Agenda item

DM/20/3516 - Maxwelton House, 41-43 Boltro Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 1BJ.

Minutes:

Joanne Fisher, Senior Planning Officer introduced the report. The application proposed the demolition of existing office building and provision of 54 apartments with associated parking and landscaping.  She  drew  Members attention to the  Agenda  Update  Sheet  and  highlighted that the  update included responses the Highways Authority which had been omitted from Appendix B and comments from West Sussex CCG regarding healthcare provision, updated WSCC contributions as less flats were proposed and a recommended condition relating  to a travel plan.

 

The Planning Officer advised that the site is within the builtup area of Haywards Heath and the development provides 37 flats for market housing and 17 affordable flats. The development would provide 30 % affordable housing.  The building would be split into five vertically proportioned bays with two main entrance cores to the front and rear of the buildings and comprise seven storeys in height. The upper two storeys are stepped in on the roof. On the lower ground floor there would be undercroft parking, bin stores, cycle stores and lift and stair wells. There would be a total provision of a  28 car parking spaces, 9 having ECV points and 78 bike spaces. The parking is below WSCC standards but the site is in a sustainable location close to the  town centre, bus stops and the railway line. The Applicant used local census data to support the parking provision but an extra nine spaces may be required and could be accommodated through on-street parking. A Travel Plan will be provided. The Highways Authority support the scheme.  The site had not been identified as an employment site and redevelopment to residential  was acceptable and would provide additional windfall housing.  The Mid Sussex Design Guide supports site optimisation in this location. Due to the levels of the site, the building would read as a four-storey building due to the lower ground level and the two additional stories on the roof set back and in from the main building line. The proposed design minimises the prominence of the building. A different material will be used for the upper levels to minimise the impact of the taller building. The Urban Designer and Design Review Panel support the scheme. It is considered that there will be less than substantial  harm to Muster Green Conservation Area and the public benefits of the development  out-weigh the harm. It is considered that the proposal would not cause detriment to residential amenities surrounding the site.

 

Mr Robert Wild, resident, spoke in objection to the application.

 

Members expressed concern over the level of car parking provision.  They discussed the provision for cycles and the Car Club, the height of the building and the materials for the two upper storeys.   

 

Members noted the sustainable location of the development , that Haywards Heath Town Council supported the application and queried the impact of the development on the local schools.

 

The Chairman confirmed the ECV points were covered by condition 14.  He highlighted that is was not for the Council to comment on the provision for the Car Club. He reminded Members to refer to the Mid Sussex Design Guide when commenting on the application.  He confirmed the Urban Designer and Design Review Panel used the guide to assess the building and they support the scheme.  He noted the top floors would be constructed of zinc to minimise the visual impact of the upper 2 storeys.  The bulk of the building would be viewed as 4 storeys from the road due to the topography and red brick had been requested as it is a predominate feature in the locality. The algorithms used to calculate the number of school children were tried and tested, and the development would yield between 3 to 5 school aged children.

 

The Planning Officer advised the Highway Authority were satisfied with the parking space dimensions. The Car Club could be considered as part of the  Travel Plan and the Council can encourage the scheme as part of a condition and increase the number of car spaces to 3.  The building would have 68 solar panels producing a peak output of 16.1 kwph. 

 

Sally Blomfield, Divisional Leader for Planning and Economy confirmed the child yield calculator is based on robust evidence and a special team at County Hall provide this evidence.

 

As there were no further speakers the Chairman took the Members to the recommendations and Councillor Laband proposed that the Committee approve the application in line with the Officer’s recommendation, this was seconded by Councillor Webb.  

 

The Solicitor took a named vote on the officer’s recommendation with the changes in the update sheet  and the Committee voted 10 in favour of the motion and one abstention.

 

Councillor

For

Against

Abstained

Bates, R.

 

 

Y

Dabell, J

Y

 

 

Eves, A.

Y

 

 

Hatton, S.

Y

 

 

Jackson, R.

Y

 

 

Laband, C.

Y

 

 

Peacock, A

Y

 

 

Salisbury, R.

Y

 

 

Sweatman, D.

Y

 

 

Webb, R.

Y

 

 

Whittaker, R

Y

 

 

 

RESOLVED

 

Recommendation A

It is recommended that planning permission be approved subject to the completion of a satisfactory S106 Legal Agreement to secure infrastructure contributions and affordable housing and the conditions set in Appendix A.

 

Recommendation B

It is recommended that if the applicants have not submitted a satisfactory signed planning obligation securing the necessary infrastructure payments and affordable housing by the 15th July 2021, then it is recommended that permission be refused at the discretion of the Divisional Lead for Planning and Economy, for the following reasons:

 

1. 'The application fails to comply with policies DP20 and DP31 of the Mid Sussex District Plan in respect of the infrastructure and affordable housing required to serve

the development.'

 

Supporting documents: