Rob
Percival, Area Planning Manager, introduced application number
20/00141PFUL3 for planning permission by Rok Planning on behalf of
Unite Group Plc for retention of car showroom
garage, demolition of remaining buildings, and redevelopment for
managed student accommodation and a flexible floor-space building
for Use Class F.1 (learning and non-residential institutions) and E
(commercial business and service) fronting Derby Road, with
associated cycle parking and landscaping. The
application is brought to Committee at the request of a Ward
Councillor who has raised valid planning considerations and because
it is a major application on a prominent site, where there are
important land use design considerations.
To meet the Council's Performance
Targets this application should have been determined by 21 April
2020. An extension of time has been agreed with the applicant until
16 April 2021
Additional information,
amendments and changes to the item since the publication of the
agenda were included in an update sheet, which was appended to the
agenda published online. It included additional representations,
further details on a revised Energy Statement, Waste Management,
and the Student Management Plan.
The following points were
discussed:
(a)
This is a mixed use development, predominantly for
student accommodation, but with an element of commercial
floor-space. The site currently
comprises of a number of car dealerships at the junction of Derby
Road and Radmarsh Road and is bisected by the River Leen, The site
sits to the south-east corner of the Jubilee campus, an area
designated for the expansion of the campus. The site is neighboured
by an existing student accommodation
scheme on Radmarsh Road and a site with permission for another such
development.An existing footbridge links the top of Radmarsh Road into the Jubilee Campus.
(b)
The proposed scheme comprises 3 separate elements, 2 accommodating
a total of 700 bed spaces, with a mix of cluster flats and studios.
The cluster flats range from 5 bed to 10 bed units. The ground
floor of the northern most building provides amenities for
residents and communal space. The development includes a cycle
parking for up to 315 bikes.
(c)
The commercial building that fronts onto Derby Road is
three-storey and to have a flexible
use; Nottingham University are in
negotiation with the developers to lease the building. The existing
large tree on Derby Road will be retained and further enhancement
to the public realm is proposed;
(d)
The development includes a good amount of open space with the
northern part of site, including the part of the site on the
opposite side of the River Leen, being public open space accessible
by all. There is also a new public footpath/cycle route planned
alongside the River Leen onto Derby Road;
(e)
Part of the site fronting onto Radmarsh Road will be used to widen
the footpath on that side of the Road to improve pedestrian
movement but also the appearance of the street, incorporating
landscaping on both sides of the road;
(f)
The outdoor space in the central part of the development is
landscaped and includes an internal street linking access to the
new footpath alongside the River Leen;
(g)
The different elements within the development have been given
individuality but are clearly linked architecturally with elements
of the detailing on the Derby Road building being echoed in the
building at the north end of Radmarsh Road;
(h)
There have been a number of representations from local residents
and action groups mainly focused on the large number of additional
students that the development will bring to the area. Council
Policy does focus on creating balanced communities, but this has to
work alongside the need to accommodate the increasing student
population. The Council prefers to provide this within purpose
built accommodation rather than pushing students towards
HMO’s and the local plan identifies university campuses as one of the locations
appropriate for purpose built accommodation;
(i)
For developments that include purpose built student accommodation
the developer has to be able to demonstrate need for the
accommodation. Monitoring, with a focus on vacancy rates within
existing purpose built accommodation indicates that demand is still
outstripping supply ;
(j)
A significant amount of work has taken place to negotiate the
scheme as it appears today. The development of the extensive amount
of open space would improve the area considerably, and is positive
in terms of biodiversity. Cycle and pedestrian paths will integrate
into the Jubilee Campus and the buildings are considered to
be appropriate in scale, increasing in
height further back into the site. Earlier iterations of the scheme
had up to 800 bed spaces so the density has reduced through negotiations;
(k)
Flood risk has been a significant issue to resolve and addressed following extensive negotiation. Part of
the open space to the north of the site acts as a space with water
holding potential designed to accommodate flood waters in extreme
events, without them impacting other areas. The Environment Agency
are satisfied with the scheme and the flood mitigations
incorporated into the scheme. There is also a significant s106
contribution by the developer towards broader more strategic flood
mitigation measures, to reduce risk across a wider area and to
residential properties in the locality;
(l)
The scheme is policy compliant in terms of s106 contributions
including contributions to flood
mitigation and off-site public open
space. A potential contribution towards
off-site highway works contributions is still under
consideration;
(m)The Committee was pleased with
the commitment to sustainability. The scheme aims to be
substantially better than Building Regulation requirements and is
to be powered entirely by electric. The commercial building aims to
achieve a rating of BREEAM excellent.. Alternatives such as ground
source heat pumps have been explored and there is also a desire to
use the roof space for photo-voltaic solar panels. The developers
have indicated that the accommodation will be naturally
ventilated;
(n)
There is a management plan for pick-ups and drop-offs around term start and end times. A waste
management plan has been developed and
there has been confirmation that the development will be managed 24
hours a day, along with appointed of a community liaison rep;
(o)
Some committee members shared the concerns of residents around the
density of students in this area and the large number that will be
accommodated in this development. Concerns were raised around the
potential for issues around community cohesion, higher footfall in
an already busy area, and increased potential for anti-social
behaviour;
(p)
The design of the accommodation has a focus on cluster flats rather
than studio units. Cluster flats encourage groups of
students away from traditional HMOs.
The wide range of cluster flat sizes are designed to target second
and third years as well as first years and the developers expect to
accommodate returning students within
the scheme. A sufficient supply of purpose built accommodation will
help to reduce pressure on the demand
for HMOs;
(q)
Surface materials for the internal street and courtyard space have
not yet been finalised however, this will be determined within the
details required to be approved by condition. Committee members
asked that porous materials be considered to further mitigate risk
of flooding;
(r)
Committee members welcomed the number of trees and public open
green space within the scheme and questioned if there was the
opportunity to develop wild flower areas to improve biodiversity.
Landscaping will be maintained by an onsite management company but
this can be raised with the developers;
(s)
There were differences of opinion over the roofing detail of the
building fronting Radmarsh Road and the effectiveness of
the the faux mansard roof with dormers,
however most committee members welcomed the other architectural
details, and the overall improvement the scheme will bring to the
site and its surroundings ;
(t)
A committee member questioned the purpose and appearance of
the canopy within the private courtyard
space and the ongoing cost for maintenance of the structure;
(u)
There has been progress throughout negotiations with the developers
around the energy efficiency of the development, and committee
members were pleased with the progress, not only from a climate
change perspective but also in terms of reducing running costs for
the building and the residents;
The Committee asked that the use of porous
surface materials for the internal street and courtyard space , and
the consideration of space for wild
flowers within the landscaping, be addressed with the developer
prior to the relevant conditions being determined by the Director
of Planning and Regeneration.
Resolved to
(1)
Grantplanning permission subjectto:
(a)
Prior completion
of aSection 106 Planning Obligationto secure:
(i)
Anoff-site Public Open Space financial contributionof £373,230 towards enhancement in thesurrounding area;
(ii)
Astudentmanagement plan, toincluderestrictions on caruse;
(iii)
Local employment and training benefitsincluding opportunities in the constructionand operationalphases of development together with paymentofa financial contribution of £108,976towards employment andtraining;
(iv)
Afinancial contribution of £603,000towards Environment Agencyflood alleviationworks along the River Leencorridor associatedwiththe siteandwider area;
and
potentially:
(v)
Afinancial contribution towards off-sitehighway works associatedwiththe siteandwider area.
(b) Theindicativeconditions substantially inthe formof those listedin thedraft decision notice atthe
endof this report.
(2)
To
delegatepower to the Director
ofPlanning andRegeneration
todeterminethe final details and termsof the PlanningObligation(including whether a financial contribution towards off-site highways works provisionbe sought andifso as to the quantumof that contribution), subject to
him being
satisfiedthatRegulation122(2) CommunityInfrastructure LevyRegulations 2010 is compliedwith, in thatthe planning obligationsoughtis:
(i)
necessaryto makethedevelopmentacceptableinplanning terms;
(ii)
directlyrelatedtothedevelopment;
(iii)
fairlyand reasonablyrelatedinscale and kindto thedevelopment.
(3)
Delegate authority
to the Director of Planning and Regeneration to determinethefinal details of theconditionsof planning permission.