Agenda item

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.That subject to the completion of a S106 Agreement to secure the obligations set out 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 agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report and the final S106 Agreement to cover the matters identified in the S106 Contributions section of the report.

WARD: Cockfosters

Cllr Georgiou, having sought advice from the legal representative, would make his deputation, then withdraw from the meeting during discussions and voting on the application.

Dino Ustic, Senior Planning Officer, introduced the report, highlighting the key aspects of the application.

The officer provided the following updates: condition 19 in the report regarding energy saving measures had made reference to building regulations 2013 which had been updated to 2021; the agent had agreed to an additional condition to secure a minimum net biodiversity gain of 10% on/as close to the site as possible, as per the London Plan 2021; an additional condition for an arboricultural method statement to be provided; and the proposed CIL estimate had changed from £250,000 to £226,992, due to using the Enfield CIL calculator which was more precise.

A deputation was received from Cllr Alessandro Georgiou, Cockfosters Ward Councillor, who spoke against the officers’ recommendation. Cllr Georgiou then withdraw from the meeting during discussions and voting on the application.

The agent, Mr Graham Fisher, spoke in response.

Officers responded to comments and questions, and advised that the number of trees referenced in paragraph 4.3, included those located along the shared boundary, that the appeal decision at 37 Lancaster Road was not relevant to and included different issues such as overlooking which were not an issue on this application, and that the sun/day light reports complied with the guidelines.

In response to Member’s queries regarding parking, Mike Hoyland, Senior Transport Planner, advised that parking space was compliant with policy. Cycle parking met London Plan standards. The vehicle access was similar to neighbouring properties, and that the car park was big enough to accommodate deliveries.

In response to Member’s queries regarding the affordable housing contribution, Sharon Davidson advised that only one unit could have been accommodated, thus an offsite contribution was considered more appropriate.

In response to Member’s queries regarding trees, officers confirmed the trees being removed, and that there was a condition that a minimum of 6 trees would be replanted.

In response to Member’s queries regarding design, officers advised that the size/bulk/scale/mass/footprint of neighbouring properties were similar if not larger than what was being proposed, that the building was set in from the boundaries by 1.5m and designed to reduce the appearance of mass. 

In response to Member’s queries regarding storage space, officers advised that the gross internal area compensated for the lack of storage space.

Members had ongoing concerns with regards to parking/ transport. 

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

7 FOR

3 AGAINST

0 ABSTENTIONS

and so, it was AGREED:

1. That subject to the completion of a S106 Agreement to secure the obligations set out 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 agree the final wording of the conditions to cover the matters in the Recommendation section of this report and the final S106 Agreement to cover the matters identified in the S106 Contributions section of the report.

The Chair adjourned the meeting at 20:24, to give members a rest break, and asked that Cllr Georgiou be invited to re-join the meeting, the meeting resumed at 20:31.