Agenda item
Site at South East Junction of Whitechapel Road and New Road, Whitechapel Road (Royal London Hospital) (PA/15/02774)
Proposal:
Application for variation of condition no. 1 (temporary time period) of planning permission dated 16/11/2012, ref: PA/12/01817 for the retention of a temporary car park until 31st December 2017.
Application:
That the Committee resolves to APPROVE the grant of planning permission for the variation of condition no. 1 (temporary time period) subject to the conditions in the Committee report
Minutes:
Update report tabled.
Jerry Bell (East Area Manager, Planning Services) introduced the application for variation of condition no. 1 (temporary time period) of planning permission dated 16/11/2012, ref: PA/12/01817 for the retention of a temporary car park until 31st December 2017.
The Chair then invited registered speakers to address the Committee
Tom Bruce and Daniel Robson (local residents) addressed the Committee in objection. The objectors expressed concern about the impact that the car park had on the area given the lack of compliance with the agreed conditions. As a result, the car park attracted anti - social behaviour (ASB), unauthorised parking, the dumping of rubbish and increased the chances of burglaries. To address the concerns, they requested that the barriers across the car park and Mount Terrace be maintained by the Trust to control access to the car park and that Mount Terrace be resurfaced to compensate for the wear and tear from the car park as agreed at a recent Committee meeting. They also requested that the shrub barrier and existing trees be retained. In response to questions from the Committee, they discussed their concerns about the car park’s late opening hours encouraging ASB and the lack of effective security measures to prevent this. They also discussed with Members their concerns about the impact that the activity from the car park had on the road surface at Mount Terrace, the need for measures to compensate for this and the applicant’s consultation exercise.
The applicant was unavailable to address the Committee.
Adam Hussain (Planning Officer) presented the application explaining the site location, the history of the application and the subsequent time extensions. The Committee noted images of the site, the existing car park, the location of both the barriers to the car park and to Mount Terrace and the landscaping plans. Concerns had been raised about the extension of the permission. To address these concerns, the applicant had provided written assurances that this would be the final application for the car park’s retention and had submitted a reinstatement strategy detailing how the land would be made good after use, in accordance with condition 4. In conclusion, Officers considered that the application should be granted permission for the reasons set out in the report
In response to questions by the Committee, Officers stressed the need to consider the merits of the application rather than any potential enforcement action. They also outlined the nature of the objections, the findings of their site visits, the landscaping and the greening plans. They also drew attention to the applicant’s statement of intent and their reasons for submitting the application.
In response to further questions, Officers advised that it would be unreasonable on planning grounds for the Council to impose a condition requiring the applicant to carry out works to resurface Mount Terrace. It would be very difficult to demonstrate that the car park had damaged the road’s surface. Officers also advised of the difficulties on planning grounds of imposing a condition requiring that the barrier across Mount Terrace be retained and maintained indefinitely following removal of the car park. Having considered this advice, some Members felt that it would be appropriate to impose such a condition given the impact that the proposal could have on Mount Terrace. Accordingly, Councillor Marc Francis proposed and Councillor John Pierce seconded an amendment to vary condition 2 requiring that the traffic barrier across Mount Terrace be retained and maintained following the removal of the car park. This was agreed
On a vote of 4 in favour, 2 against and 1 abstention the Committee RESOLVED:
That planning permission be GRANTED for variation of condition no. 1 (temporary time period) of planning permission dated 16/11/2012, ref: PA/12/01817 for the retention of a temporary car park until 31st December 2017 subject to the conditions in the report and a variation to condition 2 requiring that the traffic barrier across Mount Terrace be retained and maintained following the removal of the car park.
Supporting documents: