Application 36439D - Gulson Plating David Road

- compatibility with other plan policies.
• CDP Policy H12 states that a high standard of design will be required for
new housing development in the City and that the density of development
should represent the most efficient use of sites consistent with the principles
of good design.
• CDP Policy E8 states that proposals for the redevelopment of employment
sites for non-employment uses will not be permitted, unless substantial
evidence demonstrates that re-use for employment purposes is not realistic
or would produce unacceptable environmental, amenity or traffic problems.
• CDP Policy AM17 states that levels of car parking must ensure that
developments do not cause car-parking problems in the vicinity.
• CDP Policy AM22 states that new developments will be required to have
safe and appropriate access to the highway system.
• When granting the earlier permission for residential development Members
were satisfied that economic appraisals had demonstrated that
redevelopment for employment purposes would not be viable. Furthermore,
the site is very restricted site and employment use was not considered
compatible within a predominantly residential area and so closely adjoined
by dwellings. Policy E8 was therefore satisfied and there have been no
material changes in circumstances.
• The applicants have submitted a satisfactory report on the contamination of
the site including general proposals for decontamination. Condition
recommended requiring the submission of a detailed remediation scheme.
• When considering the earlier scheme Members requested amendments
due to concerns relating to the level of on-site parking and possible impact
on the surrounding highway network. As such the number of units was
reduced from 20 to 15 comprising 2 three-bed flats, 8 two-bed flats, 3 onebed
flats and 2 duplex flats. However, while the number of units was
reduced, the units were generally larger and the footprint of the building
remained the same. 16 parking spaces were provided on site.
• The current scheme proposes 20 flats with 20 on-site parking spaces.
• The footprint of the building in this scheme is slightly reduced (42.25sqm)
from the earlier permission in order to increase the level of car parking on
site.
• The proposal remains a high-density scheme. However, the surrounding
area includes high-density housing and the applicant maintains that such a
high density is necessary to produce a viable scheme, given the high costs
of decontamination and advice as to expected values.
• There is very little private amenity space within the development as one of
the conditions of the decontamination report is that the whole of the site
should be covered with hard surfaces, which would preclude any new soft
landscaping. The proposal includes a similar level of green amenity space
as the previous scheme in the form of raised planting beds. The central
parts of the first and second floor access walkways also provide a small
element of outdoor amenity space in those areas. Taking into account the
constraints of this particular site, I am satisfied that an acceptable standard
of living conditions for future occupiers would be provided.
• Local residents have repeatedly expressed concerns that the application
represents an overdevelopment of the site and stated that a scheme with 3
4