Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Meredith and Palethorpe.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29^th October 2014 were agreed and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED: That under the following items the members of the public listed be granted leave to address the Committee:

·         N/2014/1092 The Ecton Brook Public House, Ecton Brook Road

Councillor Malpas

·         N/2014/0866 Wardington Court, Welford Road

Councillor Yates

Lisa Mathewson

·         N/2014/0986 The Manna House, St Giles Street

Wendy Wenham

Andrew Boulter

·         N/2014/1122 Land at former Honda dealership between Grafton Street and Compton Street    

Craig Ryan

Andy Ward

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Development Management Team Leader reported that a non-material amendment application N/2014/1253 has been received in relation to work needed to be carried out at the Northgate Bus Interchange, Sheep Street, to install air conditioning units. He advised the committee that officers believed this to be a non-material amendment to the previous application that the committee could approve.

RESOLVED: To approve the verbal report and that the introduction of the air conditioning units is considered to be a non-material amendment to the scheme approved under reference N/2012/0314

The Director of Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning submitted a List of Current Appeals and Inquiries. The Development Manager introduced the written report and elaborated thereon. She added that there was only one update; in that application N/2014/0370, land rear of 102 Harborough Road, had since been allowed. She advised that the details of the decision are available on the Borough Council website.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted

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The Senior Planning Officer outlined the report of the Director of Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning, as set out in the agenda. The recommendation was for approval of the application subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

The Chair invited Councillor Malpas to address the committee. He advised that he believed the property to have been vacant for 6 years. The proposal for a community centre was very welcome and as a ward member for the area he was happy to support the application on behalf of local residents.

In response to a question from the committee the Senior Planning Officer advised that any application for a Premises Licence would be dealt with separately by the Licensing Department.

The committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report.

The Development Management Team Leader presented the report of the Director of Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning, as set out in the agenda. The recommendation was for approval of the application subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

In response to a question from the committee the Development Management Team Leader outlined that to maintain viability of the development there was no S106 agreement proposed.

The committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report.

Item withdrawn

Item withdrawn from the agenda.

Item withdrawn from the agenda.

The Development Manager outlined the report of the Director of Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning, as set out in the agenda and the addendum. The recommendation was for approval of the application subject to the conditions as set out in the report and addendum.

The Chair invited Councillor Yates to address the committee. He explained that his ward neighboured the development and that he had been involved in the discussions regarding the development from the early stages. He welcomed the proposals, including the rebuilding like for like as the former stone building.

The Chair invited Lisa Matthewson, agent for the applicant, to address the committee. She explained the fire on the site had been a setback, but the developer had worked hard on the new detailed proposal and urged the committee to approve the application.

In response to a question from the committee the Legal Advisor explained that the acceptance of a call in was a matter of professional judgement for the Director and in this case he felt it met the test. 

Committee members expressed the desire that any councillor responsible for a call in attend the meeting. 

The committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report and the addendum

The Senior Planning Officer outlined the report of the Director of Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning, as set out in the agenda. The recommendation was for approval of the application subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

The Chair invited Wendy Wenham to address the committee. Ms Wenham stated she owned a business in St Giles Street and was a member of the St Giles Quarter business group. She explained that in the past 5 years she had seen a steady increase in A3 use in the street and a move away from A1. In her view this would lead to an imbalance towards A3 use, seeing retail use fall below 60%, contrary to the  Central Area Action Plan.

The Chair invited Andrew Boulter, agent for the applicant, to address the committee. Mr Boulter explained that in his professional view the property did not lend itself easily to A1 use, the windows being atypical for the area in presenting a long narrow aspect, as opposed to a large display area. He added that the potential to move to A3 use would add to the critical mass of such business and make the area a destination for customers in its own right. He explained the current occupiers intended to move to another vacant property in the town centre.

In response to questions from the committee Mr Boulter explained that while window displays with a similar design may be seen in London, his professional opinion told him that they did not lend themselves to the shopping offer usually made in Northampton. He pointed out that almost all the retail units in St Giles Street had a traditional large window display area.

In response to the representations made the Senior Planning Officer explained that the property did not fall within any allocated frontage area for St Giles Street. The current level of retailing within St Giles Street was approximately 60% of the combined frontages. It was also explained that hairdressers fell within Use Class A1 and were therefore a retail use. The property itself was locally listed any proposal to alter the windows would require planning permission and this would be a contributing factor to any decision.

In response to questions from the committee the Senior Planning Officer explained that there would be a three year period to implement any forthcoming planning permission. During this period, any prospective occupier would have the choice of maintaining the existing retail use or implementing the planning permission for a restaurant.

The committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report.

The Senior Planning Officer outlined the report of the Director of Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning, as set out in the agenda and the addendum. The recommendation was for approval in principle of the application subject to the conditions as set out in the report and addendum. A verbal update was also provided, which outlined that representations had been received from Anglian Water and that it was recommended that these be addressed through a further condition.

The Chair invited Craig Ryan, representing Spring Borough Voice, to address the committee. Mr Ryan believed that the new design was much improved and that the site complimented the adjoining residential area.

In response to questions from the committee he added that the parking was much improved and the removal of the alleyway was welcomed.

The Chair invited Andrew Ward, agent for the applicant, to address the committee. Mr Ward explained that since the previous application the developer had worked closely with the planners and local community groups. They had taken on board many of the concerns expressed and believed the scheme was much improved. They developer had a Housing Association interested in taking on the property management after construction. He asked that the Council consider the resident’s wishes to relocate the potential employment lost from the site close to Spring Boroughs.

In response to a question from the committee he added that there would be an allocated parking space for each property, but given the nature of the development they expected this to be adequate.

The committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE subject to the conditions set out in the report and addendum, including an additional condition:

(23)  No drainage works shall commence until a surface water management strategy has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The surface water management strategy shall be fully implemented in accordance with the approved details prior to the construction any areas of hard standing and retained thereafter.

Reason: To prevent environmental and flooding problems arising from flooding in accordance with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The Development Management Team Leader outlined the report of the Director of Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning, as set out in the agenda. The recommendation was for approval of the application in principle, subject to prior referral to the Secretary of State and subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

The committee discussed the report.

RESOLVED: That the application be APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE, subject to prior referral to the Secretary of State and to the conditions as set out in the report.

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