Demolition of existing church building and construction of new church building

 

This application sought permission for the demolition of an existing church building and to and replace it with a new, larger church building incorporating community facilities.

 

Planning permission was previously refused by the Council (ref. 13/00500/FUL) for the same development because the proposal would detract from the amenities of adjoining residents at Homehurst House and there was inadequate provision of off-street parking in the area.  However, the application had been allowed at appeal.

 

Mrs Bealey was present and addressed the committee in objection to the application.

 

Mr Woollgard was present and addressed the committee in support of the application.

 

Mr Boyd, representing Homehurst House Residents’ Association was present and addressed the committee in objection to the application.

 

Pastor Jordan, the applicant, addressed the committee in support of the application.

 

Members expressed concern that no amendments had been made to the proposal despite the unanimous decision to refuse the application when the Planning and Licensing Committee had considered it previously. Given that the application was allowed at appeal the committee was essentially obliged to approve it but the applicant was urged to engage with local residents to try to mitigate the detrimental effect the current proposals for the building would have on them.

 

Cllr Faragher MOVED and Cllr Wiles SECONDED that application 17/01499/FUL – Sawyers Church, Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood Essex, CM15 9BN – be APPROVED subject to the conditions set out in the report.

 

Following a full discussion, Members voted on a show of hands as follows:

 

FOR:  Cllrs Bridge, Faragher, Newberry, Mrs Pound, Reed, Russell and Wiles ((7)

AGAINST:  Cllr Mynott (1)

ABSTAIN:  Cllr Mrs Slade (1)

 

The Motion was CARRIED and the application APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

 

1          The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

 

Reason:  To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

 

2          The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in complete accordance with the approved drawing(s) listed above and specifications.

 

Reason:  To ensure that the development is as permitted by the local planning authority and for the avoidance of doubt.

 

3          No development above ground level shall take place until there has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority a scheme of landscaping showing details of new trees, shrubs and hedges and a programme for their planting and details of all existing trees and hedgerows on and overhanging the land, and details of any to be retained, together with measures for their protection in the course of development. The landscaping scheme shall be carried out as approved. Any newly planted tree, shrub or hedgerow or any existing tree, shrub or hedgerow to be retained which within a period of 5 years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the local planning authority gives written approval to any variation.

 

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the area.

 

4          All tree works must be carried out in accordance with good practice as defined in BS3998.

 

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the area.

 

5          The development shall not commence until a detailed, current Travel Plan has been submitted to and approved by the local planning authority. The approved travel plan shall be complied with during the operation of the site for the approved uses.

 

Reason: To reduce the use of motor vehicles and encourage other modes of transport and to provide management of the vehicles attending the site.

 

6          The windows/glazing proposed for the central section of the southeastern elevation at first and second floor level shall be glazed using obscured glass to a minimum of level 3 of the "Pilkington" scale of obscuration and non-opening below a height of 1.7m above the floor of the room in which the window is installed. The windows shall be installed in accordance with the approved details prior to the first occupation of the building or use of the room in which the window(s) is installed. Those windows shall remain so glazed and non-opening.

 

Reason: In the interests of the residential amenity of the adjoining residents.

 

7          Details of a site wide waste strategy for the development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority prior to any superstructure works commencing on site. The details shall include:

i) the layout, design and appearance (shown in context) of the dedicated refuse/recycling enclosure(s);

ii) a waste management plan

The development shall be carried out and operated strictly in accordance with the details and waste management strategy so approved. The physical enclosures shall be provided/ erected prior to the first occupation of the development and shall be maintained as such thereafter.

 

Reason: In the interests of the residential amenity of the adjoining residents.

 

8          No development shall take place until drawings that show details of proposed new windows, doors, eaves and cills by section and elevation at scales between 1:20 and 1:1 as appropriate have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details and shall be permanently maintained as such.

 

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the area.

 

9          No development above ground level shall be undertaken until samples of the materials to be used on the external finishes have been made available for viewing on site and have subsequently been approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the area.

 

10        No development above ground level shall be undertaken until details of the treatment of all boundaries including drawings of any gates, fences, walls or other means of enclosure have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The approved boundary treatments shall be completed prior to the first occupation of the development and shall thereafter be permanently retained and maintained.

 

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the area.

 

11        The church building hereby approved shall not operate outside the hours of 07:00 until 23:00 hours on any day.

 

Reason: In the interests of the residential amenity of the surrounding dwellings.

 

12        The ground floor restaurant/bar facility hereby approved shall only operate as an ancillary service in conjunction with the operation of the site as a church and shall not be operated as a separate business.

 

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the area.

 

13        The external play area as shown on the approved drawings shall not operate outside the hours of:

Thursdays between the hours of 09:30 and 17:00

Fridays between the hours of 09:30 and 17:00

Sundays between the hours of 10:30 and 12:30.

 

Reason: In the interests of the residential amenity of the area.

 

14        Development shall not be commenced until details of surface water drainage have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved surface water drainage details and shall be retained as such thereafter.

 

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the area.

 

15        No development above ground level shall be undertaken until details of the existing and proposed site levels and the finished floor levels of the proposed building shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall be carried out in strict accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the area.

 

16        The premises shall be used for a Church and its ancillary activities and for no other purpose (including any other purpose in Class D1 of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, or in any provision equivalent to that Class in any statutory instrument revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification).

 

Reason: In the interests of the residential amenity of the area.

 

17        No development shall take place, including any ground works or demolition, until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Statement shall provide for:

 

i. the parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors

ii. loading and unloading of plant and materials

iii. storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development

iv. wheel and underbody washing facilities

 

Reason: To ensure that on-street parking of these vehicles in the adjoining streets does not occur and to ensure that loose materials and spoil are not brought out onto the highway in the interests of highway safety. Given the nature of these details required, it is fundamental that this information is provided prior to the commencement of the development.

 

18        Prior to first occupation of the development the existing vehicular access at the south east of the site frontage shall be adjusted and reduced in width as shown in principle in the planning drawing A/04 Rev B. This shall become a shared vehicle access with the adjacent access road to the south. The width of the access at its junction with the highway shall not exceed 6 metres and shall retain an appropriate dropped kerb vehicular crossing of the footway. Full details of the shared access layout to be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason: To ensure that vehicles can enter and leave the highway in a controlled manner in the interest of highway safety.

 

19        The redundant part of the existing access at the south east of the site boundary shall be suitably and permanently closed incorporating the reinstatement to full height of the highway footway and kerbing immediately the proposed shared access is brought into first beneficial use.

 

Reason: To ensure the removal of and to preclude the creation of unnecessary points of traffic conflict in the highway in the interests of highway safety.

 

20        Notwithstanding the details shown on the planning drawing A/04 Rev B, the proposed development shall not be occupied until such time as the vehicle parking areas including a minimum of 3 parking spaces for the mobility impaired, have been hard surfaced, sealed and marked out in parking bays. The vehicle parking areas and associated turning areas shall be retained in this form at all times. Each parking space shall have minimum dimensions in accordance with current parking standards.

 

The vehicle parking shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking of vehicles that are related to the use of the development unless otherwise agreed with the Local Planning Authority. Full details of the revised layout to be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason: To ensure that on street parking of vehicles in the adjoining streets does not occur in the interests of highway safety and that appropriate parking is provided.

 

21        The proposed adjustment to the pedestrian access in the front boundary wall and the provision of new boundary wall on the south east site frontage directly abuts to the back of the footway. This is public highway and the construction work must be carried out subject to arrangements made with the Service Management Office (SMO).

 

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

 

22        The Cycle / Powered Two Wheeler parking shall be provided in accordance with the EPOA Parking Standards. The approved facility shall be secure, convenient, covered and provided prior to occupation and retained at all times.

 

Reason: To ensure appropriate Cycle / Powered Two Wheeler parking is provided in the interest of highway safety and amenity.

 

23        No unbound material shall be used in the surface treatment of the vehicular accesses within 6 metres of the highway boundary.

 

Reason: To avoid displacement of loose material onto the highway in the interests of highway safety.

 

24        There shall be no discharge of surface water from the development onto the Highway.

 

Reason: To prevent hazards caused by water flowing onto the highway and to avoid the formation of ice on the highway in the interest of highway safety.