548/FULL

 

Condition 7 Pre-Commencement Condition:

 

(a)          You must apply to us for approval of a written scheme of investigation for a programme of archaeological work. This must include details of the suitably qualified person or organisation that will carry out the archaeological work. You must not start any below grade work until we have approved what you have sent us.

 

(b)          You must then carry out the archaeological work and development according to this approved scheme. You must produce a written report of the investigation and findings, showing that you have carried out the archaeological work and development according to the approved scheme. You must send copies of the written report of the investigation and findings to us, to Historic England, and to the Greater London Sites and Monuments Record, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138-142 Holborn, London EC1N 2ST.

 

(c)          You must not use any part of the new building until we have confirmed that you have carried out the archaeological fieldwork and development according to this approved scheme.

 

Condition 10

 

In the event that the units at ground and lower ground floor levels shown on the approved plan for flexible Class A1/A3/A4/C1 and flexible Class A3/C1, the area at fifth and sixth floor levels designated as flexible Class A4/C1 and the spa/leisure facility at basement level flexible Class D2/C1 are operated by the hotel as ancillary uses within Class C1, they must remain open to customers who are members of the general public (whether or not they are guests at the hotel or visitors of hotel guests) and shall not be used for any other hotel activity other than retail, restaurant or bar and spa/similar type of leisure facility as indicated. These units must be fitted out to at least shell and core before commencement of the hotel use in the remainder of the development.

 

Condition 11

 

Non-hotel guests shall not be permitted within the retail/restaurant/bar units at ground and lower ground floor levels before 06:00 hours or after 02:00 hours each day.

 

Condition 15

 

Departures from any functions in the hotel ballroom after midnight shall be via the main hotel entrance on Whitehall or Horse Guards Avenue and not from any of the entrances on Whitehall Palace except in cases of emergency or in the event that Whitehall is closed for a state procession.

 

Condition 37

 

You must apply to us for approval of detailed drawings of a hard and soft landscaping scheme which includes the number, size, species and position of trees and shrubs. This landscaping scheme should include details of planter sizes, their soil volume and the proposed irrigation details using sustainable water sources.

 

You must not start work on this part of the development until we have approved what you have sent us. You must then carry out the landscaping and planting within 3 months; of completing the development (or within any other time limit we agree to in writing).

 

If you remove any plants or find that they are dying, severely damaged or diseased within two years; of planting them, you must replace them with plants of a similar size and species.

 

Condition 40

 

You must apply to us for approval of a revised energy strategy for the development within six months of the date of this decision. The revised energy strategy must i) omit the CHP currently proposed and ii) include capacity for a potential future connection to an upgraded Whitehall District Heating Service (WDHS). You must then carry out the measures included in the revised energy strategy at all times the development is in use.

 

Delete Condition 42

 

16/09549/LBC

 

Condition 5 Pre-Commencement Condition

 

(a)          You must apply to us for approval of a written scheme of investigation for a programme of archaeological work. This must include details of the suitably qualified person or organisation that will carry out the archaeological work. You must not start any below grade work until we have approved what you have sent us.

 

(b)          You must then carry out the archaeological work and development according to this approved scheme. You must produce a written report of the investigation and findings, showing that you have carried out the archaeological work and development according to the approved scheme. You must send copies of the written report of the investigation and findings to us, to Historic England, and to the Greater London Sites and Monuments Record, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138-142 Holborn, London EC1N 2ST.

 

(c)          You must not use any part of the new building until we have confirmed that you have carried out the archaeological fieldwork and development according to this approved scheme.

 

Additional Informative

 

16/09548/FULL

 

23. The Dawn Redwood trees on Whitehall Court (Tree Number T1, T2, T3 and T4 in the tree survey) were planted to commemorate the 40^th Anniversary of the United Nations in 1985. The trees have significant cultural importance and the protection of these trees will need to be of the highest standard to ensure that they come to no harm during the development and that their long term health and visual amenity is not affected directly or indirectly by the work.

 

Councillor Louise Hyams addressed the committee in her capacity as a Ward councillor.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1)            That subject to the following revised conditions:

 

i)             Those tabled above aside from Condition 11 which would retain its original wording;

ii)            An additional condition requiring the retention of bottle balustrades to the western end of the Whitehall Place elevation of the hotel; and

iii)           The deletion of Condition 42.

 

conditional permission be granted subject to the revised S106 legal agreement as tabled above to secure the following:

 

i)             A financial contribution of £10m towards the City Council's affordable housing fund (index linked and payable on commencement of development) in lieu of on-site affordable housing.

 

ii)            The hotel and commercial floorspace to be provided as part of the development is not to be occupied until the residential accommodation to be provided as part of the development has been made ready for occupation.

 

iii)           Operational Management Plan for the hotel, restaurants, bars, ballroom and spa facility.

 

iv)           Public Access Strategy for the Hotel Suites of Principal Historic Significance to secure a minimum of ten days access, including two Sundays, per annum.

 

v)            An employment and training opportunities strategy.

 

vi)           Payment for all necessary highway works including the following to be carried out prior to the occupation of the hotel:

 

·           changes to parking bays to accommodate the new vehicular entrances to the building and to re-provide lost parking places elsewhere if possible.

·           move the coach stop on Horse Guards Avenue

·           provide a facility for taxis on Horse Guards Avenue

·           move the bus shelter on Whitehall

·           remove the security walls and bollards from Whitehall and make other changes to accommodate vehicular access to the building whilst still providing a secure scheme.

·           re-paving of the footways around the site

·           removal and replacement of street trees

 

vii)         Car Parking Management Plan - to include:

 

·           provision of residential car parking on an unallocated basis

·           to ensure that residents and hotel guests are only using their agreed provision of car parking spaces

·           supervision,  operation and maintenance of car lifts

 

viii)        a financial contribution of £302,400 towards the City Council’s carbon off-set fund in the first instance (index linked and payable on occupation) and the developer to use reasonable endeavours to connect the development to Whitehall District Heating Scheme (WDHS) within 5 years of occupation with a further carbon offset payment of £352,800 (index linked) if this has not been achieved.

 

ix)           Establishment of a Residents Liaison Group meeting with minimum bi-monthly stakeholder meetings during and immediately prior to the commencement of development.

 

x)            Costs of monitoring.

 

2)            That if the S106 legal agreement had not been completed within eight weeks of the date of this resolution then:

 

a)            The Director of Planning shall consider whether it will be possible or appropriate to issue the permission with additional conditions attached to secure the benefits listed above. If so, the Director of Planning is authorised to determine and issue the decision under Delegated Powers; however, if not;

 

b)            The Director of Planning shall consider whether the permission should be refused on the grounds that the proposals are unacceptable in the absence of benefits which would have been secured; if so, the Director of 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 the reasons for granting listed building consent as set out in Informative 1 of the draft decision letter be agreed.

 

Councillor Boothroyd dissented from the decision.