Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests, not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in respect of business on the agenda. Cllr Doughty declared personal non prejudicial interest in items 4a and b [York Station Frontage] as a railway employee and noted that he had no part in the application process. Cllr Kilbane declared personal non prejudicial interest in items 4a and b as owners of cycle heaven is the landlord of a business property and Cllr Kilbane was part of a group that rented that property for another business. There were no further declarations of interest.

Cllr Kilbane noted that as a point of order, a member of the Executive sitting on the committee may have an interest in agenda items 4a and 4b [York Station Frontage]. Cllr Ayre noted that this had been addressed at previous meetings.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on 19 November 2020, 3 December 2020 and 7 January 2021.

Resolved: 

                         i.    That the minutes of Planning Committee meetings held, 3 December 2020 and 7 January 2021 be approved and then signed by the chair as a correct record and signed at a later date.

                        ii.    That the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 19 November 2020 be approved subject to the second reason for the deferral of the application for St Georges Field Car Park, Tower Street, York [19/02063/FULM] being amended to:

‘Full parking review to take place to take account of the city centre as a whole’

This item invites Members to determine the following planning applications:

Members considered a schedule of reports of the Assistant Director, Planning and Public Protection, relating to the following planning applications, outlining the proposals and relevant policy considerations and setting out the views of consultees and officers.

Demolition of Queen Street Bridge and construction of new highway; reinstatement and construction of earth ramparts and retaining walls to part of the City Wall. Demolition of pedestrian bridge and works to the York Railway Institute elevation; demolition of Band Room, demolition of extensions to rear of RI Gymnasium. Construction of multi-storey car park. Part demolition station building (Parcel Square) and construction of a new facade, roof and canopy and associated works to retained elevations. Relocation of electricity sub-station. Public realm and highway improvements along Queen Street and Station Road. Relocation of cycle store associated with George Stephenson House. Demolition of Unipart Rail Service Centre building and construction of temporary surface car park, alterations to existing car park and taxi drop-off arrangements [Micklegate Ward]

Members considered a major full application from City of York Council for the demolition of Queen Street Bridge and construction of new highway; reinstatement and construction of earth ramparts and retaining walls to part of the City Wall. Demolition of pedestrian bridge and works to the York Railway Institute elevation; demolition of Band Room, demolition of extensions to rear of RI Gymnasium. Construction of multi-storey car park. Part demolition station building (Parcel Square) and construction of a new facade, roof and canopy and associated works to retained elevations. Relocation of electricity sub-station. Public realm and highway improvements along Queen Street and Station Road. Relocation of cycle store associated with George Stephenson House. Demolition of Unipart Rail Service Centre building and construction of temporary surface car park, alterations to existing car park and taxi drop-off arrangements at York Station Frontage, Station Road, York.

Members were advised of the two separate applications for the station frontage, the one before them and the following application for Listed Building Consent (LBC). The Development Manager gave a presentation on the application noting the layout, areas included in the LBC application, removal of bridge in Queen Street, Queen Street access general arrangement, multi storey car park (MSCP) site plan including the artists impression and aerial view.

For the LBC application Members were shown the station yard ground floor existing layout, proposed demolition and alterations, proposed layout, parcel square south shed elevations, external elevation, proposed elevation of the internal south shed and north shed and proposed portico plan (for which no there was no detail at that point). A number of photographs for different views of the station frontage were also shown to Members.

Members raised a number of questions to which officers responded that:

·        There was a condition requiring a safety audit to be in place for the cycle path past the MSCP. The detail of the condition was to be agreed and priority would be given to cyclists.

·        The green infrastructure was limited to the extension to the cholera burial ground and the trees to create a green line between the highway and taxi rank. There were also grassed areas behind the bus shelters and where the car park was extended.

·        The wording of the proposed condition regarding the surface materials for the paving were intended to segregate the cycle path.

·        Planting in perpetuity and street furniture were covered by a condition. The plans were indicative of street furniture and would be developed in conjunction with the prevention of crime.

·        The proposals for the MSCP were to re-provide what was there already and this was a requirement of Network Rail and LNER. The council had no highway or planning powers to compel private landowners to relinquish what they have.

·        A two deck car park would cover a larger footprint that that of a four deck.

·        The policy for electric vehicle (EV) charging was explained.

·        Condition 26 stated that the band room could not be demolished until a replacement had been agreed

Members were then provided  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13a

Internal and external alterations including the demolition of Parcel Square buildings and the construction of a new façade and associated works to retained elevations, new roof and canopy and associated internal rearranged accommodation [Micklegate Ward]

Members considered an application for Listed Building Consent from City of York Council for Internal and external alterations including the demolition of Parcel Square buildings and the construction of a new façade and associated works to retained elevations, new roof and canopy and associated internal rearranged accommodation at the Station Building, Railway Station, Station Road, York. The officer update on the application had been included in the previous item.

Cllr Cullwick then moved and Cllr Hollyer seconded approval of the application subject to the conditions outlined in the report and additional information. Following debate, and in accordance with the revised Standing Orders, a named vote was taken with the following result:

·        Cllrs Ayre, Barker, Daubeney, Doughty, Douglas, Fenton, Fisher, Hollyer, Lomas, Pavlovic Warters and Cullwick voted for the motion;

·        Cllrs Baker, Kilbane, Myers and voted against the motion.

The motion was therefore carried and it was

Resolved: That the application be approved subject to the conditions listed in the report,

Resolved: That the application be approved subject to confirmation from the Secretary of State that the application will not be ‘called in’, following the referral of the application in accordance with Arrangements for Handling Heritage Applications Direction 2015.

Reasons:

                     i.        It is outlined in the main body of the report that the impact of the proposals at individual areas of the station, such as the Portico, North and South Train Sheds and the Parcel Square area, is assessed as resulting in less than substantial harm to the significance of this designated heritage asset.  In the case of the freestanding buildings and pods in the north and south train sheds, this harm is assessed at being at the upper level of less than substantial harm.   Regard is had to paragraphs 193 and 194 of the NPPF which state that great weight should be given to the conservation of listed buildings (and the more important the asset, the greater the weight should be)and any harm to, or loss of, the significance of a designated heritage asset should require clear and convincing justification.

                    ii.        It is demonstrated that the wider York Station Frontage scheme and also the individual parts of the proposal that would impact upon the railway station would deliver economic, social and environmental objectives.  The objectives demonstrate that public benefits would be derived from the proposed development.  The public benefits outlined in paragraphs 5.65 to 5.75 above are considered to collectively outweigh the less than substantial harm identified to this Grade II* railway station. The application therefore complies with paragraph 196 of the NPPF. Having special regard to the desirability of preserving listed buildings and their setting in line with section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, and giving considerable importance and weight to the identified harm, it is considered that the proposals would have an acceptable effect on this designated heritage asset.

[Cllr Baker left the meeting at 20:37]

[The meeting adjourned from 20:37 to 20:48]

Erection of hotel with bar/restaurant, relocation of access and associated landscaping and car park following demolition of existing building [Guildhall Ward]

Members considered a major full application from CBRE UK Property PAIF LTD and Premier Inn Hotels LTD for the erection of hotel with bar/restaurant, relocation of access and associated landscaping and car park following demolition of existing building at the Former Carpetright, Layerthorpe, York.

The Head of Development Services outlined gave a presentation on the application detailing the site location plan and proposed elevations, landscape plan and visualisations. An officer update was give, detailing amendments to conditions 12 and 22.

[At 20:57 Cllr Kilbane confirmed he had dropped out of the webcast briefly . The Head of Development Services then repeated the second slide of the presentation to ensure that he had seen it].

In response to Member questions concerning the application, officers confirmed that:

The applicant had submitted a travel plan detailing alternative modes of transport to the hotel and there were three car parks close to the hotel offering overnight parking.

The car park would be accessed by servicing vehicles.

Public Speaker

Chris Argent – Agent for Applicant spoke in support for the application. He outlined the pre application meetings, the benefit that the application in terms of regeneration, high quality architecture and landscaping. He noted that the building had appropriate parking, servicing, motocycle parking, six EV bays, photovoltaic roof, and flood plain storage. He added that there was a contractor ready to proceed and that there were no third party objections. He was asked and clarified that:

·        The applicant had engaged with York Civic Trust and had worked with Historic England and council officers on the application.

·        The trees were there to break up the hard landscape

·        The conditions had been modified to improve energy efficiency

·        The application was DDA compliant

Cllr Warters then moved and Cllr Daubeney seconded approval of the application subject to the conditions outlined in the report, additional information and amendment to Condition 20. Following debate, and in accordance with the revised Standing Orders, a named vote was taken with the following result:

·        Cllrs Ayre, Barker, Daubeney, Doughty, Douglas, Fenton, Fisher, Hollyer, Kilbane,  Lomas, Myers, Pavlovic, Warters and Cullwick voted for the motion.

Resolved: subject to the conditions outlined in the report, the officer update and amendment to Condition 20 for the landscaping to be for the lifetime for the development.

Reasons

                     i.        The proposed redevelopment of the application site for a hotel with associated bar/restaurant is considered to be acceptable in principle given the city centre use and fits with the aspirations for economic growth in the NPPF and the local plan, by facilitating a sector where there is growth and evidentially demand.  The scheme is appropriate for the site; the design is acceptable and relates to the context.  Furthermore, there would be considered to be no harm to heritage assets.

                    ii.        The proposal would not comply with 2018 Draft Plan Policy C2 insofar as the scheme would not achieve BREEAM Excellent but in the context of the weight that can be afforded to the policies of the 2018 Draft Plan, Officers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13c

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It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme on general matters within the remit of the Planning Committee.