Report: Development Control Committee 25.02.10: Part I - ( ) 09 1776 Ful - 4-6 Station Road

Report: Development Control Committee 25.02.10: Part I - ( ) 09 1776 Ful - 4-6 Station Road

DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE – 25 FEBRUARY 2010

PART I - DELEGATED

9. 09/1776/FUL - Extension above and to rear of existing building, converting a two storey building into three storeys with two additional two bedroom flats, creation of a first storey extension over existing car park to provide office accommodation, retaining parking spaces and creating a new frontage onto road with formation of new vehicle entrance to Northway at 4-6STATION ROAD RICKMANSWORTH for MrPaul Harris and WJRProperties Ltd

(DCES)

The Committee will recall this application was considered on 21 January 2010. It was deferred for a Committee site visit that took place on Saturday 6 February 2010.

In addition, further information has been received from the applicant with regard to existing servicing arrangements, means of escape and waste recovery.

In terms of the current legal arrangements in respect of the yard, the applicant states: the owners are the freeholders of 2, 4 and 6 Station Road. In this respect the Health food shop at 112 High Street, Tames at 108, the hairdresser at 104 and Chaplin’s shoe repairs at 106 High Street have yard pedestrian access and for loading and unloading. Only small vans are used for delivery.

The applicant further states: Existing arrangements for means of escape from the surrounding shops and flats are via either the front doors onto the High Street or Station Road frontages or through the yard to Northway. The development of this building will not enclose the yard. There will be pedestrian and vehicular access in and out, as there is at present.

The applicant also advises: There is existing provision for waste recovery via a number of bins in and around the yard but also on the Northway frontage. There is provision in the application both within the under stairs area of the building to be constructed at No. 6 Station Road and around the yard perimeter to enable the current arrangements to continue. The current arrangements for the users at 2, 4 and 6 Station Road are that the waste vehicle collecting rubbish from the bins in the yard parks at the entrance of the yard to Northway and does not reverse into the yard. Dustbins are drawn and delivered from the rear of the premises and placed back in position.

Environmental Protection has commented that the only problem they see is that one row of bins are close to parked cars.

A verbal update to the January Committee was that amended plans were received showing planting to the highway verge. The Highway Authority has no objection and that a licence from the Highway Authority would be required.

A copy of the report presented to the 21 January 2010 Development Control Committee is attached below. There is no change to the recommendation to GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION.

09/1776/FUL - Extension above and to rear of existing building, converting a two storey building into three storeys with two additional two bedroom flats, creation of a first storey extension over existing car park to provide office accommodation, retaining parking spaces and creating a new frontage onto road with formation of new vehicle entrance to Northway at 4-6STATION ROAD RICKMANSWORTH for MrPaul Harris and WJRProperties Ltd

(DCES)

The application has been called to Committee by three Councillors on the Development Control Committee.

Parish: Non-parished / Ward: Rickmansworth
Expiry Statutory Period: 5 January 2010 / Officer: L Moore

1.Relevant Planning History

1.1Various applications for minor alterations and advertisements to 4 and 6 Station Road.

1.22 Station Road: 05/1326/FUL - Creation of 2nd floor and conversion of first floor to create four flats and front and rear dormer windows with alterations and extension at ground floor. Planning permission granted November 2005.

08/0448/FUL - Amendment to planning permission 05/1326/FUL: Creation of 2nd floor and conversion of first floor to create four flats and front and rear dormer windows with alterations and extension at ground floor to include increase in rear extension and additional rear dormer window. Planning permission granted April 2008. Implemented.

2.Detailed Description of Proposed Development

2.1The site lies on the corner of Station Road with Northway in Rickmansworth Town Centre Conservation Area. It consists of two units which front Station Road with a service yard accessed from Northway. The existing buildings are two storey flat roof buildings hosting a restaurant at No. 4 Station Road and Estate Agents at No, 6 Station Road. The site is located within the secondary shopping frontage of the Town Centre Shopping Centre.

2.2Recently, Number 2 Station Road has been extended with the creation of a second floor to create four flats above the ground floor Estate Agent. 4 parking spaces are provided to serve No. 2 Station Road and these share the same service yard as numbers 4 and 6 Station Road

2.3Within the vicinity of the site is a variety of buildings in terms of height and architecture ranging from 2 storeys to five storeys (flats on the opposite side of Northway at Penn Place).

2.4To the south are two storey buildings which front onto the High Street. 102a High Street is in residential use. The buildings at 104 and 108 High Street whilst having windows in the north elevation that face the site appear to be in commercial use. 106a High Street faces north and this appears to be in residential use.

2.5The application seeks full planning permission for the erection of an additional storey (second storey) above numbers 4 and 6 Station Road. It would have a mansard style design with two dormer windows to the front facing Station Road, three dormer windows facing Northway and one dormer window facing east over the service yard. This would provide the living room and kitchen accommodation for proposed two flats.

2.6It is also proposed to erect an extension at first and second floor to the rear of the existing buildings that would tie into the additional storey above. This would be the same depth and width of the existing ground floor projection. This would provide the two bedrooms as well as a new stairwell to serve both flats.

2.7The first floor elevation of the existing building would be altered with changes to the fenestration and by introducing tile hanging instead of the existing brickwork.

2.8The application also includes a new first storey extension to the rear which is adjacent to the footpath on Northway. It would have a pitched roof design with dormer windows to the north elevation facing the street. It would be 5.8 metres deep, 15.3 metres wide. The eaves of the building would be 3.8 metres and 4 metres high. The ridge height would be 7.6 metres high. The first floor would accommodate a small office with a floor area of approximately 59 square metres. The first floor would be supported by columns which enableaccess to the parking spaces to be provided. A brick and rail means of enclosure would be provided at ground level with the access having a clearance height of 2.9 metres. The building would principally have a brick and slate tile external appearance.

2.9The vehicle access serving the site would be repositioned by approximately 6 metres to the east further away from the junction of Station Road with Northway. It would lead to the service yard for a total of 8 car parking spaces. Four of these parking spaces would serve No. 2 Station Road. Both of the proposed flats would have one allocated parking space each. One space would be allocated for the restaurant use and one space allocated for the estate agent use. Within the service yard, bin stores would be provided.

2.10The application has been supported by a Design and Access Statement.

2.11The application does not propose to change the existing restaurant and estate agent uses.

3.Consultation

3.1.1Conservation Officer - This is a relatively modern design that makes a sensible and consistent upper extension with the adjacent property on the Station Road frontage. The contemporary design is carried on round to the Northway frontage. Here it improves the design character of this untidy street frontage which currently has unattractive views into the rear of High Street shops and associated clutter. The new tile hanging to first floor elevations does much to improve the rather stark and characterless frontage on both elevations. As such I feel that it is contributing in a positive and complimentary way to a modern element of this part of the Rickmansworth Town Centre Conservation Area.

3.1.2Landscape Officer – No objection.

3.1.3Hertfordshire County Council Transportation Planning and Policy - The proposal is for the erection of extensions to this existing building converting it from 2-storey to 3-storey to form 2 new 2-bed flats and an additional office with altered access from Northway. Section 6 of the application form indicates the development involves alterations of an existing access to the highway. At present this site has an existing vehicle access from Northway to a rear car park/yard. The proposal includes moving the existing access further from the Northway/Station Road junction, providing parking at the rear for 8 cars and offices over the access. It is not clear what headroom is being provided over the access but it would appear there will be no servicing arrangements for large delivery vehicles as only cars/light vans will be able to enter the site. I am however aware there is a parking bay in Station Road and as many other sites with rear access to Northway do not have servicing facilities large vehicles already park on Northway. Under these circumstances I do not consider the additional dwellings and office space will materially increase traffic movements from the site I therefore have no objection and recommend conditions.

3.2Site/Press Notice

3.2.1Yes. (Both). Overall expiry date 18December 2009.

3.3Neighbourhood

3.3.1Number consulted: 32

Number of responses: 2

4.Summary of Representations

4.1102A High Street - New building will look into 4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and block out light. Owner of 2 Station Roadwould like to be kept informed of any amendments

5.Reason for Delay

5.1Committee Cycle.

6.Relevant District Plan Provision

6.1Three Rivers Local Plan 1996 – 2011: RickmansworthTown Centre Inset Plan, Conservation Area. Secondary Shopping Frontage. Policies GEN1, GEN1a, GEN3, C1, C2, C14, D1, D2, D3, D6, D8, D9, H1, H3, H4, H14, T7, T8, T9, T10, T11 and Appendices 1, 2 and3.

7.Analysis

7.1The application site is situated in close proximity to Rickmansworth Station and is within the town centre. The principle of mixed business and residential development in this location accords with both national and local planning policy.

7.2Policy H4 of the adopted Local Plan, which is very much in line with national planning policy guidance contained in PPG3 (Housing) and PPG13 (Transport), states that “Within those parts of the main urban areas where there is good access to passenger transport or community facilities and services, applications for residential development will be expected to be at the highest density compatible with any natural or historic features of the site, providing a range of dwellings sizes, and avoiding any significant adverse impact on the amenities of the surrounding area.”

7.3The site falls within the Rickmansworth Town Centre Conservation Area. It is considered that the layout and design of the proposed development is of a scale that reflects the character and appearance of the existing buildings in the vicinity of the site particularly with regard to the recently constructed second storey above 2 Station Road. The proposed development would complete the Station Road frontage. It would still maintain variety due to the use of tile hanging at first floor and the roof being slightly lower than the adjoining roof at 2 Station Road.

7.4The development where it fronts onto Northway would provide an improved visual appearance to the street frontage.

7.5The office accommodation would be sited approximately 15 metres from the rear elevation of the buildings at 106, 106a and 108 High Street. It would be offset to the North West to the rear elevation of 102a and 104 High Street. It would not directly face the rear elevation of 102a and 104 High Street where there is a bedroom window in the rear elevation. The windows in the ground floor rear elevation of 104 serve the kitchen of the hairdressers. The first floor windows in the projecting and recessed part of the north elevation of 102a serve bedrooms. In the west side elevation of 102a High Street are bathroom and kitchen windows. Due to the distance between the proposed building and existing windows, the roof design, and northerly aspect of the proposed office building, it is considered that no significant loss of light would result to any existing residential properties to the south and east of the application site.

7.6No significant loss of light would result either to the flats at Penn Place or the buildings opposite on Station Road from the proposed development as these are sited between 10 and 17 metres away. Furthermore, due to the orientation of the application site to other buildings this also ensures that no significant loss of sunlight would result.

7.7Whilst it is acknowledged that the proposed scheme introduces windows to the west and north elevations that face other buildings, these overlook existing highways. In view of this and that no windows are proposed in the south elevation of the proposed office building no significant loss of privacy or overlooking is considered to result.

7.8The proposed development is sited within the Rickmansworth Town Centre which enjoys access to a range of public transport services, shops and other services. As such the proposed level of car parking to serve the proposed development is acceptable. The layout also ensures that four car parking spaces are provided and maintained to serve the development at 2 Station Road. However, it is considered appropriate to attach a condition to prevent the future residential occupiers applying for residents parking permits due to the site falling within the Rickmansworth Town Centre controlled parking zone

7.9The resiting of the access to the east would result in the loss of an existing tree in the public highway. The landscape officer has raised no objection as the proposals have no direct impact upon any protected trees. However, it is considered appropriate that a replacement tree to be planted along the Northway frontage. The applicant would need to discuss this directly with the Highway Authority and an informative is suggested.

7.10The Council is committed to making development more sustainable. Policy GEN1 of the Three Rivers Local Plan 1996 – 2011 (Adopted 2001) requires that applicants should submit an assessment of their proposal against the sustainable checklist in Appendix 1. A sustainability assessment has not been submitted with the application, however, it is understood that the applicant is willing to include sustainable design measures. These can be addressed through a planning condition.

7.11The Council’s guidelines require 31m² of amenity space each for a 2 bed flats and there will be no amenity space provided here, or any balconies, which could be used as amenity space. The site is located within the High Street and so there is no scope to provide any grassed amenity space. This situation exists in the development at 2 Station Road.

7.12The Design and Access Statement accompanying the application addresses the site context, use, amount, layout, scale, landscaping, appearance and access. The scope of the Design and Access Statement is considered to be acceptable.

8.Recommendation

8.1That PLANNING PERMISSION BE GRANTED subject to the following conditions:-

C1The development hereby permitted shall begin before the expiration of five years from the date of this decision.

REASON:In pursuance of Section 91(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

C2No development shall commence until details for energy saving measures and a sustainability design and management plan for the site have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved details shall be implemented prior to occupation of the development and permanently maintained thereafter.

REASON: To ensure that the development meets the requirements of PolicyGEN1 and Appendix 1 of the Three Rivers Local Plan 1996 – 2011 and to make as full a contribution to sustainable development principles as possible.

C3Before the building operations hereby permitted are commenced, samples and details of the proposed external materials (including window frames) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and no external materials shall be used other than those approved.

REASON: To ensure the external appearance of the building is satisfactory, and meets the requirements of Policies C1 and GEN3 of the Three Rivers Local Plan 1996 – 2011.

C4No development shall take place until details of the existing site levels and the proposed finished floor levels and sections of the proposed buildings have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

REASON: In order to ensure a satisfactory form of development relative to surrounding buildings and landscape and to meet the requirements of PolicyGEN3 and Appendix 2 of the Three Rivers Local Plan 1996 – 2011.