Issue - meetings

Description of application – Phased redevelopment of Allied Bakeries site.  Part demolition of former bakery.  Retention of original office and tower.  Redevelopment and alterations to retained distribution warehouse and workshop.  Creation of two new industrial units for B1(b), B1(c), B2 and B8 uses including service road, yards, parking and landscaping.

The Planning Officer gave an update on the report as follows:-

·  Only five trees would now be removed with two maple trees at the front of the site being retained.

·  The indicative soft landscaping scheme proposed the planting of 21 trees 4-5m in height.

·  Landscaping condition 9 would be updated to reflect the tree removals and to secure the minimum number and size of trees on the indicative landscaping plan.

·  Parking provision was reduced to 170 spaces.  Page 14, bullet point 1, and page 38, paragraph 4 had been amended to reflect this.  Contrary to TfL’s comments, Highways Officers were confident that the proposed number of spaces would not lead to a demand for on-street parking.

·  The first sentence of paragraph 2 on page 35 was amended to read:- ‘To the north elevation of the retained part of the existing warehouse, a 9.5m wide (approx..) extension will be provided along with a new external wall fitted with structural metal cladding panels and a dual pitched roof.’

·  Condition 2 was amended to update drawing numbers following submission of a revised site plan showing the addition of eight short stay cycle hoops (16 spaces).

Contrary to that stated in the report, no objections to the application had been received.

Committee Member and Ward Member Councillor Bear fully supported the application.  This was an important site within the Cray Valley Business Corridor and she welcomed its renovation subject to the proposed conditions, especially those relating to the replanting of trees and the parking provision.  While no objections had been received from residents, there were concerns that parking did not overspill onto the surrounding roads.  Councillor Bear moved that the application be granted.

Councillor Terry considered the application to be reasonable and in keeping with the existing industrial use within the area.  Conditions 24 and 25 would ensure that any future change of use would need to be considered via new planning applications.  Councillor Terry seconded the motion to grant permission.

Referring to Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTALs), Councillor Fawthrop stated that Transport for London assumed that people who live next to a train station would travel by train; similarly those residing near bus stops would use the bus but anyone living near a road would not wish to travel by car.  PTALs were flawed as they were not based on destination points.  In his view there could never be more than enough parking spaces.

Condition 19 (page 50) proposed that electric vehicle charging points would be provided to a minimum of 20%.  Councillor Fawthrop moved that this be increased to 25% as set out in the London Plan.  The Planning Officer advised that the proposed 20% complied with the current London Plan and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49