Address:       Land to the east of 38 to 42 Carters Way and to the south of 1 to 8 Carters Walk, Carters Way, Arlesey (nearest postcode SG15 6UQ)

Demolition of existing garages and development of 2 no. new dwellings with amenities and car parking.

Applicant:     Grand Union Housing Group

The Committee considered a report regarding Planning Application No. CB/17/03402/FULL for the demolition of existing garages and development of 2 no. new dwellings with amenities and car parking on land to the east of 38 to 42 Carters Way and to the south of 1 to 8 Carters Walk, Carters Way, Arlesey.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee’s attention was drawn to an additional condition/reason as set out in the Late Sheet.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee received a representation from Arlesey Town Council and a joint representation from two objectors under the public participation scheme.

A Member sought clarification on a point raised by both the Town Council and the objectors with regard to the current use of the 16 garages forming the two blocks which would be demolished should the application be approved.  In response the Town Council representative stated that he believed 12 of the 14 occupied garages were used for vehicles whilst the objectors stated that they were personally aware that at least seven of the garages contained vehicles.

The Chairman advised the meeting that the applicant had stated that it would not know what its garages were used for until the tenants were evicted.

The Committee considered the application and in summary discussed the following:

·         Concerns over the major exacerbation of existing parking problems and the substantial loss of green amenity land and a tree as a direct result of the demolition of the garage blocks and the construction of the two new dwellings.

·         That the construction of the new dwellings did not represent a significant contribution to the affordable housing stock, especially as a large number of affordable homes were to be built as a part of the Arlesey Cross development.

·         Comment by a Member that whilst he was not opposed to development of garage sites the garage blocks that were proposed for demolition were in good condition.  He was of the opinion that the application before the Committee was ill thought out and lacked sufficient information.

·         A second Member’s comment that, whilst he supported the refusal of the application because of the loss of amenity land, the Council had, in the past, approved the demolition of garage blocks and the construction of car parking bays involving the loss of such green space.  He was also aware that such garages were often used for storage purposes by both individuals and small businesses.  The Member therefore viewed the possibility of future demolition of the garage blocks as dependant to a degree on the applicant’s submission of a scheme sufficiently imaginative to offset the loss of amenity.

It was proposed and seconded that the application be refused on the grounds of loss of existing parking provision leading to the exacerbation of existing parking problems, the loss of amenity land and a tree in order to provide the new parking spaces and that the proposed dwellings did not provide a significant contribution to the affordable housing stock.

On being put to the vote 9 Members voted for refusal, 0 voted against and 1 abstained.

RESOLVED

that Planning Application No. CB/17/03402/FULL relating to land to the east of 38 to 42 Carters Way and to the south of 1 to 8 Carters Walk, Carters Way, Arlesey be refused as set out in the Schedule attached to these minutes.