Agenda and minutes

Resolved to appoint Councillor Kirsty L Jones as the Vice-Chair for the 2024/25 municipal year.

Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis – other Council business

Councillor Sam Lux – leave

None.

Minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2024, for confirmation

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2024 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Rob Percival, Area Planning Manager, presented application 24/00076/PFUL3 for planning permission for the erection of a 7 storey Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) with 116 apartments (587 bedspaces), with ancillary communal facilities and landscaping.

A presentation was made, which included indicative images of the proposal and, in the discussion that followed, the following points were made:

(a)  The design and scale of the development overall is fine. The inclusion of rounded ends on the building is welcomed, and appears to be becoming a feature in Nottingham which should be continued.

(b)  The dominance of the grey needs to be softened.

(c)  Where possible officers should continue to aim to negotiate appropriate review mechanisms in S106 agreements for developments where viability assessments have been submitted resulting in less than policy compliant financial contributions so that those contributions can be recalculated based on the updated information provided at the later view date.

(d)  S106 spend is delegated to the Director of Planning and Transport, but it would be appropriate for the Committee to receive an annual report on what the S106 money is spent on.

(e)  The green spaces and biodiversity are welcomed.

(f)  The condition protecting the archaeological interest in the tunnels and air raid shelter underneath land adjacent to the site is welcomed.

(g)  The insulation specification is supported, along with the lighting and solar panel proposals.

Resolved to

(1)  Grant planning permission for the reasons set out in the report, subject to:

(i)   prior completion of a Section 106 Planning Obligation to secure the following:

·  a minimum financial contribution of £274,040 towards affordable housing in lieu of onsite provision;

·  a minimum financial contribution of £167,960 towards the provision or enhancement of off-site Public Open Space or Public Realm;

·  a student management plan and restriction on occupants keeping private vehicles within the City.

Subject to a review mechanism in respect of the above financial

contributions should development not be commenced within 2 years of the issue of planning permission, with power delegated to the Director of Planning and Transport to allocate any additional monies available as he sees fit between affordable housing and public open space up to the policy compliant level.

(ii)   the indicative conditions substantially in the form of those listed in the draft decisionnotice at the end of the report.

(2)  Delegate authority to determine the final details of both the terms of the Planning Obligation and the conditions of planning permission to the Director of Planning and Transport.

(3)  Agree that the Committee is satisfied that Regulation 122(2) Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 is complied with, in that the planning obligations sought are (a) necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms, (b) directly related to the development and (c) fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development.

(4)  Request that an annual report on how S106 contributions are spent is submitted to the Committee for information.

Rob Percival, Area Planning Manager, presented application 22/00188/PFUL3 for planning permission for the erection of a part 7, part 12 (excluding lower ground level), and part 17 storey building comprising student accommodation and associated access, open space and ancillary communal facilities.

A presentation was made, which included indicative images of the proposal and, in the discussion that followed, the following points were made:

(a)  There is concern with the height of the tallest element of the building and the impact it could have on the skyline views to and from the Castle, but the setting of the Castle has been assessed and it is felt appropriate. The scale of wider  development on the Southside has generally been suppressed with only limited elements of greater height supported in a number of appropriate locations, which include this site, to ensure that the views to and from the Castle will not be compromised. This is the last plot to be developed in this locality so there is not the opportunity for future developments of a comparable scale.

(b)  The universities originally raised concerns about the ratio of cluster apartments to studios, so the number of cluster apartments has been increased to 67% against a target of 80%. As a result Nottingham Trent University now support the scheme. The University of Nottingham agree that this change is a step in the right direction but do not consider this enough to remove their concerns, while acknowledging that it is a well considered scheme.

(c)  Any purpose built student accommodation lends itself to conversion to apartments if it is no longer required for student use.

(d)  The architecture of the development is appealing, but it was queried whether the  windows on the upper floors of the tallest element  were too narrow..

Resolved to

(1)  Agree that the requirements of regulations 18(3) and (4) of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (“the 2017 Regulations”) are satisfied by reason of the submission of the Environmental Statement as part of the application which includes at least the following information:

(a) a description of the development comprising information on the site, design, size and other relevant features of the development;

(b) a description of the likely significant effects of the proposed development on the environment;

(c) a description of the measures envisaged to avoid, prevent or reduce and offset likely significant adverse effects on the environment;

(d) a description of the alternatives studied by the developer and an indication of the reasons for the option chosen, taking into account to environmental effects;

(e) a non-technical summary of the information referred to at resolutions 1(a) – (d).

(2)  Agree that the environmental information being the Environmental Statement has met the requirements of schedule 4 to the 2017 Regulations.

(3)  Agree that that no further information pursuant to regulation 25(1) of the 2017 Regulations is required.

(4)  Agree that the environmental information (namely the Environmental Statement together with any representations made by any body required by the 2017 Regulations to be invited to make representations, and any representations duly made by any other person about the environmental effects of the development) has been examined and considered.

(5)  Agree that, as required by regulation 26(1)(b) of the 2017 Regulations, the Committee has reached a reasoned conclusion on the significant effects of the proposed development on the environment, as contained in the report.

(6)  Agree that in the opinion of the Committee the reasoned conclusion referred to at resolution (5) above addresses the significant effects of the proposed development on the environment that are likely to arise as a result of the development and the Committee is therefore satisfied pursuant to regulation 26(2) of the 2017 Regulations that the reasoned conclusion is up to date.

(7)  Agree that the Committee does not consider it appropriate to impose monitoring measures pursuant to regulation 26(1)(d) and regulation 26 (3) of the 2017 Regulations given the nature, location and size of the proposed development and its effects on the environment.

(8)  Agree that, following the determination of the application, the publicity and notification requirements pursuant to regulation 30(1) of the 2017 Regulations be complied with as soon as reasonably practicable and the Director of Planning and Transport be delegated authority to undertake the necessary requirements.

(9)  Grant planning permission for the reasons set out in the report, subject to:

(a)  Prior completion of a Section 106 Planning Obligation to include the following:

(i)  a financial contribution of £860,532 towards the provision of affordable housing;

(ii)  a financial contribution of £520,471 toward the provision or enhancement of off-site Public Open Space/Public Realm;

(iii)  a Local Employment and Training contribution of £122,207, including targets associated with Local Employment and Training opportunities;

(iv)  a Student Management Scheme, which shall include a restriction on car usage, mitigation and management of potential noise nuisance, security details, cleaning and refuse management;

(b)  The indicative conditions substantially in the form of those listed in the draft decision notice at the end of the report and the additional condition in the update sheet.

(10)  Delegate authority to determine the final details of both the terms of the Planning Obligation and the conditions of planning permission to be delegated to the Director of Planning and Transport.

(11)  Agree that the Committee is satisfied that Regulation 122(2) Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 is complied with, in that the planning obligations sought are (a) necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms, (b) directly related to the development and (c) fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development.

Councillor Kevin Clarke requested that his vote against the recommendations be recorded.

Martin Poole, Area Planning Manager, presented application 23/00008/PFUL3 for planning permission for the construction of four terraced houses.

A presentation was made, which included indicative images of the proposal and, in the discussion that followed, the following points were made:

(a)  It is important to ensure that the oriel windows are made of good quality materials to survive exposure to the weather. These are subject to further approval.

(b)  The fencing needs to be of high quality to ensure that it is able to withstand the more frequent stronger winds now experienced in the UK.

(c)  The development is supported as it is in keeping with the area.

Resolved to grant planning permission subject to conditions substantially in the form listed in the draft decision notice, with power to determine the final details of the conditions to be delegated to the Director of Planning and Transport.

To agree to meet on the following Wednesdays at 2pm:

Resolved to meet at 2pm on the following Wednesdays: