Agenda item

Report DRR16/026

Description of application – Demolition of the existing buildings and redevelopment of the site by the erection of a basement plus part 8 part 9 storey building comprising 253 residential units (128 x one bed; 115 x two bed and 10 x three bed units) together with the construction of an estate road, car and cycle parking spaces and landscaping of the east part of the site to form an open space accessible to the public.

The Planning Officer reported the following:-

Correspondence

A copy of a letter from Relta Limited dated 8 February 2016 was e-mailed and tabled to Members, together with an earlier Relta letter dated 26 January 2016.

The letter of 8 February 2016 included a draft report (also tabled) which was a critique of the deliverability of sites within the Bromley Town Centre Area Action Plan (BTCAAP), although it noted that 413 dwellings may be delivered over the coming five years.  The earlier letter of 26 January 2016 expressed Relta’s concerns about the Housing Zone bid for Bromley Town Centre and sought information about that bid.

Officer Report – Supplementary Comments to the Agenda

The officer report (p32) addressed the issue of housing need and supply.  It noted that the five-year housing land supply paper was agreed by the Council in June 2015 and concluded that the Borough does have a five-year housing land supply.  This was of particular relevance to the consideration of the planning application.  The Housing Supply Policy in the London Plan Policy 3.3 (March 2015) and the principal evidence on which it was based, were both recent.  The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment 2013 (SHLAA) was evidence of an adequate housing land supply in the Borough.  The Development Plan process, as noted on page 33 of the agenda, was underway and would consider the longer term land allocation in due course.  The Housing Zone was currently awaiting a Mayoral announcement.

In conclusion, the Planning Officer reported that the officer recommendation remained as set out in the agenda (subject to the update below).

The Planning Officer gave a summary of the following update which was circulated to the Committee in writing:-

Update to Officer Report

Following publication of the report, comments from the Council’s Housing Team were received and summarised as follows:-

·  Whilst it was appreciated that the proposed split was reflective of the wider mix on site, the proportion of one bedroom units proposed for the affordable housing element was quite high.

·  Ideally the Housing Team would prefer a split with a larger proportion of family sized units and to lose some of the one bedroom units to achieve this.

·  This would be preferable in management terms and better reflective of the housing needs in the borough at this time, with more than 60% of need for 2 bedroom accommodation.

Similar comments were made in respect of the previous application and the proposed unit mix had been considered in detail in the officer report and found to be acceptable in this case.  This information did not therefore alter the conclusions of the report or the officer recommendation.

Update to Recommendation

As a result of the requirement to refer the application back to the Mayor of London following any resolution to determine the application by the Council, a formal decision on the application would not be issued within the statutory 13 week determination period, which expired on 10 February 2016. 

The applicant’s agent had advised in correspondence received following publication of the report that in the event of the Committee resolving to grant permission, an extension of time would be agreed.  However, should the Committee decide not to approve the application, the applicant would proceed to submit an appeal following expiry of the statutory period set for the determination of the application.

The recommendation in the officer report was therefore updated to: RECOMMENDATION: REFUSE (SUBJECT TO ANY DIRECTION BY THE MAYOR OF LONDON) OR IN THE EVENT THAT AN APPEAL AGAINST NON-DETERMINATION IS LODGED, RESOLVE TO CONTEST THE APPEAL for the reasons set out in the report.

Councillor Mellor, Ward Member for Copers Cope, commended Mr Hamilton for producing an excellent, well-crafted report which considered both the merits and demerits of the current application.

On the basis that his views remained consistent with those reported during consideration of the previous application on 24 September 2015, Councillor Mellor moved that permission be refused.

Councillor Fawthrop seconded the motion for refusal.

Referring to the comments from consultees (page 19 of the report), Councillor Auld stated that should a further variation to the application be submitted in the future, consideration must be given to the fact that very special circumstances had not been demonstrated to outweigh the harm to the openness of MOL and that the applicant would be required to conduct a financial viability assessment to demonstrate that the maximum reasonable amount of affordable housing was being delivered.

Members having considered the report and objections, RESOLVED that the application BE REFUSED (SUBJECT TO ANY DIRECTION BY THE MAYOR OF LONDON) OR IN THE EVENT THAT AN APPEAL AGAINST NON-DETERMINATION IS LODGED, RESOLVE TO CONTEST THE APPEAL for the reasons set out in the report.