Issue - meetings

The Committee received an application for removal of condition 2 (vehicle parking) of planning permission 08/1610/FUL.

At 21st April 2021 Planning Committee, Members resolved to defer the application due to concerns over the fire safety matters and members requested a representative of Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue be present at the committee meeting to answer members questions and concerns in relation to fire safety matters. Following on from the deferral of the application a site meeting had taken place between the case officer, the applicants and fire safety consultant. Additional information had also been submitted in the form of a fire strategy and a further consultation on this document had taken place with Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue and Cambridgeshire County Council Highways authority.

The Senior Planner updated his report by referring to the amendment sheet and updated condition wording in his presentation:

      i.          Additional conditions were recommended as follows:

a.    The area within the hotel site available for visitor drop off and taxi turning shall be retained throughout the lifetime of the development to enable vehicles to enter and leave the site in forward gear.  The area shall be used solely for that purpose and shall not be used for the parking of cars.

Reason: To avoid obstruction to traffic in Thompson`s Lane and in the interest of highway safety, and to ensure the area is retained free of obstruction for fire safety reasons. (Cambridge Local Plan 2018 policy 81).

b.    The hotel shall continue to offer a valet parking service for all disabled guests throughout the lifetime of the development.

Reason: To secure the provision of an adequate car parking service to meet the needs of disabled visitors. (Cambridge Local Plan 2018 policy 82).

     ii.          Officer recommendation: The proposed loss of the disabled car parking space subject to the conditions which retain the ability for taxis to enter and leave the site in forward gear and the provision of a valet car parking service for disabled guests throughout the lifetime of development is on balance considered to be acceptable. 

Mr Davies (Applicant) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

Councillor Porrer proposed an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation to include an informative  concerning the provision of signs giving information where taxis could park when dropping off/collecting passengers from the hotel.

This amendment was carried unanimously.

Councillor Dryden requested a recorded vote.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 5 votes to 1) to grant the S73 application in accordance with the Officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the Officer’s report, subject to:

      i.          the planning conditions set out in the Officer’s report and the amendment in the Officer presentation (listed above);

     ii.          an informative included on the planning permission concerning signage giving information where taxis could park when dropping off/collecting passengers from thehotel.

Votes in favour of application: Councillors Baigent, Flaubert, Gawthrope Wood, Porrer and Thornburrow.

Vote not in favour of application: Councillor Dryden.