ROYAL BOROUGH OF WINDSOR & MAIDENHEAD PLANNING COMMITTEE WINDSOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PANEL 3 February 2016 Item: 1 Application 15/03789/FULL No.: Location: 94 - 94A Dedworth Road Windsor Proposal: Change of use from B1 to D1 including place of Worship Applicant: Mr Mohamed - WMA Agent: Mr Mushtaq Deshmukh - The Architects Co. Parish/Ward: Clewer North Ward If you have a question about this report, please contact: Susan Sharman on 01628 685320 or at [email protected] 1. SUMMARY 1.1 Local Plan policies support, in principle, the provision of new community facilities such as the proposal. However, in this case, on the information available and because of the sites close proximity to residential properties, the proposal has the potential to harm the amenities of neighbours by reason of the noise and disturbance arising from the comings and goings of people using the facility. These are not matters that could be controlled by planning conditions. 1.2 In addition, there is a significant lack of on-site parking provision and very limited parking within the vicinity of the site, such that the majority of visitors arriving by car are likely to circumnavigate the area in search of parking and likely park on surroundings roads causing congestion that would be detrimental to the safety of other road users and pedestrians. It is recommended the Panel refuses planning permission for the following summarised reasons (the full reasons are identified in Section 10 of this report): 1. Potential noise and disturbance would be harmful to the amenities of the neighbours, contrary to Policy CF3 of Local Plan and a Core Planning Principle of the NPPF. 2 Lack of on-site parking, leading to on-street parking and drivers circumnavigating the area in search of parking causing congestion detrimental to the safety of other roads users and pedestrians. 2. REASON FOR PANEL DETERMINATION At the request of Councillor E. Wilson for the reason that the application has attracted considerable comment from local residents and online petitions both for and against the application. The Panel will need to consider comments from officers in light of resident interest irrespective of the recommendations made. 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS 3.1 The application site is located on the north side of Dedworth Road close to the mini-roundabout at St. Andrews Avenue and the junction with Vale Road (B3025). The area has a busy, mixed character of residential and commercial units. Residential properties lie immediately to the north, east and west of the site with a parade of shops opposite to the south and south-east. 3.2 The application site is occupied by a two-storey property (previously a house) with a long, single storey rear addition that extends the full length of the plot. The first floor of the main building is a flat, while the ground floor and the rear extension were last used as an office (the previous business having vacated the property). An area of hard standing lies to the east (side) of the building and at the front. 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL AND ANY RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY Ref. Description Decision and Date 96/75260/FULL Change of use of ground floor from Class A2 Approved (Financial and Professional Services) to Class 07.03.97 B1(a) (Offices). 06/02172/FULL Single storey office extension to B1 premises Approved following removal of container. 14.11.06 14/02781/CLASSJ Change of use of B1 office building to 1 x 3 bed, Prior approval required 1 x 1 bed and 3 x studio flats and retention of and granted existing first floor flat. 14.10.14 4.1 The application seeks planning permission for the change of use of the ground floor (circa 265sq.m) from B1 office use to D1 including a place of worship. In this case the applicant, Windsor Muslim Association (WMA), proposes to use the building as a community centre generally, including for after-school education, educational visits, as an exhibition centre, for interfaith group meetings, as a prayer facility for the Muslim community, as a food bank and small soup kitchen, as a social club for the elderly and for counselling purposes. It is understood that the WMA is currently located at the community centre in Hanover Way, but wishes to relocate to larger premises to meet the growing demand for its services. 4.2 The application form confirms that there will be 2 full-time and 2 part-time employees, that there are 15 car parking spaces plus 1 disabled parking space on site and that the hours of opening are unknown. 5. MAIN RELEVANT STRATEGIES AND POLICIES RELEVANT TO THE DECISION 5.1 National Planning Policy Framework, Sections 17, 69 and 70 Royal Borough Local Plan 5.2 The main strategic planning considerations applying to the site and the associated policies are: Highways & Community Employment Parking issues Facilities Local Plan E6 CF2, CF3 T5, P4 5.3 Supplementary planning documents adopted by the Council relevant to the proposal are: ● Sustainable Design and Construction ● Planning for an Ageing Population More information on these documents can be found at: http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/pp_supplementary_planning.htm Other Local Strategies or Publications 5.4 Other Strategies or publications relevant to the proposal are: ● RBWM Parking Strategy - view at: http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/web_pp_supplementary_planning.htm 6. EXPLANATION OF RECOMMENDATION 6.1 The key issues for consideration are: i Whether the principle of the proposed development is acceptable; ii The impact of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area; iii The impact of the proposal on the living conditions of neighbours; iv Parking provision and highway safety. Whether the principle of the proposed development is acceptable 6.2 The proposal would involve the loss of B1 office space. The Local Plan, under Policy E6, advises that outside of identified employment areas, the Borough Council will generally support proposals for the redevelopment of sites in existing business use to alternative uses such as housing, recreation, social or community development. This is subject to the proposals having no unacceptable adverse impact on locally available employment opportunities and their compatibility with other policies in the Local Plan. As the application site is not within an identified employment area and would not adversely impact on locally available employment opportunities, there is no objection to the loss of the office space. 6.3 Policy CF2 of the Local Plan, in respect to the provision of new community facilities, states that the Borough Council will permit proposals for new community facilities which meet the needs of local residents provided that: 1) adequate access and car parking can be provided in accordance with the Council’s adopted standards and, 2) adequate access and facilities are provided for people with disabilities. Policy CF3 states that proposals involving the change of use of residential property to a community facility will be permitted where:1) it is essential that the facility is located within a residential area, and 2) the criteria in Policy CF2 are satisfied. 6.4 Accordingly, policies in the Local Plan support the principle of the proposed change of use, subject to compliance with other policies in the Local Plan. The impact of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area 6.5 The site is located off a busy road facing an active shopping area and the proposal does not involve any external changes to the building on site. For these reasons it is not considered that the proposal would harm the character and appearance of the area. The impact of the proposal on the living conditions of neighbours 6.6 The site abuts residential properties on three sides. The west elevation of the single storey rear part of the building forms the rear boundary to numbers 1 and 2 Vale Road, with the dwellings on these sites being set only a few metres back. 2a and 2b Vale Road are also in very close proximity to the application building and the rear garden of 92 Dedworth Road is immediately adjacent to the area of hardstanding (used for parking) on the east side of the building. 6.7 No information has been provided with the application in respect of hours of opening and numbers of people expected to attend the community centre. However, the applicant’s existing website advises that it is fund raising for new premises due to its increasing number of activities and growing presence. It advises that it is currently renting premises but is unable to conduct most of its activities because of unavailability of bookings on an ad-hoc basis. The website advises that although the association is able to hold Friday Sermon, it is becoming increasingly uncomfortable to rush people due to running out of allocated rental time slot and hence they have to disperse the crowd. The WMA’s website also shows that classes are run 7 days a week, including every evening with the exception of Friday, plus Friday Sermon and Prayer and functions such as weddings on Sunday evenings. 6.8 Policy CF3 of the Local Plan addresses the issues of providing community facilities within residential areas and states within paragraph 3.3.3 that the type of property suitable for such use would be detached and “well separated from its neighbours.” Based on the information from the applicant’s website it is considered that the proposal has the potential to lead to a material intensification of activity at the application site. Given the site’s close proximity to neighbouring properties this increase in activity has the potential to harm the residential amenities in the neighbourhood.