Agenda item - 17/00477/1 - 1 AVENUE ONE, LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Erection of single storey retail foodstore (Use Class A1), a three storey hotel (use Class C1), a single storey restaurant/drive-thru (Use Class A3/A5), a single storey coffee shop/drive-thru (Use Class A1/A3), new access arrangements, car parking, service areas, landscaping and other associated works following demolition of existing building (as amended by drawings received 02/06/2017).

RESOLVED: That, subject to the completion of a satisfactory Section 106 Obligation, application 17/00477/1 be GRANTED planning permission, subject to the conditions and reasons as set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager, and with the following amended Condition 4 and additional Conditions 20 and 21:

4. Prior to the commencement of groundworks, full details of landscaping phasing will be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Such details will identify at which stages the different aspects of landscaping, as shown on drawing numbers NCSP 508/1-002E and NCSP 508/1-003E, will be carried out and competed as part of the development site. The approved phasing of landscaping will be provided in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To safeguard and enhance the appearance of the completed development and visual amenity of the locality.

20. Prior to the commencement of the development hereby permitted full details of external litter bin installations associated with the proposed restaurant and cafe shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Such works shall thereafter be completed in accordance with the approved details or particulars prior to the first use of the restaurant and cafe and thereafter retained and maintained for that purpose.

Reason: To ensure suitable litter bin facilities are available in the interests of public amenity.

21. Prior to the commencement of the development hereby permitted full details of the location and distribution of electric vehicle charging installations shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Such installations shall be provided in accordance with the approved details or particulars prior to the first use of each relevant part of the development and thereafter retained and maintained for that purpose.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety, public convenience and environmental gain.

Erection of single storey retail foodstore (Use Class A1), a three storey hotel (use Class C1), a single storey restaurant/drive-thru (Use Class A3/A5), a single storey coffee shop/drive-thru (Use Class A1/A3), new access arrangements, car parking, service areas, landscaping and other associated works following demolition of existing building (as amended by drawings received 02/06/2017).

The Development and Conservation Manager presented a report, supported by a visual presentation consisting of plans, drawings and photographs of the site.

The Development and Conservation Manager advised that negotiations regarding the proposed Section 106 Agreement had not been completed, and therefore that any grant of permission should be subject to the completion of such an Agreement. He further advised of the recommended amended wording to proposed Condition 4, as follows:

“Prior to the commencement of groundworks, full details of landscaping phasing will be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Such details will identify at which stages the different aspects of landscaping, as shown on drawing numbers NCSP 508/1-002E and NCSP 508/1-003E, will be carried out and competed as part of the development site. The approved phasing of landscaping will be provided in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To safeguard and enhance the appearance of the completed development and visual amenity of the locality.”

The Committee was addressed by Mr Julian Sutton (Applicant’s Agent) in support of application 17/00477/1.

Mr Sutton advised that the Committee’s consideration of this application was the culmination of year’s work with the Planning Officers in bringing forward the development of the site for much needed regeneration. He and the applicant were grateful for the proactive and pragmatic way in which those officers had worked with them in order that they application could be presented at the meeting.

Mr Sutton considered that the redevelopment proposals were of significant benefit to Letchworth and its residents. They represented a £16Million investment in the town, and the proposed regeneration scheme would:

· Provide a widened food shopping choice in Letchworth in a highly accessible location;

· Provide high quality new visitor and business accommodation in the local area in an accessible location;

· Provide additional food and drink choice to local residents and surrounding businesses in the industrial area;

· Create approximately 150 full time equivalent jobs, plus spinoff jobs through the construction process;

· Create other economic spinoffs from the proposed Travelodge Hotel, as guests would visit shop and facilities within the town. Travelodge’s own statistics suggested that this could be up to £1.25Million per annum; and

· It would redevelop a long term, vacant site which currently detracted from the local environment of Letchworth Garden City and offered the opportunity for environmental enhancement by bringing a derelict site back into beneficial use and, in particular, provided for enhanced landscaping to the benefit of the local environment.

Mr Sutton stated that the submission of the application had followed a public consultation event held on 8 February 2017 and, hence, the application was supported by a Statement of Community Involvement which confirmed that the majority of responses received from the public were positive, illustrating strong local support for the proposals. Not a single objection to the scheme had been received from local residents. The one solitary objection to the application, as set out in the report, was in his opinion without merit and the objector’s arguments were entirely self-serving and intended to restrict competition and prevent additional customer choice within Letchworth.

Mr Sutton explained that the Council had appointed independent retail planning specialists to assess the supporting case for the application, and that they had confirmed that there were no sequential preferable sites closer to Letchworth Town Centre appropriate for the development and that, in their independent view, there would not be any unacceptable impact on Letchworth or Baldock Town Centres.

Mr Sutton advised that an Employment Report had been submitted with the application explaining the fundamental problems with the existing building on the site and how it had been marketed for four years by two leading national agents. He stated that the applicant had significant land holdings. After several years of looking for new tenants for the site without success, due in part to the building’s fundamental deficiencies for modern businesses, such as the low eaves height and office to storage ratio, the applicant had decided that redevelopment for a modern multi-use development was the best option, a development which would not only provide useful facilities for local residents and businesses, but would also bring new employment opportunities to the area. The applicant was keen to progress the development and, if permission was granted, would hope to be on site as soon as possible with a view to bringing the development into use by the end of 2018. He therefore asked the Committee to support the Planning Officer’s recommendation that planning permission be granted.

The Chairman thanked Mr Sutton for his presentation.

The Committee was supportive of the application. Members felt that the scheme would have a limited impact on the Letchworth Town Centre. They accepted that the existing building on the site was not appropriate for modern needs, and considered that the supermarket, hotel, takeaway and coffee house uses proposed, together with the level of parking advocated, would result in a successful regeneration of this derelict site.

As well as supporting the Development and Conservation Manager’s recommended revised Condition 4, the Committee agreed to additional conditions (Nos. 20 and 21) regarding details to be provided in respect of external litter bins and the location and distribution of electric vehicle charging installations.