Issue - meetings

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for construction of a new office building comprising 16,937sqm (GIA) of office floorspace (Class B1) and 614 sqm (GIA) of retail/ cafe and restaurant (Class A1/A3), including ancillary accommodation/facilities with an additional double level basement and up to 124 car parking spaces, with associated plant, up to 626 internal and external cycle parking spaces, and hard and soft landscaping.

The Committee noted amendments to conditions 16 and 20 on the amendment sheet.

The Committee received representations in objection to the application from the following:

·        Penny Heath

·        Frank Gawthrop (on behalf of the Friends of Wilton Terrace)

The representations covered the following issues:

     i.        Loss of daylight/sunlight to the public realm.

    ii.        Void spaces between buildings needed to add to the street scene.

   iii.        Green balconies would not mitigate impact of buildings.

  iv.        Proposed buildings would be bland and would not enhance area.

   v.        Area in need of improving.

  vi.        Proposed office space would be much larger than that proposed in the outline application.

 vii.        Massive office building is not wanted in the area.

viii.        Original plan proposed two separate buildings.

  ix.        Would be out of scale with the area.

   x.        Loss of Wilton Terrace regrettable.

Mike Derbyshire, Applicant’s Agent, addressed the Committee in support of the application.

Councillor Meftah (Ward Councillor for Trumpington) addressed the Committee about the application as follows:

     i.        Area around the station has changed considerably in recent months.

    ii.        Proposed buildings larger than that envisaged in the master plan.

   iii.        Would bring considerably more traffic into a congested area.

  iv.        S106 money would not mitigate the impact of a large development.

   v.        Was out of scale with the area.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 4 votes to 2 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 (as amended) recommended by the officers and subject to referral to Secretary of State.