Agenda and minutes

At this point, 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.

At this point in the meeting, Members were asked to declare any personal, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the West & City Centre Area Planning Sub-Committee held on 18 April 2013.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the meeting of the West and City Centre Area Planning Sub Committee held on 18 April 2013 be approved and signed by the chair as a correct record.

It is at this point in the meeting that members of the public who have registered their wish to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is by 5pm the working day before the meeting, in this case 5pm on Wednesday 8 May 2013.  Members of the public can speak on specific planning applications or on other agenda items or matters within the remit of the Committee.

To register please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of this agenda.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme on general issues within the remit of the committee.

To determine the following planning applications related to the West and City Centre Area.

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

Conversion and partial demolition to form 5no. residential apartments, new single storey extension with roof terrace. [Guildhall Ward] [Site Visit]

Members considered a full application from Mr Philip Thake for the change of use from offices (Class B1) to five residential units together with the part demolition of a flat roofed and mono-pitched extension at the rear and the erection of a new single storey extension with roof terrace and a two storey extension.

Officers drew Members attention to an error in paragraph 1.1 of the report (Proposal) which refers to the erection of a two storey extension with roof terrace. They clarified that the roof terrace would in fact be on the single storey extension.

Representations were received from Mr Guy Bower, the agent, in support of the application. He explained he was acting for York Conservation Trust who owned the building. He provided the following information to Members:

·         The Trust was set up in 1945 and now owns 85 properties including Middleton House.

·         The Trust acts as responsible custodians of these buildings and ensures the buildings are occupied and put to best use.

·         The Trust acquired and renovated the property in 1990/91.

·         The building was used as a school in the 19^th century, before changing to residential use, and had been used for commercial purposes for the last 30 years.

·         The Trust have not been able to let the building for office accommodation and it has been vacant for three years.

·          An application in 2010 for conversion to use as a drug treatment centre was withdrawn.

He explained that the Trust felt it was time to act to ensure a sustainable future for the building and believed that the change of use to residential was suitable He assured Members that they had undertaken careful research regarding the design of building and confirmed there would be no  alterations to the physical layout of the building. He advised that the proposed extension to the rear would help tidy up the rear of the building.

Members were satisfied that the building’s features would be preserved and that the proposed use of secondary glazing would allow the original windows to remain in place. The expressed their full support for the proposals.

RESOLVED:             That the application be approved subject to the conditions listed in the report.

REASON:                  The proposal, subject to the conditions listed in the report, would not cause undue harm to interests of acknowledged importance, with particular reference to: principle of conversion / loss of employment land; design / impact on the conservation area/archaeology; residential amenity and impact on existing open space provision. As such the proposal complies with the National Planning Policy Framework and Policies HE3, H4A, E3B, GP4A, GP1, H12 and L1C of the City of York Development Control Local Plan.

Internal and external alterations including part demolition and new rear extension in connection with conversion of building into 5no. Flats. [Guildhall Ward] [Site Visit]

Members considered an application for listed building consent from Mr Philip Thake for internal and external alterations including part demolition and new rear extension in connection with the conversion of the building into five flats.

RESOLVED:             That the application be approved subject to the conditions listed in the report.

REASON:                  The proposal, subject to the conditions listed in the report, would not cause undue harm to interests of acknowledged importance, with particular reference to the impact on the character and appearance of the listed building. As such the proposal complies with the National Planning Policy Framework and Policy HE4 of the City of York Development Control Local Plan.