Agenda item

            The Senior Planning Officer outlined the main issues to be considered in the determination of the applications, that included:

·         The principle of development at this location;

·         The acceptability of the design;

·         Impact on character of the area and the setting of listed buildings;

·         Access, parking and servicing arrangements; and

·         Environmental Considerations - Drainage, Contamination, Noise.

            She referred the Committee to the proposed floorplans and contextual elevation images and outlined the key design improvements.

            She pointed out that the site benefited from a previous approval of a similar development, of a similar height scape and massing, that had been granted in November 2013 for a 16-storey building, comprised of 60 apartments, which remained live and therefore presented a lawful fallback position for the Applicant.  The Committee was informed that the Council’s Conservation Officer had indicated that the proposal would have an adverse impact on the character of the area and that officers had worked collaboratively with the Historic Environment Division and the Applicant to seek to improve the design quality of the proposed development, given the existing permission which had previously been granted.

            She advised the Committee that no third party objections had been received and referred the Committee to late items which had been received, whereby the Applicant had indicated that a Schedule 6 consent to discharge had been approved and that the Historic Environment Division had provided a further final response, which did not change its overall position but did recommend two conditions - the submission of a method statement to indicate how the McHugh’s Bar, which was a listed building, would be protected, and the submission of external material samples in advance of application.

            She informed the Committee that the application was recommended for approval.

            The Chairperson welcomed Mr. T Stokes, Agent, Mr. A. Maxwell, Project Manager and Mr. J. Humes, Project Architect to the meeting who indicated that they would be available to answer any questions with regard to the application from the Committee.

            In response to a question from a Member in relation to the residential capacity of the apartments, Mr. Stokes indicated that the intention had been to sell the apartments following construction and that the Applicant would have no control over how many individuals would subsequently reside within the apartments.

            In response to a further question from a Member with regard to there not being a daylight assessment on the proposed development, the Senior Planning Officer indicated that there was not a requirement for a daylight assessment, as it was not in an established residential area and could not be considered as part of the planning application. It was clarified that the space standards for residential units do not apply in this location because it is not an established residential area for the purposes of the guidance. The Senior Planning Officer highlighted that the design quality of the application was a significant improvement on the previously approved design.

            The Committee approved the application and granted delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the conditions and the Section 76 and to deal with any DFI Rivers comments and other issues which might arise provided they are not substantive.