Agenda item

Application

Demolition of the existing ground floor commercial buildings and construction of a part 3, part 4 storey building to provide commercial floorspace (Class E) on the ground floor and residential units to the rear ground floor and above (comprising a mix of 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom units) with ancillary cycle storage, refuse storage and landscaping.

Decision

The Officer’s recommendation to delegate to the Planning Manager for approval, subject to the provisions in Paragraph 1.1 of the report, was proposed by Councillor Mann and seconded by Councillor Carter.  The Committee voted as follows:

Those voting in favour of the proposal…3

Those voting against the proposal…5

Those abstaining on the proposal…0

The Officer’s recommendation was therefore not approved.

After further consideration of any reasons for potential refusal, Councillor Iftakhar proposed and Councillor Khawar seconded that the application be refused for the reasons set out in the resolution below.

A member requested a recorded vote, the result of which was as follows:

Those in favour of the proposal…5 (Councillors Khawar, Naveed, Satti, Stedmond and Iftakhar)

Those against the proposal…3 (Councillors Carter, Gahir and Mann)

Those abstaining on the proposal…0

Resolved –  That the application be refused for the following reasons:

1.  By virtue of the height, scale, design and massing of the development the proposal would lead to an overly prominent form of development that had a detrimental impact on the character of the area and streetscene contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework 2023, Policy EN1 of the Slough Local Plan 2004 and Core Policy 8 of the Slough Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2006-2026 Development Plan Document (2008).

2.  There was insufficient parking provision and unacceptable mitigation measures resulting in highway safety issues contrary to Core Policy 7 of the Slough Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2006-2026 Development Plan Document (2008) and Policy T2 of the Slough Local Plan 2004.

3.  As the site sat within a Designated Shopping Area the reduction in commercial floorspace was unacceptable as it would lead to the permanent reduction of commercial provision contrary to Policy S1 of the Slough Local Plan 2004.