Agenda item

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report for the variation  of Condition 2 'plan numbers' on planning application EPF/1269/15 (Demolition of existing Public House and 10 and 12 Newmans Lane and construction of 8 x 1 bed flats and 22 x 2 bed flats in two blocks with undercroft parking and landscaping).

                       

Alterations to include: enlarged communal  deck,  removal  of  upper communal  area,  change to balcony design/size, alterations to window design,  walls  to roof terraces, alterations to materials,  grills  at  car park  level  replaced by brick lattice and internal alterations.

The Assistant Director of Governance (Development Management) presented a report for the variation of Condition 2 ‘Plan Numbers’ on planning application EPF/1269/15 (Demolition of existing Public House and 10 & 12 Newmans Lane and construction of 8 x 1-bedroom flats and 22 x 2-bedroom flats in two blocks with undercroft parking and landscaping) at the site of the former Golden Lion Public House in Borders Lane, Loughton. This application was before the Committee as it was considered a major category application (more than ten dwellings) as defined by the Department of Communities & Local Government for development on Council-owned land.

 

The Assistant Director reported that the site was roughly rectangular and situated on the north side of Borders Lane at the junction with Newmans Lane. The site was well screened at the junction by existing vegetation with the southern part of the site grassed over. Several trees were preserved, including a veteran Oak tree. The southern part of the site contained the Public House building, with a car parking area to the north. Beyond the car park was 10 & 12 Newmans Lane, a pair of semi-detached two storey dwellings; no. 10 was unoccupied and was currently boarded up due to subsidence issues. The land to the east of the site was a relatively recently developed housing estate and was previously the ‘upper’ site to Epping Forest College. Demolition work had started on the site. The proposed alterations included an enlarged communal deck, removal of the upper communal area, changes to the balcony design and size, alterations to the window design, wall to roof terraces, alterations to materials, the grills at car park level to be replaced by brick lattice and internal alterations.

 

The Assistant Director informed the Committee that Planning Officers had concluded the proposed amendments to the approved scheme were considered acceptable and did not give rise to any excessive design or amenity issues. There was one small change suggested to condition 4, adding the words “…of Block B…” to be clear which block the condition was referring to, and with that amendment, the proposal was recommended for approval.

 

The Committee noted the summary of representations received in respect of this application, including one letter of objection and two letters raising concerns about the proposals from nearby residential dwellings. There were no public speakers registered for this application, so the Committee proceeded to debate the application.

 

In response to questions from the Committee, the Assistant Director stated that all of the flats in a block would have access to the first floor communal area, although some of the flats did have their own balcony. The parking provision remained as per the original application, which was considered acceptable given the sustainable location of the site.

 

Cllr Kane highlighted that the communal area on the second floor was being removed from the scheme, and the first floor communal area had been increased in depth by 4 metres to compensate. Cllr Pond also requested that the use of fire-proof cladding for the buildings be communicated to the Council’s Building Control Inspectors as an informative.

 

Decision:

 

(1)        That planning application EPF/0816/17 at The Golden Lion, Borders Lane, Loughton be granted permission subject to the following conditions:

           

1.           The development hereby permitted must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this notice.

 

2.           The development hereby permitted will be completed strictly in accordance with the approved drawings nos: PL10A, 14739-001, 14739-002, 14739-004,  14739-005, 14739-006, 14739-007, 14739-008, 14739-009, 14739-010, 14739-011, 14739-012, 14739-013, 14739-014, 17/2633-600, 17/2633-601, 17/2633-602, 17/2633-700 and 17/2633-701

 

3.           No construction works above ground level shall take place until documentary and photographic details of the types and colours of the external finishes have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority, in writing. The development shall be implemented in accordance with such approved details.

 

4.           Prior to first occupation of the development hereby approved, the proposed first and second floor window openings in the north east facing (serving hall/landing areas) and east facing windows (serving hall/landing areas, non habitable rooms) of Block B (labelled as elevation D on drawing number 17/2633-602) shall be entirely fitted with obscured glass and have fixed frames to a height of 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed and shall be permanently retained in that condition.

 

5.         No development shall take place, including any works of demolition, until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Statement shall provide for:

 

-           the parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors;

-           loading and unloading of plant and materials;

-           storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development;

-           the erection and maintenance of security hoarding includingdecorative displays and facilities for public viewing, where    appropriate;

-           measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during construction, including wheel washing; and

-           a scheme for recycling / disposing of waste resulting from  demolition and construction works.

 

6.         No development above ground level shall take place until details of levels have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority showing cross-sections and elevations of the levels of the site prior to development and the proposed levels of all ground floor slabs of buildings, roadways and accessways and landscaped areas. The development shall be carried out in accordance with those approved details.

 

7.         All construction/demolition works and ancillary operations, including vehicle movement on site which are audible at the boundary of noise sensitive premises, shall only take place between the hours of 07.30 to 18.30 Monday to Friday and 08.00 to 13.00 hours on Saturday, and at no time during Sundays and Public/Bank Holidays unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

8.         No development shall take place until full details of both hard and soft landscape works (including tree planting) and implementation programme (linked to the development schedule) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. These works shall be carried out as approved. The hard landscaping details shall include, as appropriate, and in addition to details of existing features to be retained: proposed finished levels or contours; means of enclosure; car parking layouts; other minor artefacts and structures, including signs and lighting and functional services above and below ground. The details of soft landscape works shall include plans for planting or establishment by any means and full written specifications and schedules of plants, including species, plant sizes and proposed numbers /densities where appropriate. If within a period of five years from the date of the planting or establishment of any tree or shrub or plant, that tree, shrub, or plant or any replacement is removed, uprooted or destroyed or dies or becomes seriously damaged or defective, another tree or shrub or plant of the same species and size as that originally planted shall be planted at the same place, unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation.

 

9.         No development, including works of demolition or site clearance, shall take place until a Tree Protection Plan Arboricultural Method Statement and site monitoring schedule in accordance with BS:5837:2012 (Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction - recommendations) has been submitted to the Local Planning Authority and approved in writing. The development shall be carried out only in accordance with the approved documents unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation.

 

10.       Prior to the first occupation of the development the access, vehicle parking and turning areas as indicated on the approved plans shall be provided, hard surfaced, sealed and marked out. The access, parking and turning areas shall be retained in perpetuity for their intended purpose.

 

11.       Prior to the first occupation of the development the existing vehicular access shall be permanently closed off incorporating the reinstatement of the footway and full height kerbing.

 

12.       Prior to first occupation of the development the developer shall be responsible for the implementation of Real Time Passenger Information, to Essex County Council specification, to the south-bound bus stop adjacent to the site.

 

13.       Prior to first occupation of the proposed development, the Developer shall be responsible for the provision and implementation per dwelling - of a Residential Travel Information Pack for sustainable transport, approved by Essex County Council, to include six one day travel vouchers for use with the relevant local public transport operator.

 

14.       There shall be no discharge of surface water onto the Highway.

 

15.       No unbound material shall be used in the surface treatment of the vehicular access within 6 metres of the highway boundary.

 

16.       Before each phase of development approved by this planning permission, a detailed surface water drainage scheme for the site, based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydrogeological context of the development, should be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The scheme should be based on the surface water drainage statement referenced:

           

            A3433/NSW/SurfaceWaterDrainageStatement/TheGoldenLionPC

           

            issued 18 November 2015 for approved consent EPF/1269/15.

 

17.       The scheme shall include:

 

-           A survey of existing drainage on site. Once the survey has been conducted the applicant should demonstrate permission from the relevant water body for any proposed connection to a surface water sewer.

-           Infiltration testing in line with BRE 365 and a ground survey to confirm underlying soils and groundwater levels. If infiltration testing is found to be viable, this method should be utilized where feasible with run-off rates from the site restricted to a maximum of 4.8l/s for the 1 in 1, 8.3l/s for the 1 in 30 and 9.7l/s for the 1 in 100 inclusive of climate change event. If infiltration is found to be unviable run-off rates from the site should be restricted to a maximum of 5l/s for the 1 in1, 8.5l/s for the 1 in 30 and 10l/s for the 1 in 100 inclusive of climate change event.

-           Storage for the 1 in 100 year event inclusive of climate change storm event.

-           An appropriate level of treatment for all runoff leaving the site in line with CIRIA Guidance.

-           Details of final exceedance and conveyance routes.

 

18.       The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed.

 

19.       The development hereby permitted shall not be commenced until such time as a scheme to minimise the risk of offsite flooding caused by surface water run-off and groundwater during construction works has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The scheme shall be implemented as approved.

 

20.       Prior to commencement of the development the applicant must submit a Maintenance Plan detailing the maintenance arrangements including who is responsible for different elements of the surface water drainage system and the maintenance activities/frequencies.

 

21.       The adopting body responsible for maintenance of the surface water drainage system shall record yearly logs of maintenance which should be carried out in accordance with any approved Maintenance Plan. These must be available for inspection upon a request by the Local Planning Authority.

 

22.       No development shall take place until details of surface water disposal have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be implemented in accordance with such agreed details.

 

23.       The development shall be carried out only in accordance with the Daytime Bat Assessment Report by Betts Ecology unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation. If any bats are found during this demolition all works must stop immediately and advice sort from a fully licenced ecologist.

 

24.       Prior to first occupation of the development hereby approved, the proposed screen around the communal terrace shall be fitted with a brick wall to a height of 1.3m with a 0.5m obscured glass screen on top as shown on drawing No. 14739-014 and shall be permanently retained in that condition.