Decision details

The Committee received an application for full planning permission for a four storey office development (B1 use) with associated car and cycle parking, plant room, substation and landscaping.

 

The Senior Planner updated his report. The wording of Paragraph 9.37 within the committee report has been amended to:

 

-        The energy strategy remains consistent with the original application 16/2058/FUL with additional PV placement on the roof to ensure the building design adopts sustainable principles to provide at least 10% of the developments total predicted energy requirements on site from renewable energy sources.

-        The triggers of conditions 9, 10, 12, and 13 were amended from ‘or phase of’ to ‘or each phase of development where phased’ to be consistent with condition 11.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report.

       i.          The application was on a sensitive site. It could exacerbate existing traffic issues in the area.

     ii.          Officers should consult the Highways Authority, Public Transport Team and Combined Authority when seeking comments on highway matters.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Assistant Director and Senior Planner said the following:

       i.          Specialist advice had been sought from the County Transport Team. They had suggested no changes to the application, after reviewing the accompanying Transport Strategy, due to the extant permission. The Highways Authority had liaised with the Public Transport Team with regard to cycling provision.  On-going discussions were held with the Combined Authority to check which applications they wished to be consulted on. This application was not of sufficient scale to warrant formal consultation.

     ii.          There was an agreed timescale to bring forward the North East Cambridge Area Action Plan. The City Planning Policy Team were liaising with the County Transport Team in case interim guidance for smaller scale developments was required to ensure consistent development in the area before the Area Action Plan was adopted.

   iii.          Officers had taken specialist advice (agenda pack P21) at face value that the development would not have a significant impact on transport in the area.

   iv.          (Ref para 2.7 P14). The number of car parking spaces had reduced from the amount in the extant permission. A condition had been included requiring a Traffic Management Plan.

    v.          Traffic modelling was based on the original extant permission numbers, so the application should now have less of an impact in the area as the number of car parking spaces had reduced from 116 to 96.

   vi.          There were a number of targets in the Travel Plan to encourage a modal shift from cars to other forms of transport. If the modal shift did not occur, some form of mitigation would be required.

 vii.          It was not possible stipulate that a gas assisted system for two tier cycle racking system must be in place, but an informative recommending one could be included.

viii.          Officers would draw the applicant’s attention to Members’ request for fire proof cladding and a sprinkler system through an informative. Details would be covered through building regulations.

   ix.          Materials would remain the same as extant permission approved in 2017. Conditions would control the look and quality of materials, they would be assessed in detail. The issue of the cladding could be dealt with as part of this conditions submission.  Officers would ensure appropriate landscaping was provided as per condition 5.

    x.          Conditions would control the future provision of electric vehicle charging points. The Sustainability Officer was satisfied that sufficient points had been provided. The situation would be monitored through the discharge of the condition.

 

Councillor de Lacey proposed an amendment to the officer’s recommendation to include informative requesting a gas assisted system for two tier cycle racking system.

 

This amendment was carried unanimously.

 

Councillor Bradnam proposed amendments to the officer’s recommendation to include informatives requesting high quality fire resistant materials and a sprinkler system

 

These amendments were carried unanimously.

 

Councillor Thornburrow proposed an amendment to the officer’s recommendation to include a bird and bat boxes condition.

 

This amendment was carried unanimously.

 

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 below.

 

Amended wording of condition No.4 (materials):

 

Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, with the exception of below ground works, full details including samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces (including the grey fibre cement cladding) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To ensure that the appearance of the external surfaces is appropriate. (Cambridge Local Plan 2018 policies 55 and 57)

 

Amended triggers of conditions 9,10,12,13:

 

The triggers of conditions 9, 10, 12, and 13 were amended from ‘or phase of’ to ‘or each phase of development where phased’ to ensure consistency with condition 11.

 

Additional condition- (No.33) - Bird and bat boxes

 

No development shall commence until a plan has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Authority detailing the proposed specification, number and locations of bird and bat boxes on the site.  The installation shall be carried out and subsequently maintained in accordance with the approved plan.

 

Reasons: to provide ecological enhancements for protected species on the site. In accordance with Cambridge Local Plan policy 70.

 

Amended wording of paragraph 8.45

 

The energy strategy remains consistent with the original application 16/2058/FUL with additional PV placement on the roof to ensure the building design adopts sustainable principles to provide at least 10% of the developments total predicted energy requirements on site from renewable energy sources.

 

Additional informative: Sprinkler system

 

The Local Planning Authority strongly advises the applicant to install an adequate fire sprinkler system within the development site in order to protect the future employees, the property and the environment. 

 

Additional informative: Gas assisted system for two tier racking system

 

The Local Planning Authority recommends that the two tier cycle rack system approved as part of the development be gas assisted to improve the usability of the system for all cyclists. 

 

Additional informative: High quality materials

 

The Local Planning Authority advises the applicant to ensure that the proposed materials for the external surfaces are of a high quality and the cladding material will not impose increased risks in terms of fire safety/combustion issues.