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

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing regarding the erection of a 34 storey building (land at no. 14-16 Piccadilly) and conversion of adjacent building (no.12 Piccadilly) (basement to fourth floor) to create an aparthotel, including a ground floor cafe (Use Class E (b)), first floor exhibition hall (Use Class F1) and a rooftop bar and restaurant (Use Class E (b)), and associated works. The report also contained an application for Listed Building Consent for the external and internal alteration and refurbishment of no 12. Piccadilly to form aparthotel in association with the erection of a 34 storey building (land at no. 14-16 Piccadilly), including ground floor cafe (Use Class E (b)), first floor exhibition hall (Use Class F1) and a rooftop bar and restaurant (Use Class E (b)), and associated works.

The Planning Officer had nothing to add to the printed report.

A local resident addressed the Committee, noting that they welcomed the development but felt there was an opportunity to be more creative in the design of the application. They acknowledged that the application would reduce the view of nearby residents. Servicing at nearby premises is not done in the service yards provided and is done from outside of the housing association block. The resident had concerns that there were no further plans for servicing within this plan. They felt that the street was already at full capacity. They accepted the scheme could work but felt that more needed to be done.

The applicant’s agent addressed the Committee, noting that the site had been vacant for more than 20 years. The listed building at the site was integrated into the proposals. Within the application, there would be publicly accessible facilities, alongside the hotel. The principle of a tall building on the site has previously been accepted with two planning permissions granted previously. The scheme would provide jobs both during and post-construction. The scheme would also provide heritage benefits by bringing a Grade II listed building back into use after being vacant for more than 20 years. They noted that the applicant had a strong track record of delivery.

The Planning Officer noted that this was a relatively small site, next to a listed building. It was a key objective of the proposal to save and restore the listed building. The building would be high-quality precast concrete. In terms of servicing, the officer noted that the best fit had to be looked at nothing would be perfect. The Highways Team were satisfied with the servicing condition put forward. The Planning Officer noted that colleagues can look at enforcement where conditions of other nearby premises were not being met.

A member was happy to hear about enforcement and asked the Chair to discuss this with members to ensure that problems do not continue to arise in the future. They queried the concrete; how nice it could be kept and how it would respond to rain.

The Planning Officer noted that the concrete would be factory produced and will have to meet the standards required to be used. They assured the Committee that it would be good quality and its response to rain would form part of the assessments.

Members then queried if there was anything that could be done to allow public access to the improved heritage site and the view of Officer’s on the removal of part of a wall of a Grade II Listed building.

The Planning Officer noted that the application was for a hotel and public access would likely be limited. However, the application sought to integrate the building into the development, but there could be public access to amenity space if they were part of the listed building. The Planning Officer noted, regarding the wall, that the intention is always to keep as much of a listed building as possible, however that is not always possible, and a balance must be found.

Councillor Curley moved the Officer’s recommendation.

Councillor Riasat seconded the proposal.

Decision

The Committee resolved to approve applications 137794/FO/2023 & 137795/LO/2023.