Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Director City Development.

 

The Project Manager (Planning) (KW) presented the application for the part demolition (rear wing only), alteration and extension of existing building for use as 81 bedroom student housing accommodation (sui generis) with associated external cycle store and landscaping works.

 

Members were circulated with an update sheet - attached to minutes.

 

The Project Manager (Planning) reported that the County Council Highways Engineer sought the provision of cycle parking (56 cycles) by condition with a travel plan also secured either by condition or as a part of the student management agreement. Further, to protect the function of Heavitree Road and the safety of users of the public highway it was essential that the construction arrangements were carefully managed. A condition was therefore recommended to ensure the above with the applicant advised to meet to agree suitable working arrangements prior to commencement.

 

A Member referred to the difficulty in crossing Gladstone Road between the Police Station and Waitrose and it was confirmed that the County Council would be consulted to establish if they will provide a crossing. If appropriate, this could be pursued as part of a Section 106 Agreement.

 

Ms Dart spoke against the application. She raised the following points:-

 

§  speaking on behalf of father, Will Gannon, to voice his concerns about some of the proposed windows from the planned extension at the rear of 79 Heavitree Road which will overlook his private garden at the rear of 81 Heavitree Road;

§  he has submitted a number of alternative suggestions to overcome this problem but have not been taken up by the developer;

§  a drawing he has provided shows the existing windows at the rear of 79 Heavitree Road, superimposed on the east elevation of the proposed extension. Eight windows are being proposed at or above the level of the two windows in the existing extension; and

§  the developer should be asked to come up with some alternative suggestions to at least make the situation no worse than it is at present. Otherwise ask that a decision be deferred to allow for a site meeting to be convened.

 

Responding to a Member’s question, she confirmed that there was no garden at present, as the proposed garden area was a car park for the offices which were to be converted to residential.

 

Mr Wright spoke in support of the application. He raised the following points:-

 

§  the applicant specialised in the provision of high quality student development and this was the first scheme undertaken in Exeter;

§  although not a listed building, the site was quite prominent and it had been important to achieve critical mass to ensure that the development was visually attractive by adding to the rear of the building and ensuring circulation within the middle;

§  aware of concerns of objector wishing to change 81 Heavitree Road from offices to residential, but there is no garden in situ at present and the exact nature of the objections have not been viewed;

§  windows overlooking the proposed garden area are further away than windows to the rear of the development looking on to other residential properties and are “allowable and a normal distance”. The landscaping in the area near 81 Heavitree Road would be enhanced and additional protection provided for the trees;

§  unfortunate that the plans for conversion to residential coincided with this student scheme; and

§  wish to bring scheme forward as a matter of urgency with contractors already engaged with view to completion in time for the 2017/18 academic year.

 

The recommendation was for approval, subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

 

RESOLVED that, subject to:-

 

§ the completion of a Section 106 Agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requiring a Management Plan for the day to day operation of the Student Accommodation and, if appropriate, secure a contribution towards the provision of a pedestrian crossing on Gladstone Road; and

§ a requirement for CIL contributions amounting to £65,561 of New Homes Bonus payable to the Council on new homes appearing on the Valuation Office list. (on the basis the 15 studios are Band A (£767.64 each, total £11,514.60) and the 10 cluster flats Band C (£1023.52 each, total £10,235.20) the Council will receive a total of £21,749.80 if the award continues to be paid for six years); and

 

planning permission for proposed part demolition (rear wing only), alteration and extension of existing building for use as 81 bedroom student housing accommodation (sui generis) with associated external cycle store and landscaping works be APPROVED, subject also to the following conditions :-

 

1)         UN7 - Unique Condition 7

 

2)         C05 - Time Limit – Commencement

 

3)         C15 - Compliance with Drawings

 

4)         The development hereby approved shall be constructed with centralised space heating and hot water systems that have been designed and constructed to be compatible with a low temperature hot water District Heating Network in accordance with the CIBSE guidance "Heat Networks: Code of Practice for the UK". The layout of the plant room, showing provision for heat exchangers and for connection to a District Heating Network in the Highway shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and the approved details shall be implemented on site unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Reason: In accordance with the requirements of policy CP13 of the Exeter Core Strategy 2012 and in the interests of sustainable development.

 

5)         The materials it is intended to use externally in the construction of the development shall be in accordance with details submitted to the Local Planning Authority on 1 August 2016 unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Reason: To ensure that the materials conform with the visual amenity requirements of the area.

 

6)         No part of the development hereby approved shall be brought into its intended use until secure cycle parking facilities have been provided and maintained in accordance with details that shall have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority and retained for that purpose at all times.

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

 

7)         Travel Plan measures including the provision of sustainable transport welcome packs and details of the arrangements of how student pick up/drop off will be managed, shall be provided in accordance with details agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority and Local Highway Authority in advance of occupation of the development.

Reason: To promote the use of sustainable transport modes and in the interest of highway safety, in accordance with paragraphs 32 and 36 of the NPPF.

 

8)         No development shall take place until a Construction and Environment Management Plan (CEMP) has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. Notwithstanding the details and wording of the CEMP the following restrictions shall be adhered to:

 

a) There shall be no burning on site during demolition, construction or site

preparation works;

 

b) Unless otherwise agreed in writing, no construction or demolition works shall be carried out, or deliveries received, outside of the following hours: 0800 to 1800 hours Monday to Friday, 0800 to 1300 on Saturdays, and not at all on Sundays and Public Holidays;

 

c) Dust suppression measures shall be employed as required during construction in order to prevent off-site dust nuisance;

 

d) Details of access arrangements and timings and management of arrivals and departures of vehicles.

 

The approved CEMP shall be adhered to throughout the construction period.

 

Reason: In the interests of the occupants of nearby buildings.

 

9)         In the event of failure of any trees planted in accordance with any scheme approved by the Local Planning Authority, to become established and to prosper for a period of five years from the date of the completion of implementation of that scheme, such trees shall be replaced with such live specimens of such species of such size and in such number as may be approved by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To safeguard the rights of control by the Local Planning Authority in these respects and in the interests of amenity.

 

10)       Prior to occupation of the development hereby approved details of provision for nesting birds and swifts shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the RSPB. Upon written approval of the details, the scheme shall be fully implemented as part of the development and retained thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of preservation and enhancement of biodiversity in the locality.

 

11)       C57 - Archaeological Recording.

 

12)       The buildings hereby approved shall achieve a BREEAM ‘good’ standard as a minimum, and shall achieve ‘zero carbon’ if commenced on or after 1January 2019. Prior to commencement of such a building the developer shall submit to the Local Planning Authority a BREEAM design stage assessment report, the score expected to be achieved and which standard this relates to. Where this does not meet the minimum required standard the developer must provide details of what changes will be made to the development to achieve the minimum standard, and thereafter implement those changes. A post completion BREEAM report shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority within three months of the substantial completion of any such building hereby approved. The required BREEAM assessments shall be prepared, and any proposed design changes approved prior to commencement of the development, by a licensed BREEAM assessor.

Reason: To ensure that the proposal complies with Policy CP15 of Council's Adopted Core Strategy and in the interests of delivering sustainable development.

 

13        Details of all building services plant, including sound power levels and predicted sound pressure levels at a specified location outside the building envelope, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The predicted noise levels shall be submitted prior to commencement of the development and shall be demonstrated by measurement prior to occupation of the development.

            Reason: To protect the amenities of the future occupiers of the building.