Agenda item

PROPOSAL:  hybrid (part full/part outline) application for the phased Masterplan to improve Education facilities (Use Class D1) including ancillary office space and sporting facilities; together with improvements to car and bus parking, internal road layout and landscaping and associated development.

Full planning application:  Phase 1 comprising new education accommodation with ancillary office space up to two storeys in height (1727sqm Gross Internal Area of floorspace) (Use Class D1) incorporating the demolition of, alterations and adaptations to several existing buildings; installation of two tennis courts; alterations to internal car and bus parking, and road layout; and site wide improvements to landscaping and associated development.

Outline planning application for access:  (All other matters reserved) Phases 2 and 3: Phase 2 comprises demolition and/or extension of existing buildings; construction of new education buildings up to three storeys in height; improvements to existing sports facilities; and associated alterations to internal car parking and road layout, and landscaping (3,420 sqm Gross Internal Area of floorspace).  Phase 3 comprises demolition and construction of various education buildings ranging from two to four storeys in height; and associated alterations to internal car parking and road layout, and landscaping (2,025sqm Gross Internal Area of floorspace) (as amended by the Addendum).

The Committee received representations from Varsha Patel (Objector) and Gill Eaton (Agent for Applicant).  Both speakers outlined their reasons for seeking refusal, and approval, of the application, respectively.

Councillor Marilyn Ashton proposed deferral.

The motion was seconded by Councillor Anjana Patel, put to the vote, and lost.

The Committee resolved to approve the officer recommendation.

RECOMMENDATION A

The Planning Committee was asked to:

1)            the reasons for approval and the conditions as set out the report in appendix 1 as amended in the Addendum and  subject to the comments from the GLA under stage 1 of the referral process and any additional conditions and section 106 obligations that may be required through this consultation; and 

2)            refer this application to the Mayor of London (the GLA) as a Stage 2 referral; and

3)            subject to the Mayor of London (or delegated authorised officer) advising that he was content to allow the Council to determine the case itself and did not wish to direct refusal, or to issue a direction under Article 7 that he did not wish to direct refusal, or to issue a direction under Article 7 that he was to act as the local planning authority for the purposes of determining the application, delegate authority to the Chief Planning Officer in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance Services for the continued negotiation and completion of the modification to the Section 106 legal agreement and other enabling legislation and issue of the planning permission and subject to minor amendments to the conditions (set out in Appendix 1 of this report) or the legal agreement.

The modification to the Section 106 Agreement Heads of Terms would cover the following matters:

A deed of variation to Legal Agreement attached to planning permission P/0654/12 (Varied from EAST/446/94/FUL), dated 16th August 2012 to address the following matters:

a)            Community Use agreement to be agreed and implemented for each phase of the development

b)            the existing red line restrictive building envelope to be removed

c)            replaced with the revised proposed parameter plans

d)            All future development on the site must be undertaken in accordance with the approved parameters plans. The outline development hereby approved shall be begun no later than 2 years from the approval of the last Reserved Matter.  The outline element must be completed within 5 years from the approval of the final reserved matters application.

e)            A financial contribution (to be agreed) towards off site carbon reductions

f)             Legal Costs, Administration and Monitoring:  A financial contribution (to be agreed) to be paid by the developer to the Council to reimburse the Council’s legal costs associated with the preparation of the planning obligation and a further financial obligation (to be agreed) to be paid to reimburse the Council’s administrative costs associated with monitoring compliance with the obligation terms.

Councillors Ashton, Baxter and Patel abstained from voting on the basis that there was a link between the expansion of the facilities and the increase by 150 of the pupil numbers, thereby worsening the already difficult traffic problems both in Dalkeith Grove and Canons Drive.

DECISION:  GRANT

The Committee wished it to be recorded that the decision to grant the application was by a majority of votes.

Councillors Brown,  Ferry, Ramchandani and Shah voted for the application.

Councillors Ashton, Baxter and Patel abstained from voting.