Proposal:

Erection of 19 storey building (up to maximum height of 64.250 metres AOD) to provide a new 350 room hotel (Use Class C1) together with ancillary restaurant and bar, car parking, cycle parking and landscaping.

Officer Recommendation:

Grant planning permission with conditions and planning obligations

Update report tabled

The Committee received and noted a report regarding the erection of 19 storey building (up to maximum height of 64.250 metres AOD) to provide a new 350 room hotel (Use Class C1) together with ancillary restaurant and bar, car parking, cycle parking and landscaping. The development of this site would facilitate a new data centre nearby (approx. 200m) and the demolition of the existing Travelodge Docklands Hotel.

It was noted that the officer recommendation was to grant planning permission with conditions and planning obligations.

The Committee asked a number of questions about the proposals and the points raised are summarised as follows:

·         The application proposes a 350 room hotel that measures 19 storeys in height. The building would be positioned on the north-west corner of the site and comprise of (i) Ground floor - Reception and Back of House; (ii) First floor - Restaurant/Bar; and (iii) Second to Eighteenth floor - Hotel rooms.

·         The total Gross Internal Area (GIA) would measure 11,759sqm and the maximum height of the building would measure 64.25m. Access and egress to the site would take place from Sorrel Lane and Saffron Avenue.

·         A total of 35 car parking spaces are proposed, 5 of which would be blue badge spaces. Of the 35 spaces 40% would provide active electric charging points. The site would provide a pocket park and access across the southern landscaped area. The perimeter of the site would be lined with planting and there would be a refuse store located on the north-east corner.

·         The application assessed within this report is linked to an application for the demolition of an existing hotel and erection of a new data centre at Coriander Avenue (under planning reference PA/18/03088). This is because there is an existing Travelodge hotel at Coriander Avenue and this site will cease to operate once the new hotel - proposed north-west of Leamouth roundabout - is in operation.

·         Any whilst a S106 can identify and highlight the requirements for planning contributions e.g. provide increased employment; education, and training the Council cannot be legally compel them hire local residents although they can influence.

·         The Section 106 agreement for both applications will ensure that there will not be two hotels in operation at the same time. This is to ensure acceptability of the land use. The two sites are approximately 235m apart and are within the same estate.

·         The ‘land swap’ is largely driven by the fact the application site has the East India Dock Tunnel running directly beneath it, which severely restricts the developable area and intern the building typology that can be constructed. A hotel use can be delivered on a much smaller footprint than that required to house a data centre (such are their functional requirements) and henceforth the two sites are being proposed in this way.

·         The height, massing, and design of the scheme would result in a striking building that frames the wider estate. The impact to neighbouring occupiers would be limited and acceptable for an urban location. The development would have a neutral impact on the setting of the Grade II listed East India Dock Wall.

As a result of discussions on the report on a unanimous vote, the Committee RESOLVED:

1.         That subject to any direction by the Mayor of London, conditional Planning permission is GRANTED at Site north west of Leamouth Road Roundabout, Leamouth Road, London Erection of 19 storey building (up to maximum height of 64.250 metres AOD) to provide a new 350 room hotel (Use Class C1) together with ancillary restaurant and bar, car parking, cycle parking and landscaping. (PA/18/03089)

SUBJECT TO:

2.         The prior completion of a legal agreement to secure the planning obligations set out in the report:

3.         That the Corporate Director of Place is delegated the power to negotiate the legal agreement. If within three months of the resolution the legal agreement has not been completed, the Corporate Director for Place is delegated power to refuse planning permission.

4.         That the Corporate Director of Place is delegated the power to impose conditions and informatives to address the matters set out in the report: