Agenda item

Planning Application No. 16/1210/03 - Honiton Inn, Paris Street, Exeter

To consider the report of the Assistant Director City Development.

 

Minutes:

The Principal Project Manager (Development) (PJ) presented the application for the demolition of the former Honiton Inn to build a mixed use development scheme comprising of a ground floor cafe bar for public use (Use Class A4) with 107 bed space student accommodation above including common room, gym, cinema, laundry, office and bike stores.

 

Members were circulated with an update sheet - attached to minutes and updated on the number of representations.

 

Councillor Branston attended the meeting and spoke on this item under Standing Order No. 44. He made the following points:-

 

·         Will focus on some of the 25 objection issues received;

·         suggestions of alternative uses such as a gateway feature or tourist attraction into the City Centre, hotel, hostel for the homeless or affordable housing are not in accord with Government legislation and are not grounds for a refusal;

·         valid planning objections have been made in respect of the height of six/seven floors and the density of an overbearing featureless monolith, unflattering architecture and a soulless modern husk which is inappropriate and oppressive;

·         Historic England have stated that that the lack of space and limited articulation makes an uninspiring building and that the gateway to the City Centre should at least have some reference to better quality and do not feel that this design would make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area;

·         a similar application for the Radmore and Tucker site was refused on grounds of height and density;

·         the statement that the site is removed from residential areas is not correct as directly opposite on the corner of Western Way is Eaton House, Eaton Drive and Sir John Hannam House which provides accommodation for 104 elderly residents including 23 disabled residents;

·         application includes a gym, cinema and public cafe and bar which will be used by students located at the St Lukes Campus, Rowancroft and the new student accommodation next to Waitrose returning at night and will walk past the accommodation for the elderly at Eaton House etc.;

·         objections 16, 18 and 19 all contain objections from local residents on the impact on their quality of life;

·         anti-social behavior has occurred in Western Way near the Printworks and Kingfisher accommodation blocks, most recently on 3 December, but the University have stated that it is not the responsibility of the estate patrollers to deal with incidents outside the student blocks;

·         with a goal of securing 75% student accommodation in purpose built accommodation on or close to the City Centre, the University is not prepared to accept responsibility for off campus students and concerns are raised that the City Centre is becoming a university campus – the University should provide accommodation on its own campus;

·         this block could become a popular late night venue and impact adversely on the quality of life of elderly residents;

·         this gateway city centre site so close to residential accommodation is unsuitable for a student development;

·         the Honiton Inn is an iconic landmark building and its demolition would lead to the loss to the City history of a building that survived World War Two bombing – it remains one of the few historic buildings that still exist in the City;

·         the building is listed in the Southernhay Conservation Area report as one which makes a positive contribution and it is suggested that its demolition would be more likely to amount to substantial harm to the conservation area;

·         Historic England state that the historic Paris Street is all but lost and that the Honiton Inn with its windows and timber framing provides a distinctive frontage and that its survival at the corner of the Conservation Area would have been the reason for the designated boundary line. It is recognised by Historic England as having heritage value;

·         student developments are always contentious - 2,297 objections show that local residents believe that the height and design do not meet planning criteria. Historic England also object to the demolition and the proposal for a café and bar would impact adversely on the quality of life of elderly residents in the area;

·         there is already an over concentration of student accommodation in the area including the Printworks, James Owen, Kingfisher and at the Football Club and City Council policy states that there should be no over concentration in any one area; and

·         application should be refused.

 

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

 

·         the design of the proposed building has developed in extremely close consultation with the planning department. During design development the scheme was reduced in terms of the overall height and number of student bedrooms to respond directly to the input of the planning team. This reduction in the overall size of the development was contrary to the recommendations of an independent RIBA design review panel which suggested a taller building would be more appropriate;

·         the proposed design is of a high quality which has been achieved through numerous iterations. The scheme has been considered both in terms of its surroundings, overall form and at a detailed level. Much care has been taken to consider the building both in its immediate context and how it is viewed in its wider surroundings. The specific materials chosen will complement the existing family of buildings within Southernhay;

·         the scheme has been developed to reflect the importance of keeping in line with the Leisure Complex and Bus Station Scheme opposite, taking the opportunity to revitalise a site which is in a poor state and has long since ceased to be an economical going concern;

·         photographs taken in the 1960s show the Honiton Inn was originally part of a remaining terrace of buildings which survived the Blitz. When the inner bypass was developed and the adjoining buildings were demolished this was when the Honiton Inn became an isolated building. The original street pattern upon which the Honiton Inn was originally built has been irrevocably changed;

·         the option simply to leave the existing building and develop behind would only compound the mismatch between the Honiton Inn and its surroundings. The exposed flank walls of the old inn should not be visible as it was not conceived as a free standing building, hence it now looks sad and brutalised, simply not a building worthy of its setting. This area is a significant entry point to central Exeter as proven by the council's own plans for the Leisure Complex and Bus Station Scheme opposite. It deserves a building which relates positively to the location and the Southernhay Conservation Area;

·         the construction period for the proposed building will allow an opportunity for the site to be properly investigated from an Archaeological perspective rather than merely allowing anything to remain buried beneath a deteriorating unused building; and

·         a direct comparison of the front-of-house areas of both the existing Honiton Inn and the proposed cafe/bar shows the proposed cafe bar is 95m2, whereas the existing Honiton Inn is only 68m2. The new cafe will relate strongly to the public realm with much glass and an open inviting aspect. This will contribute in a positive way in comparison to the existing older building.

 

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 County Planning Act 1990 securing a student management plan and a financial contribution towards the delivery of district heating in the area and a traffic regulation order, planning permission to demolish the former Honiton Inn to build a mixed use development scheme comprising of a ground floor cafe bar for public use (Use Class A4) with 107 bedspace student accommodation above including common room, gym, cinema, laundry, office and bike stores be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1)

C05  -  Time Limit - Commencement

 

2)

C15  -  Compliance with Drawings

 

3)

C17  -  Submission of Materials

 

4)

C57  -  Archaeological Recording

 

5)

The demolition hereby approved shall not be carried out until a building contract has been entered into for the erection of the replacement building permitted by this planning permission and satisfactory evidence to that effect has been produced to the Local Planning Authority.

Reason:  In the interests of the appearance of the Conservation Area.

 

6)

The residential accommodation 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.

 

7)

No part of the development hereby approved shall be brought into its intended use until the loading bay as indicated on Drawing Number 1188/PL05 Rev B (of at least 2.5m in width) on Paris Street, and raised pedestrian crossing at the vehicular access have been provided in accordance with details and specifications that shall previously have been submitted to, agreed and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To provide suitable facilities for the traffic attracted to the site.

 

8)

No part of the development hereby approved shall be brought into its intended use until secure cycle parking facilities as indicated on Drawing Number 1188/PL05 Rev B and an external door into the cycle store, 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,

 

9)

No development shall commence until a noise assessment report, including noise from the any plant machinery has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority providing details of any sound insulation measures and mitigation measures required and shall thereafter be provided in accordance with such details:

Reason: Insufficient information has been submitted with the application and in the interests of future residential amenity.

 

10)

No development shall take place, including any works of demolition, 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)         the parking of vehicles of site operative and visitors
b)         loading and unloading of plant and material;
c)         storage of plant and materials used in the constructing the development;

d)         the erection and maintenance of security hoarding including decorative             displays and facilities for public viewing, where appropriate;

e)         wheel washing facilities;

f)          measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during construction;

g)         a scheme for recycling/disposing of waste resulting from demolition and             construction works

h)         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 the occupants of nearby buildings.

       

 

11)

Before the cafe/bar hereby permitted opens, a scheme for the installation of equipment to control the emission of fumes and smell from the cafe/bar use shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority and the approved scheme shall be implemented. All equipment installed as part of the scheme shall be thereafter be operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Reason: To protect the amenity of nearby occupants.

 

12)

Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority the building hereby approved shall achieve a BREEAM ‘excellent’ standard as a minimum, and shall achieve ‘zero carbon’ if commenced on or after 1st January 2019. Prior to commencement of development of such a building the developer shall submit to the Local Planning Authority a BREEAM design stage assessment report to be written by a licensed BREEAM assessor which shall set out the BREEAM score expected to be achieved by the building and the equivalent BREEAM standard to which the score relates. Where this does not meet the BREEAM minimum standard required by this consent the developer shall provide prior to the commencement of development of the building details of what changes will be made to the building to achieve the minimum standard, for the approval of the Local Planning Authority to be given in writing. The building must be completed fully in accordance with any approval given. A BREEAM post-completion report of the building is to be carried out by a licensed BREEAM assessor within three months of substantial completion of the building and shall set out the BREEAM score achieved by the building and the equivalent BREEAM standard to which such score relates.

Reason: To ensure that the proposal complies with Policy CP15 of Council's Adopted Core Strategy and in the interests of delivering sustainable development. The design stage assessment must be completed prior to commencement of development because the findings may influence the design for all stages of construction.

 

13)

Prior to occupation of any dwelling hereby approved, details of provision for nesting 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.

 

14)

C70- Contaminated Land

 

15)

No part of the development hereby permitted shall be commenced until the detailed design of the proposed permanent surface water drainage management system has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority, in consultation with Devon County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority. The design of this permanent surface water drainage management system will be in accordance with the principles of sustainable drainage systems, and those set out in the Drainage Strategy Statement (Report Ref. -, Rev. P01, dated November 2016) and the Strategic SW Drainage Layout Drawing (Drawing No. 1004, Rev. P01, dated 28th November 2016).

Reason: To ensure that surface water runoff from the development is managed in accordance with the principles of sustainable drainage systems.

 

16)

No part of the development hereby permitted shall be commenced until details of the exceedance pathways and overland flow routes across the site in the event of rainfall in excess of the design standard of the proposed surface water drainage management system have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority, in consultation with Devon County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority.

Reason: To ensure that the surface water runoff generated from rainfall events in excess of the design standard of the proposed surface water drainage management system is safely managed.

 

 

 

17)

Notwithstanding condition no 2, no work shall commence on site under this permission until full details of the cafe/bar refuse area have been provided has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and  thereafter be provided in accordance with such details:

Reason: Insufficient information has been submitted with the application and in the interests of amenity.

 

18)

No development shall commence until an air quality assessment report, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority providing details of any mitigation measures required and shall thereafter be provided in accordance with such details:

Reason: Insufficient information has been submitted with the application and in the interests of future residential amenity.

 

Supporting documents: