Issue - meetings

Recommendation: Conditional approval

Proposal: Full application for the proposed change of use from HMO (Use Class C4) to supported living (Use Class C2), plus erection of two storey rear extension with 3 no. rooflights and solar panels and erection of detached rear outbuilding to form a meeting room following demolition of existing outbuilding, with associated parking, cycle and bin storage.

Applicant: Wokingham Borough Council

The Committee received and reviewed a report, set out in agenda pages 159 to 184.

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included:

·           Clarification of the floor areas;

·           Clarification that Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) purchased this property as a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in 2017, and had been vacant since;

·           Clarification that notification Letters were sent on 8 April 2020. However, in response to objections received from neighbours and in the interest of openness, a site notice was also posted by the applicant on 30 April 2020;

·           Clarification that on agenda page 170, paragraph 22, R23 of the Borough Design Guide refers to alterations and extensions to buildings;

·           Since publication of the report, 5 additional public letters of objection had been received. The points raised by these letter have been addressed within the officer report;

·           Clarification that the applicant had provided details of the proposed surface water drainage strategy. The WBC Drainage Officer was satisfied with these details, and so has determined that Condition (10) is no longer necessary.

In line with the given deadlines, one public written submission was received for this item. This submissions was circulated to Members in advance, and noted on the evening. The submission as provided can be found below.

Maria Gee, Ward Member, provided the following submission in objection to the application. “I wish to object to the application in its current form (revised).  I objected initially to the extent of the new build on site, the parking and access to London Road, and to the building in the garden, while acknowledging the need for local accommodation for care leavers.  It is also good that measures have been taken for sustainability and that the building will be brought back into use.

In my original objection I observed that three parking spaces did not allow safe access to and from the site on a bend in a very busy road.  I suggested that reducing the size of the accommodation proposed would solve this problem because fewer parking spaces would be required.  I am very pleased to see that the number of parking spaces has been reduced and reserved for residents or visitors with disability permits.  However, reducing the car parking spaces does not overcome the problem that led to the need for the original proposal to have three spaces.  That problem is that the application is overdevelopment of the site.  The application almost doubles the footprint of the main dwelling and the percentage of the site occupied by buildings has more than doubled from 25% to 53%. 

I cannot see the need for a very sizeable meeting room separated from the main  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119