Agenda item

Proposal: Conversion of public house to 2no. commercial units and 12no. residential units (2no. commercial units on the ground floor with 4no. flats over and a conversion of existing rear extension into 8no. residential houses).

Location: 41 Watergate, Grantham, Lincolnshire

Recommendation: To authorise the Assistant Director of Planning & Growth to GRANT planning permission, subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement

 

Proposal: Conversion of public house to 2no. commercial units and 12no. residential units (2no. commercial units on the ground floor with 4no. flats over and a conversion of existing rear extension into 8no. residential houses).

 

Location: 41 Watergate, Grantham, Lincolnshire

 

Recommendation: To authorise the Assistant Director of Planning & Growth to GRANT planning permission.

 

Cllr Harrison returned to the Chamber and declared that he was the Ward Member, however, he would remain objective with the application.

 

Noting comments in the public speaking session by:

 

-Dr Sarmad Aslam - Applicant

 

Together with:

 

-Provisions within the SKDC Local Plan 2011-2036

-Provisions within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

-Other relevant documentation – Grantham Shopfront Design Guide

-Comments received from Environmental Protection Services (SKDC)

-Comments received from LCC Highways & SuDS Support

-Comments received from NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board

-Comments received from LCC Education

-Comments received from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue

-Comments received from Anglican Water

-Comments received from SKDC Historic Buildings Advisor

 

During questions to Public Speakers, Members commented on:

 

-Whether the speaker intended to keep the building the colour blue. The speaker confirmed that they intend to remove the blue to fit in with the surrounding buildings.

 

-One Member raised a point of order that prior to the building’s current incarnation, it had been an ironmongers with a green shopfront.

 

-It was noted that the application had been prior to the requirement for BNG.

 

-Whether there was the prospect of any natural greenery. The speaker confirmed their intention to create a communal garden for visitors.

 

-It was asked what the speaker’s intentions were with the building name. The speaker confirmed they intended to keep the name as the ‘The Playhouse’.  

 

 

During questions to Officers and debate, Members commented on:

 

-A Ward Councillor for the area welcomed the ‘fantastic development’.

 

-Whether the insulation between the residential dwellings would be sufficient. The Assistant Director of Planning clarified that this would be picked up by building control.

 

-Whether the speaker’s intention of installing a communal garden at the rear of the property would compromise the access for emergency services. This is particularly significant given that section 5.5.1 on page 211 of the Agenda Report Pack identifies that Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue had objected on the basis of inadequate access. The Planning Officer confirmed that building regulations would ensure that acceptable safety standards are met regarding fire safety. 

 

-Given that the communal garden was not included in the proposals being considered, the Chairman enquired to the Planning Officer about inserting a condition into the proposals to ensure the garden area did not create the negative consequence. The Planning Officer confirmed this could be done with a ‘regular soft landscaping condition.’

 

-A Member proposed approving the application but declined to insert a condition regarding the garden.

 

Following this proposal, the motion was seconded and AGREED to authorise the Assistant Director of Planning & Growth to GRANT planning permission subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement, and subject to condition. Furthermore, the vote agreed to part Two of the recommendation regarding the timeframe for the Section 106 agreement: where the Section 106 Agreement has not been concluded prior to the Committee, a period not exceeding 12 weeks after the date of the Committee shall be set for the completion of the obligation. In the event that the agreement has not been concluded within the 12-week period and where, in the opinion of the Assistant Director – Planning, there are no extenuating circumstances which would justify a further extension of time, the related planning application shall be refused for the following reason(s): (1) The applicant has failed to enter into a planning obligation to secure the necessary financial contribution towards provision of local surgery(s) and town centre improvements. As such the necessary criteria essential to make what would otherwise be unacceptable development acceptable have not been forthcoming.

 

Time Limit for Commencement

 

1        The development hereby permitted shall be commenced before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

         

Reason: In order that the development is commenced in a timely manner, as set out in Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

 

Approved Plans

 

2        The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with planning application form, and with the following list of approved plans:

                    

i.               Site Location Plan dated 2 Nov 2023

ii.              Proposed Site Plan Parking Arrangements Dwg No. 15_03 Site Plans

iii.             Proposed Floor Plans Dwg No. 14-02 Proposed_03

iv.            Proposed Elevations and Sectional Detail Dwg No. 15-02 Proposed _03.

 

 

Unless otherwise required by another condition of this permission.

              

Reason: To define the permission and for the avoidance of doubt.

 

Prior to Commencement

 

3        Prior to the commencement of the development hereby details of surface/sewage/used water connections shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

          The surface water drainage details shall:

 

·       be based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydrogeological context of the development;

·       provide flood exceedance routing for storm event greater than 1 in 100 year;

·       provide details of how run-off will be safely conveyed and attenuated during storms up to and including the 1 in 100 year critical storm event, with an allowance for climate change, from all hard surfaced areas within the development into the existing local drainage infrastructure and watercourse system without exceeding the run-off rate for the undeveloped site;

·        provide attenuation details and discharge rates;

·       provide details of the timetable for and any phasing of implementation for the drainage scheme; and

·       provide details of how the scheme shall be maintained and managed over the lifetime of the development, including any arrangements for adoption by any public body or Statutory Undertaker and any other arrangements required to secure the operation of the drainage system throughout its lifetime

         

The development shall be undertaken in accordance with the approved details.

 

          Reason: To ensure that the proposed drainage is suitable for the development, in the absence of any technical information relating drainage within the current application, to ensure that the development will accord with Policy EN5 of the Local Plan.

 

4        Before the development hereby permitted is commenced, details of hard and soft landscaping works shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

          The development shall be undertaken in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: Hard landscaping and soft landscaping make an important contribution to the development and its assimilation with its surroundings and in accordance with Policy DE1 of the adopted South Kesteven Local Plan.

 

Prior to Occupation

 

5        Before any part of the development hereby permitted is occupied/brought into use, the details of the storage of refuse and recycling and cycle storage shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

The development shall be undertaken in accordance with the approved details and shall thereafter be retained for use at all times.

 

Reason: To ensure the provision of satisfactory facilities for the storage of refuse and promote sustainable means of travel.

 

6        Before any part of the development hereby permitted is occupied/brought into use, details of the vehicle parking and turning area shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

The development shall be completed in accordance with approved details prior to first occupation of the development and shall not be used for any purpose other than for the parking and turning of private vehicles and motorcycles belonging to the occupants of the property and their visitors, servicing and deliveries.

 

Reason: To ensure that adequate parking provision is provided and retained in order to minimise on street parking and to ensure that vehicles can enter and leave premises in a forward gear in the interests of highway safety

 

7        Notwithstanding the submitted details before any part of the rear conversion element (properties 1-8) are occupied, precise joinery details of the windows and doors to be installed shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

          The details shall include:

 

-confirmation that the doors and windows are of timber construct ion

-1:20 sample elevations

-1:1 joinery profiles

 

The development shall be undertaken in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory form of development and in the interests of visual amenity.

 

8        Prior to the occupation of any part of the rear conversion element (properties 1-8) details of the materials to be used in making good/bricking up any openings shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

          The works shall be undertaken in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory form of development and the use of similar/matching materials.

 

 

9        Prior to the occupation of the main building apartments 1-4 the windows shall be repaired and secondary glazing/internal double-glazed units installed as per the submitted details provided by Artic Glaze Ltd dated 07/07/2021.

 

          Reason: To ensure a satisfactory form of development and in the interests of visual amenity.

 

 

The meeting adjourned for a break at 15:22.