Agenda item

The Committee

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted for the construction of an additional storey at roof level to provide 2x 1b/2p and 4x 2b/3p flats and construction of 1x 1b/2p house to the side of Lee Court, Lee High Road, SE13, together with the associated landscaping, bin and cycle storage subject to the conditions and informatives outlined in the report and the following additional condition

Notwithstanding what is shown on the approved plans, revised details of cycle parking provision for the development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior first occupation of the development hereby permitted.

The Planning Officer, gave an illustrative presentation recommending the grant of planning permission for the construction of an additional storey at roof level to provide 2x 1b/2p and 4x 2b/3p flats and construction of 1x 1b/2p house to the side of Lee Court, Lee High Road, SE13, together with the associated landscaping, bin and cycle storage.

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

· Principle of Development

· Housing

· Urban Design and impact on locally listed building

· Transport

· Impact on living conditions of neighbours

· Sustainable Development

The agent, on behalf of the applicant, addressed the Committee. He said that research had been carried out into the history of Lee Court. Features which made both a positive and negative contributions to the Art Deco character had been identified.

Design work began from recognising the positive features of the building including the vertical emphasis created by stair cores and the horizontal emphasis created by the band coursing above and below windows.

The heritage value of the building was recognised: For example, the new roof top extension adopts vaulted roofs over stair cores to emphasize the existing stair core features, without overwhelming them. The extension as a whole is set back to provide a softer visual transition at the top of the building. The extension also incorporates strong elements of art deco design, including Crittall style windows and horizontal banding in the cladding. The proposed house hides the unsightly flank wall and is designed to be subservient to the host building.

The applicant then outlined the technical matters with regard to the structural assessment of the existing building, the proposed structure that will float above the existing roof, and two entirely separate means of escape to be located at the front and rear of the building.

Members were advised that access for construction would be clarified at the planning condition stage in the construction method report and a detailed report would be produced during the technical design to ensure that service provision to the building is adequate and supplemented if necessary.

The Chair invited members to ask questions. The key points were as follows:

The energy efficiency of the building will exceed building regulations. The question of whether the building would overheat in summer had been given consideration. It was proposed that mass would be built into the structure using plasterboard with a higher latent heat capacity. In addition windows could be fitted with a solar reflective finish.

Access from the fourth to the fifth floor would be via one flight of stairs. These stairs are currently used to access the roof.

Cycle storage would be at the rear of the building for new residents. This was due to the limitation of space as location of bins would also have to be considered at the rear. There would be storage for between 13-15 cycles; this was more than recommended in the conditions. However, it was agreed that the following be added to the conditions. ‘Notwithstanding what is shown on the approved plans, revised details of cycle storage shall be submitted and approved in writing by the local authority’. Officers could then consider whether the maximum cycle provision on site had been achieved.

The Chair of Lee Court leaseholders association addressed the Committee on behalf of leaseholders and residents of Lee Court and made the following key points.

·         The proposed design of the additional storey was accepted.

·         Residents had concerns about additional people accessing the communal areas. Some of the central stairwells are poorly maintained and there were concerns that the space would not be big enough for the extra numbers of people using this area.  

·         There are plans within the planning conditions to improve the external communal area. However the proposal to provide cycle storage for residents in the new flats only could be a barrier to equity. Storage should be extended so that all residents have access to this storage.

·         There were concerns about the cladding material at the top of the building, how fire safety would be ensured and whether it would cause a fire hazard.

·         A void is proposed between the roof and the new building. Squirrels and other animals were already in this void and residents had concerns that this could create long term problems for residents and long term damage to the building.

·         Although residents appreciated the proposed upgrades to internal and external parts of the building, they had concerns that maintenance fees could increase.

The Chair asked the agent to address residents’ concerns. He said that with regard to the void below the proposed structure, the intension was to hover above the existing roof. This had been recommended by a structural engineer and would ensure that the void was ventilated.

The agent said that a fire consultant would be employed. The type of cladding would not be composite. It would be standalone, aluminium, powder coated, rain screen cladding. With regard to fire spread and separation, part B of the Building Regulations had changed massively to ensure that the building is protected and this would be taken into account.

Members had sympathy with the concerns that residents’ had, but most of their concerns were for the landlord to address; they were not planning concerns. The Chair recommended that the residents should speak to their local ward councillors for advice.

The Committee considered the submissions made at the meeting, and

RESOLVED unanimously that planning permission be granted for the construction of an additional storey at roof level to provide 2x 1b/2p and 4x 2b/3p flats and construction of 1x 1b/2p house to the side of Lee Court, Lee High Road, SE13, together with the associated landscaping, bin and cycle storage subject to the conditions and informatives outlined in the report and the following additional condition

Notwithstanding what is shown on the approved plans, revised details of cycle parking provision for the development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior first occupation of the development hereby permitted.