Agenda item

To consider the report of the City Development Manager.

The Principal Project Manager (Development) (PJ) presented the application for Demolition of the King Billy pub to build a mixed use development scheme comprising of ground floor commercial units (Use Classes A1, A3 and A4) with 108 bed space student accommodation above over six and seven storeys.

The Principal Project Manager (Development) advised that the applicant had provided an access statement covering existing and future use of the area to the rear of the flats yard for deliveries and dropping off and picking up of students and that this had been developed in consultation with the adjoining commercial operators. He stated that the location of these student flats was appropriate in that it was both within the city centre so that students would not be passing through residential areas after nights out and was also close to the campus. He also advised that travel plans for student accommodation blocks were addressed by the County Council travel team and were unique to each site.

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

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

• the Inspector’s decision that student housing cannot be included in the assessment of the five year housing supply placed the Council in a difficult positioned when considering planning applications for housing developments. Believe that sites such as this would more appropriately suit housing or flats for the general market;
• Policy H5 of the Local Plan states that there should not be an over concentration of use in one area such that the character of the neighbourhood is changed or an imbalance created - this development will change the balance of the community. The main thrust of the St. James Neighbourhood Plan is to maintain a community balance;
• there is no evidence that the provision of purpose built student accommodation frees up houses for family occupation. The number of houses in multiple occupation in St. James is increasing inspite of additional purpose built accommodation;
• the application should be considered with regard to policies within the St. James Neighbourhood Plan;
• a decision should not be made until up to date information on current student numbers are available and the University plans for accommodating them in the future are clear; and 
• request deferral of the application for a report on student housing in the City.

The City Development Manager stated that it was not appropriate to defer applications for policies to be reviewed but that they should be considered on their merits. Furthermore, the existing policy was that a minimum of 75% of the student population should be accommodated in Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), with the inference that as much as possible should be accommodated in this way.

Mrs Jobson spoke against the application. She raised the following points:-

• Exeter St. James Neighbourhood Forum urge the rejection or deferral of an application for yet more PBSA in the ward;
• the plans are contrary to the overriding objective of the St. James Neighbourhood Plan to create a better community balance between the settled and student population;
• the development is out of character and will overshadow the adjacent residential accommodation on Longbrook Street;
• the Neighbourhood Plan became approved planning policy some three to four years ago. At that time, just under 50% of the residents of the ward were students;
• in spite of the Article 4 direction, the settled residents are fast becoming a shrinking minority. The residents are not opposed to students living in the ward but there are an increased number of houses in multiple occupation (HMO’s) in the ward and the need for community balance should be recognised and further erosions in this balance prevented;
• there are in excess of 5,000 people looking to be housed in Exeter and, an unknown number of people who work and who would like to live in the City, but who cannot find affordable housing (either rented or purchased);
• most PBSA cannot be converted into residential accommodation;
• John Lewis raised a number of concerns and the risk relating to cladding has not been resolved;
• there is doubt as to whether the quoted number of 1,900 additional units reflects the current situation and a deferral is requested until the report as to precise numbers required is available together with reports as to the number of HMO’s in St. James and the current occupancy rate of the existing PBSA; and
• this parcel of land should be developed for the long term and for the benefit of the settled residents and those who would like to be settled in Exeter.

In light of the recent Grenfell tower tragedy, Members raised issues relating to fire safety. Notwithstanding that new buildings could be built abutting others, they noted that the windows to the rear of some of the flats would be very close to the John Lewis building. These would have a limited view only overlooking a car park but the real concern was that fire could easily jump from the store building to the flats particularly as it was unclear whether the cladding materials on the John Lewis building were non-combustible. Although the advice given was that it was non-combustible, it was unclear if the cladding was either “tight” or “loose” in relation to the building’s internal structure and that, if the latter, the danger of a fire developing because of a “chimney” effect was still possible. Further information was sought on this issue as well as whether the developer proposed to provide sprinklers within the flats.

A Member also referred to the retail and pub element proposed for the ground floor which it was considered was very important to provide interest along this part of the street and stated that a reassurance was required from the developer that there remained a commitment to providing this element.

Another Member asked that an update on the University’s vision should again be requested to include information on its future expansion plans, the current and intended student numbers and how many would require accommodation in Exeter, what the current accommodation supply was and whether there was a shortfall.

The City Development Manager advised that any application to change the use of the ground floor away from retail/commercial would come back to this Committee. He also stated that the application should not be deferred to investigate fire safety and structural issues as they were covered by other legislation.

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

RESOLVED that the application for the demolition of the King Billy pub to build a mixed use development scheme comprising of ground floor commercial units (Use Classes A1, A3 and A4) with 108 bed space student accommodation above over 6 and 7 storeysbe DEFERRED for further information to be provided on the following issues:-

(i)         clarity on the testing of the cladding on the John Lewis building and whether any test had been limited to the material itself and not on the structure as well and whether the cladding was “tight” or “loose”; and

(ii)        whether the student block itself would be clad and if sprinklers were to be provided.