Agenda item

 

The Committee received an application for outline planning permission.

 

The application sought approval for Outline application for the demolition of all site buildings and structures other than Chapter House and erection of buildings for a laboratory/office campus (Class E (g(i)) and (g(ii))) and associated facilities, cafe (class E(b)), access, car and cycle parking, revised access, car and cycle parking and refuse storage for the retained Chapter House with some matters reserved except for access, layout and scale.

 

The Principal Planner verbally updated their report with the following:

 

•    Having read the report, the applicant would like the following to be matters confirmed/clarified: 

 

Para 4.4

That the amendments include the stepping back of the upper storeys to Blocks B, C and D to address comments provided by residents of Howes Place.

  

Para 8.2 – Second bullet point

This should include the comment from residents of Howes Place that the proposed reduction in scale and massing of Block A is welcomed when compared to the consented apart hotel building.

  

Para 8.4

This should include reference to support from Cambridge Past, Present and Future who note “support for this revised application for the redevelopment of the site in that it proposes buildings which are lower and provide more space to adjacent neighbours than the extant permission” 

The comment was submitted by Cambridge Past Present and Future on 27 Dec 2023 and is the last comment on page 2 of the planning file.

 

Para 13.24

We would suggest that it could be noted here that the separation distance between Building D and the northern boundary has increased on average 1.7m further from the boundary compared with the extant consent.  These dimensions can be checked against the submitted PDF plans.

 

The Committee received a representation in objection to the application from residents of Howes Place.

 

Paul Harney (Applicant’s Agent) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

The Committee Manager read out a statement on behalf of Councillor Payne (Castle Ward Councillor) expressing support for the redevelopment of the NIAB site but strongly supported the proposed conditions put forward by the residents of Howes Place.

 

Councillor S Smith (Castle Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee on behalf of the residents of Howes Place and Darwin Green. 

 

The Committee were informed the applicant had chosen not to enter into a planning performance agreement with the Council nor made a pre- application presentation to the Committee. This had provided limited opportunities for Officers and the Committee to promote positive planning with the applicant, which would have led to better development. It was in this context that Councillor S Smith addressed positive planning proposals for the Committee’s consideration if minded to approve the application. 

 

Following Members questions and debate Councillor Hawkins proposed, second by Councillor R Williams to defer the application due to the ambiguity of the proposal outlined in the submission.

 

Cognisant of the Members’ debate and the deferral proposal, the Strategic Sites Manager offered the following reasons to defer the application:

 

i.          to explore the agreement of a series of parameter plans on key structuring and placemaking components - access, scale and layout - together with urban design principles - graphically annotated by plans and diagrams - which would set out a framework for the reserved matters stages; and

ii.         to explore the potential for addressing the Howes Place access arrangements as set out by the residents with a view to securing this as an additional planning condition

 

The Committee:

 

The deferral of the application was carried by 6 votes to 2 with 1 abstention.