Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Director City Development.

The Project Officer (Planning) (AL) presented the application for internal alterations associated with the conversion of eight units into five units.

Mr Campbell spoke against the application. He raised the following points:-

• was offered a first floor apartment – Number 15 - in June and was very pleased to accept. It was on the understanding that this would be a temporary placement, as the Exeter Municipal Charity had plans to convert Numbers 14 and 15 into a single first floor two-bedroom apartment served by its own private stair. Support this proposal to be relocated;

·  the first inkling the residents had of this current application was a statutory notice issued by the City Council which caused quite a lot of consternation. A meeting of residents was called and it was decided to form the Magdalen Cottages Residents Association. Am speaking as honorary secretary to put forward objections and concerns of fellow residents;

·  at present the residents form a close-knit community centred on evening gatherings in the rear garden whenever weather permits. Any reduction in the number of residents will cause serious damage to their existing community, as some members will not return - community activities include shared shopping trips, food sharing, making preserves; and

·  the Trustees are members of the Almshouses Consortium who advise that upgrade of properties is necessary as, once they fall into disrepair, they become hard to let.

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

• Exeter Municipal Charities is a not-for-profit, Registered Provider of affordable housing in the City’s specifically for older people in financial need;
• the Magdalen Road properties are small and no longer meet the space standards or arrangement of accommodation in line with best practice, but these are Listed Buildings which precludes alterations that will affect the historic character for the site;
• the ground floor extension has been designed and consent has been granted. This is not possible at first floor level without significantly increasing the overall mass of the building which is not acceptable to the Conservation Officer. The proposal therefore seeks to re-organise and amalgamate flats within the existing structure resulting in a reduction in the number of dwellings from eight to five;
• Trustees would prefer not to lose flats but the structure and listing impose limitations on what can be achieved. The objective is to ensure that the dwellings lost are replicated elsewhere and a number of sites have been identified where the density could be increased to provide additional dwellings;
• the concerns of existing residents are acknowledged and all residents have been consulted and will be handled sensitively. As with the ground floor construction will be delayed, until there are sufficient voids into which existing residents can be moved and that those who wish to move back will be able to. Moving expenses will be covered and ensure that they do not pay more for rent than they currently pay;
• Trustees need to take a longer term approach to the housing and make sure it meets the needs of future residents if the purpose of the charity is to continue and, wherever possible, the Charity future proofs its buildings by providing the best standard it can. Without such dwellings the Charity will not be able to house the most vulnerable in society in the longer term; and
• request approval of the recommendations.

In response to a Member he confirmed that decanted residents would be offered alternative accommodation in one of the 150 units operated by the Charities in the City. It might also be the case that units within Magdalen Cottages could become vacant so these too could be offered.

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

RESOLVED that planning permission AND Listed Building Consent for internal alterations associated with the conversion of eight units into five units be APPROVED, subject to the following conditions:-