Agenda Item 4
PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING – 5th February 2014
Amendment/De-brief Sheet
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
CIRCULATION: First
ITEM: APPLICATION REF: 13/1747/FUL
Location: 177, 179, 193 And 195 Histon Road
Target Date: 28.01.2014
To Note: Email received from the Windsor Road Residents’ Association:
“Windsor Road Residents' Association wish to formally withdraw their objection to this development in view of the cooperation of the developers in attempting to solve the parking difficulties (and, of course, their implicit recognition that the occupiers of these flats will, indeed, have cars - a fact that has been repeatedly denied by other developers of small apartments in this area). Although we still have grave concerns about the number of small apartments being constructed when we believe the real need is for family housing, we do appreciate that this particular site would not be an appropriate or safe place to accommodate children ”
Email received from no.59 Windsor Road:
“In the light of the revisions to the above planning application, I wish to withdraw my objections”.
Amendments To Text: None
Pre-Committee Amendments to Recommendation: No change.
DECISION :
CIRCULATION: First
ITEM: APPLICATION REF: 13/1469/FUL
Location: Westminster College
Target Date: 07.01.2014
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Page 1 To Note:
Appendix A – Photo from Madingley Road/Lady Margaret Road junction is attached to the amendment sheet.
Letters of Support
The applicant has requested the following letters of support, which were included within the Design and Assess Statement, be brought to the Committee’s attention:
The Archbishop of Canterbury The Chief Rabbi Prince Hassan of Jordan
Officer Comments
The strong support for the principle of development is acknowledged. But this does not outweigh the significant harm to Heritage Assets in this context.
Further information
The applicants agent has submitted the following additional information:
Views Assessment
This shows a revised graphical analysis of key views within a winter street scene.
Officer Comment
The revised graphical analysis demonstrates how visible the building will be through the winter months. The site when viewed head on will reveal the excessive bulk and mass of the building. Officers do not agree that the drum is a ‘subservient reflection’ of Westminster College tower.
Additional statement on need and alternative options
Wesley House, Jesus Lane is no longer large enough to accommodate the Woolf Institute. Wesley House is to be sold shortly.
Given the purpose of the institute and its membership of the Cambridge Theological Federation (CTF), other sites occupied by members of the federation were considered the best solution for relocation.
Ridley Hall, Wescott House, was the only other option, but the site has no capacity for a new building.
The Woolf Institute is growing and must accommodate two funded PHD students a year and visiting fellows. Students and scholars should be accommodated together as is the case with other theological colleges. 2
Page 2 Officer Comments
While site sharing with another CTF member is no doubt desirable, there is no reason why the Institute could not be located elsewhere, as is the case with the other CTF institutions. There has been no adequate explanation as to why elements of the new institute, such as the student rooms, could not be accommodated within Westminster College to reduce the mass of the building. Catering will be within Westminster College, so there is already intended to be close practical arrangements between the two buildings.
Revised Transport Statement
The applicant contests the need for contributions towards the Western Corridor Area Transport Plan (WCATP). The document is considered out of date and it is considered unreasonable to request improvements or schemes that cannot be identified.
Officer Comment
The County Highways Authority is considering this response. I will update verbally at the Committee.
Amendments To Text: No amendments.
Pre-Committee Amendments to Recommendation: No amendments.
DECISION :
CIRCULATION: First
ITEM: APPLICATION REF: 13/1250/OUT
Location: Homerton Business Centre, Purbeck Road
Target Date: 07.01.2014
To Note:
The Council has received a DEMDET (permitted demolition notice) from the applicants in relation to most of the buildings on the site. The application includes a schedule of existing public art features that are going to be retained as part of the site clearance.
Further consultee response
A further consultation response has been received from the Environment Agency. 3
Page 3 They confirm that they no longer object to the application and recommend several conditions relating to surface water and contamination. These conditions already form part of the recommendations.
A further response has been received from the County Transport Team regarding the SCATP contributions . They have confirmed that they are willing to accept discounting the additional 238 trips that would be generated by students from the adjoining Purbeck House/Tripos Court sites and that they are also willing to accept that the SCATP contribution can be reduced by £16,120 due to the fact that an improvement to the cycle provision at the junction of Hills Road and Purbeck Road will be implemented. This is deemed to have a wider benefit to cyclists along the Hills Road corridor and is in accordance with the corridor plans.
A phased approach for the SCATP payment to reflect the College’s occupancy over a three year period is agreed
In conclusion this would leave the SCATP contribution at:
x £221,400 less £16,122 (i.e. the cost of improvements to the Hills Road and Purbeck Road junction) for Phase 1 (i.e. £205,278) and phased payment to reflect the occupancy of the College over a 3 year period (Phase 1). x Contribution of up to £191,511 (phase 2).
Amendments To Text: The financial contributions on page 134 in the table and the figures in paragraph 8.104 of the report are updated to reflected revised SCATP contributions as highlighted above.
Pre-Committee Amendments to Recommendation:
Materials
31. No application of materials (e.g. brickwork, blockwork, render, cladding, windows) of Block A shall commence until sample panels of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces has been prepared on site for inspection and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The brick sample panel shall be at least 1m x 1m and show the proposed material, bond and pointing technique. Other samples shall including roofing, cladding, render, coping, window samples and reveal depths, including samples and confirmation of the colour scheme for the trespa cladding to be used in the development. The development shall be constructed in accordance with the approved samples and details, which shall not be removed from the site until the completion of the development.
Reason: To ensure that the appearance of the external surfaces is appropriate (Cambridge Local Plan 2006 policies 3/4, 3/7, 3/12 and 3/14).
DECISION :
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Page 4 GENERAL ITEMS
CIRCULATION: First
ITEM: Elizabeth House Conditions
To Note:
Amendments To Text: None
Pre-Committee Amendments to Recommendation: None
DECISION :
CIRCULATION: First
ITEM: Unex House Public Art
To Note:
Amendments To Text: None
Pre-Committee Amendments to Recommendation: None
DECISION :
CIRCULATION: First
ITEM: Review of the Cambridge Design and Conservation Panel – Findings and Recommendations
To Note: The version of Appendix 3 (Terms of Reference and Constitution for the panel) that has been published did not include a tracked changes version as it should have. The tracked changes represent those changes officers recommend to the Terms of Reference that the Planning Committee should approve following review of the operations of the panel. The correct version of Appendix 3 including tracked changes will be circulated together with this amendment sheet.
Amendments To Text: None, the correct version of Appendix 3 will be provided and does not change the recommendation.
Pre-Committee Amendments to Recommendation: None.
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Page 5 DECISION :
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Page 6 Appendix A
View from Madingley Road/Lady Margaret Road Junction
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Page 8 APPENDIX 3
CAMBRIDGE CITY DESIGN AND CONSERVATION PANEL
TERMS OF REFERENCE AND CONSTITUTION
Latest revision Approved January 2011February 2014
1. PURPOSE OF THE PANEL
The Panel exists to support the City Council in delivering the Government and the Council’s design and conservation objectives ( PPS 1, PPS 5, as represented in the National Planning Policy Framework at paragraph 62 current Government policy guidance and the Cambridge Local Plan chapters 3 and 4 ). The purpose of the panel should be to help to secure the highest possible design quality of buildings and spaces, and to preserve and enhance the historic environment.
The Panel has 3 specific roles:
a) to provide a forum for pre-application presentation of, briefing for, and expert advice on, major or otherwise significant development proposals; b) to provide formal comments on submitted applications; c) to comment from time to time on contribute to Conservation Area Designations and Appraisals, and the development of other policies and guidance related to Design and Conservation and as noted in Section 5 below .
The Panel’s work will complement and support in-house officer expertise.
2. MAKE UP OF THE PANEL
The Panel will generally be made up of 4-6 persons at meetings, from a pool of 10-20. They will comprise individuals with skills in architecture, planning, urban design, landscape design, and the historic environment. Skills in sustainability, environmental services, sustainability and public art are also desirable. The following skills are also desirable: sustainability and environmental services, inclusive environments, and public art (as per “How to do design review - creating and running a successful panel”, http://www.cabe.org.uk/AssetLibrary/8641.pdf ).
The following bodies will be invited to nominate one or more members:-
o the Royal Institute of British Architects o the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors o the Royal Town Planning Institute o the Institute of Historic Building Conservation o the Landscape Institute o Cambridge Past Present and Future * o English Heritage * o University of Cambridge School of Architecture
Page 9 *Panel members from these organisations should declare an interest if their organisations position on an application prevents the panel member taking an objective view.
Other members will be co-opted by the Executive Councillor for Planning and Climate Change and Growth on the basis of their relevant skills and knowledge, in order to ensure a sufficient pool of expertise.
The City Council’s Design and Historic Environment Champions may attend ex officio .
Other Council Members are entitled to attend Panel meetings as observers.
Sub-Panels may be set up to consider applications of particular specialist interest, for example a sub group may be required to consider matters related to master plans submitted as part of large scale urban extensions or for changes affecting a conservation area. Where relevant, specialist groups may be invited to Panel, or to give advice prior to a meeting.
Panel members are required to send their apologies to the Chairperson or Historic Environment Manager when they are unable or do not wish to attend. Panel members unable to attend, but wishing to make comments on an item should submit brief notes at least 1 day in advance. In the interests of consistency, panel members are requested to make every effort to attend any second review of a scheme that they have previously taken part in reviewing.
3. CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR
The chair and vice-chair will be appointed, by invitation, on behalf of the City Council by the Executive Councillor for Planning and Climate Change and Growth . The term of chairmanship will normally be for 2 years. The chair will be paid an honorarium, to reflect the commitment involved.
4. THE MEETINGS
The City Council will arrange the Panel meetings, which will normally be every four weeks, and held at the Guildhall. Meetings will be scheduled annually (in June, when Committee dates have been agreed following the Council elections), one year in advance. Dates will be changed only in exceptional circumstances. Additional meetings, and meetings on site may also be arranged as necessary.
The meeting dates will be set to allow for comments to be submitted to the case officer in good time to be included in the main report to the following Planning Committee meeting.
Agendas will normally be produced by the City Council, in agreement with the Chair where necessary, and will be circulated by email. Agendas will identify the timing for discussions, and the proposals and the key issues to be considered at each meeting. Panel Members may request that applications are brought before them, and any reasonable requests will be met.
Page 10 The draft minutes will be produced by Council officers and approved by the Chair(or vice- chair in their absence) before being circulated to other members. A vote to approve the minutes will be taken at the subsequent meeting.
At least three members must be in attendance before the panel may have a quorum. Any decisions made when there are fewer than three members present will be subject to ratification at the next meeting.
5. MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION
The Panel will normally be asked to comment on the following: x Major new developments, and other proposals which are considered to have impacts or raise issues warranting advice from the Panel. x Proposals with major impacts on designated heritage assets (Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas, Historic Parks and Gardens, Scheduled Ancient Monuments). x Statutory development briefs/design guidance x Designation, boundary review, and Appraisals of Conservation Areas
The Panel may also be asked to comment on other applications at the discretion of the Director of Environment.
The evaluation of schemes by the Panel should include the following criteria: - response to context, - movement and access, - layout, - scale and massing, - open space/landscape, - detailed design (elevations and materials).
6. DECISION MAKING
Panel members should consider proposals on the basis of sound design principles and policy guidance. They should identify, with detailed critical observations, the positive and negative features of schemes. Panel members will be provided with guidance on the relevant planning policies.
Where feasible, the Panel are encouraged to reach a consensus view (as suggested by CABE) in terms of : “green light: a good scheme, or one which is acceptable subject to minor improvements; amber light: in need of significant improvements to make it acceptable, but not a matter of starting from scratch; red light: the scheme is fundamentally flawed and a fresh start is needed ”
Panel views shall be expressed to the Planning Committee without using jargon or complex
Page 11 terms, and should be clear and to the point. If Panel members are unable to agree, the advice should clearly reflect the basis of the disagreement and the issues involved. Issues or points which the Panel consider particularly significant may be highlighted in bold. A “Red”, “Amber” or “Green” verdict (or “RAG rating”) shall be recorded as appropriate for the proposal or project being considered.
7. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
Panel members should declare interests on the same basis as members do at Planning Committee. and these will be published in the form of a web-based general declaration of interests. In addition, any specific declarations from members should be made and recorded at each meeting.
8. AGENDAS AND PRESENTATIONS
Pre-application presentations are encouraged, to enable the Panel to contribute at an early stage of a proposal. However priority will be given, in drawing up agendas, to current applications. This is essential to enable the Council to meet Government targets for speed of decision-making. The scheduling of pre-application presentations will be at the Chair’s discretion.
Proposals may normally be presented a maximum of 2 times to the Panel. Any further presentation(s) will be at the Chair’s discretion, and dependent on the Chair being satisfied that the scheme has undergone a fundamental re-think meriting further input from the Panel.
Presentation information, addressing the evaluation criteria at section 5) aboveincluding draft design and access statements , must be provided 7 days before the meeting, to enable prior circulation to, and briefing of Panel members. Paper copies of key drawings sufficient to make comparisons between different aspects of a scheme or to assess the importance of changes to the design, are still required. Models are encouraged. Planning case officers will be present to help assist panel with factual information related to proposals being considered.
Presentations not received by this deadline will be postponed to the next meeting. The length of the presentation will be at the Chair’s discretion, with a maximum of twenty minutes. The architect will then answer any questions and be asked to leave the meeting before discussion on the merit of the scheme takes place.
Desk-review sessions will be held for smaller-scale proposals, where members meet with officers but the applicant is not present. Such desk review could take place at a regular panel meeting if time permits.
9. REPORTING OF DECISIONS
The City Council officers will report the Panel’s advice to the relevant case officer, who will in turn ensure that Panel’s comments are attached in full to any relevant committee report.
Page 12 The Panel chair, or a representative where appropriate, may be invited to attend the City’s Planning Committee to inform the Committee of the Panel’s discussions in relation to applications considered.
Feedback on the outcome of planning decisions will be given to Panel members. The Council will arrange an annual day of site visits, to enable Panel members to review outcomes of applications considered.
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