Agenda item

The application is before Members as the site is within the ownership of Tendring District Council. The Assistant Director of Housing and Environment has made the application.

The application relates to Spendells House Sheltered Housing Scheme located on the southern side of Naze Park Road, Walton-on-the-Naze. The site lies within the Settlement Development Boundary of Walton-on-the-Naze as defined within both the adopted Tendring District Local Plan 2007 and the emerging Tendring District Local Plan 2013-2033 and Beyond Publication Draft (June 2017). A mixture of residential development comprising single and two storey dwellings, with five storey blocks of flats to the west, surround the site.

Councillor Bray declared a personal interest in Planning Application 20/01285/FUL – SPENDELLS HOUSE NAZE PARK ROAD WALTON ON THE NAZE CO14 8JJ due to being a member of Frinton and Walton Town Council. He was not pre-determined.

It was reported that this application was before Members as the site was within the ownership of Tendring District Council. The Assistant Director of Housing and Environment had made the application.

The Committee was informed that this application related to Spendells House Sheltered Housing Scheme located on the southern side of Naze Park Road, Walton-on-the-Naze. The site lay within the Settlement Development Boundary of Walton-on-the-Naze as defined within both the adopted Tendring District Local Plan 2007 and the emerging Tendring District Local Plan 2013-2033 and Beyond Publication Draft (June 2017). A mixture of residential development comprising single and two storey dwellings, with five storey blocks of flats to the west, surrounded the site.

On 23rd March 2018 the decision had been made by Cabinet to close Spendells House due to very low demand from those eligible to live in sheltered housing; whilst homelessness applications and temporary accommodation placements had been increasing over recent years. Temporary accommodation was currently sourced externally via local property owners and bed and breakfast establishments.

Members were made aware that the development proposal consisted of a change of use from C3 (dwellinghouse) to a Sui Generis (Hostel accommodation). The building would provide council owned and managed temporary accommodation to households to whom the Local Housing Authority owed a statutory duty to accommodate under homelessness legislation. The development did not propose any significant external changes to the building. Internal alterations would consist of changes to the layout and accommodation including some new bathrooms, a fully accessible flat and staff/office areas, but overall the layout would remain largely unchanged.

Given the current shortage of affordable homes in the District, facilities such as this played a vital role in providing short-term accommodation for sections of society in need, which was supported by national policy. Furthermore, the site was located in a highly sustainable, built up area within easy walking distance of a local convenience store, a café, the beach and other amenities. There was a bus stop to the front of the site providing regular services to Walton, Frinton and Clacton.

The proposal was for a residential use comparable to the residential use currently permitted within Spendells House. Whilst it was recognised that the proposed use would adopt a more transient nature and include younger residents and families, officers did not consider that any material harm to the character of the area, residential amenities or highway safety would result.

It was felt that the development would ensure a vacant premises was brought back into use as council owned and managed temporary accommodation providing a better quality and more versatile provision than was currently available externally, thus providing a valuable contribution to the housing mix for the District in a sustainable location. The application was therefore recommended for approval subject to conditions.

The Committee had before it the published Officer report containing the key planning issues, relevant planning policies, planning history, any response from consultees, written representations received and a recommendation of approval.

At the meeting, an oral presentation was made by the Council’s Planning Officer (AL) in respect of the application.

Councillor Paul Honeywood, Portfolio Holder for Housing, spoke in support of the application.

Tim R Clarke, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

During the Committee’s debate on this application, Members discussed and asked questions on the following matters:-

Following discussion by the Committee, it was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Alexander and unanimously:-

RESOLVED that the Assistant Director (Planning) (or equivalent authorised officer) be authorised to grant planning permission for the development, subject to:

Conditions and Reasons:

1.    The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason - To comply with the requirements of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

1.    The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

A2020/20/01 P            Proposed First Floor Plan

A2020/20/01 P            Proposed Ground Floor Plan

A2020/20/04 P            Proposed Elevations

A2020-02-03   Amended Site Plan and Block Plan

A2020/20/PARK         Parking Provisions and Public Transport Links

Reason - For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

2.    Prior to the beneficial use of the development details of public transport facilities (timetables and locations of bus stops etc), walking and cycling routes to shops and local amenities shall be made available to residents and prominently displayed and regularly updated and maintained in perpetuity within the site.

Reason - In the interests of reducing the need to travel by car and promoting sustainable development and transport.

4.    The development shall not be occupied until such time as the car parking provision and cycle store shown on the approved drawings have been hard surfaced, sealed and made available. The parking and cycle parking provision shall be retained in this form at all times for the sole purpose of parking in relation to the approved use.

Reason – To ensure parking provision for the site is maximised and retained in the interests of highway safety.

5.    All new hardstanding and parking areas shall be made of porous materials, or provision shall be made to direct run-off water from the hard surface to a permeable or porous area or surface within the curtilage of the site.

Reason - In the interests of sustainable development and to ensure that run-off water is avoided to minimise the risk of surface water flooding.

6.    No vehicle connected with construction works shall arrive on site before 07:30 or leave after 19:00 (except in the case of emergency). Working hours shall be restricted to between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00 Monday to Saturday (finishing at 13:00 on Saturday) with no working of any kind permitted on Sundays or any Public/Bank Holidays.

Reason – In the interests of residential amenities and noise sensitive premises in close proximity of the application site.

7.    Prior to the occupation of the development hereby approved, precise details of the siting and appearance of the refuse and recycling stores shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and retained in the approved form.

Reason – In the interests of visual amenity as insufficient details have been provided with the application.

Informatives:

Positive and Proactive Statement

The Local Planning Authority has acted positively and proactively in determining this application by identifying matters of concern within the application (as originally submitted) and negotiating, with the Applicant, acceptable amendments to the proposal to address those concerns.  As a result, the Local Planning Authority has been able to grant planning permission for an acceptable proposal, in accordance with the presumption in favour of sustainable development, as set out within the National Planning Policy Framework.