Agenda item

Report of Head of Planning

(copy herewith)

Ward: St James

The Head of Planning submitted a report in respect of application numbers N/2010/0906 and N/2010/0320, elaborated thereon and referred to the Addendum that set out letters from the Applicant and a letter of objection from a resident in Tower Square. In answer to questions he commented that the Applicant had not submitted drawings showing the full height of the tower or drawings showing the relationship of the proposed extension with the existing houses.

Abigail Mosley, a local resident, stated that she supported the general idea behind the application but objected to parts of the scheme in terms of parking, the height and mass of the scheme and noise. She commented that TRO was currently being consulted upon that would prevent on street parking: there were currently 422 houses and 432 spaces. There may be a need for traffic calming measures. Mrs Mosely noted that the proposed extension would be as tall as the nearby three storey houses and that provision for the “free fall” experience was being made although it did not form part of the current application. She had concerns that the scale of the extension was too massive and that there would be noise issues resulting for the conference facilities.

Matt Davies, a local resident, commented that the height of the extension would be similar to the surrounding houses and that the gap between them was one metre plus the width of the road plus a parking bay. He noted that although the Applicant had indicated that the100 seat auditorium would only be used ten times per year and queried how this would be controlled? There appeared to be contradictions in the application insofar as it was stated that the facility would only be open during normal office hours but the café was to be open seven days a week and ten parking spaces were to be provided when 26 currently existed and were also used by residents’ visitors.  

Councillor P. M. Varnsverry, as ward Councillor, commented that she believed that this proposal would be incongruous with its surroundings but that residents accepted that some form of development was necessary. The applicant appeared to contradict himself by making no plans for coaches but talking about conferencing; and by saying that the café was for local trade but now saying that it would be available for conferences. There appeared to be mixed messages about what was envisaged. As had been stated there were car parking issues.

The Head of Planning stated that the footprint of the extension was just smaller than that of the lift tower and if the buttresses were taken into account, just larger.  

The Committee discussed the application.

Councillor Hill proposed and Councillor Matthews seconded “That the words ”combined with its siting within a residential area” be deleted from recommendation 1.1(2)” Upon a vote the motion was carried.

RESOLVED:   1. That planning application N/2010/0906 be refused:

(1)   By reason of its design, siting, size, massing and footprint the proposal would represent an incongruous form of development detrimental to the character, appearance and setting of the host building, a Grade II Listed Building, contrary Policy E20 of the Northampton Local Plan, Policy 2 and Policy 27 of the East Midlands Regional Plan and the aims and objectives of PPS1 and PPS5.

(2)   By reason of the scale and nature of the proposal,  the development would result in increased disturbance, nuisance, noise and general activity to the detriment of the living conditions and general amenity of the area contrary to advice in PPG24.

                        2. That listed building consent application N/2010/0320 be refused:

                                           By reason of its design, siting, size, massing and footprint the proposal would represent an incongruous form of development detrimental to the character, appearance and setting of the host building, a Grade II Listed Building, contrary Policy E20 of the Northampton Local Plan, Policy 2 and Policy 27 of the East Midlands Regional Plan and the aims and objectives of PPS1 and PPS5.