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

This application relates to an application for the erection of a 17 storey building comprising office use (Use Class B1a) and flexible ground floor commercial units (Use Classes A1 shop, A2 financial and professional services, A3 restaurant/cafe and A4 drinking establishment), new electricity sub-station, basement cycle parking and rooftop plant enclosure, together with access, servicing and associated works following demolition of the existing building.

The Planning Officer provided an update on the application. The Committee was advised that two reasons for minded to refusal had been included in the planning report. The Committee was informed that officers did not consider the first reason regarding a loss of amenity to be sufficient to refuse the application. The second reason referred to points raised by Historic England relating to the impact of the building on town houses located nearby but did consider the impact to result in less than substantial harm. The view taken by planning officers is that the benefit of the development to the area will outweigh negative impact.   

The objector’s representative addressed the Committee and recapped on the reasons for objection.

• The Height and mass and the development;
• Loss of amenity to local residents (loss of privacy and light, overlooking);
• Impact on heritage assets;
• Over development of the site.

The applicant’s agent addressed the Committee on the proposal.

Councillor Jeavons (ward Councillor) addressed the Committee to object to the application. The committee was advised that the application does not work for the local area or that area of the city centre in terms of height and mass. The impact on local heritage assets is considerable and unacceptable in a city centre concept.

The Chair invited members of the Committee to ask questions and comment of the application.

The Planning Officer referred to the detailed responses within the planning report to the objections received and the application of planning policies and guidance. Reference was also made to the impact of the scheme which is not considered to be a substantial harm on the surrounding area.

Councillor Lyons moved the proposal for the Committee to refuse the application. Councillor Leech seconded the proposal.

Members of the committee considered that the issues relating to the negative and substantial impact of the proposal had not changed with the loss of amenity and impact on heritage assets and considered that the negative impact of the development would not outweigh the potential public benefits  and agreed that the application be refused for the following reasons:

1. The proposed development would be unacceptable due to the resultant loss of amenity for the residents of No. 1 Deansgate and therefore contrary to guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework and inconsistent with policies SP1 and DM1 of the Core Strategy.

2. The proposed development would represent overdevelopment of the site and would be unacceptable due to the negative impact on the heritage assets of St. Anns’s Church, the Royal Exchange and the St. Ann’s Square Conservation Area. Furthermore, the negative impact of the development on surrounding heritage assets would not be outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to guidance with the National Planning Policy Framework and inconsistent with policies SP1, EN3, CC9 and DM1 of the Core Strategy and saved policies DC18.1 and DC19.1 of the Unitary Development Plan for the City of Manchester.

Decision

The Committee refused the application for the following reasons:

1. The proposed development would be unacceptable due to the resultant loss of amenity for the residents of No. 1 Deansgate and therefore contrary to guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework and inconsistent with policies SP1 and DM1 of the Core Strategy.

2. The proposed development would represent overdevelopment of the site and would be unacceptable due to the negative impact on the heritage assets of St. Anns’s Church, the Royal Exchange and the St. Ann’s Square Conservation Area. Furthermore, the negative impact of the development on surrounding heritage assets would not be outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to guidance with the National Planning Policy Framework and inconsistent with policies SP1, EN3, CC9 and DM1 of the Core Strategy and saved policies DC18.1 and DC19.1 of the Unitary Development Plan for the City of Manchester.