Agenda and minutes

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

To agree requests to speak from Councillors who are not Members of the Committee, in accordance with Committee Procedure 4.1.

RESOLVED:  That, in accordance with Committee Procedure Rule 4.1, the following Councillor, who was not a Member of the Committee, be allowed to speak on the agenda item indicated:

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee;

(b)               all other Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4B of the Constitution) with regard to the planning application to be considered at the meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions or deputations were received.

To confirm whether representations are to be received, under Committee Procedure Rule 30 (Part 4B of the Constitution), from objectors and applicants regarding planning applications on the agenda.

RESOLVED:  That in accordance with the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 30 (Part 4B of the Constitution), a representation be received in respect of item 1/01.

Report of the Divisional Director, Planning - circulated separately.

Members are reminded that, in accordance with the Planning Protocol, where Councillors disagree with the advice of the Divisional Director, Planning, it will be the Members' responsibility to clearly set out the reasons for refusal where the Officer recommendation is for grant.  The planning reasons for rejecting the Officer's advice must be clearly stated, whatever the recommendation and recorded in the minutes.  The Officer must be given the opportunity to explain the implications of the contrary decision.

In accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the Addendum was admitted late to the agenda as it contained information relating to the item on the agenda and was based on information received after the despatch of the agenda.  It was admitted to the agenda in order to enable Members to consider all information relevant to the item before them for decision.

RESOLVED:  That authority be given to the Divisional Director Planning to issue the decision notice in respect of the application considered.

5-14 BECKET FOLD, HARROW, HA1 2LA (APPLICATION 1/01)

Reference:  P/3102/10– (Harrow Churches Housing Association). Demolition of Two Single Storey Terraces (Comprising 10 Residential Units); Redevelopment to Provide Part 2/Part 3 Storey Building Comprising 13 Residential Units for Older People; Provision of 6 Parking Spaces with Access from Courtfield Crescent and Landscaping.

In introducing the report, an officer outlined the basis for the recommendation of officers.  The officer acknowledged that the pre-application and consultation process had been criticised by local residents and that an alternative proposal to the application had been submitted by objectors.  However, the Committee had to determine the application as submitted by the applicant.

He also made the following points:

·                     subject to the Section 106 funding being secured, officers were of the opinion that the principle of re-development on this site was acceptable;

·                     re-development of the site would meet an identified need for affordable elderly persons’ housing in the borough;

·                     the proposed development was in accordance with the London Plan density matrix;

·                     the design of the building, its siting, orientation and any relative impact on amenities and neighbouring residents was considered by officers to be acceptable;

·                     officers were satisfied, given the anticipated levels of car-ownership, that provisions made for parking in such a development was acceptable;

In response to questions from Members it was noted that:

·                    the definition of ‘older persons’ accommodation’ was those aged over 55 years of age. In this case the proposed definition provided for those aged over 60. In practice, the applicants claimed that the residents of similar properties tended to be older than 60 years of age;

·                    this development  was not a nursing home. Residents would expect to be able to live largely independently within the flats but benefit from being part of the elderly community at Ewart House and the wider community surrounding the site;

·                    officers were of the opinion that that parking demand in such developments were usually significantly lower than in other residential developments;

·                    there were existing parking controls in the area and any overspill parking would be likely to be accommodated in the wider development or further afield.  Access to the car park would be controlled by a vehicle gate;

·                    four trees in the area of the proposed car park would be replaced by ten trees, which would contribute towards screening the building in the future;

·                    the adjacent development had received The Mayor’s Planning Award;

·                    the existing bungalows provided ten studio type units and the proposed development would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.