Agenda item

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

The report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the application which sought full planning permission for the erection of a two-storey front and part single, part two storey rear extension, alteration to existing roof and height of building (including provision of 8 dormers); conversion of the property into 3 residential units: 3 x 2 bedroom flats and use of forecourt for car parking cycle parking and bin stores.

Site Description

The application site was situated on the north side of Brookmans Avenue and consisted of a detached two storey dwelling house with integral garage.  The property was set back from the road frontage by approximately 14 metres; providing ample forecourt parking. The property is bound to the east and west by other similar styled detached properties; to the north of the site was the Brookmans Park Club (golf course).  The property was within walking distance of Bradmore Green shopping facilities and Brookmans Park Station.  A number of properties within the vicinity of the site have flatted accommodation: namely: Bradmore Way, Oaklands Avenue, Marlborough Court 1-12 Green Close, Station Road together with the neighbouring property 11 Brookmans Avenue.

Reason for Committee Consideration

The application was presented to the Development Management Committee because North Mymms Parish Council had objected to the application.

“There are no flats midway along any road in Brookmans Park and those existing are located at gateway points to the village. The building will be over-dominant in the street scene and there are no roof level front dormer windows in Brookmans Avenue. This is out of keeping and therefore inappropriate. Parking is a serious issue in Brookmans Avenue particularly at the bottom end, near the shops, where this property is located. The number of parking spaces is inadequate as local evidence shows that homes with two bedrooms generate at least two cars and this proposal provides no facility for visitor parking or delivery vehicles, and will result in the loss of the front garden”.

A number of comments were received from North Mymms Parish Council further to the re-consultation exercise undertaken on 21 April 2017.

Members gave consideration to the 4.5 car parking spaces allocated for the development and noted the sustainable travel with the site located 0.6 miles from Brookmans Park train station and bus services.  It was suggested that with modification to the car parking area there was scope to accommodate 5 cars.

Mr Salvatore Trupia (Applicant) spoke in support of the application.

North Mymms Parish Councillor B. Weeks spoke against the application.

RESOLVED:

(10 voting for and 5 against)

That planning permission be approved following the amendment 5(b) and additional condition at no. 8 for application 6/2017/0157/FULL subject to the following conditions:-

1.            No development shall take place until samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the building hereby granted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The development shall be implemented using the approved materials and subsequently, the approved materials shall not be changed.

REASON:  To ensure a satisfactory standard of development in the interests of visual amenity in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework and Policies D1 and D2 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.

2.               Any upper floor window located within the flank wall must be glazed with  obscure glass and fixed so as to be incapable of opening below a height of 1.7 metres above floor level and must be retained in that form thereafter.

REASON:  To ensure a satisfactory standard of development in the interests of residential amenity in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework and Policies D1 and D2 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.

3.               No development shall commence before details of the design and specification of the refuse and recycling storage areas to serve the residential units have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Subsequently the refuse and recycling materials storage bins and areas shall be constructed, equipped and made available for use prior to first occupation of the residential units hereby approved and retained in that form thereafter.

REASON:   To ensure a satisfactory standard of refuse and recycling provision and to protect the residential amenity of adjoining and future occupiers in accordance with Policies R5 and D1 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.

4.               No development shall commence before details of the, design and specification of the secure and weatherproof bicycle store to serve the residential units as shown on drawing number LO3 have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Subsequently the bicycle store shall be constructed, equipped and made available for use prior to first occupation of the residential units hereby approved and retained in that form thereafter.

REASON:   To ensure a satisfactory standard of cycle storage provision and to protect the residential amenity of adjoining and future occupiers in accordance with Policies D1, D5 and M6 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.

5.               No development shall take place until a suitably scaled plan showing detailed hard and soft landscape works has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall include details of:-

(a)       proposed means of enclosure and boundary treatments to all areas of the site;

(b)       permeable hard surfacing, other hard landscape features and materials;

(c)       planting plans, including specifications of species, sizes, planting centres, number and percentage mix, and details of seeding or turfing

(d)       management and maintenance details.

The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

REASON:   The landscaping of this site is required in order to protect and enhance the existing visual character of the area and to reduce the visual and environmental impacts of the development hereby permitted in accordance with Policies GBSP2, D2 and D8 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.

6.               All agreed landscaping comprised in the above details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the occupation of the first building, the completion of the development, or in agreed phases whichever is the sooner: and any plants which within a period of 5 years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species.  All landscape works shall be carried out in accordance with the guidance contained in British Standards 8545: 2014.

REASON: To ensure proper implementation of the agreed landscape details in the interest of the amenity value of the development in accordance with Policies D1, D2 and D8 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.

7.               Prior to occupation of the residential units hereby approved, the parking area shown on Drawing No. L03 shall be constructed in accordance with the approved details. Thereafter the car parking area must be permanently retained for the use of the occupiers of the development hereby permitted, and shall not be used for any other purpose.

REASON: To ensure proper implementation of the agreed parking details in the interest of the amenity value of the development in accordance with Policies D1, D2 and M14 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.

Additional condition below

8.               Notwithstanding the submitted plan, prior to commencement of the development hereby approved details of a parking layout shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval in writing.  This plan shall show the provision of 5 car parking spaces as well as information o demonstrate that the parking spaces are all usable.  The details on the approved plan shall be implemented prior to the occupation of the development hereby approved and the parking spaces retained for occupiers of the development permitted.

REASON:  In the interests of highway safety and to ensure sufficient off-street parking spaces are provided for future occupiers of the development in accordance with policy M14 of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005, Supplementary Planning Guidance Parking Standards, January 2004 and Interim Policy for Car Parking Standards and Garage Sizes, August 2014.

DRAWING NUMBERS

The development/works shall not be started and completed other than in accordance with the approved plans and details:

REASON: To ensure that the development is carried out in accordance with the approved plans and details.

POSITIVE AND PROACTIVE STATEMENT

The decision has been made taking into account, where practicable and appropriate the requirements of paragraphs 186-187 of the National Planning Policy Framework and material planning considerations do not justify a decision contrary to the development plan (see Officer’s report which can be viewed on the Council's website or inspected at these offices).