Decision details

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

 

The application sought approval for a proposed extension to house additional library space and new teaching / tutorial accommodation to the south side of Westcott House. The proposal incorporated a basement, ground and first floor with a new college entrance off the refurbished Manor Street Car park access.

 

The Planner proposed the following amendments to the recommendation in his report:

       i.          Amendment to condition 14, to delete text proposed in the Officer’s report and replace it with revised text set out on the amendment sheet.

     ii.          Additional conditions 28-30 to reflect Conservation Team comments (details below).

 

The amendments were carried nem con.

 

The Committee received a representation in objection to the application from a resident of Malcolm Place.

 

The representation covered the following issues:

       i.          Took issue with the proposal to remove trees from the site.

     ii.          Expressed concern about the character of the area if the Sacristry building of the Westcott House Chapel was demolished. Residents objected to the loss.

   iii.          Residents did approve of the proposal to use the site in some way for teaching.

 

The Applicant’s Representative addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Councillor Gillespie (Market Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application.

 

The representation covered the following issues:

       i.          Raised no objection to the proposal in principle, but expressed concern regarding the loss of the Sacristry building.

     ii.          Referred to objections listed in the Officer’s report. These did not reflect the strength of feeling about the proposal.

   iii.          Residents had raised concern about loss of light, view and privacy for people in the flats. Also the proximity (to others) and height of the flats. Asked for the roof to be reduced in height, or the application be refused if this did not happen.

   iv.          Felt that it would have been helpful to have more information about light levels in the Officer’s report, this would have made the consultation process easier.

 

Councillor Bick (Market Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application.

 

The representation covered the following issues:

       i.          Welcomed the development in principle but took issue with the design.

     ii.          This was an intensification of site usage in a residential area.

   iii.          The proposed library building design respects the design of neighbouring historic buildings, but the flats did not.

a.    The flats were too close in proximity to neighbours in Malcolm Place.

b.    Took issue with the designation of rooms in the top floor of the library building.

   iv.          Took issue with the proposal to remove trees and replace them with car parking spaces. Asked for the trees to be kept and a more robust Travel Management Plan to replace the car parking proposal.

    v.          The Malcolm Place courtyard had existing amenity issues, these would be exacerbated by overlooking from the proposed library terrace. Westcott House should provide amenity space elsewhere.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (by 6 votes to 0 with 1 abstention) to grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the officer report, and subject to the conditions recommended by the officers as amended below:

 

Amendment to condition 14, to delete that proposed and replace with the following:

 

No development shall take place until full details of both hard and soft landscape works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority and these works shall be carried out as approved.  These details shall include:

(i)             Details of the underground planting medium for the pleached hornbeam trees, which shall not include the use of a concrete ring for root containment, but which shall provide use of a continuous trench for planting.  Where the trench runs under hard paving/parking areas, the surface parking/hard paving shall be supported with a below-ground structure to prevent compaction of the rooting area;

(ii)            Details of the planting design and precise locations of the trees in relation to New Court and car park positions;

(iii)          proposed finished levels or contours;

(iv)         means of enclosure;

(v)           car parking layouts, other vehicle and pedestrian access and circulation areas;

(vi)         hard surfacing materials;

(vii)        minor artefacts and structures (eg furniture, play equipment, refuse or other storage units, signs, lighting);

(viii)      proposed and existing functional services above and below ground (eg drainage, power, communications cables, pipelines indicating lines, manholes, supports);

(ix)         retained historic landscape features and proposals for restoration, where relevant.

 

Soft Landscape works shall include planting plans; written specifications (including cultivation and other operations associated with plant and grass establishment); schedules of plants, noting species, plant sizes and proposed numbers/densities where appropriate and an implementation programme.

                   

          Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and to ensure that suitable hard and soft landscape is provided as part of the development, and to ensure the loss of trees within the site is mitigated through the successful establishment of suitable replacements. (Cambridge Local Plan 2006 policies 3/4, 3/11 and 3/12)

 

Additional condition 28 as follows:

 

Prior to the removal of any existing foundations and prior to any excavation or construction  of new foundations/piles, a system of monitoring the nearby listed buildings/structures for movement shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The submission shall include details of acceptable parameters, frequency and accuracy of measurements, location of monitoring points, etc. Should movement outside the agreed parameters be detected, work on site will cease and the Local Planning Authority and structural engineers will be notified immediately. Thereafter the monitoring shall be undertaken in accordance with the agreed details.

 

Reason: To protect the adjacent buildings from harm (Cambridge Local Plan 2006 policy 4/10).

 

Additional condition 29 as follows:

 

No development shall commence until details of the planting screens to be provided around the first floor roof terrace hereby permitted have first been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The proposals shall be capable of providing appropriate screening to the south and west and shall include: planting plans; written specifications (including cultivation and other operations associated with plant and grass establishment); schedules of plants, noting species, plant sizes and proposed numbers/densities where appropriate; an implementation programme; and a maintenance schedule.

         

          Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and to ensure that suitable screening for protecting residential amenity is provided as part of the development. (Cambridge Local Plan 2006 policies 3/4, 3/7, 3/11 and 3/12)

 

Additional condition 30 as follows:

 

Any damage caused to the listed building whilst undertaking works forming part of the development hereby permitted shall be repaired within three months in accordance with details to be first approved with the local planning authority.

 

Reason: To protect the listed buildings from harm (Cambridge Local Plan 2006 policy 4/10).