Borough of Poole
Planning Committee
List of Planning Applications
THURSDAY 19th JUNE 2008
BOROUGH OF POOLE
Planning Committee
DATE: 19th June 2008 at 9:30 am
NOTES:
1. Items may be taken out of order and therefore no certain advice can be provided about the time at which any item may be considered.
2. Applications can be determined in any manner notwithstanding the recommendation being made.
3. Councillors who are not members of the Planning Committee but who wish to attend to make comments on any application on this list or accompanying agenda are required to give notice by informing the chairman or Head of Planning Design & Control Services before the meeting.
4. Councillors who are interested in the detail of any matter to be considered should consult the files with the relevant officers to avoid queries at the meeting.
5. Any members of the public wishing to make late additional representations should do so in writing or by contacting their Ward Councillors prior to the meeting.
6. Letters of representation referred to in these reports together with any other background papers may be inspected at any time prior to the Meeting and these papers will be available at the Meeting.
7. For the purposes of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, unless otherwise stated against a particular report, “background papers” in accordance with section 100D will always include the case officer’s written report and any letters or memoranda of representation received (including correspondence from all internal Borough Council Service Units).
8. Councillors are advised that if they wish to refer to specific drawings/plans which are not part of these papers to contact the relevant case officer at least 24 hours before the meeting to ensure these can be made available.
9. Members are advised that, in order to reduce the size of the agenda, where conditions are marked on the plans list as Standard these will no longer be reported in full. The full wording of the condition can be found either in hard copy in the Members rooms, or via the following link on the Loop http://bopwss3/sus/ww/Shared%20Documents/Standard%20Conditions.doc
Table of contents
Planning Committee
DATE: 19th June 2008 at 9:30 am
Not before 10.00 am / Page1 / Bolton House 56-58 Parkstone Road Poole BH15 2PG / 07/06035/010/F / 3
2 / 1 Hinchliffe Road and land at rear of 7-15 Woodlands Avenue, 3 Hinchliffe Road and 224, 226 and 226a Blandford Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 / 08/26949/002/F / 12
3 / 52 Cranbrook Road Poole BH12 3BS / 08/20459/006/F / 18
4 / 18 Balcombe Road Poole BH13 6DY / 08/02841/008/F / 21
5 / 174 - 176 Ashley Road, Poole, Dorset, BH14 9BY / 08/22623/004/F / 28
6 / 38 Quaypoint 1 Castle Street Poole BH15 1BQ / 08/39826/000/F / 33
7 / 42 Branksea Avenue Poole BH15 4DP / 08/27184/001/F / 35
8 / 37 Bingham Avenue Poole BH14 8ND / 08/34128/004/F / 39
9 / 118 Panorama Road Poole BH13 7RG / 08/11756/010/F / 44
10 / 5 Westminster Road Poole BH13 6JQ / 08/01886/016/F / 52
Item No: 1
Case Officer: Mr D Mansell
Site: Bolton House 56-58 Parkstone Road Poole BH15 2PG
Application No: 07/06035/010/F
Date Received: 19th November 2007
Agent: Terence O'Rourke Plc Everdene House Wessex Fields Deansleigh Road Bournemouth Dorset BH7 7DU
Applicant: Taurean Properties Ltd
Development: Alterations and extensions including various additional floors to provide 2,367 sq metres of offices (class B1a) and 21 flats with associated parking and cycle storage. (Revised Scheme).
Ward: C 030 Poole Town
This application is brought before the Planning Committee at the request of Councillor Leverett because of residents concerns
Site Description
§ The site is occupied by an existing vacant office building with accommodation arranged over three floors in three wings, with much of the ground floor utilised for car parking. The building occupies a site broadly triangular in shape, with an area of 0.29 hectares (0.72 acres, located at the blocked off junction of Seldown Road and Parkstone Road.
§ Vehicular access to Bolton House is provided via Seldown Lane and Seldown Road with pedestrian access only from Parkstone Road.
§ The main frontage of Bolton House faces north onto Parkstone Road, large overgrown borders substantially obscure the building frontage.
§ The site is surrounded by a mix of uses which include residential, commercial and institutional residential. To the north, on the opposite side of Parkstone Road, lies the extensive site of Poole General Hospital, with the 13-storey residential accommodation block to the north-east of Bolton House (approximately 65 metres distant), a prominent landmark building. There are 5 and 6 storey blocks of flats approximately 22 metres to the east of the site across Seldown Road
§ The site is covered by a TPO, which affects trees along the Parkstone Road and Seldown Road frontages. TPO 45: Parkstone Road (confirmed on 28 August 1969) – Area 4.
Relevant Planning History
2001 – Permission refused to convert existing building into 24 self-contained flats (9 x 3-bed, 12 x 2-bed and 3 x 1-bed) with associated surface car parking and vehicular access from Seldown Road. Reasons included:-
§ Loss of existing employment premises contrary to Policies E2 and E2a of the Poole Local Plan 1998 and First Alteration (Deposit July 2000).
§ Lack of affordable housing units secured in perpetuity contrary to Policy H2 of the Poole Local Plan (July 2000).
§ Lack of provision for cycle parking, and in the absence of details narrowing down the accesses to Parkstone Road, would be likely to lead to parking on that frontage contrary to Policy H29 of the First Alteration (Deposit Version) of the Poole Local Plan (July 2000).
§ Failure to make a contribution towards recreational open space facilities in accordance with Policy L21 of the Poole Local Plan.
Current Proposal
§ The proposal seeks the up-grading and refurbishment of office accommodation contained in the two front wings fronting Parkstone Road, and the first and second floors of the rear wing. A ground floor extension is proposed below the west wing of the building and a single-storey extension above the east wing to provide additional office accommodation and a self-contained office suite respectively.
§ The proposal as submitted would deliver 2,568 sqm of grade ‘A’ office accommodation. ( a 175 sqm increase on the existing).
§ In addition to these works, it is proposed to extend the rear wing vertically, through the provision of 3 additional floors with a new single-storey extension above the central and west wing of the building to provide 21 two bed flats.
REPRESENTATIONS
Adjoining occupiers were consulted and a notice erected on site. 5 replies including a petition with 25 signatures have been received objecting to the proposal on the following grounds:-
§ Intensification of use of the site and access in Seldown Lane and Road
§ Increase in height of the development would be overdominant in the surrounding streetscenes of Parkstone Road and Seldown Lane
§ Loss of amenity to adjoining occupiers in Seldown Place by reason of overlooking and loss of privacy to adjoining occupiers in Seldown Place
§ increased height and mass of building would result in a loss of outlook and have a overbearing effect for occupiers of Seldown Place.
Wessex Water - No objection subject to agreement over connection to and supply from Wessex systems as a public water main runs along the boundary of site.
Head of Environment and Consumer Protection Services - No objections
Head of Transportation Services - No objection subject to conditions and a Section 106 Agreement to agree a Travel Plan; monitoring fee and a Transportation contribution of £21,000 in accordance with the adopted Interim Planning Framework 30 October 2007 for “Developer Contributiions Towards Transport Investment”.
The Head of Housing – No objections in principle subject to provision of off-site affordable housing.
Relevant Planning Policy
The following policies of the Poole Local Plan are of particular relevant to this application: -
BE1 - Design Code
H5: Affordable Housing
H13 -Purpose Built Flats; Policy
E3: Existing Employment Sites and Premises Outside Identified Employment Areas and Allocated Sites
T11 – Car Parking Maxima
T13- Traffic generated by development
T14 - Access to the Highway Network
NE28- Tree Preservation Orders
Planning Considerations
Design
· The frontage of the extended building on its north side on Parkstone Road is located at one of the gateways to the town centre and the lower floor front elevation of the lower floors and space in front will create a more active and distinctive frontage. Furthermore, when viewed from the Harbour and Shoreline area, the height of the building will not interrupt or dominate the skyline.
· The upper floors and massing of the extended building will be partly screened by the dense screen of protected trees that characterise the pedestrian link from Parkstone Road to Seldown Place.
· From the west in Parkstone Road the extension and its capped roof results in a horizontal emphasis which together with appropriate materials create a building that is appropriate to its location
· The colours, materials and design of the proposed roof extension and use of projecting balconies will provide visual interest through the pattern of light and shade on the main façade and use of timber and white render to provide a lighter more complementary appearance.
· The proposals reflect the character of the area at an appropriate scale to their surroundings and in keeping with the development close to and on the edge of the Town Centre.
· The proposal is in accordance with Policies BE1 and BE2.
Neighbouring Privacy and Amenity
§ There would be sufficient space between the proposal and neighbouring dwelling on the boundary to the west and other blocks of flats 30 metres to the east and rear is such that no material loss of light would occur to sensitive windows or external areas of these adjoining dwellings.
Trees/Landscaping
§ The proposal whilst removing a number of protected trees, secures replacement planting with trees on the street frontage with Parkstone Road and side and rear boundaries with Seldown Road and Seldown Place.
Employment Use
§ Bolton House lies outside the existing employment areas (E2) and allocated employment sites (E1), identified in the Poole Local Plan and is therefore subject to the provisions of Policy E3, which relates to alternative uses of employment sites lying outside of these policy areas. The proposed scheme does not conflict with the intent of this policy in that it does not result in a loss of employment floorspace, The development, in proposing a mixed-use scheme actually results a modest increase in the level of office floorspace provision.
§ The proposal would deliver a number of benefits. Principal amongst these is the delivery of over 2,500 sqm of refurbished office accommodation of Grade ‘A’ standard, of which there is an identified shortage in central Poole. The provision of this level of high quality office floorspace will be largely dependent on the incorporation of the residential element to the scheme. The development provides a highly sustainable solution, incorporating as it does both office and residential accommodation, to a site in an edge of Poole Town Centre location.
§ The proposal is in accordance with Policy E3 of the Poole Local Plan; guidance contained within RPG 10 and emerging advice within the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West
Affordable Housing
§ The scheme, in proposing the delivery of 21 residential units, exceeds the threshold of 15 units required under Policy H5, for the provision of Affordable Housing.
§ The unique nature of the development results in on site Affordable Housing provision being undeliverable. However, by maximising values on site, an off site provision of 8 units (40%) provision can be delivered with the assistance of some Housing Corporation grant subsidy.
§ The proposal is therefore in accordance with Policy H4 of the Poole Local Plan.
Highways Access and Parking
§ 51 car spaces are proposed, (30 for the offices and 21 for the two bed flats), including 6 disabled (3 offices and 3 for flats). This level of provision would not conflict with the national car parking maxima set out in PPG13. There is no shortfall in car parking as a result of this proposal hence no conflict with the Council’s Parking Guidelines.
§ Furthermore the applicants are prepared to enter into a Section 106 agreement to make a capital contribution in accordance with the adopted Interim Planning Framework 30 October 2007 for “Developer Contributions Towards Transport Investment” and to secure a Travel Plan prior to occupation. The proposal is therefore in accordance with the provisions of Policy T13 contained within the Poole Local Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
GRANT – Subject to a Section 106 Agreement to secure:-
(i) A site for affordable housing provision of at least 40% off site affordable housing provision comprising 4 one bed and 4 two bed units in accordance with Policy H4 of the Poole Local Plan First Alteration Adopted 2004 (as Amended by Secretary of State Direction September 2007
(ii) Not more than 11 of the residential units hereby approved shall be occupied until such time as the 8 affordable housing units referred to in paragraph (i) above are completed.
(iii) £ 30,576 (plus admin fee of £458.64 ) towards recreational facilities in accordance with Polcy L17 of the Poole Local Plan First Alteration Adopted 2004 (as Amended by Secretary of State Direction September 2007
(iv) £20,790 (plus admin fee of £ 50) towards mitigating the impact of new residential development on the Dorset Heathland in accordance with the adopted Dorset Heathlands Interim Planning Framework 2006-2009.
(v) £ 21,996.00 (plus admin fee of £ 415.80) as appropriate mitigation to ensure that all relevant schemes identified in the Local Transport Plan (currently LTP2, 2006-2011) are implemented. through infrastructure improvements; to encourage more sustainable travel behaviour, and deliver targets for congestion; road safety; air quality and accessibility in accordance with The Interim Planning Framework – Developers Contributions Towards Transport Investment formally adopted by the Council on 30 October 2007 and Policy T13 of the Poole Local Plan First Alteration Adopted 2004 (as Amended by Secretary of State Direction September 2007)