Agenda item
Land bounded by Elder Street, Folgate Street, Blossom Street, Norton Folgate, Shoreditch High Street and Commercial Street, E1.(PA/14/03548& PA/14/03618)
- Meeting of Strategic Development Committee, Thursday, 27th August, 2015 7.00 p.m. (Item 5.1)
- View the background to item 5.1
Application for planning permission (PA/14/03548)
Redevelopment of the former Nicholls and Clarke urban block and adjoining former depot site, Loom Court, and land and buildings north of Fleur de Lis Passage and Fleur de Lis Street, including retention and refurbishment of buildings, for commercially led mixed-use purposes comprising buildings of between 4 and 13 storeys to provide B1 (Office), A1 (Retail), A3 (Restaurants and cafés), A4 (Public house) and 40 residential units; together with new public open spaces and landscaping, new pedestrian accesses, works to the public highway and public realm, the provision of off-street parking, and ancillary and enabling works, plant and equipment.
Application for listed building consent (PA/14/03618)
Works to the public highway (Fleur de Lis Street) including repair and replacement, where necessary, of the carriageway and pavement, installation of cycle parking, hard landscaping and all necessary ancillary and enabling works, plant and equipment.
Recommendations:
That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to any direction by The London Mayor, the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure planning obligations, conditions and informatives.
That the Committee resolves toGRANT listed building consent subject to conditions
Minutes:
Paul Buckenham (Development Control Manager, Development and Renewal) introduced the item reminding Members that the application was initially considered at the 21st July 2015 meeting of the Committee where it was resolved to defer the application to enable Officers to prepare a supplementary report setting out proposed detailed reasons for refusal and the implications of the decision. The Committee noted that Officers had considered the circumstances of this application against the relevant development plan policies in the Tower Hamlets Core Strategy 2010, the Tower Hamlets Managing Development Document 2013 and the London Plan 2015, the National Planning Policy Framework and National Planning Practice Guidance and other material considerations and had concluded that:
· The scheme would provide an employment led mixed use development appropriate in this City Fringe location which has been identified as part of the ‘Tech-City’ cluster. The scheme provides over 30,000 sq. m. of B1 (Office) space suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which accords with the Tech City aspirations and supported by both the London Plan and Local Plan policies.
· The active ground floor uses would contribute to a vibrant development that would encourage visitors to the site in contrast to the predominantly vacant and underutilised buildings which currently occupy the site.
· The applications had been subject to extensive consultation with local residents and interested groups. The approach to heritage and design is supported by Tower Hamlets Officers, Historic England, CABE and the Council’s Conservation Design Advisory Panel as it is considered to represent a combination of sensitive restoration and retention of heritage assets whilst incorporating high quality new buildings that would preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the Elder Street Conservation Area. Where harm to designated heritage assets is identified this is less than substantial and outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme.
· The development would provide a suitable mix of housing types and tenure including a maximum acceptable provision of affordable housing given the viability constraints of the site.
· The housing would be of suitably high quality, providing a good standard of amenity for the future residents in accordance with housing standards. Subject to conditions, there would be no significant impact upon the amenities of neighbouring residents.
· Transport matters, including parking, access and servicing are acceptable and it is not considered that there would be any significant detrimental impact upon the surrounding highways network as a result of this development.
· A suitable strategy for minimising carbon dioxide emissions from the development has been proposed. Landscaping and biodiversity features are also proposed which seek to ensure the development is environmentally sustainable.
· The scheme would be liable to both the Mayor’s and the Borough’s community infrastructure levy. In addition, it would provide a necessary and reasonable planning obligation to local employment and training.
In summary, in view of the merits of the proposed development scheme Officers remained of the view that the scheme should be granted planning permission. Members were also reminded of the reasons for refusal and that whilst it was the professional view of the Officers that a refusal could be defended it was commented that the chances of success were limited.
In response to further questions Members indicated that they would have wished to have received a viability study relating to the scheme so as to assist them in making their decisions. The Committee also confirmed their view that there was insufficient provision of housing within the proposed scheme and that the proportion of affordable housing was too low. In addition, the Committee still felt that the impact of the scale and massing of the proposal on the setting of the Elder Street Conservation Area and the loss of Heritage was not acceptable.
Planning Permission (PA/14/03548)
On a vote of 0 in favour of the Officer recommendation to grant planning permission 4 against and 1 abstention the Committee did not agree the Officer recommendation to grant planning permission.
Accordingly, Councillor John Pierce proposed and Councillor Danny Hassell seconded a motion that the recommendation to grant planning permission not be accepted (for the reasons set out below) and on a vote of 4 in favour; 0 against and 2 abstentions, the Committee RESOLVED:
That the Officer recommendation to grant planning permission be NOT ACCEPTED at the Land bounded by Elder Street, Folgate Street, Blossom Street, Norton Folgate, Shoreditch High Street and Commercial Street, E1.
Members confirmed their view to refuse the scheme in view of concerns over the loss of heritage and subsequent harm to the conservation area as well as the lack of housing within the scheme, combined with the lack of affordable housing as a proportion of the housing.
Listed Building Consent (PA/14/03618)
On a vote of 0 in favour of the Officer recommendation to grant listed building consent 4 against and 2 abstentions, the Committee did not agree the Officer recommendation to grant consent.
Accordingly, on a vote of 5 in favour, 0 against and 1 abstention, it was RESOLVED:
That the Officer recommendation to grant listed building consent be NOT ACCEPTED at the Land bounded by Elder Street, Folgate Street, Blossom Street, Norton Folgate, Shoreditch High Street and Commercial Street, E1.
Supporting documents:
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Elder Street deferred report, item 5.1
PDF 86 KB
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Blossom Place PA-14-3548, 21/07/2015 Strategic Development Committee, item 5.1
PDF 3 MB
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Update Report item 8.1, item 5.1
PDF 60 KB