Decision details

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

 

The application sought approval for refurbishment and extensions to the existing St Barnabas House, Stable Blocks and Kirby Building to provide 42 student bedrooms, manager accommodation and breakout space along with cycle parking following the demolition of existing single storey rear projection to St Barnabas House and kitchen store.

 

The Committee received representations in objection to the application from local residents.

 

The representations covered the following issues:

     i.        Did not object to the application per se, but wanted it managed through conditions.

    ii.        Requested that conditions imposed on the main building be imposed on the extension.

   iii.        Requested the Management Plan be made publically available and the area covered by the smoking ban be extended due to the impact on neighbours.

  iv.        Specific concerns:

a.   Litter.

b.   The number of students gathering in front of neighbour’s properties.

c.   No confidence in the existing Management Plan. The situation was expected to be exacerbated by increased student numbers in future.

   v.        Asked for conditions to:

a.   Mitigate doorbell noise.

b.   Mitigate light pollution at night.

c.   Stop smoking on the street.

d.   Move the pedestrian access so it is next to the vehicle entrance.

e.   Impose a curfew on break out room usage between 23:00 – 08:00.

  vi.        Queried who were the students that visited the Kirby Building (eg were they limited to a particular organisation?) as the sheer volume of numbers affected the area due to throughput.

 

Mr McKeown (Applicant’s Agent) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Councillor Robertson (Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application.

 

The representation covered the following issues:

     i.        The area was affected by various issues as the current Management Plan was not implemented effectively, leading to concerns from residents:

a.   Litter.

b.   Smoking.

c.   Site Manager (as referenced in Management Plan) not contactable.

    ii.        Mitigation is needed for:

a.   Doorbell noise.

b.   Light pollution.

   iii.        Queried if a new Management Plan could be implemented if the old one had not been.

  iv.        Referred to conditions in the application from 2000.

 

The Planning Officer proposed an amendment to the recommendation as requested by the Agent:

 

24. The Kirby Building and extension for the student common

room/break out space hereby approved shall not be used

between the hours of 2300 and 0730.

 

This amendment was lost nem con.

 

Councillor Blencowe proposed an amendment to the Planning Officer’s recommendation regarding condition 21: No organised activities to take place within the external spaces around the buildings between 2300 and 0800 on any given day.

 

This amendment was carried nem con.

 

The Committee:

 

Unanimously resolved 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 plus the amendments listed below:

 

Condition 21 – Wording amended as follows:

 

Prior to the occupation of the development, a student management plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The management plan shall include provisions relating to travel advice; specific stipulations prohibiting the keeping of a car in Cambridge (excluding disabled students); check-in time slots in order to stage the impact of the check-in process; the organization of the move-in day; site security; the management of deliveries; responsibilities expected of students both inside and outside the site; the management of move-out times; maintenance cover; tenancy checks; waste management; and the external display of contact information for on-site management and emergencies.  It shall include details of the resident warden. No organised activities shall take place within the external spaces around the buildings between 11pm and 8am on any given day. The scheme shall be managed in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: In order to ensure the occupation of the site is well managed and does not give rise to significant amenity issues for nearby residents (Cambridge Local Plan, policies 4/13 and 7/10).

 

Condition 24 – No change from Committee Report (not to be used between 2300 and 0800).