Agenda item

PROPOSAL:  development of apartment building comprising residential units (use class C3) and flexible non-residential use to ground floor (Use Class E and/or F1 and/or F2); townhouses (use class C3); landscaping; boundary treatment; parking; bin and cycle stores. Details: apartment building with height ranging from 4 - 7 storeys comprising 29 residential units (21 x 1 bed, 8 x 2 bed) and 10 x 3 storey townhouses (6 x 3 bed and 4 x 4 bed) (as varied by the Addendum and Supplemental Addendum).

The Committee received representation from Ajay Thakure (objector), and Olivia Russell (agent for the applicant), who urged the Committee to refuse and approve the application, respectively.

Councillor Marilyn Ashton proposed refusal for the following reasons:

1)              the block of 29 Shared Ownership flats located on Station Road, by reason of its scale and mass, will be out of keeping along this stretch of Station Road and will be over-bearing in comparison with the height of the buildings abutting the site.  Therefore, it cannot be justified, since this shared ownership element of the proposal comprises nearly three quarters of the overall number of 39 units, contrary to policies CS1 Harrow Core strategy (2012), DM1 and DM24 Harrow Development Management Policies (2013) and D1, GG4, H6 London Plan (2021); and

2)              the overall design of the large tower block on Station Road is unattractive, is of poor-quality design and will not make a positive contribution to the character of the area by reason of its visually obtrusive appearance in the street scene on this side of the road, contrary to CS1 Harrow Core Strategy (2012), DM1 Harrow Development Management Policy (2013) and D1 London Plan (2021).

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

The Committee resolved to accept officer recommendation.

RECOMMENDATION A

The Planning Committee was asked to:

1)              agree the reasons for approval as set out in the report; and

2)              grant planning permission subject to the conditions in Appendix 1 of the report, and as varied by the Addendum. The planning obligations as varied by the Addendum and Supplemental Addendum and listed below and authority being delegated to the Interim Chief Planning Officer in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance Services for the completion of the Section 106 legal agreement and other enabling development and issue of the planning permission, subject to amendments to the conditions, including the insertion or deletion of conditions as deemed fit and appropriate to the development or the amendments to the legal agreement as required.

Affordable Housing

a)              To be provided as per the submitted details (10 x LAR townhouses and 29 x S/O flats) and retained in perpetuity; and

b)              In securing the Shared Ownership tenure of the affordable housing offer, a cascade mechanism is required to offer these units to Harrow residents at Harrow income levels. Following this, it can be released to the West London Alliance boroughs, and then out to London wide (in line with The Mayor of London’s income cap).

Replacement Trees

a)              26 x replacement trees & maintenance – a financial contribution of £22,500, excluding VAT, to be paid as a contribution towards 4 x planes – (or similar) to replace the 4 planes removed, and 22 x Extra Heavy Standards (smaller tree stock) to replace the 11 trees removed.

Play Space Contribution

a)              Children's Play Space – £6,365.

Highways

a)              Parking Permit Restrictions -  the development to be “resident permit restricted” in accordance with section 16 of the GLC (Gen Powers) Act 1974 and the developer to ensure that 1) all marketing/advertising material makes reference to this fact; and 2) all agreements contain a covenant to the effect that future occupiers and tenants (other than those who are registered disabled) will not be entitled to apply for residents parking permit or a visitor permit.

b)              A contribution in accordance with the adopted fees and charges is required to amend the Traffic Management Order and a monitoring fee.

c)              Alteration to the existing loading restriction - £3,000.

d)              2 x cycle racks on the public highway - £2,000.

Carbon Offset

a)              £93,912 carbon offset payment prior to the commencement of development (circa 27 tonnes offset per annum).

b)              Provisions safeguarding the potential for connection to any future heat network capable of serving the development.

c)              Submission of final ‘As Built’ carbon emissions calculations and payment of any additional carbon offset contribution upon completion (in order to ensure development achieves zero carbon).

d)              Compliance with requirements of the Mayor’s ‘Be Seen’ energy monitoring guidance.

RECOMMENDATION B

That if, by 1 June 2022 or such extended period as may be agreed in writing by the Interim Chief Planning Officer, the section 106 Planning Obligation is not completed, then delegate the decision to the Chief Planning Officer to REFUSE planning permission for the following reason.

1)              The proposed development, in the absence of a Legal Agreement to provide appropriate improvements, benefits and monitoring that directly relate to the development, would fail to adequately mitigate the impact of the development on the wider area and provide for necessary social, environmental and physical infrastructural improvements arising directly from the development, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), policies H4, H5, H6, G5, G7, D2, SI2, S4, T3, T4 and T6 of The London Plan (2021), policy CS1 of the Core Strategy (2012), AAP4, AAP5, AAP11 and AAP13 of the Harrow and Wealdstone Area Action Plan (2013), policies DM1, DM7, DM12, DM13, DM14, DM27, DM28, DM42, DM43, DM44 and DM45 and DM50 of the Harrow Development Management Polices Local Plan and the Supplementary Planning Document: Planning Obligations & Affordable Housing (2013).

DECISION:  GRANT – Subject To Section 106 Agreement

The Committee wished it to be recorded that the decision to grant the application, subject to a section 106 agreement, was by Chair’s Casting Vote.

Councillors Brown, Lee and Parekh voted to grant the application.

Councillors Ashton, Baxter and Patel voted against the application.

Councillor Parekh, as Chair, used the Chair’s Casting Vote to grant the application – subject to a section 106 agreement.