Demolition of garages and related structures and erection of three storey building to provide ground floor commercial/retail unit (classes 1, 2, and...

Refusal Reasons

• ✗The building, by virtue of its height, mass and design, would not preserve or enhance the character or appearance of Gib Lane for the benefit of users thereof. The development would therefore be contrary to Environment Policy 35 and General Policy 2e of the Strategic Plan. In addition, were the development of the site of 19/00199/B not to be undertaken, the rear elevation of the proposed building would be visible above the existing car showroom with a resultant deleterious effect on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, contrary to General Policy 2b, c and g and Environment Policy 35 of the Strategic Plan.
• ✗The proposed development would not make adequate provision for car parking spaces within the building in accordance with the standards of the Strategic Plan (Appendix Seven) and there is insufficient information to demonstrate that this would not have an unacceptable impact on on-street parking and highway safety in the area. The development is therefore contrary to Transport Policy 7 and General Policy 2h of the Strategic Plan.
• ✗The development does not demonstrate that it would have an acceptable impact on highway safety, through the inclusion of features within or above the public highway which are not acceptable to the highway authority and by the absence of correctly drawn visibility splays at junctions. It has not been demonstrated that there is sufficient visibility for users of the proposed garaged parking spaces for them to be used safely. The proposal is therefore contrary to Transport Policy 4 and General Policy 2h and i of the Strategic Plan.
• ✗The proposal makes no provision for public open space or affordable housing. Given that the adjacent site is also owned by the applicant and is being proposed for development at the same time, and particularly as the development of the scheme shown in 19/00199/B relies upon the demolition of the buildings on the current application site, or at least some of them, to provide the bin store and the widening of Gib Lane, it is considered appropriate to consider the cumulative impact of the developments which would together result in sufficient housing numbers to warrant requiring both affordable housing and public open space. No provision is being made for affordable housing and whilst a commuted sum has been referred to in respect of public open space, there is nothing definitive in the application to demonstrate the impact of this. It cannot be concluded that there is sufficient provision for affordable housing or public open space. The development is therefore contrary to Housing Policy 5 and Recreation Policies 3 and 4 of the Strategic Plan.