Issue - meetings

RESOLVED

That it be noted that the Committee agreed to:

GRANT planning permission for the construction of a single storey rear and side infill extension at 3 Arbuthnot Road, SE14.

Subject to conditions and informatives outlined in the report

The Planning Officer gave an illustrative presentation, recommending the grant of planning permission for the proposal as outlined in the Officer’s report.

The Committee noted the report and that the main issues were:

Principle of Development • Urban Design and impact on heritage assets • Living Conditions of the Neighbours.

No questions were put to the Officer by the Committee.

The agent addressed the Committee and described the application site. The applicant discussed: design, scale, footprint, boundaries, daylight, height, drainage and materials.

No questions were put to the agent by the Committee.

A representative from the Telegraph Hill Society (THS/Society), with objections addressed the Committee. The representative discussed: materials, design, preservation of character, conservation area. The representative also discussed a refused application, that went to the Planning Inspectorate.

After the representative addressed the Committee, Members asked questions that related to: the Society, protection as opposed to conservation.

The representative assured the Committee that the next THS meeting with select committees, would be in April 2022. Members were also assured that the THS encouraged the democratic process, by sending emails inviting involvement and by hosting public events. It was acknowledged that the Society had not held an AGM recently.

The Officer cited Article 4 to advise that parts of buildings in conservation areas, not facing the public realm could be removed. This was because they were not protected by conservation policy.

The Officer noted the application discussed by the Society, was dismissed on appeal. The Officer advised the current application was not comparable to the application appeal discussed by the Society, as the changes in the current application, were not viewable to the public.

The DMTL provided support to the Officers advice, by noting that the application appeal referred to by the THS representative, related to a change to the window of a development that would have been visible in the public realm. The DMTL stated that in the case of the current application under consideration, no such harm would occur.

During the Members discussion, the Chair raised concerns regarding amenity societies, continually attending meetings to raise concerns with regard to conservation of properties, when any change was undertaken. Concern was raised with regard to the effect on tax payers, as a result of such objections. The Chair noted that often historic buildings, benefitted from modernisation, noting palaces as an example. The Chair thanked the Officer and the DMTL for the clarification they provided on the matter of conservation.

The Committee considered the submissions made at the meeting, and

RESOLVED - unanimously

That it be noted that the Committee agreed to:

GRANT planning permission for the construction of a single storey rear and side infill extension at 3 Arbuthnot Road, SE14.

Subject to conditions and informatives outlined in the report