Agenda item

The application before members proposed the demolition of an existing dwelling and the erection of a two storey terrace of four houses, on land to the rear of 179 Cross Road, Romford. The proposal would include a parking area, private and communal amenity spaces, cycle storage and bin refuse/recycling storage.

The application was brought before Members on the 19 December, 2013. Members resolved to approve the application subject to conditions, the completion of a legal agreement, and no further material planning considerations being raised prior to the expiration of the statutory consultation period. Objections had been received from neighbouring occupiers since the last committee meeting, some of which raised material considerations that were not addressed in the last committee report.

Officers advised that they were now seeking a further condition to ensure that the dwellings were Lifetime Homes compliant.

In accordance with the public speaking arrangements the Committee was addressed by an objector with a response by the applicant.

The objector commented that the proposal would be detrimental to the amenity of the existing surrounding properties and was contrary to the area’s Special Design Policy. The objector also raised issues regarding noise intrusion, pressures on local parking provision and the possibility of flooding from the River Rom.

In reply the applicant commented that the application had been completely re-designed to address the concerns raised by the Council’s planners. The applicant confirmed that no objections had been raised by the Environment Agency or the Highways Authority and that the development’s scale and bulk were not out of character with the streetscene.

Following a brief debate the Committee noted that the proposal would be liable for a Mayoral CIL payment of £11,800 and RESOLVED that the proposal was unacceptable as it stood but would be acceptable subject to the applicant entering into a Section 106 Legal Agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), to secure the following:

•           The sum of £30,000 towards the costs of infrastructure associated with the development to be paid prior to commencement of the development in accordance with the draft Planning Obligations SPD;

•           All contribution sums shall include interest to the due date of expenditure and all contribution sums to be subject to indexation from the date of completion of the Section 106 agreement to the date of receipt by the Council;

•           The Council’s reasonable legal fees for shall be paid prior to completion of the agreement and if for any reason the agreement is not completed the Council’s reasonable legal fees shall be paid in full;

•           The Council’s planning obligation monitoring fees shall be paid prior to completion of the agreement.

That staff be authorised to enter into a legal agreement to secure the above and upon completion of that agreement, grant planning permission subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

In the event that the Section 106 agreement was not signed and completed by the 30 March, 2014, that planning permission be refused on the grounds that the proposal did not make adequate arrangements for the provision for meeting the necessary infrastructure costs arising from the development.

The vote for the resolution to grant planning permission was carried by 7 votes to 2.

Councillors Hawthorn and Ower voted against the resolution to grant planning permission.