Agenda item

The Interim Head of Planning presented the following planning application:

DC/15/94002 – Erection of a part 5/part 19 storey building to provide 92 residential units and 390sqm of flexible retail/commercial space (Use Classes A1/A2/A3/A4 & B1), and the creation of a public plaza between Catford and Catford Bridge stations, together with landscaping and other public realm works, cycle and refuse storage and associated works at Adenmore Road, Catford, SE6.

The Planning Officer circulated an Addendum Report.

The Interim Head of Planning outlined the details of the case DC/15/94002.

Questions by Members followed this including discussions relating to the implications that the development would have on the Catford Town Centre plan, comparison between the planning application given permission in 2008, residential standards and the scale of the tower block.

The committee received verbal representation from Mr Gerry Cassidy from BPTW (Agent). Mr Cassidy presented the scheme and responded to  Member’s questions. Questions included the materials of the block, consultation with residents and affordable housing. Councillor De Ryk requested that the number of Affordable Housing units be provided. Further questions followed including the impact of the development on the sky line, loss of commercial space and building options.

The committee received verbal representation from an objector, Mr Stephen Colwell. Questions by Members followed including the height of the building and whether the objector opposed tall buildings in general.

Councillor Klier and Councillor Walsh spoke under Standing Orders and expressed their opposition to the development. Concerns were also raised in relation to lack of consultation, unit mix and concerns from residents in relation to the height of the building.

The Interim Head of Planning responded to the points which had been raised by Members and the objector.

Standing Orders were suspended.

Further Questions by Members followed including the impact of the shadow on existing houses, comparison of the proposed scheme and the existing scheme in terms of viability, its impact on Catford Town Centre. 

Councillor Hall moved a motion to defer the application. It was seconded by Councillor Amrani.

Members voted as follows:

FOR: Councillors De Ryk (Chair), Hall, Amrani, Reid, Egan, Curran and Bonavia.

AGAINST: Councillor Coughlin and Paschoud (Vice-Chair)

DEFER: The decision was deferred to allow:

·        Barratts more time to engage further with the community, in particular existing residents of the Catford Green development, on the scheme and to consider carefully the responses that they receive;

·        further design refinement of the proposed tower, to address the issue that it should be of outstanding quality;

·        further design refinement of "station square", to enable the committee to better understand it's design quality and functioning; and

·        the committee to visit the site and to look at the site from surrounding vantage points, to fully appreciate the development’s potential impact including the quality and appropriateness of the proposed tower.

The other points raised (s106 & CIL, the strategic context for tall buildings, the Catford TC Plan position etc) will be picked up in the updated report to the subsequent committee.