Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER    

Part change of use and conversion of ground floor restaurant to four hotel rooms (C1 use) and one retail (E(a) use) and bar unit, to include insertion of two windows to rear elevation and internal alterations.

RESOLVED: That application 24/00181/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons and conditions set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager, with the removal of Conditions 4 and 5 and the following amendment to Condition 3, to read:

“Condition 3

The opening hours of the Restaurant (Use Class E) and Retail bar units (Use Class E) hereby permitted shall only be permitted between 09:00 hours and midnight hours Monday to Sunday.

Reason: To protect the residential amenities of existing residents and to comply with the provisions of policy D3 of North Herts Local Plan 2011-2031.”

Audio Recording – 7 minute 27 seconds

The Planning Officer gave a verbal update and advised that:

·       The Applicant was informed of pre-commencement conditions and had since provided the planning officer with some of the information, required by the conditions.

·       The hours pre-commencement condition requiring opening times was replaced with a condition that the opening hours be 9am to Midnight from Monday to Sunday. Environmental Health were consulted and approved these hours and unless a variance of the application was received then they would not need to reconsider the opening hours.

·       The Agent had supplied the Planning Officer with the sound proofing details and they were sent to Environmental Health who confirmed they were acceptable. The Conservation team had not been consulted and therefore this condition had been moved to the listed building consent to ensure there were no detrimental impacts from sound proofing.

·       An updated floor plan had been added with a commercial bin storage area highlighted.

·       The floor plan and sound proofing details were distributed via ModGov, which would supersede the original floor plan.

·       The material samples condition stands and had not changed.

·       A request was made by the Agent that the joinery details condition be updated to change this from a pre-commencement condition to ‘prior to any work on windows or doors’.

The Planning Officer presented the report in respect of Application 24/00181/FP and 24/00182/LBC supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

The following Members asked points of clarification:

·       Councillor Tom Tyson

·       Councillor Louise Peace

In response to the points of clarification, the Planning Officer advised that:

·       The large white canopy with two double doors would be the main entrance to the restaurant and the smaller single door as the entrance to the cheese and wine bar.

·       There was currently no permitted change from a hotel to residential.

The Development and Conservation Manager confirmed that there was no permitted change of use from hotels to residential dwellings. Whilst there was permitted change of use form Class E to residential dwellings  it was not applicable in this case because the building was listed.

The Chair invited the Member Advocate Objector, Councillor Alistair Willoughby to speak against the application. Councillor Willoughby thanked the Chair for the opportunity and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation, including that:

·       The plan says buildings cannot be used if they will cause serious harm or damage to the heritage sight but due to this building being vacant for a longer period the benefits to the public outweighed the damage to surroundings.

·       There was a lack of viability testing for the restaurant, the cheese and wine bar or for the third section that would be taken out of commercial use.

·       A third retail or hospitality site should take the remaining space.

·       Originally there was discussion of a stairway being necessary for access to electrical and boiler, with the staircase being in the restaurant, but that had changed and now it was said that there is access already via the communal spaces.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17