Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance).

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the erection of a five-storey community bridge building (1,257M2) for flexible use (B1/D1/D2 use classes) incorporating a minimum of 338 square metres of D2 use class floor space and the removal of the skate park.

The site lay within the Wheat Quarter redevelopment site, in Welwyn Garden City. The strategic site occupied a central position, to the east of the main railway line bounded by Broadwater Road, Bridge Road and Hyde Way and land adjoining the railway. 

The site was adjacent to the raised pedestrian footbridge which provided access to Welwyn Garden City train station, beyond to Howard Centre shopping mall and then serving as a gateway to the town centre. 

The site was currently accessed from Bridge Road, or via a pedestrian access off of Hydeway.

The area of land, which the proposed development would be located, had planning permission (6/2018/0171/MAJ) for the erection of a two storey building for the use of a train operating company (TOC) and the development of a skate park.

The TOC building would deliver 360m2 of B1 use floor space, designed to align with the quantum of space required by Network Rail. The skate park would deliver 338m2 of informal play provision, which falls under a class D2 use.

This application was presented to the Development Management Committee because it has been called in by Councillor Cowan on the grounds that the skate park was promised to the public from the inception of the project, indeed was a part of the Spenhill application, and to remove it at this late stage would be a major breach of faith with the public who had long looked forward to a purpose-built skate park in the town.

Officers announced that there were two minor errors in the report:-

Point 9.16 should be condition 52 not condition 47 and point 9.36 should read ‘In addition to this a mural is proposed on the western elevation’ not the eastern elevation.

Mr J Waterhouse, agent, spoke for the application saying that the new application was ideally suited to the site and was a big improvement. It would provide indoor D2 floor space which could be used for extended hours, especially in the Winter. This new space would create active, engaging and a more impressive entry to the site.

Councillor M.Cowan spoke against the application, saying that he objected to the loss of the skate park which was an enduring activity not provided for in Welwyn Garden City. The skate park at King George V Playing Fields was considered dangerous by skateboarders. Skateboarding was healthy and popular and now an Olympic sport. Councillor M.Cowan said that there were no details in the application about what activities would be available in the D2 space.

Members wanted it noted that they did not want planning applications to be re-submitted with previously approved areas within the application removed or changed.

With two consecutive votes, Officers attempted to determine the application but could not reach a firm decision with appropriate planning reasons.

Following further discussion, it was proposed and seconded by Councillors P.Hebden and S.Kasumu and

RESOLVED:

(7 voting for and 6 against)

That the application be deferred.