Agenda item

Report of the Service Lead, Infrastructure, Planning and Development recommending that the Panel delegate approval in respect of an application for a proposed development at the above address.

The Panel considered the report of the Service Lead, Planning, Infrastructure and Development recommending delegated authority be granted in respect of an application for a proposed development at the above address.

Re-development of the site to create a three-storey hotel containing 73 rooms with associated works including 34 car parking spaces (amended description following amended plans).

Simon Reynier (City of Southampton Society/ objecting), Chris Brady, Chris Slack (Agents) and Councillors Whitbread and Spicer (Ward Councillors/objecting) were present and with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The presenting officer noted that the description of the report should have stated that there were 34 parking space proposed.  The presenting officer also made some amendments to the proposed conditions including a restriction on the hotel bar limiting its use to residents after 11:00pm and the provision of a taxi drop off at the hotel.

In addition it was noted that the report had been deferred at a previous meeting to enable further investigation into parking availability.  It was explained that an updated parking survey had been produced and that the report had detailed the analysis of the developer’s new parking survey.  It was also noted that 2 Ward Councillors had submitted objections since the publication of the report. 

The Panel expressed a concern that staff parking especially for those worker that might be working antisocial hours would be required considering the limited number of spaces proposed. Officers agreed that an additional condition to govern this would be added should permission be granted. Members also expressed a view that the lack of parking on site would effect the surrounding area because of the location of the hotel. 

Upon being put to the vote the Panel confirmed the Habitats Regulation Assessment.

The Panel then considered the recommendation to delegate authority to the Service Lead: Infrastructure, Planning and Development to grant planning permission. Upon being put to the vote the recommendation was lost unanimously.

A further motion to refuse planning permission for the reasons set out below was then proposed by Councillor G Galton and seconded by Councillor Windle.  Upon being put to the vote the recommendation was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED that the Panel:

  (i)  confirmed the Habitats Regulation Assessment set out in Appendix 3 of the report.

  (ii)  refused planning permission for the reasons set out below:

Reasons for Refusal

(i)  As a direct consequence of the location of the proposed hotel; which is outside of a City, Town, District or Local Centre and the Council’s defined area of ‘high accessibility’; and based on the information submitted, including the number of car parking spaces proposed on site, the number of bedrooms proposed and a parking stress survey that includes a wide catchment, parking spaces that are unlikely to be available and no response to how overspill into the neighbouring private estate will be managed it has not been adequately demonstrated that the parking demand of the development would not cause harm to the amenity of nearby residential neighbours through increased competition for existing on-street car parking. The development would, therefore, be contrary to the provisions of Policy SDP1(i) of the adopted City of Southampton Local Plan Review (2015), Policy CS19 of the adopted Southampton Core Strategy Development Plan Document (2015) and the adopted Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document (2011).

(ii)  In the absence of a completed Section 106 Legal Agreement, the proposals fail to mitigate against their direct impacts and do not, therefore, satisfy the provisions of Policy CS25 of the adopted Local Development Framework Core Strategy (2015) as supported by the Council's Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (2013) in the following ways:-

a.  Site specific transport works for highway improvements in the vicinity of the site which are directly necessary to make the scheme acceptable in highway terms have not been secured in accordance with Policies CS18, CS19, and CS25 of the Southampton Core Strategy (2015) and the adopted Developer Contributions SPD (2013);

b.  A (pre and post construction) highway condition survey has not been secured and therefore there is no mechanism to secure appropriate repairs to the highway, caused during the construction phase, which would be to the detriment of the visual appearance and usability of the local highway network;

c.  A Training & Employment Management Plan committing to adopting local labour and employment initiatives has not been secured in accordance with Policies CS24 & CS25 of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy Development Plan Document - Adopted Version (as amended 2015) and the adopted SPD relating to Planning Obligations (September 2013);

d.  The submission and implementation of a staff & customer travel plan has not been secured to support strategic transport initiatives including those within the Local Transport Plan.

e.  A Carbon Management Plan, setting out how the carbon neutrality will be achieved and/or how remaining carbon emissions from the development will be mitigated, in accordance with policy CS20 of the Core Strategy and the Planning Obligations SPD (September 2013) has not been secured;

f.  The submission and implementation of a Waste Management Plan has not been secured to ensure suitable arrangements are made to manage waste generated from the site.

g.  The submission and implementation of public art that is consistent with the Council’s Public Art ‘Art People Places’ Strategy has not been secured;

h.  In the absence of an alternative arrangement the lack of a financial contributions towards footpath improvements in the Shoreburs and Weston Greenways and Peartree Green Local Nature Reserve (£2,346.57); and financial contributions towards the New Forest National Park Authority Habitat Mitigation Scheme £9,586.64; or financial contributions towards the Solent Disturbance Mitigation Project (SDMP) (Solent Recreation Mitigation Partnership) (£11,764) the application fails to accord with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (as amended), SDP12 of the City of Southampton Local Plan Review (Amended 2015), CS22 of the Core Strategy (Amended 2015) and the Planning Obligations SPD (September 2013) as supported by the current Habitats Regulations and the Council, as the competent authority, cannot conclude that significant adverse effects will not arise from this development on European sites.