Proposal:

Demolition of 1980s office building (including annex connection to Southern Grove Lodge) and construction of a part-4, part-5, part-6 storey Class C3 residential apartment block (to provide 42 units of affordable housing); change of use/conversion/refurbishment (including installation of replacement roofs/rooflights and windows) of Southern Grove Lodge into Class C3 residential use (to provide 36 private for sale units); provision of associated amenity areas, cycle and car parking (in the form of 5 x accessible parking bays), refuse/recycling stores and landscaping.

Recommendation:

Grant planning permission, subject to conditions. 

Jerry Bell introduced the application for demolition of 1980s office building (including annex connection to Southern Grove Lodge) and construction of a part-4, part-5, part-6 storey Class C3 residential apartment block.

Nelupa Malik (Planning Services) presented the report advising of the application site and surrounds. The site lay in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Conservation Area. Whilst not listed, the Building B (Southern Grove Lodge Building) was considered to be a non - designated heritage asset.  Public consultation had been undertaken at the pre application and post submissions stage. In response to the statutory consultation, 1 representation had been received in support and 3 in objection and the issues raised were noted.

The following issues were noted.

•         Whilst the proposal would result in net loss of employment floor space, this can be considered acceptable and in line with policy given the underutilised nature of the existing use. It was also considered that the merits of the scheme outweighed this.

•         Details of housing mix, including the deviations from policy and comprises in housing standards relating to Block B (due to the building restraints).  On balance, this could be considered acceptable given the merits of this approach in terms of delivering affordable housing and the public benefits of the application.

•         That the level of affordable housing broadly complied with policy and the scheme was eligible for the fast track route.

•         That the level of communal amenity space and dedicated children’s play area met requirements.

•                That the character and appearance of both Southern Grove Lodge and the Tower Hamlets Conservation Area will be enhanced as a result of the proposals.

•         A number of neighbouring properties would experience impacts as detailed in the report and the presentation. However, there were mitigating factors that accounted for this. Overall, the proposal should ensure they maintained good levels of amenity in terms of daylight, sunlight, overshadowing, outlook and sense of enclosure  including the closest development.

•         The proposal would be ‘car free’ with the exception of 5 blue badge spaces. Cycle parking would also be provided in accordance with policy

•         The proposal incorporates sustainability and biodiversity enhancements.

•         Details of the financial and non - financial obligations.

Officers were recommending that the proposed development is granted planning permission, subject to conditions.

The Chair invited the registered speakers to address the Committee.

Councillor Andrew Wood considered that the proposals should be rejected, on the basis that it was took small and the lack of affordable housing. A taller building providing more housing could have been provided on site given the site’s good transport link and that there were many taller developments nearby.

Tim Waters spoke in support of the application. He noted the development potential of the site, but also the need to provide a development  that responded to the local  setting and preserved neighbouring amenity, which this development sought to do.  The applicant had listened to residents concerns and as a result had made amendments to increase separation distances. The merits of the proposals included: new dwellings including affordable housing, which exceeded policy. The tenure mix complied with policy with an above standard level of 4 bed units. The standard of accommodation at Block A would be high, providing a contrast with the Southern Grove Lodge building. Officers found the scheme to be acceptable and there were no technical issues.

Committee’s Questions

In response to the presentation, the Committee asked a number of questions to the Officers and the registered speakers. The following issues were discussed:

•       Members asked about the decision to locate the private dwellings in the heritage building, and the lack of affordable units in Block B

•         The Committee also asked about the possibility of providing a taller development with more affordable housing and less one bed units.

•       In response, the applicant’s agent advised of the building constraints. It was considered that the scheme should seek to respect the fabric of the building internally and externally, rather than developing it from shell and core. Consequently, these issues had influenced the design

•             Given the constraints, only a limited number of units could be accommodated in the Southern Grove Lodge building whilst preserving the historic features. Officers also advised that it would have been very difficult to provide more family sized and affordable units in this building and this would not have been viable. This was in contrast to Block A that allowed for the provision of such housing.

•             The plans would enable the provision of the maximum amount of affordable housing that could be delivered on site. The policy targets for affordable housing had been met. All of the units met internal accommodation standards.

•             The level of private units were required on viability grounds.

•             The applicant’s representative considered that any increase in the height may affect neighbouring amenity.

•             The housing mix broadly complied with policy.

•             The intermediate housing would be at London Living Rent Levels.

•             The affordable housing would be allocated by the Housing register.

•             That most of the open space would be open to the public but a small section would be gated.

On a vote of 6 in favour and 0 against the Committee RESOLVED:

1.       That, planning permission is GRANTED at  Southern Grove Lodge, 58-60 Southern Grove, London, E3 4PN for

•         Demolition of 1980s office building (including annex connection to Southern Grove Lodge) and construction of a part-4, part-5, part-6 storey Class C3 residential apartment block (to provide 42 units of affordable housing); change of use/conversion/refurbishment (including installation of replacement roofs/rooflights and windows) of Southern Grove Lodge into Class C3 residential use (to provide 36 private for sale units); provision of associated amenity areas, cycle and car parking (in the form of 5 x accessible parking bays), refuse/recycling stores and landscaping(PA/20/00788)

2.       Subject to the conditions set out in the Committee report