PUBLIC abc COMMITTEE REPORT 7 Planning Committee 13/07/2006 Report of Head of Planning and Strategic Transportation APPLICATION No. - 25998/C Description of Development - Erection of 31 bed hotel, alterations to public house and associated car parking and landscaping works Site - Toll Gate PH Holyhead Road Applicant - Mitchells & Butlers Retail Ltd Ward - Sherbourne R/2006/0214 R/2006/0214 INTRODUCTION • The purpose of this report is to consider the above application, which was deferred from your Committee meeting on 20th April 2006 in order that officers could further negotiate to secure a revised scheme. RECOMMENDATION • Planning Committee are recommended to grant planning permission subject to the conditions set out in the schedule. DESCRIPTION OF APPLICATION SITE • The site is located to the southern side of the Holyhead Road, close to the roundabout junction with Coundon Wedge Road • The Toll Gate Public House currently occupies the site, which is a two storey detached flat roof building. • The Toll Gate is a locally listed 1930's Art Deco style building, which is set within the north-west corner of the site. The building is a t a higher ground level than the adjacent public footpath on Holyhead road with a retaining wall and grass slope being in situ to the front boundary of the site. 1 • There is are currently two vehicle accesses to the site from Holyhead Road creating and 'in-out' system to the site and although it is predominantly used in this way there is nothing to prevent two way traffic to both accesses. • The is also a vehicular access to the site from Allesley Old Road which runs along the south-east boundary of the site and can provide for two-way traffic. • There is a tarmac car park available to the front of the site and to the side and rear of the existing building, which provides for approximately 81 car parking spaces. • To the south-east of the site is an area of green space which has been previously used as a bowling green / beer garden / children's play area in association with the public house and covers and area of approximately 2280 sq.m (approx. 30% of the whole site area) • This area of green space backs onto the boundary with residential properties on Allesley Old Road and is bounded to three sides by substantial tree planting. • Residential properties border the site to the south-east and south-west. • Land to the north of the site on the opposite side of Holyhead Road is within the Green Belt. PROPOSAL • Erection of 31 bed hotel, alterations to public house and associated car parking and landscaping works. • These are revised proposals following deferal of the previous application proposes the erection of a two-storey building with rectangular footprint to be set back 16m from the Holyhead Road frontage, with proposed parking area behind this and open space beyond this. • The building would have an overall depth of 14.8m and width of 34.4m, and is of a flat roofed design which reflects the deisgn of the Tollgate. • The rear elevation of the building is set between 36m and 52m from the rear boundary of the site. • The side elevation of the building is 11.8m from the boundary with 581 Holyhead Road. The exisitng landscaping screen adjacent to this boundary would be retained. • The proposals also involve the refurbishment of the existing Toll Gate PH/restaurant, • 78 parking spaces are proposed across the site to serve the existing PH/restaurant and proposed hotel. • The existing front of the site is to be remodelled and landscped to provide a patio area. • Both vehicular accesses into the site would be retained and each one would serve the parking areas. • The exisitng vehicular access that runs through the site to Allesley Old Road is to be closed to vehicular traffic and remain as a pedestrian access only. • A scheme for the landscaping of the site has been submitted with the application. 2 RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY • Following a visit to the site, at your meeting in April you decide to adjourn consideration of the application and indicated that officers should negotiate to eek a relocation of the proposed hotel building and its redesign, retain and enhanced landscaping to the frontage and rear of the site • An application for 'erection of two storey public house and conversion of existing public house to ancillary bedroom block with car parking and landscaping' (25998/B) was refused on 22/02/05. That proposed the conversion of the pub to a bedroom block and the construction of a new pub on the site of the former bowling green/beer garden. The reasons for refusal were:- - The proposed development pays little regard to the characteristics of the site, its topography and its existing landscape features and is of poor quality in terms of the proposed layout within the site, the juxtaposition of buildings and spaces and its design and relationship with respect to adjacent buildings and spaces. More specifically the proposal:- - a) would be contrary to Policies BE2 & BE14 of the Coventry Development Plan 2001 and the adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance 'Coventry Urban Design Guidance' by reason of the siting and design of the proposed building which would result in the introduction of an unsympathetic addition within the streetscene, out of keeping with its setting adjacent to the locally listed Toll Gate building; - b) would be contrary to Policy GE8 of the Coventry Development Plan 2001 as it would result in the loss of landscaping and the development of an area of Urban Green Space diminishing its openness and value with insufficient mitigation in terms of overall enhancement or compensatory measures; - c) would be contrary to Policies BE2 & S10 of the Coventry Development Plan 2001 by reason of the siting and layout of the proposed building and associated car parking in close proximity to residential properties, which would result in demonstrable harm to the amenities of the occupants of these properties, particularly No. 581 Holyhead Road from increased noise, disturbance and visual intrusion. • An appeal against this decision is currently being held in abeyance, pending the determination of this proposal. • Planning permission granted for 'extension to restaurant' on 10/10/84 (Ref. 25998/A) • Planning permission granted for 'alterations to block up existing window and provide new entrance foyer' on 9/6/71 (Ref. 25998) DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES • CDP: OS4, OS5, OS6, OS9, E4, AM17, AM22, BE2, BE14, GE8, GE14 • SPG : Coventry Urban Design Guidance adopted by planning committee on 29th July 2004 following public consultation in accordance with PPG12. • Draft SPG : Parking Standards cars, cycles and powered two wheelers, June 2004 3 • PPG: PPS1, PPG12, PPG13 STATUTORY CONSULTATION RESPONSES • None PUBLIC RESPONSES • Notification letters were sent to 2-12(evens) Dulverton Avenue, 571- 581(odds), 545, 143, Holly Cottage and Brooklands Grange Hotel – Holyhead Road, 620-662(evens), 664b and GTS cars – Allesley Old Road. • Site and press notices were posted on 9/2/06 • In respect of the proposals initially considered, the following comments were received: • Councillor Gary Ridley has objected to the proposed development as he considers that the building would be contrary to Policies BE2 & BE24 and would look ugly next to the existing Tollgate and would not be sympathetic to existing street design. The plans would result in a loss of urban green space and would lead to increased nose, activity and a lack of visual privacy. Consider that this is an unpopular development locally on which residents feel that they have not been consulted on or engaged with. • The occupier of 660 Allesley Old Road objects to the proposals as there are no details in respect of lighting or fencing. • The occupier of 642 Allesley Old Road has objected to the proposed development as they consider that the proposals are in many ways more objectionable than the previously refused scheme. They do not address in any way the loss of Urban Green Space. The design is wholly unsympathetic to its proposed location adjacent to the locally listed public house and to the existing street scene. There will be a material impact upon the amenities of properties that back onto the existing pub garden and, contrary to the assertions given in respect of the previous scheme, there is no justification to substantiate its acceptability. Also considers that the proposed level of parking would be insufficient and considers that proposals fail to comply with Policy E4 because the scheme would be incompatible with the adjacent residential properties and it has already been proven to be contrary to Policy GE8. • Representations have been received from Allesley & Coundon Wedge Society consider that the present application is a far superior layout with the new hotel well screened by existing trees and shrubs. Consider that although uninspiring it is unobtrusive and more respectful to the 'Art Deco' building. Consider that retention of trees is critical. Comments on the detail of the application are that the proposed replacement doors to the Toll Gate do not reflect the horizontal lines of the rest of the building due to their vertical emphasis. • Occupiers of 640 Allesley Old Road have commented that the plan will have a detrimental impact upon their home in terms of loss of privacy, noise and general disturbance. Particularly concerned about parking spaces proposed immediately to the rear of residential properties with constant noise from this and from any plant. The whole footprint of the hotel is set back from the Holyhead Road and this increases concerns over loss of privacy and general disturbance. 4 • Occupiers of 636 Allesley Old Road have raised concerns about the state of the entry that runs along the side of the site which has been a problem for fly tipping.