Agenda item

The Principal Development Management Officer (PDMO), Be First Development Management team introduced a report on an application from Weston Homes seeking a full planning permission for the redevelopment of the site at Town Quay, Abbey Road, Barking involving the clearance of the existing structures and the erection of three new buildings ranging from 7 to 11 storeys in height to provide 147 residential dwellings comprising a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats and associated private amenity space with child play space, cycle and refuse stores and car park with a new vehicular access point from Abbey Road; and 980 sqm (GIA) flexible commercial floorspace (Use Class E(a) – (g) inclusive) with commercial refuse stores, together with ancillary management facilities and plant rooms. Re-alignment of Town Quay/Highbridge Road and all associated highways alterations. Formation of public realm with hard and soft landscaping including pedestrian plaza and riverside walk with other associated work.

Further to the publication of the agenda two supplementary reports relating to the application were published and circulated and referred to by the officer at the meeting.

In addition to internal and external consultations, a total of 5896 notification letters were sent to neighbouring properties together with the requisite statutory press notice. Five representations of objection were received by the closing date together with a number of further late neighbour objections including a collective response from the River Roding Trust, the details of which were set out in the above-mentioned supplementary reports, the full material planning considerations relating to which were set out in the planning assessment detailed in the reports.

The officer’s overall assessment of the application was that the principles of development were supported, creating a valuable contribution towards LBBD housing delivery targets as well as delivering public realm enhancements and a commercial offer as part of this mixed-use development.

The application would realign the site, simplifying the road layout and open up the area adjacent to the River as a key open space that would be enlivened by ground floor commercial activities. Officers acknowledged that the planned closure of the connecting road bridge across the Roding as part of the application and the subsequent re-routing of traffic via London Road would likely cause additional traffic congestion, but on balance it was considered this was outweighed by the wider benefits to the development and surrounding area of increasing pedestrian connectivity and reducing traffic.

Opening the application up for discussion the Chair suggested that it might be necessary to instigate a further traffic impact assessment to test the potential for increased traffic problems and air pollution in and around Barking Town Centre. The PDMO stated that officers were satisfied that the traffic studies carried out to date had confirmed that the development would not exacerbate the amount of traffic and that the road closure would in fact improve air quality in the locality, and that further detail in both the Section 106 and Section 278 agreements would make sure it was a safe development in that respect. That said Be First acknowledged the members’ concerns and would continue working closely with transport colleagues in LBBD to make sure there were sustainable solutions to enable developments in this locality were able to flourish.

Referencing the consultations on the application and the valid points made by the River Roding Trust, the Deputy Leader as a local ward councillor, was concerned at what appeared a breakdown in communications between the applicant and the Trust. Given one of the development aims was to create a new focal point for the new river community connecting to Barking Town Centre, he offered to broker a meeting between the two. The representative of Weston Homes stated that they had engaged in constructive dialogue with the Trust but nevertheless welcomed the offer for a further meeting as they were keen to work positively with the local community on this scheme.

Other questions which arose with officer responses were summarised as follows:

Looking at the proposed housing mix the fact that just over 10% were 3-bed family units was disappointing and fell well short of the Council’s aspirations.

Whilst the emerging Local Plan seeks a greater proportion of family sized housing across the borough, in areas close to Barking Town Centre such as the Town Quay, which is designed for higher density development, a lower number of 3-bed units was seen as acceptable.

The applicant added that the size of the proposed 2 bed 4 persons units within the development could each accommodate one double or two single bed spaces and therefore could be classified as family units, which if included within the overall calculation would up the provision from 10% to 55% family sized accommodation. 

Why had the applicant contested the method of calculating the level of child play space provision and to that end the proposed contribution of £22,200 was considered very low when compared to other development contributions elsewhere in the Borough.?

The Borough does not currently have a set formula to apply to child play space provision, relying on the GLA calculator when linked to public transport accessibility levels (PTAL’s). The applicant had challenged the PTAL level on this site (2), when in their view, given the site’s good connectivity to transport links, it should have had a higher PTAL of 5.

Notwithstanding the above, given the concerns raised the applicant agreed to increase the contribution to child play space to £50,000 as suggested by Members. 

Accordingly the Committee RESOLVED to:

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

2.  Delegate authority to the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham’s Director of Inclusive Growth in consultation with the Head of Legal Services to grant planning permission subject to the completion of a legal agreement under s106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) based on the Heads of Terms identified at Appendix 7 subject to an amendment to Section 13-Playspace to indicate that the sum of £50,000 will be paid, and the Conditions listed in Appendix 6 of the report, and

3.  That, if by 25 September 2021 the legal agreement has not been completed, the Director of Inclusive Growth is delegated authority to refuse planning permission or extend this timeframe to grant approval.