Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the Planning Committee (A) meeting held on 2 February 2012 were agreed and signed.

The Planning Officer outlined details of the proposal and reported to Members that the occupier of 18A Westbourne Drive had submitted an email stating, that due to a bereavement, she was unable to attend the meeting.  She confirmed that her objections to the proposals still stood and asked that her objections be considered by the Committee.

The Committee received verbal representations from Mr H Braddick of Meadowcroft Griffin Architects on behalf of the applicant Mr J Lowe who also addressed the Committee.  Mr Braddick circulated to the Committee computer generated images of the proposed streetscape together with elevational drawings.  The Committee also received verbal representations from the occupier of 12E Westbourne Drive, who stated that he had withdrawn his objections following amendments to the scheme, but was representing other objectors to the proposal.

Councillor John Paschoud spoke under Standing Orders as Ward Member who supported the proposal in principle.

The Committee expressed their concerns regarding the impact of the proposed building on the neighbouring properties.  They considered that the height, bulk and massing of the building, being close to neighbouring properties, would be overdominant.

Councillor Daby moved a motion to overturn the officer’s recommendation and to refuse permission which was seconded by Councillor Adefiranye.  Members voted as follows:

FOR:                   Councillors Amrani (Chair), Adefiranye, Daby, Owolabi-Oluyole and Jacq Paschoud.

RESOLVED        that planning permission be refused in respect of Application No. DC/11/78562 as revised for the following reason:-

                              Reason

The proposal by reason of its height, design and relationship with Number 12 Westbourne Drive would be overdominant and would therefore harm the residential amenities of adjoining occupiers.  The proposal would therefore be contrary to Policy 15 High quality design for Lewisham of the adopted Core Strategy (June 2011) and Policies HSG 4 Residential Amenity and HSG 5 Layout and Design of New Residential Development in the adopted Unitary Development Plan (July 2004).

         Councillor Adefiranye arrived late to the meeting at 7.40pm and did not take part in the discussion or vote.

The Planning Officer advised Members of amendments to the report, namely that condition (4) be deleted and condition (7) be amended if Members were minded to grant permission.  He continued by outlining the details of the proposal.

The Committee received verbal representations from the proprietor and manager of Bay Tree House Nursery at 32 Bromley Road objecting to the proposal. 

Councillor Daby moved a motion to accept the officer’s recommendation to grant permission with amendments, which was seconded by Councillor Owolabi-Oluyole. Members voted as follows:-

FOR:                   Councillors Amrani (Chair), Adefiranye, Daby, Owolabi-Oluyole and Jacq Paschoud.

Councillor Adefiranye did not vote.

RESOLVED      that planning permission be granted in respect of Application No. DC/11/78471 subject to a new condition (1), with original conditions (1) to (3) renumbered (2) to (4), original condition (4) deleted, and conditions (5), (6) and (8) as set out in the report with condition (7)  amended, as follows:-

                            (1)      The use hereby approved shall cease before 16 March 2015.

(7)      A management plan outlining how the use shall be run, including supervisory arrangements, housing nominations, refuse collection and dealing with anti social behaviour, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority before the use commences. The use hereby approved shall thereafter be run in strict accordance with the approved management plan.

Reason

(1)      To enable a trial run of the use in relation to the potential impact on the adjoining nursery at 32 Bromley Road.

and the applicant be informed as follows:-

Informative

In discharging condition (7), the Council would want to see arrangements for communication with both the Directors of Care First UK Group Ltd and the manager of 34 Bromley Road.

The Planning Officer outlined details of the proposal.

The Committee received verbal representations from the applicant and from Mr Malcolm Bacchus, Chair of the Telegraph Hill Society objecting to the proposal.

Councillor Owolabi-Oluyole moved a motion to accept the officer’s recommendation to grant permission with an amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Daby.   Members voted as follows:-

FOR:                   Councillors Amrani (Chair), Adefiranye, Daby, Owolabi-Oluyole and Jacq Paschoud.

RESOLVED      that planning permission be granted in respect of Application No. DC/11/78716 as revised subject to the conditions set out in the report  and the applicant be informed as set out in the report with an additional informative (2) as follows:-

(2)    The owner of the property is encouraged to replace the existing aluminium windows and doors with traditional wooden sash windows and doors.

The Planning Officer outlined details of the proposal.

The Committee received verbal representations from Mr Michael Abrahams, Chair of the Forest Hill Society objecting to the proposal.

Councillor Daby moved a motion to accept the officer’s recommendations to grant planning permission which was seconded by Councillor Owolabi-Oluyole.  Members voted as follows:-

FOR:                   Councillors Amrani (Chair), Daby and Owolabi-Oluyole.

AGAINST:          Councillors Adefiranye and Jacq Paschoud.

RESOLVED        that  planning permission be granted in respect of Application No. DC/11/78476 subject to the condition set out in the report and the applicant be informed as set out in the report.

Councillor Amrani (Chair) informed the Committee that Lesley Humphreys, Committee Co-ordinator, was retiring from the Council after a long service.  He extended his thanks and appreciation for her work in servicing the Planning and Strategic Planning Committee meetings over many years.