Agenda item

Application

Demolition of existing building and the construction of a part 4, part 5 and part 6 storey apartment block comprising 19 x one bedrooms, 19 x two bedrooms and 12 x three bedrooms including basement level parking and landscaped open space.

Decision

The Chair requested to specify, in reason for refusal 3, that the development was contrary to Policy 7 of the Core Strategy as well as the local plan policy T2. Officers agreed that this was reasonable and could be added to reason for refusal 3 of the recommendation.

The Chair proposed to move to the officer’s recommendation to delegate to the Planning Manager for refusal subject to the amendment stipulated to reason for refusal 3. This was seconded by Councillor Satti. All members present voted in favour of the recommendation.

Delegated to the Planning Manager for refusal for the following reasons:

1.  The proposed development would result in the loss of safeguarded employment land in an Existing Business Area and the applicant had failed to demonstrate that there are no viable options, the loss would be irreversible and would impact the job market. Furthermore, it had not been demonstrated how the proposal would not prejudice adjacent sites from being comprehensively redeveloped. The built form of development results in overdevelopment that would not achieve a high quality of design and would not enhance the quality of the built environment. The proposal was therefore contrary to policy EN1 of the Local Plan for Slough March 2004 and Core Policies 1, 5 and 8 of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2008 and the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework 2023.

2.  The proposed development would result in residential accommodation that fails to achieve appropriate levels of natural daylight and sunlight and result in windows immediately abutting the public footway, resulting in a substandard level of amenity for future occupiers of the development to their detriment. The proposal was therefore contrary to policies EN1 of the Local Plan for Slough March 2004 and Core Policy 8 of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2008 and the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework 2023.

3.  The development failed to provide car parking in accordance with adopted Slough Borough Council standards and if permitted would lead to additional on-street car parking which would obstruct the access, turning heads, visibility splays, cause pavement parking or obstruct access by emergency vehicles which would be detrimental to the users of the highway including pedestrians. The development is contrary to Policy 7 of the Core Strategy 2006-2026 and Slough Borough Council Local Plan Policy T2 which requires that: ‘New development is sustainable and located in the most accessible locations, thereby reducing the need to travel’ and ‘Residential development will be required to provide a level of parking appropriate to its location and which will overcome road safety problems, protect the amenities of adjoining residents’. The additional on-street parking would create a highway safety problem the proposals could also be contrary to the Paragraphs 110 and 112 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2023 which requires that: ‘Safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all users’ and requires developments to: ‘Minimise the scope for conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles’.

4.  The proposal would, if acceptable in other respects, be required to legally secure affordable housing units, provide for necessary infrastructure by way of appropriate financial contributions, and to secure a late stage financial viability review in respect to on-site and / or off-site affordable housing contributions, all of which would need to be secured by the completion of a section 106 agreement. No such agreement has been completed, contrary to Policies 4, 9 and 10 of the Slough Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2006 - 2026, Slough Borough Council’s Developers Guide Part 2 Developer Contributions and Affordable Housing (Section 106) and to the requirements of Regulation 61 of The Conservation of Habitats and Species (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.