Agenda item

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

(Report circulated)

Councillor Denham declared a personal interest as the objector is a former colleague.

Councillor Prowse declared a personal interest as a student landlord.

The Development Manager presented the application for the demolition of the existing Postgraduate centre building and redevelopment to provide a Research, Innovation, Learning and Development (RILD) centre over four storeys with associated landscaping and enclosed roof top plant at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Barrack Road, Exeter.

Members were informed that the building would extend over four floors with the plant area on the roof also enclosed and comprise of two wings on either side of a central area called the 'Hub'. There would be a physical link between the proposed building and the existing Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry building at both ground and first floor levels.

The Development Manager informed Members of the main considerations in respect of the proposal which were the design of the building and its impact upon the character of the area and long range views. It was not anticipated that there would be any adverse impact on the highway. This was a new landmark contemporary building which would enhance the campus and add interest to Barrack Road.

Members were circulated with an update sheet advising that the applicant’s agent had confirmed that an additional ten cycle parking spaces could be incorporated within the development. The Development Manager informed Members that discussions were continuing between the applicant and Exeter School with regards to any potential disturbance during exam times from construction noise emanating from the site. This was a significant enough matter to warrant refusal of the application and could not be controlled by condition.

The recommendation was to approve the application subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

Mr Aspinwall spoke against the application. He circulated photographs and raised the following points:-

• was a resident at Baker Street
• the photographs showed the effect that the building would have on the long range views
• was two storey’s higher than the existing Peninsula College plus a hidden floor housing the plant; this was to save costs
• would cut out any long range views: would Halden View now be renamed?
• there was an existing parking problem in the area: the travel plan did not address this issue
• the 62 residents of Baker Street would be denied their view of the hills around Exeter.

Members raised concerns regarding the parking problems in the vicinity of the proposal particularly in light of the defective traffic order on the area.

The Development Manager clarified that there was already an existing Postgraduate Centre on this site and this proposal was to improve facilities and would not generate a significantly higher number of students.

RESOLVED that the application for demolition of existing Postgraduate centre building and redevelopment to provide a Research, Innovation, Learning and Development (RILD) centre over four storeys with associated landscaping and enclosed roof top plant be approved subject to the following conditions:-

1)          C05  -  Time Limit - Commencement

2)          C15  -  Compliance with Drawings

3)          C17  -  Submission of Materials

4)          C35  -  Landscape Scheme

5)          C37  -  Replacement Planting

6)          C38  -  Trees - Temporary Fencing

7)          H02  -  Highways - Provision parking, etc

8)         No part of the development shall be occupied until a Travel Plan (including recommendations and arrangements for monitoring and review) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter the recommendations of the Travel Plan shall be implemented, monitored and reviewed in accordance with the approved document, or any amended document subsequently approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To encourage travel by sustainable means, in accordance with Local Plan policy T3.

9)         Construction/demolition 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 interest of residential amenity.

10)       The development hereby approved shall not commence until details of the proposed finished floor levels and overall heights of the buildings, in relation to an agreed fixed point or O.S datum have been submitted to, and been approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In the interests of the visual amenities of the area and the residential amenities of the occupants of surrounding properties.

11)       Prior to occupation of the development hereby permitted, the cycle parking shown on the application drawings shall be provided in accordance with details (including storage systems and means of cover) previously submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and the cycle parking shall be maintained thereafter.

Reason: To ensure that cycle parking is provided, to encourage travel by sustainable means in accordance with Local Plan policy T3.

12)       The development hereby approved shall not be commenced until details of all proposed boundary walls and fences have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The dwellings shall not be occupied until these have been provided in accordance with the approved details.

            Reason: In the interests of the amenities of the area.

13)       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.  The Wildlife Plan will be expected to include the provision of integral bird nesting boxes/bricks within the fabric of the building. 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.

14)       No development shall take place on site until a full investigation of the site has taken place to determine the extent of, and risk posed by, any contamination of the land and the results, together with any remedial works necessary, have been agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The building shall not be occupied until the approved remedial works have been implemented and a remediation statement submitted to the Local Planning Authority detailing what contamination has been found and how it has been dealt with together with confirmation that no unacceptable risks remain.

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the occupants of the building hereby approved.

15)       The building hereby approved shall be designed and constructed to achieve BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure that the development achieves a high level of performance in terms of sustainability.

16)       The development hereby approved shall be designed and constructed so as to be capable of connecting to the proposed Local Energy Network scheme (LEN) for Exeter, so far as is practicable having regard to the technical information concerning the LEN scheme available at the time of the detailed design and construction of the scheme. The requirements of this condition shall only relate to works within, and up to the boundary of the application site.

Reason: To ensure that the potential for the development to make use of a future sustainable source of energy is incorporated within the detailed design of the building in the interests of sustainable development.

(Report circulated)