Issue - meetings

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for demolition of existing dwelling and erection of five dwellings and associated landscaping.

The Senior Planner updated her report by referring to updated condition 23 wording in her presentation:

The development, hereby permitted, shall not be occupied until the proposed first floor windows in the north-east elevation of unit 2 have, apart from any top hung vent, been fitted with obscured glazing (meeting as a minimum Pilkington Standard level 3 or equivalent in obscurity and shall be fixed shut or have restrictors to ensure that the windows cannot be opened more than 45 degrees beyond the plane of the adjacent wall. The glazing shall thereafter be retained in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To prevent overlooking of the adjoining properties (Cambridge Local Plan 2018 policies 55, 57/58).

The Committee received a representation in objection to the application from Principal Planning Officer (Cambridge, Past Present & Future) - written statement read by Committee Manager:

      i.          Spoke on behalf of Cambridge Past, Present & Future. Their aims relevant to this application were to protect the important built heritage of Cambridge.

     ii.          A detailed response was provided to the planning application. Asked Members to give weight to the impact of the proposal on the tree coverage and the character of the conservation area and refuse the application.

   iii.          More than half the curtilage benefits from tree canopy and the proposal involved wholesale removal of 12 individual trees, one group of trees, one area of trees and 2 hedgerows and a section of hedgerow. Only 2 existing trees were retained. This level of tree cover would never be replicated on site if the development went ahead.

   iv.          This wholesale loss of tree cover did not sit well with the Council’s corporate approach to trees as set out in its Tree Strategy and the Cambridge Canopy Project.

    v.          Guidance in the conservation area appraisal is that new buildings must respect the character, constraints, and opportunities of the site. This application approaches this by removing the trees rather than designing the proposal around them.

   vi.          The conservation area appraisal identified the corner of High Street and Church Street as a positive view or vista. The listed building of 25 & 27 High Street which adjoins the site creates an attractive gateway whose setting needs to be protected. The current property on the application site, sits back from the road and provides space and allows views of the listed building notably its eastern elevation. The 2 replacement dwellings are sited to the front the site and abut the listed building. They form a very substantial whole and are located only a meter from the side of the listed building, hiding its eastern elevation and encroaching on its setting. This also narrows the vista and creates a more strongly defined urban corridor to the detriment of the conservation area.

 vii.          The Officers’ report, contrary to the advice of the Conservation Team, did not consider that the change to the character and appearance of the conservation area and the setting of the listed building would be harmful and have tipped the balance in favour of meeting the Council’s housing requirement. Members were asked to reconsider this and favour the protection of the conservation area, the setting of the listed building and the retention of trees and refuse the application as being contrary to Local Plan policies 52, 55, 57, 59, 61 and 71.

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

Councillor Porrer proposed an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation that an informative be included on the planning permission in respect of air source heat pumps.

This amendment was carried unanimously.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 4 votes to 0) to grant the application for planning permission 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;

     ii.           the amended  condition 23; and

   iii.          delegated authority to Officers to  include  an additional informative in respect of air source heat pumps.