Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 July 2020 were confirmed as correct.

The Deputy Chief Planning Director (DCPD), Be First, provided a presentation setting out a chronology of events following the publication of the committee report regarding a planning application for the demolition and redevelopment at Trocoll House, Wakering Road, Barking.

The DCPD advised members that the published report contained an assessment with respect to affordable housing that was correct at the time of print but was now outdated following a revised offer from the applicant post publication.

In light of this the DCPD drew members attention to the subsequently published addendum report which set out a revised uplifted offer presented by the agent on behalf of the applicant of 35% affordable housing.

The Committee whilst welcoming the offer were disappointed that given the independent and GLA Viability team findings as set out in the main report, the applicant stood by their initial appraisal that zero affordable housing was viable on this site and that the revised offer therefore represented a ‘significant concession’, when in fact the offer was the minimum that the authority would be prepared to accept having regard to the importance of the need of providing affordable housing within the borough. 

The agent stated that description had been used given the applicant’s position on viability. That said, he recognised the point made and consequently withdrew the words ‘significant concession’ in the revised offer.

Accordingly, the Committee resolved to defer the application until the scheduled meeting on 14 September 2020 to allow officers time to consider the revised offer and to return the application with an updated report for Members’ consideration.

The Development Management Officer (DMO), Be First introduced a report on an application from Be First Consultancy on proposed public realm and landscaping improvements to the land in front of the Curfew Tower, Barking  The works aim to create a new public realm which is safe, accessible, functional and usable whilst celebrating the historic Grade II listed building  which is located within the Abbey and Barking Conservation area, and is in the setting of Barking Abbey, a Scheduled Listed Monument.

In addition to the requisite site and press notices and statutory consultees, a total of five neighbouring properties were consulted. There were no objections raised with the proposals. Additionally, given the protected nature of the site Historic England were consulted and confirmed that the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was agreeable to the works and for which Scheduled Monument Consent had been granted

The Chair and a number of the Members spoke in favour of the proposals and sought and received assurances from officers as to the use and nature of existing and new materials for the hard landscaping, the preservation of existing trees and flora as well as the use of street furniture, CCTV, signage and lighting to design out crime.

In conclusion officers felt that the proposed works were acceptable and in accordance with the development policies listed in the report, and would positively enhance the quality of public space whilst simultaneously improving the appearance and legibility of the Curfew Tower without detracting from the historical significance of the site.

The Committee resolved to: 

1.  Agree the reasons for approval as set out in the report, and

2.  Delegate authority to the Head of Planning and Assurance to grant planning permission based on the conditions and informative listed in Appendix 5 of the report.