Agenda item

Councillor Golby re-joined the meeting at this juncture.

The Principal Planning Officer submitted a report to the Committee. Members’ attention was drawn to the addendum which contained two additional letters of objection from local residents. The application sought approval for the construction of an additional storey to the existing block of flats to create 10 new flats, a new cycle store and 2 additional bays to the bin store. The proposed new floor would be set in from the existing building and covered in grey cladding. Conditions were included in the report that required revised cycle storage details prior to any occupation of the proposed development. No additional parking was proposed.

Gemma Dudley, a local business employee, spoke against the application and commented that there was hugely inadequate level of parking provision at Woodstock and that unlawful on-street parking practices were common in the area due to a lack of spaces at the application property; the development would exacerbate parking problems. Common for occupiers of Woodstock to park on shared access road with neighbouring business and obstruct access; also instances of unauthorised parking in car park for business.  She advised that parking restrictions in the area were not enforced and sought a condition to secure a travel plan officer to discourage unauthorised parking by residents.  Access to the site from the Billing Road is difficult and unsafe; development would add to difficulties with access, particularly during the construction phase.  Ms Dudley commented that local residents and businesses would suffer a loss of amenity from the proposal, including outlook and light, and that the scale and density of development would not be consistent with character of area.

Helen Town, NPH, spoke in favour of the application and explained that there are currently 3,852 people on the Council’s housing register with a high demand for 1 and 2 bed properties in the town. She acknowledged a parking issue around the status of the shared access road and advised that NPH are in discussions with the Local Highway Authority regarding a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to seek to resolve the issue.  Ms Town advised that residents declare their registration numbers for a fob which has enabled NPH to find out that a lot of people parking on shared access road are not residents; parking issues is not about parking overflow from Woodstock residents and is a separate issue relating to yellow lines.  She also advised that a car park barrier was introduced on the site because residents complained about non-residents using car park. NPH has typically found that since introduced fobs and car park barriers into car parks across the town centre that this has made the parking situation better for residents; on the whole NPH has enough spaces for people that have cars in the town centre.

Laura Elliott, NPH, spoke in favour of the application and explained that the proposal would utilise a lightweight steel structure system largely fabricated offsite to minimise impacts and that NPH would also work with residents to create individual plans to further minimise the impacts of construction works.  In addition, she commented that a lengthy consultation had taken place with residents and to address concerns advised that NPH were working with the Local Highway Authority to introduce a TRO to the feeder road.  To address concerns around antisocial behaviour, Ms Elliott stated that persons with a criminal record would not be permitted to move into the flats.  In addition, she advised that visually, the proposal was amended to reduce offset to minimise impact, and that the reduction in the number of units was also connected to the parking issue.

The Principal Planning Officer noted that the Local Highway Authority had not objected to the application. He further noted in response to a question that Environmental Health did not object to the application and advised that Conditions 6 required the developer to submit details of a ventilation scheme prior to occupation, and Condition 8 required full details of security measures to be submitted to the Council prior to occupation.

Members discussed the report.

RESOLVED:

That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions and reasons as set out in the report.