Simon Fowler Avison Young – UK By email only Our Ref: APP/E5330/W/19/3233519 Date: 30 July 2020 Dear Sir CORRECTION NOTICE UNDER SECTION 57 OF THE PLANNING AND COMPULSORY PURCHASE ACT 2004 Land at Love Lane, Grand Depot Road, John Wilson Street, Thomas Street, and Woolwich New Road, Woolwich SE18 6SJ for 1. A request for a correction has been received from Winckworth Sherwood on behalf of the Appellant’s in respect of the Secretary of State’s decision letter on the above case dated 3 June 2020. This request was made before the end of the relevant period for making such corrections under section 56 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (the Act), and a decision has been made by the Secretary of State to correct the error. 2. There is a clear typographical error in the IR, specifically at IR12.18 where there is an incorrect reference to Phase 4 when the intention was to refer to Phase 3. The correction relates to this reference only and is reflected in the revised Inspector’s report attached to this letter. 3. Under the provisions of section 58(1) of the Act, the effect of the correction referred to above is that the original decision is taken not to have been made. The decision date for this appeal is the date of this notice, and an application may be made to the High Court within six weeks from the day after the date of this notice for leave to bring a statutory review under section 288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. 4. A copy of this letter has been sent to Royal Borough of Greenwich and Speak Out Woolwich. Yours faithfully Jean Nowak Authorised by Secretary of State to sign in that behalf Jean Nowak, Decision Officer Tel: 0303 4441626 Ministry of Housing, Communities & Email: [email protected] Local Government Planning Casework Unit 3rd Floor Fry Building 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF Our ref: APP/E5330/W/19/3233519 Simon Fowler Your ref: 17/2812/F Avison Young – UK Associate Director 5 Bolton Street London W1J 8BA 2 June 2020 Dear Sir TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 – SECTION 78 APPEAL MADE BY MEYER HOMES LTD LAND AT LOVE LANE, GRAND DEPOT ROAD, JOHN WILSON STREET, THOMAS STREET, AND WOOLWICH NEW ROAD, WOOLWICH SE18 6SJ APPLICATION REF: 17/2812/F 1. I am directed by the Secretary of State to say that consideration has been given to the report of Paul Griffiths BSc(Hons) BArch IHBC, who held a public local inquiry that opened on 19 November 2019 into your client’s appeal against the decision of The Royal Borough of Greenwich to refuse your client’s application for planning permission for the construction of 27 storey building comprising 1,056sqm (GIA) of commercial floorspace (Classes A1, A2, A3, B1 and D1) at ground and first floor, and 206 residential units at upper floors, cycle parking, refuse and recycling storage, plant and external amenity space, and external landscaping and improvements to public realm (Phase 3) and construction of buildings between 9 and 16 storeys comprising 1,793sqm (GIA) of commercial floorspace (Classes A1, A3 and B1) at ground floors of Buildings A, B, C, D and H and 598 residential units at upper floors, car and cycle parking, refuse and recycling storage, plant, external amenity space, alterations to the roof of loading bay, and external landscaping and improvements to public realm (Phase 4) in accordance with application ref:17/2812/F, dated 31 August 2017. 2. On 19 September 2019, this appeal was recovered for the Secretary of State's determination, in pursuance of section 79 of, and paragraph 3 of Schedule 6 to, the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Inspector’s recommendation and summary of the decision 3. The Inspector recommended that the appeal be dismissed. 4. For the reasons given below, the Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector’s conclusions, and agrees with his recommendation. He has decided to dismiss the appeal. A copy of the Inspector’s report (IR) is enclosed. All references to paragraph numbers, unless otherwise stated, are to that report. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government Tel: 0303 444 1626 Jean Nowak, Decision Officer Email: [email protected] Planning Casework Unit 3rd Floor Fry Building 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF Environmental Statement 5. In reaching this position, the Secretary of State has taken into account the Environmental Statement which was submitted under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 and the environmental information submitted in the lead up to the Inquiry, following the designation of the Woolwich Conservation Area by the Council. Having taken account of the Inspector’s comments at IR1.8, the Secretary of State is satisfied that the Environmental Statement and the further environmental information complies with the above Regulations and that sufficient information has been provided for him to assess the environmental impact of the proposal. Procedural matters 6. The 2019 Housing Delivery Test results were published on 13 February 2020. The Council's score changed from 108% to 90% which requires the Council to produce an Action Plan. The Secretary of State is satisfied that this does not affect his decision, and does not warrant further investigation or a referral back to parties. Matters arising since the close of the inquiry 7. On 14 April 2020, the Secretary of State wrote to the main parties to afford them an opportunity to comment on representations made by the London Historic Buildings Trust dated 25 November 2019. These representations were circulated to the main parties on 1 May 2020. 8. The Secretary of State is satisfied that the issues raised do not affect his decision, and no other new issues were raised in this correspondence to warrant further investigation or necessitate additional referrals back to parties. A list of representations which have been received since the inquiry is at Annex A. Copies of these letters may be obtained on written request to the address at the foot of the first page of this letter. Policy and statutory considerations 9. In reaching his decision, the Secretary of State has had regard to section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 which requires that proposals be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 10. In this case the development plan consists of the London Plan 2016 (LP) and the Royal Greenwich Local Plan Core Strategy (CS) with detailed policies 2014. The LP identifies Woolwich as an Opportunity Area and recognises it as a Major Town Centre within the strategic hierarchy. The Secretary of State considers that relevant development plan policies include those set out at IR5.1-5.25. 11. Other material considerations which the Secretary of State has taken into account include the National Planning Policy Framework (‘the Framework’) and associated planning guidance (‘the Guidance’), as well as The Royal Borough of Greenwich Emerging Site Allocations Document; the Housing SPG published by the Mayor in March 2016 (IR5.26) and includes documents referred to in Section 4 of the Statement of Common Ground (SoCG). 12. In accordance with section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (the LBCA Act), the Secretary of State has paid special regard to the 2 desirability of preserving those listed buildings potentially affected by the proposals, or their settings or any features of special architectural or historic interest which they may possess. Emerging plan 13. The emerging plan comprises the Draft London Plan (December 2019). The Secretary of State considers that the emerging policies of most relevance to this case include those set out at IR5.36 and include policy SD1(B)(2) which supports development that creates housing choice for Londoners. Woolwich will remain an Opportunity Area in the emerging London Plan, and the Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector’s view at IR5.36 that broadly speaking the policies pull in similar directions to those of the adopted London Plan. 14. Paragraph 48 of the Framework states that decision makers may give weight to relevant policies in emerging plans according to: (1) the stage of preparation of the emerging plan; (2) the extent to which there are unresolved objections to relevant policies in the emerging plan; and (3) the degree of consistency of relevant policies to the policies in the Framework. The emerging London Plan is at an advanced stage of preparation, and the Secretary of State has directed the areas where changes must be made. The policies which are relevant to this case where changes must be made includes SD1 (Opportunity Areas). However, details of the way in which the Plan will deliver the aims set out in the Secretary of State’s directions are not yet finalised. The Secretary of State therefore considers that these policies in the emerging Plan carry moderate weight. He considers that other policies in the emerging Plan, where no modifications have been directed, carry significant weight. Main issues Design impact on the character and appearance of the area 15. The Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector’s approach at IR12.5-12.14. He has carefully considered the Inspector’s analysis of the design issue at IR12.15-12.27. For the reasons given in those paragraphs, he agrees with the Inspector (IR12.16) that the Phase 4 proposal would lift an underused site, hide the unattractive rear of the Phase 2 building, and provide new public spaces which would enhance its immediate surroundings. 16. He further agrees with the Inspector at IR12.22 that, when viewed in isolation, the design of the Phase 3 building is very pleasing and, when viewed from very close up, it would fit in well with its surroundings.