Agenda item

Joel Holland, Planning Officer, introduced the report and explained that the application before the Committee was for the redevelopment of the site, including the demolition of the existing building and the construction of two buildings in their place ranging from 6 to 14 storeys. These buildings were proposed to provide 185 self-contained residential units. The development site was located in West Ealing, with the site having frontages onto Northfield Avenue, Tawny Close and Sherwood Close. Northfield Allotments were to the east of the development.

Mr Holland outlined some of the history to the development, noting that the proposals related to Phase 3 (the final phase) of the Sherwood Close (Dean Gardens) estate redevelopment. Phase 3 had been covered by a planning permission consent given in October 2015. The updated proposals involved an increase in the number of units to be created as part of phase 3, an increase in the height of the development, and a change in the massing of the buildings.

The increase in the number of proposed units was accompanied by proposals for affordable housing to be brought forward in this phase, which had not originally been planned. The 10 3-bedroom units were all going to be affordable housing, which was particularly desirable as this would supply housing for low-income families. Despite the increase in height, Mr Holland explained that officers considered that the proposals were an improvement on the design of the original scheme, particularly in that the new proposals included staggered building heights and opportunities for new cross development links and public realm improvements.

Overall, officers considered that the development constituted one which maximised the opportunity for housing on the site and which was well-connected to public infrastructure. It was considered to be a significant improvement to the consented scheme, and was accordingly recommended for approval, subject to conditions and a section 106 legal agreement.

A briefing note in respect of the application had been produced by Planning Officers, circulated to the committee and published on the Council’s website prior to the meeting. It had provided information on an amendment to the officers’ recommendation and additional clarifications to the report.

Edita Butkute, an objector to the development, made a representation to the Committee which included the following key points:

·       The proposed buildings were too tall in the context of the local area, with buildings near to the estate tending to range between 5 – 7 stories. The heights of the proposed buildings were taller than those recommended for West Ealing in Ealing’s tall buildings strategy 2022.

·       The proposals were likely to change the scale and character of the local area, with particular risk to the character of the community allotments next door to the site.

·       Whilst residents were supportive of redevelopment for the local area, it appeared to them that the planning process had been rushed with little time for engagement and consultation with local residents ahead of the decision.

Pascal French, on behalf of the applicant, spoke in favour of the application. The representation made the following key points:

·       The proposals formed the third phase of the Dean Gardens Estate regeneration scheme. The proposals were designed to maximise the potential of the site, which was brownfield and highly accessible.

·       There was a historic planning permission for the scheme which was granted in 2015. The new application was an improvement on the existing consent, comprising 37 new social rent units of which 10 were going to be 3-bedroom family units. There had been no affordable housing proposed in phase 3 of the original scheme.

·       Other benefits of the scheme included the planting of new trees, a biodiversity net gain, new employment opportunities, as well as the provision of a new pocket park and community garden.

The Committee asked questions and debated the proposal. In response to some of the questions and points raised, officers confirmed that:

·       In the committee report, officers acknowledged the provisions of the Local Plan in relation to tall buildings and their suitability for this site. On balance, given the findings of the townscape impact assessment, officers considered that the proposed heights were acceptable in this case.

·       Officers disagreed that the application had been rushed, given that the original application had been submitted in July 2022 and that the duration of the application had been longer than statutory timeframes.

·       Page 9 of the report was corrected to state that “Of the uplift in units between the approved and proposed schemes, the development provides for 68% affordable housing, which are all within a social rent tenure”.

·       The development site was a brownfield site because it had been developed on before.

·       Consent had been given to planning applications for buildings in the local area taller than the proposed 14 storeys of this development. One example was the consent given to the last phase of the Green Man Lane Estate, with buildings in this development to be up to 16 storeys.

The Committee proceeded to vote on the application.

RESOLVED:

That for the reasons set out in the committee report, planning permission for application REF 223090FUL be GRANTED subject to:

1. Successful resolution of Planning Conditions of Consent;

1. Satisfactory completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement; and
2. A Stage II referral to the Greater London Authority.