The report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing that related to the creation of a mixed use development comprising two separate components in the form of an office building of up to 19 storeys with

ground floor commercial, leisure, food and drink uses (All Use Class E (g)) and/ or drinking establishment (Sui Generis), and, a residential building up to 45 storeys (Use Class C3a) with additional roof top plant, basement car parking, cycle parking, landscaping and public realm, servicing and access arrangements, highway alterations and other associated works following demolition of the existing building complex.

Seven letters of objection and one neutral comment had been received.  The objections related to, but were not restricted to, loss of daylight and overbearing, traffic congestion,

The Planning Officer did not have anything to add to the report.

The applicant’s agent attended and addressed the Committee. He stated that the design of the development offered a welcoming and thriving new city centre destinations.  The proposed development aligned with the Council’s Parsonage Gardens SRF which identified Albert Bridge House as significant redevelopment opportunity for high density commercially led mixed use accommodation.  The development would provide approximately 3000 full time jobs and had been designed to deliver best in class, inclusive employment space.  The proposed residential accommodation would meet the Home Quality mark standards and the scale and massing of the buildings had been informed by the SRF with consideration to local heritage assets.

The Chair invited the Committee to make comments or ask questions to the Planning Officer.  The development would support the ongoing economic regeneration of the area and form a key part of the city’s blue and green infrastructure, providing a 20% biodiversity net gain

Councillor Davies addressed the Committee.  She welcomed the success of the Tree Preservation Orders but raised concern in relation to the percentage of parking spaces proposed.  She sought clarification as to whether there had been a decision as to whether all the propose residential accommodation would be for rent or would some be for purchase and whether the proposed ground floor independent retail propsals could be guaranteed as these types of businesses could not often commit to long term leases.

The Planning Officer clarified that there were 12 accessible spaces overall, but if Committee was minded, a condition could be included to review this provision.  It was confirmed that all of the proposed residential accommodation would either be for rent or purchase and insofar as the ground floor retail proposals, the applicant would be offering a profit rent or turnover rent to ensure an independent business occupied the space.  If not already within the conditions, the Planning Officer proposed a suitable condition could be included in the application

Councillor S Ali proposed a motion to approve the officer’s recommendation of Minded to Approve subject to the signing of a section 106 agreement in relation to a future review of the affordable housing position, to secure monies associated with highway improvement works along Bridge Street and secure the retention of the project architect and the inclusion of conditions to review the overall provision of residential parking spaces and the rental arrangements for the proposed independent ground floor retail offering.

Councillor Hewitson seconded Councillor S Ali’s proposal.

Decision

The Committee is Minded to Approve the application, subject to the signing of a Section 106 agreement in relation to a future review of the affordable housing position, to secure monies associated with highway improvement works along Bridge Street and secure the retention of the project architect and the inclusion of conditions to review the overall provision of residential parking spaces and the rental arrangements for the proposed independent ground floor retail offering.