Agenda item
Silwex House, Quaker Street, London, E1 6NS (PA/14/01897)
Proposal:
Demolition of the roof and part side elevations, the retention and restoration of the southern and northern elevations and the construction of a 3 storey roof extension to provide a new hotel (Class C1) development comprising approx. 250 bedrooms over basement, ground and 5 upper floors with ancillary cafe space and servicing on the ground floor, associated plant in the basement and roof, improvements to the front pavement and associated works.
Recommendation:
That the Committee resolve to GRANT planning permission subject to the prior completion of a legal agreement and conditions.
Minutes:
Jerry Bell (Applications, Team Leader, Development and Renewal) introduced the application for the demolition of the roof and part side elevations, the retention and restoration of the southern and northern elevations and the construction of a 3 storey roof extension to provide a new hotel.
Adam Williams (Planning Officer, Development and Renewal) presented the deferred report. It was noted that the application was initially considered by the Committee in February 2015 where Members resolved to defer the scheme for the Applicant to address it’s concerns about the design of the scheme and for engagement with the historic groups over the new design amongst other matters. Since that time, Officers had held several meetings with the applicant to discuss alternative designs. However no agreement could be reached. As result, the applicant had submitted a planning appeal for non determination transferring the decision making powers for the application to the Planning Inspectorate (under the authority of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government).
The application was therefore being presented to Members to confirm how they would determine the application should they have the ability to do so. This would inform the Councils position at appeal.
Members were reminded of the key features of the scheme (height, design) that remained largely unchanged save for minor changes to the dormer windows as detailed in the Committee report. The revised submission also included verified views of the proposals. These were showed to Members.
The Officers recommendation remained to grant the scheme but should the Committee be minded to refuse they were directed to the suggested reasons for refusal in the Committee report having regard to the previously stated concerns.
In response to Members, Officers answered questions about the suggested reasons for refusal, based on the tests in policy. Whist it was considered that the impact on the Conservation Area would be less than substantial due to the scale of the scheme, it was considered, on application of the next stage of the tests, that the impact of the scheme outweighed the public benefits. Therefore this could form a reason for refusal. Officers also answered questions about and the lack of progress in finding a revised design, fit for consultation, that addressed the Committee’s concerns.
On a vote of 2 in favour and 3 against the Officer recommendation, the Committee were minded not to agree the Officer recommendation to grant planning permission.
Accordingly, on vote of 3 in favour 2 against the Committee were minded to REFUSE planning permission at Silwex House, Quaker Street, London, E1 for the demolition of the roof and part side elevations, the retention and restoration of the southern and northern elevations and the construction of a 3 storey roof extension to provide a new hotel (Class C1) development comprising approx. 250 bedrooms over basement, ground and 5 upper floors with ancillary cafe space and servicing on the ground floor, associated plant in the basement and roof, improvements to the front pavement and associated works
The Committee confirmed that planning permission would have been refused
for the following reasons as set out in paragraphs 6.4 and 6.5 of the 3 September 2015 Committee report (PA/14/01897)
The proposed development, by way of the design, scale, height, profile, materials and finished appearance of the additional roof storeys and dormer windows therein, would appear as a visually incongruous addition to the host building which fails to respect the scale, proportions and architecture of the former Victorian stables. As a result, the development would cause less than substantial harm to the character and appearance of the Brick Lane and Fournier Street Conservation Area and would fail to preserve the historic character of the host building as an undesignated heritage asset. The harm identified to the designated heritage asset is not outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme.
As a result the proposal is not considered to be sustainable development, contrary to paragraph 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2012), and fails to meet the requirements of Policy SP10 of the Council’s adopted Core Strategy (2010), Policies DM24 and DM27 of the Council’s adopted Managing Development Document (2013) and government guidance set out in Section 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2012) as well as the Brick Lane and Fournier Street Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Guidelines (2009).
Supporting documents:
- Silwex House Deferred Item Report, item 5.1 PDF 13 MB
- Silwex House Committee Report (FINAL), item 5.1 PDF 5 MB
- update report agenda, item 5.1 PDF 26 KB