Agenda item

Report No: DEV/SE/18/041

Planning Application - (i) Change of use from financial and professional services (A2) on first floor (2a and 4a) to 3no. flats (C3) with ground floor access to Mill Road; (ii) internal and external alterations

Planning Application - (i) Change of use from financial and professional services (A2) on first floor (2a and 4a) to 3no. flats (C3) with ground floor access to Mill Road; (ii) internal and external alterations

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee following consideration by the Delegation Panel, the item had been referred to the Panel at the request of one of the Ward Members, Councillor Paula Fox (Haverhill South).

Haverhill Town Council objected to the application which was contrary to the Officer recommendation of approval, subject to conditions, as set out in Paragraph 11.1 of Report No DEV/SE/18/041.

Since publication of the agenda a supplementary paper had been circulated which related to the Council’s standard water efficiency condition, as had a ‘late paper’ which set out further information supplied by the agent with regard to parking.

Councillor John Burns drew attention to Paragraph 9.12 of the report which made reference to “the close proximity of bus and rail services”.  Councillor Burns queried this in light of Haverhill not having a rail station within the town.

The Senior Planning Officer apologised and confirmed that the reference to rail services was an error.  However, the application site was still considered to be in a sustainable town centre location.

In response to comments made by Members with regard to emergency services’ access in the vicinity of the application site, the Service Manager (Planning – Development) explained that relevant emergency services would need to raise this with Suffolk County Council as Highways Authority if they had any concerns.

A number of the Committee made reference to one of the flats being slightly below space standards.  The Service Manager (Planning – Development) advised that a refusal on this basis would be considered unsound by Officers and was not recommended.

Councillor Jason Crooks spoke in support of the application and stated that the change of use of the building to residential was likely to result in less demand for parking than the current occupying business required.  He therefore moved that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Andrew Smith.

Upon being put to the vote and with 8 voting for the motion and with 6 against, it was resolved that

Decision

Planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

 1       The development hereby permitted shall be begun not later than 3 years from the date of this permission.

 2       The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in complete accordance with the details shown on the approved plans and documents.

 3       Demolition or construction works shall not take place outside 0800 hours to 1800 hours Mondays to Fridays and 0800 hours to 1300 hours on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays, public holidays or bank holidays.

 4       The use shall not commence until the area(s) within the site shown on Drawing No. AV/2270/5 for the purposes of secure cycle storage have been provided and thereafter those areas shall be retained and used for no other purposes.

 5       The areas to be provided for storage of Refuse/Recycling bins as shown on Drawing No. AV/2270/5 shall be provided in its entirety before the development is brought into use and shall be retained thereafter for no other purpose.

6        No individual dwelling hereby approved shall be occupied until the optional requirement for water consumption (110 litres use per person per day) in Part G of the Building Regulations has been complied with for that dwelling.