Agenda item

PROPOSAL:  construction of a single and two storey building for a banqueting facility; widening of existing vehicular access from Brockley Hill, car and cycle parking, waste/recycling storage, landscape enhancement and associated works. Demolition of structures on site (as amended by the Addendum).

The Committee heard from Councillors Philip Benjamin (Back Bench) and Amir Moshenson (Back Bench) who both urged the Committee to refuse the application.

Councillor Marilyn Ashton proposed the following:

1)              the proposal is an inappropriate development and would have a greater impact than the existing development on the site.  The Very Special Circumstances in this case had not been advanced by the applicant and therefore the development would do harm to the character and openness of the Green Belt, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), policy CS1.F of the Harrow Core strategy (2012) and policy DM16 of the development Management Policies (2013);

2)              the proposed building, by reason of its design and form, would appear as unsympathetic and obtrusive in an open setting, to the detriment of the character and appearance of the locality within the context of a Green Belt site, contrary to policy D1, G2 London Plan (2021), policy CS1.B of the Harrow Core Strategy (2012) and policy DM1 of the Development Management Policies (2013); and

3)              the site did not provide adequate on-site car or coach related parking facilities.  Given the intensification of the use of the site, the result would not only cause an unacceptable level of congestion on the site and on Brockley Hill, but would result in a significant over-spill parking problem.  This would be to the detriment of the residential amenities of the neighbouring occupiers both in the Boroughs of Harrow and Barnet and highway and pedestrian safety problems within the locality, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), policy T4 London Plan (2021), and policies DM42E and F, DM1 B(f) and D(h)), DM42E and F, DM43B and C of the Harrow Development Management Policies Local Plan (2013).

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Anjana Patel, put to the vote and agreed.

Officers recommended that Reason 1) would remain as tabled in the report. Thus, Reason 1), above, was not adopted.  The proposed amended Reason 3), above, became Reason 2). Reason 2), above, became an additional Reason 3).

The Committee resolved to accept officer recommendations, with revised reasons for refusal 2) and 3) above.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Following the Members’ decision to defer the application at Planning Committee Meeting on 30 June 2021, and the agreed extension of time at Planning Committee on 1 September 2021 for additional information which was submitted on 1 October 2021 the Planning Committee was asked to REFUSE planning permission for the reasons noted above, with the exception of Reason 1), which remained as in the report.  The original reasons were:

1)              the proposed development would have a greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt than the existing development on the application site.  The proposed development would therefore constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt, to the detriment of the character, appearance and openness of the Green Belt, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), policy G2 of The London Plan (2021), Core policy CS 1 F of the Harrow Core Strategy (2012), and policy DM 16 of the Harrow Development Management Policies Local Plan (2013), and no very special circumstances have been demonstrated by the applicant whereby the harm by reason of inappropriateness is outweighed by other considerations;

2)              the proposed development, by reason of failure to provide adequate on-site or off site car / coach parking and lack of integrated drop off facilities to serve the proposed banqueting facility, would significantly intensify site usage and generated trips.   The associated likely on site congestion and parking overspill into the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Barnet, with particular reference to the residential streets to the south-east of the site, is therefore considered to be detrimental to highway and pedestrian safety, and the amenities of neighbouring occupiers, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), Policy T4 of The London Plan (2021), and policies DM 42 E and F, DM 1 B (f) (C) and D (h), policy DM 42 E and F and DM 43 B and C of the Harrow Development Management policies Local Plan (2013).

DECISION:  REFUSE

The Committee wished it to be recorded that the decision to refuse the application was unanimous.