Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Smart.

To follow

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2019 would be reviewed at a future meeting.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for serviced apartment (sui generis use class) scheme containing 39no self- contained 1xbed room units along with Cafe, gym and community space at ground floor with a vehicle drop-off zone, disabled car parking space, cycle parking and associated landscaping and retention of existing BLI frontage.

The Principal Planner updated his report by referring to details on the amendment sheet. He also updated text as follows:

4. Amend Condition 21 to read: ‘The operator of the proposed serviced apartments shall keep records of the lengths of stay of all guests and shall retain them for 24 months.  The said records shall be made available to the local planning authority on request, within seven days.

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

Councillor Thornburrow proposed an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation to include a sprinkler system informative.

This amendment was carried unanimously.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 5 votes to 4) to grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the officer report and amendment sheet, and subject to the conditions recommended by the officers subject to amendment of condition 21 which will include the additional words ‘The operator of…’ at the beginning of the condition. Also subject to the following informative:

INFORMATIVE: The applicant is strongly urged, in the interests of fire safety, to consider the installation of a sprinkler system in the development hereby approved.

Withdrawn from the agenda.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for the demolition of existing pavilion and construction of new pavilion and associated landscaping.

Ian Ross addressed the Committee in support of the application on behalf of the agent.

Councillor George Pippas (Queen Edith’s Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application as follows:

       i.          Supportive of the application.

     ii.          The existing building was is in a poor condition.

   iii.          Facility would be used by many people.

   iv.          Area currently lacks community space.

    v.          Suggested that an outside tap or fountain would be beneficial.

County Councillor McGerty (Queen Edith’s, Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application as follows:

       i.          Existing building needs to be replaced.

     ii.          Acknowledged the collaborative process over the design had been impressive.

   iii.          New toilets would be a useful addition.

   iv.          However, some concerns had been raised.

·       Loss of vegetation and impact on the street scene.

·       Residents would like the tree line reinstated.

·       Climate Change mitigations not robust enough.

Councillors proposed an additional condition to the Officer’s recommendation regarding climate change mitigations and sustainability.

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 recommendation and subject to an additional condition requiring details of sustainability measures to be used in the construction of the building.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for a two storey side and front extension, first floor front extension and single storey front and side extensions.

The Committee noted the amendment sheet and the correction to conditions.

The Committee received a representation in objection to the application from a local resident.

The representation covered the following issues:

     i.        Has long term health conditions and had adapted her property to her needs.

    ii.        Currently spends a lot of time in the garden or the garden room.

   iii.        The application would mar the enjoyment of the garden area.

  iv.        Proposed extension would be large and overbearing.

   v.        Large tree in her garden would be damaged by the building.

  vi.        Proposed building would be in close proximity to neighbouring houses.

 vii.        Area had flooded in recent years and an additional building would increase the risk of future floods

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

Councillor Robertson (Petersfield Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application as follows:

     i.        Ground level in the area was sloped with the applicant’s property on a higher elevation than the neighbouring property. This would increase the feeling on overbearing and dominance.

    ii.        Property might not be in a flood zone but the area had flooded in recent times.

   iii.        The large tree would be damaged by the proximity of the proposed extension and any additional drainage in the area would further damage the root system.

An additional condition regarding drainage was proposed.

This amendment was carried unanimously.

The Interim Arboricultural Officer clarified her comments regarding the possible impact on the tree and explained how the construction method statement would be monitored during construction work.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 8 votes to 1) 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 with additional standard drainage condition to require a surface water drainage scheme and corrections to condition no. 5 as set out below.

Prior to occupation of the development, hereby permitted, the 1^st floor windows on the eastern elevation shall be top hung and obscure glazed to a minimum level of obscurity to conform to Pilkington Glass level 3 or equivalent and shall have restrictors fitted to ensure that the windows cannot be opened more than 100mm beyond the plane of the adjacent wall. The glazing shall thereafter be retained in accordance with the approved details.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for the erection of a one bed, one person dwelling and relocation of existing refuse store with associated landscaping and parking provision.

The Committee received a representation in objection to the application from a local resident.

The representation covered the following issues:

     i.        Speaking on behalf of himself and other residents of nearby apartments.

    ii.        Amenity of property would be damaged by increased noise and smells.

   iii.        Open views would be lost.

  iv.        Proposal does not confirm with minimum space standards.

   v.        Parking ramp would be noisy.

  vi.        Visual appearance would be out of character with the area.

 vii.        Contrary to policies 52, 55 and 57.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 5 votes to 3 and 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 recommended by the officers.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for a change of use from dwelling to 9-bedroom (10 person) HMO (sui generis) with single storey rear extension and associated alterations and detached cycle store.

The Committee noted the amendment sheet.

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.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for the erection of a single storey dwelling with associated access and landscaping.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 8 votes to 0 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 recommended by the officers.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for a single storey dwelling to the rear of 3 and 5 Spalding Way.

The Committee received a representation in objection to the application from a local resident.

The representation covered the following issues:

       i.          Currently enjoying a peaceful retirement and spending considerable time in the garden and garden room.

     ii.          Development would have a considerable impact on this space.

   iii.          Noise issues from cars using what is currently a footpath.

   iv.          Noise from residents of new property and the existing residents of number 3 and 5 who would have their outdoor space considerable reduced.

    v.          Dominance and overbearing nature of the planned building.

   vi.          Height of the extension an issue.

 vii.          Current sewage system struggles to cope with current waste volume and has overflowed in recent times. Additional property would add to the problem.

viii.          Concerns regarding flooding.

Richard Ball (Applicant’s Agent) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

Removal of Permitted Development Rights to prevent a future loft conversion was suggested.

Members of the Committee had a number of concerns regarding this application including, loss of amenity space for plots numbers 3 and 5, fire safety, scale of the proposal and overdevelopment.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 5 votes to 3 and 1 abstention) to reject the officer recommendation to approve the application.

The Chair canvassed the Committee for their reasons for refusal and on a show of hands the following were agreed:

1.    Amenity of existing residents of number 3 and 5.

2.     The height, form and layout of the proposal.

Resolved (by 5 votes to 2 with 1 abstention) to refuse the application contrary to the officer recommendation for the following reasons:

1.    Spalding Way is characterised by semi-detached dwellings fronting the highway with established large rear gardens. The proposed dwelling would be sited within the rear gardens of Nos. 3 and 5 Spalding Way. The form, height and layout of the proposal would be out of character with the linear pattern of development in the area. As such the proposal is contrary to policies 52, 55 and 57 of the Cambridge Local Plan 2018.

2.    The introduction of the proposed dwelling in the rear gardens of Nos. 3 and 5 Spalding Way would significantly reduce the garden sizes to these properties leaving them with an inadequate level of amenity space. Coupled with this, the introduction of the new dwelling would introduce activity through the movement of vehicles and people within a quiet garden environment that will further impact on the quality of these gardens through noise and general disturbance. This would result in an unacceptable level of amenity for the occupiers of Nos. 3 and 5 Spalding Way and as such the proposal is contrary to policies 52 and 56 of the Cambridge Local Plan 2018.

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

The application sought approval for Construction of 1 No. 1 1/2 Storey Dwelling to land rear of No. 229 Milton Road, Cambridge.

Councillor Nethsingha proposed an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation that to remove the requirement for obscure glazing to the bedroom.

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. In addition, the reference to bedroom  windows was removed from condition 8.

The Committee received an application to (1) confirm, or (2) not to confirm, or (3) to confirm subject to modification(s) the Tree Preservation Order 36/2018 that relates to a 5 Barrow Road.

The Committee:

Unanimously resolved to accept the officer recommendation and grant permission to confirm without modification the TPO that was the subject of the application.

The Committee received an application to (1) confirm, or (2) not to confirm, or (3) to confirm subject to modification(s) the Tree Preservation Order 37/2018 that relates to a 26 Newton Road.

The Committee:

Unanimously resolved to accept the officer recommendation and grant permission to confirm without modification the TPO that was the subject of the application.

The Committee received an application to (1) confirm, or (2) not to confirm, or (3) to confirm subject to modification(s) the Tree Preservation Order 38/2018 that relates to a 156 Green End Road.

The Committee:

Unanimously resolved to accept the officer recommendation and grant permission to confirm without modification the TPO that was the subject of the application.

The Committee thanked Councillor Blencowe for his services to the Planning Committee and praised his commitment and professionalism in the roles of Chair and Planning Committee Member.