Agenda item

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 assumed Councillor Fawthrop was referring to the new draft London Plan which made it difficult to justify an increase to 25%.

As Design Heritage Champion, Councillor Bennett was disappointed not to be consulted on this locally listed building.  While it was important for the site to be returned to economical use, he was uncomfortable with the proposal to demolish the post-war addition of the south block which balanced the building.  The height of the buildings behind the tower dominated what was a stand-alone building.  For these reasons, Councillor Bennett could not support the application but he did second Councillor Fawthrop’s motion to increase the provision of electric vehicle charging points.

Councillor Harmer supported the application which complied with planning policies and was satisfied with the proposed provision of 20% electric vehicle charging points.  The Planning Officer advised Councillor Harmer that a condition relating to restricted permitted development rights had been included to protect against change of use should the business space proposal not be successful.

Members RESOLVED that the application be granted as recommended, subject to the conditions and informatives, set out in the report of the Chief Planner with conditions 2 and 9 amended to read:-

‘2  The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out otherwise than in complete accordance with the plans and documents listed in this condition unless previously agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority:

Site plans/elevations/floor plans: 11020 PL: 001; 002; 003; 004; 005 A; 006; 007 C; 012; 013; 021; 022; 025; 031 A; 032 A; 033 B; 041 A; 042 A; 051 A; 054; 055; EDS 07-3102.01 A.

Reason: To prevent any unacceptable deviation from the approved plans.

9  (1)  Prior to commencement of above ground construction details of treatment of all parts on the site not covered by buildings shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The site shall be landscaped strictly in accordance with the approved details in the first planting season after completion or first occupation of the development, whichever is the sooner.  Details shall include:

1)  A scaled plan showing all existing vegetation and landscape features to be retained and trees and plants to be planted which shall include the use of a minimum of 30% native plant species of home grown stock (where possible) and no invasive species;

2)  location, type and materials to be used for hard landscaping including specifications, where applicable for:

  a)  permeable paving

  b)   tree pit design

  c)  underground modular systems

  d)  sustainable urban drainage integration

  e)  use within tree Root Protection Areas (RPAs)

3)  A schedule detailing sizes and numbers/densities of all proposed trees/plants, which shall include a minimum of 21 trees measuring 4-5m in height;

4)  Specifications for operations associated with plant establishment and maintenance that are compliant with best practice; and

5)  Full details of retained and proposed boundary treatments.

9 (ii)  There shall be no excavation or raising or lowering of levels within the prescribed root protection area of retained trees unless agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

(iii)  Unless required by a separate landscape management condition, all soft landscaping shall have a written five year maintenance programme following planting.

(iv)  Any new tree(s) that die(s), are/is removed or become(s) severely damaged or diseased shall be replaced and any new planting (other than trees) which dies, is removed, becomes severely damaged or diseased within five years of planting shall be replaced.  Unless further specific permission has been given by the Local Planning Authority, replacement planting shall be in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: In order to comply with Policies 37, 73 and 74 of the Bromley Local Plan to secure a visually satisfactory setting for the development and to protect neighbouring amenity.’

A vote to increase the provision of electric vehicle charging points from 20% to 25% fell at 5-6.

Councillor Bennett’s abstention from voting was noted.