Issue - meetings

Recommendation:  Conditional approval subject to legal agreement.

Councillor Holton stated that as he was a Ward Member for Hawkedon ward in which application No 173675 – Auto Trader House, Danehill, was situated, the Vice Chairman would chair the part of the meeting relating to this application. Councillor Holton indicated that he had an open mind with regards to the application and would remain during and participate in the discussion of the application and decision making.

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in agenda pages 9 to 64.

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included:

·         Clarification that the travel plan need not be secured via the S106 agreement and that condition 6 be an appropriate mechanism to secure the travel plan;

·         A correction of the proposed unit mix;

·         A comparison of the predicted noise levels arising from the dismissed appeal proposal and the current proposal. 

Bill Luck, Earley Town Council, spoke in objection to the application. He discussed issues involving car parking at the proposed development. He stated that the Town Council felt that there was adequate car parking at the proposed development but were concerned at the increase in cost that underground parking would bring. He stated that the local bus service only provided an hourly service (with an additional bus at peak times), and he felt that the more frequent bus service was of a distance that most people would not walk to use it. He stated that the proposed double racked cycle storage would be difficult for residents to use. He added that the Town Council was pleased that a car parking management plan would be implemented at the proposed development. He requested that the security arrangements for parking be revised. He stated that the UV panels at the top of the tower blocks would be visible to the residents of the top floors of the surrounding tower blocks which would be unappealing for the residents affected.

Nick Green, Planning Consultant for the applicant, spoke in favour of the application. He stated that the proposed development site had been in a derelict state for some time and the existing office buildings had become redundant and had no prospect of use as offices in the future. He added that the development would help to address the general need for housing within the Borough. He stated that trees would be present around the development to add an additional level of privacy.

John Neale, Architect for the applicant, spoke in favour of the application. He stated that the proposed development would have 76 residential units with 58% of these being dual aspect, with none being north facing. He added that the proposed development would include 116 car parking space, 90 cycle spaces and 10 motorbike spaces. He stated that the height of the tallest tower block would be 9m in height, which was 2m lower than the existing office block. He added that all of the flats had been designed to meet local and national guidelines.

Clive Jones, Ward Member,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94