Agenda item

To consider alterations and refurbishment to include a new roof and replacement windows and fascia boards.

 

The Committee considered an application in relation to 11-19 Town Square which included alterations and refurbishment to include a new roof and replacement windows and fascia boards.

 

The Head of Planning and Enforcement advised the Committee that the property was located above several commercial premises, adjacent to the former bus station (now Event Island) and the Town Square Conservation Area.

 

The Committee heard that the project would replace casement and top-hung windows, as well as curtain wall glazing. The roofing would also be replaced to match recent works carried out as part of the Co-Space development. The changes would replicate the existing architectural style, maintaining visual continuity with surrounding buildings, including black PPC aluminium frames for the windows and an upstand feature on the roof.

 

The Head of Planning and Enforcement informed the Committee that the proposal did not impact the Peter Lyon sculpture or any other significant heritage assets, such as the Grade II listed clock tower or the Franta Belsky Joyride sculpture.

 

The Committee were advised that Officers had assessed that the development would not harm the visual amenity of the area. The distance between the works and other listed buildings, such as the mural on the former Co-op (now Primark), ensured no detrimental effect on the area's heritage.

 

The Officer Recommendation was to grant planning permission.

 

Members asked a number of questions related to the scope of work and the impact on business operations.

 

In response, the Head of Planning and Enforcement advised the Committee that the application was focused on external façade refurbishments and that any planned internal changes were outside of the planning remit. The rear yard area did not form part of the application. The Assistant Director, Planning and Regulation added that future plans may include upgrades to the ground floor windows, but the existing businesses operating on the ground floor likely contributed to their exclusion from the proposal being considered.

 

The Head of Planning and Enforcement advised the Committee that all businesses would remain operational throughout the works which were expected to last about four months. Contractors would coordinate with the Council’s engineering team to ensure minimal disruption and signage would be used to indicate that the businesses were open as usual.

 

A recorded vote* was then taken on the application and it was RESOLVED that  planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions and informatives:

 

1          The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: Site Location Plan; SGEH-BBA-ZZ-RF-DR-A-2204; SGEH-BBA-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-3002; SGEH-BBA-ZZ-ZZ-SH-A-7051; SGEH-BBA-ZZ-ZZ-SH-A-7751; SGEH-BBA-ZZ-RF-DR-A-2006; SGEH-BBA-ZZ-RF-DR-A-2104; SGEH-BBA-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-3001; SGEH-BBA-ZZ-ZZ-DR-A-3003

           

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

 

 

 

 

Informatives

 

1          Community Infrastructure Levy

Stevenage Borough Council adopted a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule at Full Council on 27 January 2020 and started implementing CIL on 01 April 2020.

 

This application may be liable for CIL payments and you are advised to contact the CIL Team for clarification with regard to this. If your development is CIL liable, even if you are granted an exemption from the levy, please be advised that it is a requirement under Regulation 67 of The Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) that CIL Form 6 (Commencement Notice) must be completed, returned and acknowledged by Stevenage Borough Council before building works start. Failure to do so will mean you risk losing the right to payment by instalments and a surcharge will be imposed. NB, please note that a Commencement Notice is not required for residential extensions if relief has been granted.

 

Stevenage's adopted CIL Charging Schedule and further details of CIL can be found on the Council's webpages at www.stevenage.gov.uk/CIL or by contacting the Council's CIL Team at CIL@Stevenage.gov.uk.

 

 2         Building Regulations

To obtain advice regarding current Building Regulations please contact Hertfordshire Building Control Ltd. by emailing us at building.control@hertfordshirebc.co.uk or phoning us on 01438 879990.

 

To make a building regulations application please apply through our website portal at https://www.hertfordshirebc.co.uk/contact-us/ payment can be made online or by phoning the above number after the application has been uploaded.  Please phone Hertfordshire Building Control for fees guidance on 01438 879990.

 

Hertfordshire Building Control can also be contacted by post at Hertfordshire Building Control Ltd, Campus East, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6AE.

 

Once a building regulations application has been deposited with relevant drawings and fee building work may commence.  You will be advised in their acknowledgement letter of the work stages we need to inspect but in most instances these are usually:

 

           Excavation for foundations

           Damp proof course

           Concrete oversite

           Insulation

           Drains (when laid or tested)

           Floor and Roof construction

           Work relating to fire safety

           Work affecting access and facilities for disabled people

           Completion

 

Please phone Hertfordshire Building Control on 01438 879990 before 10.00am to ensure a same day inspection (Mon - Fri).

 

 3         Party Wall etc. Act 1996

Any work that affects a party wall, including foundations dug within 3.0m of a neighbouring building, may be controllable under the Act and may require approval from the adjoining owner(s).  Party Wall Act matters are always civil matters and it is neither Stevenage Borough Council's nor Hertfordshire Building Control Ltd's remit to control or enforce Party Wall act matters.  Please refer to the Government's explanatory booklet The Party Wall etc. Act 1996, a copy of which is available online at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-party-wall-etc-act-1996-revised-explanatory-booklet 

 

 5         Biodiversity Net Gain

Applications where Biodiversity Net Gain is not required as development is considered De Minimis

 

The effect of paragraph 13 of Schedule 7A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is that planning permission granted for the development of land in England is deemed to have been granted subject to the condition "(the biodiversity gain condition") that development may not begin unless:

            a)         a Biodiversity Gain Plan has been submitted to the planning authority, and

            b)         the planning authority has approved the plan.

 

The planning authority, for the purposes of determining whether to approve a Biodiversity Gain Plan if one is required in respect of this permission would be Stevenage Borough Council. 

 

There are statutory exemptions and transitional arrangements which mean that the biodiversity gain condition does not apply.

 

Based on the information available this permission is considered to be one which will not require the approval of a biodiversity gain plan before development is begun because the following statutory exemption or transitional arrangement is considered to apply.

 

            1.         Development below the de minimis threshold, meaning development which:

            a)         does not impact an onsite priority habitat (a habitat specified in a list published under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006); and

            b)         impacts less than 25 square metres of onsite habitat that has biodiversity value greater than zero and less than 5 metres in length of onsite linear habitat (as defined in the statutory metric).

 

Where the local planning authority considers that the permission falls within paragraph 19 of Schedule 7A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the permission which has been granted has the effect of requiring or permitting the development to proceed in phases. The modifications in respect of the biodiversity gain condition which are set out in Part 2 of the Biodiversity Gain (Town and Country Planning) (Modifications and Amendments) (England) Regulations 2024 apply.

 

Biodiversity gain plans are required to be submitted to, and approved by, the planning authority before development may be begun, and, if subject to phased development, before each phase of development may be begun.

 

If the onsite habitat includes irreplaceable habitat (within the meaning of the Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Irreplaceable Habitat) Regulations 2024) there are additional requirements for the content and approval of Biodiversity Gain Plans.  The Biodiversity Gain Plan must include, in addition to information about steps taken or to be taken to minimise any adverse effect of the development on the habitat, information on arrangements for compensation for any impact the development has on the biodiversity of the irreplaceable habitat. The planning authority can only approve a Biodiversity Gain Plan if satisfied that the adverse effect of the development on the biodiversity of the irreplaceable habitat is minimised and appropriate arrangements have been made for the purpose of compensating for any impact which do not include the use of biodiversity credits.

 

More information can be found in the Planning Practice Guidance online at  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/biodiversity-net-gain

 

* Recorded Vote

 

For - Councillors Julie Ashley-Wren, Rob Broom, Kamal Choudhury, Forhad Chowdhury, Nazmin Chowdhury, Peter Clark, Akin Elekolusi, Lynda Guy, Coleen Houlihan, Claire Parris, Ellie Plater, Graham Snell, Carolina Veres and Anne Wells.

 

Against - 0

 

Abstentions - 0

 

 Absent – 0