Agenda item

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1 That in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992, subject to referral of the application to the Greater London Authority and the completion of a Deed of Variation to the original s106 Agreement to secure the matters covered in this report, the Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT planning permission subject to conditions.

2 That the Head of Development Management be granted delegated authority to finalise the wording of the Deed of Variation to the original s106 Agreement and agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report.

WARD: Brimsdown

Karolina Grebowiec-Hall, Principal Planner, introduced the report, highlighting the key aspects of the application.

She responded to Members’ queries in respect of the additional staircase, to advise that there was adequate separation, that they were easily accessed and that they had been reviewed by HSE and Enfield Building Control and confirmed to be compliant. The addition of the second staircase was confirmed to be a requirement as part of the application seeking to reduce the affordable housing offer.  

It was explained that the reduction in affordable units had triggered the requirement for a viability assessment, that the recent economic/ build cost challenges had been considered, and found that 25% affordable units was what was viable. The officer expressed that 37 units (25% of the total units) were being offered at a discounted market rate of 30%, and would be secured by a section 106 and held as intermediate in perpetuity, and that 111 units were for the private market. The officer confirmed that the decision notice for the application was issued in March 2022 and the application had been considered by committee in December 2020. With regards to the intermediate units, the officer said that the highest priority need was for 1 and 2 bed units which was what proposal sought to allocate for, and that the deviation from market compliance was not significantly different from what had been approved, with the level of non-compliance remaining largely the same.

Members expressed that officers should have informed the committee that the original application had not been viability tested, and asked that in future officers advise on the level of confidence they have in the viability of affordable accommodation being offered. The Head of Development Management appreciated that a change in the affordable housing had been made in this new/separate application/proposal. The Director of Planning and Growth added that the framework in which assessments are made was set by policy, that the viability had been tested and was reflective of current economic circumstances.

In response to Member’s queries regarding the reduction in car parking spaces, Mike Hoyland, Senior Transport Planner, advised that there was a reduction in 2 and 3 bed units, thus a fall in demand for parking, and that the proposals complied with the London Plan.

Members had ongoing concerns with regards to the reduction in the offer for social housing.

The Chair, in consultation with the legal representative advised that Cllr Fawns could not take part in the discussion or vote on the issue having arrived late during the item.

The proposal having been put to the vote; Members voted:

6 FOR

2 AGAINST

2 ABSTENTIONS

and so, it was AGREED:

1. That in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992, subject to referral of the application to the Greater London Authority and the completion of a Deed of Variation to the original s106 Agreement to secure the matters covered in this report, the Head of Development Management be authorised to GRANT planning permission subject to conditions.

2. That the Head of Development Management be granted delegated authority to finalise the wording of the Deed of Variation to the original s106 Agreement and agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report.