Agenda item

Further to minute 21 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 25^th October 2012, where Panel considered a position statement on an application for a four storey office development with basement car parking and landscaping, to consider a further report of the Chief Planning Officer seeking determination of the application

(report attached)

  Further to minute 21 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 25^th October 2012, where Panel considered a position statement on proposals for a major office development in the city centre, Members considered the formal application.  Members were also in receipt of a supplementary report which set out the emerging strategic planning context in relation to the Core Strategy, an amendment to condition no.12 and clarification of the number of trees being removed at the site

  Plans, graphics and a sample panel showing the opacity level of the glazing in a key location of the building were displayed at the meeting

  Officers presented the report and following the detailed discussions held at the meeting on 25^th October 2012, provided further information on the issues which had been raised by Members

  In terms of the roof top plant, revisions had been made and these had been modelled from a range of key locations.  The amount of green roof space had been reduced and an area of screened plant would be provided

  Regarding the glazing manifestation, Members’ comments had been considered but the applicant had indicated they wished to retain the film to this area.  Whilst a sample panel showing opacity at a level of 20% had been provided to Panel, Members were informed that the actual material would be glass so would be more reflective than the sample being shown and that a BREAM ‘Excellent’ rating was being sought for the building

  York stone paving would be provided and one tree was proposed although no further planting was to be provided

  In respect of the S106 Agreement, the total contribution would be £232,633 which would comprise public transport contribution; travel plan monitoring fee; greenspace contribution as well as a requirement to work with Jobs and Skills

  Officers recommended the scheme for approval and stated this was likely to contribute towards the first phase of the regeneration of this site

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  the glazing manifestation; that as stated previously, technologically there were ways to provide the commercial confidentiality which the applicant sought without adversely affecting the appearance of the building

·  the need for sensitive uses to be located at this part of the building and whether these could be located elsewhere

·  the cost of an electronic system which could be switched on only when needed

Officers responded to the points raised and stated that the applicant

had been pressed on this point in view of Members’ comments on this issue.  The proposed material would not fully obscure the area; it would allow movement to be seen but faces and information would remain obscured, with the alternative option being clear glass and blinds, however this would result in the blinds always being closed which would detract from the overall visual appearance of the building.  Further information was provided on the particular uses for these rooms to enable the Panel to better understand the rationale for siting these uses at this point of the building

  Members continued to discuss the glazing treatment and were informed that there was no information available on the cost of a more sophisticated electronic system of automatic glazing and that it would not be possible to condition the use of blinds

  Members considered how to proceed

  RESOLVED -  To approve the application in principle and to defer and delegate approval to the Chief Planning Officer subject to the conditions specified in the submitted reports and an amendment to condition 12 in respect of the agreed off-site highways works to Pitt Row and the basement car park