Agenda item

To consider the report of the Head of Planning and Building Control.

(Report circulated)

Councillor Prowse declared a personal interest as he used to attend Whipton Methodist Church.

The Development Manager presented the application for the change of use from a church to eight flats and community facility, including alterations to roof to provide second floor accommodation and a three storey extension on the north east elevation, redevelopment of sports hall to provide two storey building comprising of four flats, parking and associated works at Whipton Methodist Church, Brookway, Exeter.

Members were informed that it was proposed to extend the existing church building and to create two floor levels within it and to replace the pitched roof with an additional flat-roofed storey. This would create a total of eight flats. One of these would be a mobility unit; the rest would be for over-55s. The building would be faced with render, brick slips to match the existing brickwork and glass cladding panels, with a metal roof. A room for use by the local community was proposed within the building.

All buildings and structures in the site other than the main church building were to be demolished and new building would be constructed comprising of two 2-bedroom mobility flats and two 2-bedroom flats for over 55s above. This building would be faced with a mixture of render and timber cladding with a standing seam metal roof. The ground floor units would each have an attached carport structure. In total there would be 10 car parking spaces.

The recommendation was that the application be delegated to the Head of Planning and Building Control to approve subject to the conditions set out in the report and additional conditions regarding fenestration on the extension to the church and the design of the hard surfacing.

During discussion Members raised the following points:-

• use of appropriate materials on the church extension
• what was the benefit of keeping the modern day steeple?
• would the weather vain be kept?

The Development Manager clarified that the existing brick on the church would be retained, the modern day steeple although not functional was part of the street scene and officers would liaise with the applicant with regards to the relocation of the weather vane on the building.

RESOLVED that the application for change of use from a church to 8 flats and community facility, including alterations to roof to provide second floor accommodation and three storey extension on north east elevation, redevelopment of sports hall to provide two storey building comprising 4 flats, parking and associated works be delegated to the Head of Planning and Building Control to approve, subject to satisfactory details of fenestration on the extension to the church and the design of the hard surfacing and the following conditions:

1)         C05  -  Time Limit - Commencement

2)         C15  -  Compliance with Drawings

3)         C17  -  Submission of Materials

4)         C35  -  Landscape Scheme

5)         C36  -  No Trees to be Felled

6)         C37  -  Replacement Planting

7)         C38  -  Trees - Temporary Fencing

8)         C70  -  Contaminated Land

9)         Construction work shall not take place outside the following times: 8am to 6pm (Mondays to Fridays); 8am to 1pm (Saturdays); nor at any time on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

Reason: In the interests of local amenity.

10)       Prior to the commencement of the development, details of all external plant/machinery (such as associated with exhaust air heat pumps) including sound power levels, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In the interests of local amenity.

11)       The applicant shall undertake a noise impact assessment for this application, which shall be submitted and approved in writing prior to commencement of the development. This report shall consider the impact of noise from the development on local receptors (including those introduced by the application) and shall include noise from plant and equipment (including kitchen extraction plant and air source heat pumps) as well as noise from events. If, following the above assessment, the local planning authority concludes that noise mitigation measures are required, the applicant shall then submit a scheme of works to ensure that the development does not have a significant negative impact on local amenity. These measures shall be agreed in writing by the local planning authority and shall be implemented prior to and throughout the occupation of the development.

Reason: In the interests of local amenity.

12)       There shall be no amplified music, voice or tannoy system used within the community facilities unless routed through a suitable noise limiter. The noise limiter, its installation and operation shall be approved in writing prior to occupation of the development. It shall be operated and maintained as approved thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of local amenity.

13)       Details of the kitchen extraction system, including odour abatement equipment, should be submitted and approved in writing by the LPA prior to commencement of the development. The system shall be implemented, maintained and operated as agreed thereafter. 

Reason: In the interests of local amenity.

14)       The flats hereby approved (other than the three flats identified as mobility units) shall only be occupied by persons over 55 years old. 

Reason:  In accordance with the terms of the application, because the parking provision is insufficient for unrestricted occupation and because unrestricted occupation would require a contribution towards education infrastructure.

15)       No development shall take place until a Wildlife Plan which demonstrates  how the proposed development will be managed in perpetuity to enhance wildlife has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter the development shall be carried out entirely in accordance with the approved plan.

Reason: In the interests of protecting and improving existing, and creating new wildlife habitats in the area.

16)       None of the proposed flats shall be occupied until an item of  public art has been provided on the tower in accordance with details which shall first have been agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In the interests of the local environment.

17)       A visibility splay shall be provided, laid out and maintained for that purpose at the site access to Brookway where the visibility splay provides intervisibility between any points X and Y  axes at a height of 0.6m above the adjacent carriageway level and the distance back from the nearer edge of the carriageway of the public highway (identified as X) shall be 2.4m and the visibility distance along the nearer edge of the carriageway of the public highway (identified as Y) shall be 25m in a northerly direction. 

Reason: To provide adequate visibility from and of emerging vehicles, in the interest of public safety.

18)       No part of the development hereby approved shall be brought into its intended use and/or occupied until the access and visibility splay shall have been provided in accordance with details that shall previously have been submitted to, agreed and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority and retained for that purpose at all times. 

Reason: To ensure that adequate facilities are available for the traffic attracted to the site in the interest of public safety. 

19)       No part of the development hereby approved shall be brought into its intended use and/or occupied until the on-site access drive, parking and turning facilities have been provided, surfaced and marked out in accordance with the requirements of this permission and retained for those purposes at all times. 

Reason: To ensure that adequate facilities are available for the traffic attracted to the site.

(Report circulated)