DEFERRED WITHOUT PREJUDICE, TO BE CONSIDERED ON LIST 2 OF THE AGENDA OF A FUTURE PLANNING SUB-COMMITTEE.

Description of application – Change of use from B1(a) office to D1 eye clinic.

Oral representations in support of the application were received.  Oral representations from Ward Member, Councillor Michael Rutherford, and Portfolio Holder for Renewal, Recreation and Housing, Councillor Peter Morgan, in support of the application were received at the meeting.

Councillor Michael Rutherford spoke on behalf of his fellow Members, Councillors Nicky Dykes and Will Harmer, in support of the application. The ground floor premises had been advertised for five years but remained empty and he welcomed the proposed change of use.  The premises were near to good traffic links with access to an adjacent car park and the proposed use would benefit Bromley, its Town Centre and residents. 

The site was located within a designated Business Improvement Area (BIA) in Bromley Town Centre and it also lied in the Bromley Town Centre (North East) Article 4 Direction Area.  Councillor Peter Morgan spoke as Portfolio Holder for Renewal, Recreation and Housing and referred to the recent Article 4 Direction and to the empty high quality ground floor office space that had remained unused following five years of active marketing.  His opinion was that ground floor office space was not always desirable for offices and that the application did not fall into the category of ‘Use Class B1’.  The site benefitted with access to trains, buses and car parking and he welcomed the potential employment for 32 full time posts and the service residents would receive from the proposed medical facility and his view was that the Article 4 Direction should not affect the application.

Councillor Alexa Michael understood the need for office space and supported local policy but she also supported the need for a local eye clinic and the office space should be utilised for this service that if this was the only suitable site.

Councillor Kieran Terry appreciated the policy implications and supported the Town Centre. The site was slightly away from the main office cluster with good local transport facilities that would create local employment and he urged Members to consider the application on its specific merits and the potential diversity of use which would halt any further development interest and he supported the application.  He said it was important to highlight why the application was beneficial to this instance to outweigh the policy inconsistency.

Councillor Katy Boughey agreed and referred Members to Paragraph 6.3.5 of the Assistant Director, (Planning and Building Control) report and she supported the application.

The Head of Planning Policy and Strategy informed Members that if the application were permitted it could set a potential precedent for the loss of office space in the Article 4 area and he stressed the importance of office supply in Bromley Town Centre.  If the site were used as office space it could accommodate a greater number of employees and that if office space in the area was diminished it may affect the justification for continuing the Article 4 Direction. 

Whilst Councillor Kevin Brooks recognised the need for office space he took into consideration the length of time the premises had been unused and the current and future situation of working from home and he supported the application and he emphasised it should not set a precedent.

Councillor Terry thanked The Head of Planning Policy and Strategy for his advice but remained in support of the re-use of the premises, the retention of high employment in the Borough, the benefit to the Town Centre and the much needed appropriate medical facility for residents.

Members having considered the report and representations, RESOLVED that THE APPLICATION BE DEFERRED WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO ANY FUTURE CONSIDERATION, AND TO BE CONSIDERED ON LIST 2 OF AN AGENDA OF A FUTURE PLANNING SUB-COMMITTEE.