Agenda item

The application before members was for the redevelopment of the former Somerfield Depot site to create a predominantly residential development providing four hundred & ninety seven residential units within eighteen apartment blocks and terraces of houses between three and six storeys in height. The development was proposed as an entirely private development with no affordable housing at the current time. The application was subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment and had been submitted with an Environmental Statement. The application had been previously included on the agenda for 25 April 2013, but had been withdrawn at staff’s request.

Members were advised that condition 48 of the proposal was to be deleted following withdrawal of the representation of the Health and Safety Executive.

During the debate members discussed the possible impact the proposal could have on the surrounding area, in particular, its possible effect on schooling and medical provision for residents of the development. Officers advised that there was a review mechanism referred to in the Heads of Terms of the S106 of a financial re-appraisal should residential values increase, which could mean that on periodic financial reappraisal the site could support afoordable housing provision.

Members received clarification on several points including why there was no provision for affordable housing within the proposal and whether Havering would receive nomination rights on any future lettings should an interested Registered Provider become involved in the development. Members questioned why a Registered Provider had not been secured given the length of the negotiation on the application.

Officers advised that the energy centre included in the proposal provided a source of both heat and power for residents and explained that lifetime homes meant that residents should be able to continue to live in the properties even if they were to need adapting in the future.

Mention was also made of the possible new railway station at Beam Reach, however members felt that this proposed station was still some way from reaching fruition.

Members also discussed the possible monitoring of air quality in the area and possible traffic movements affecting the A13/A1306.

A motion to refuse the granting of planning permission was lost by 4 votes to 7.

Members noted that the proposed development qualified for a Mayoral CIL payment of £723,500 and RESOLVED that having taken account of the environmental information included in the Environmental Statement and its Addendum that the proposal was unacceptable as it stood but would be acceptable subject to:

a)     No direction to the contrary on referral to the Mayor for London (under the Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008) ;

b)    The prior completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), to secure the following:

·           The sum of £2,236,500 towards the costs of infrastructure associated with the development based upon the current discounted tariff per dwelling in the Havering Riverside Area as set out in accordance with the Adopted Planning Obligations SPD.

Phasing to be:

25% to be paid prior to the commencement of development;

25% to be paid prior to occupation of no more than 125 dwellings;

25% to be paid prior to occupation of no more than 250 dwellings;

25% to be paid prior to occupation of no more than 375 dwellings.

·           The sum of £350,000 towards the cost of bus service enhancements;

·           The inclusion of a cascade and viability review clause in relation to the provision of affordable housing to ensure that the provision of affordable housing is maximised in relation to the financial viability of the scheme.

·           The submission of a phasing plan to demonstrate that Blocks A – H would be delivered at an early stage of the development and that the western most block/s (Blocks M and N) will be the final blocks to be constructed. 

Prior to the construction of Blocks M and N that a design review be carried out to establish whether further pedestrian and vehicular linkages with land to the west can be achieved, subject to the design and planning of a new railway station at Beam Reach being at a sufficiently advanced stage.  That Blocks M and N shall be so designed to achieve the desired pedestrian, cycling and vehicular linkages to the land to the west of the application site which is the potential site of a future Beam Reach Station.

·           To provide training and recruitment scheme for the local workforce during construction period.

·           A travel plan to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport, including a scheme for submission, implementation, monitoring and review.

·           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 on or 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 and to include the following additional conditions and adjustments to the heads of terms:

·         Additional conditions covering (1) waste management scheme especially for demolition/construction and (2) air quality.

·         Adjust the head of term covering design review (bottom page 173/top page 174of the report) deleting final sentence and wording to effect that  “Blocks M and N shall be so designed to achieve the desired pedestrian, cycling and vehicular linkages to the land to the west of the application site which is the potential site of a future Beam Reach Station.”. 

The vote for the resolution to grant planning permission was carried by 7 votes to 4.

Councillors Oddy, Tebbutt, Bennett, Evans, Light, Kelly and Osborne voted for the resolution to grant planning permission.

Councillors Hawthorn, Ower, McGeary and Deon-Burton voted against the resolution to grant planning permission.