APPLICATION REFERENCE NO: CR/2014/0764/NM2

Application under s.96A for non-material amendment

OFFICER CHECKLIST AND REPORT

LOCATION: FORMER THALES SITE, GATWICK ROAD, NORTHGATE, CRAWLEY
PROPOSAL: NON-MATERIAL AMENDMENT OF APPROVED APPLICATION CR/2014/0764/OUT FOR CHANGES TO THE ELEVATIONS OF BUILDING C
RECEIVED DATE: 10 September 2015 / COMPLETE DATE: 11 September 2015
EXPIRY DATE: 9 October 2015 / TARGET DATE: 6 October 2015
APPLICANT DETAILS / AGENT DETAIL
Surrey County Council / Vail Williams LLP
4 Peveril Court
6-8 London Road
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 8JE

PLANS & DRAWINGS CONSIDERED:-

13.168_001 Site Location Plan – received 10.9.15 ,

13.168.120 Rev C Building C- Ground Floor Plan – received 10.5.16,

13.168.121 Rev B - First Floor Plan – received 12.11.15,

13.168.122 Rev B - Second Floor Plan – received 12.11.2015,

13.168.123 Rev B - Third Floor Plan – received 12.11.2015,

13.168.124 Rev C - Roof Plan – received 19.10.2016

13.168.125 Rev J - Building C Elevations 1 – received 19.10.2016,

13.168.126 Rev H - Building C Elevations 2 – received 19.10.2016.

CHECKLIST/CONSIDERATIONS / Y / N
Is the proposed amendment correctly described? / Yes
COMMENT:
The amendment is described in very general terms the exact description is set out in more detail below and has been subject to negotiation and amendment as the extent of the changes originally proposed were not considered to be non-material.
Were there objections previously received that would relate to the proposed amendment? / No
COMMENT:
If so would the amendment warrant further consultation? (14 days permitted if necessary) But still only be considered a non-material amendment / Yes
COMMENT: Given the proximity of the site to Gatwick airport and that the amendment involves increasing the overall height of the building by 875mm GAL Safeguarding have been re-consulted.
Are there any new policies, since the original decision was made that would be applicable to this application and/or the proposed amendment? / Yes
COMMENT: Since the permission was granted, the local policy framework has been updated. The Crawley Borough Local Plan was adopted in December 2015 superseding the ‘saved’ Local Plan 2000 and Core Strategy policies 2007. The SPG’s have also been updated with new SPDS on Urban Design, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure having been adopted in October 2016. While the policy documents have changed, this does not undermine the original decision or have any bearing on the non-material amendment currently being considered.
Can the amendment be considered non-material? / Yes
COMMENT
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE AMENDMENTS
[Enter description here as to appear on decision notice]
  1. Increase in overall height of building from 16.540 mto 17.415 m(ground to top of roof).
  2. Reduction in height of plant enclosure fencing from 3m to 2.75m.
  3. Introduction of plant store room on roof 3m tall within plant enclosure (also incorporating roof stair access).
  4. Introduction of roof ducting and safety ladders on roof beyond extent of the plant enclosure.
  5. Thickness of roof increased from 0.7m to 1.3m and small overhang introduced.
  6. Reposition of main door entrance to include rotating door in the south elevation and introduction of 2 additional escape doors.
  7. Balcony detailing amended, additional doors ground floor west elevation, doors removed floors 1,2,3 and cladding detail adjusted.
  8. Balcony detailing amended, enlarged door in ground floor, doors removed floors 1, 2 and 3 – east elevation, cladding detail adjusted.
  9. Balcony feature removed from around the 3 stair cores on the west, south and east elevation.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The planning history of this site is an important consideration, this is the third set of non-material amendments proposed by the applicants. The cumulative impacts of the changes from the original scheme granted under CR/2014/0764/NM1 and CR/2014/0764/NM3 need to be considered. Both amendments granted under NM1 and NM3 related to the overall site layout around Building C to meet operational requirements. For NM1 this included;
1.Amendment of parking layout to provide 8 additional parking spaces, revision to footpaths and landscaping
2.Re arrangement of the cycle shelters
3.Introduction of a tank room along the southeast boundary of parcel 2 and re-positioning of other ancillary buildings along this boundary
4.Removal of substations and ancillary buildings from eastern corner of parcel 2 and incorporation of this area into parcel 3
5.Introduction of 3 ancillary buildings SS/LV along north west boundary of parcel 2, one to the front of building C and 2 to the side
6.New layby within parcel 2 to the north west of the site access
7.Retaining wall shown at the rear of parcel 2
For NM3 this included:
1.Removal of LV and substation enclosure on south -western boundary and replacement with landscaping and hardstand area.
2.Provision of 14 parking spaces within existing layout with charger provision for electric vehicles
3.Removal of one row of cycle stands.
4.Re-configuration of generator and electricity enclosure on the north -eastern boundary (adjusting UPS and LV space).
The proposals set out in NM2 do not impact upon the site layout but relate exclusively to the elevations of the main building - Building C and the resultant changes to the design on the floor plans and in particular the roof plan. The detailed description of the changes are as set out above.
The main change is considered to be to the overall thickness of the roof and this in turn has increased the height of the building. GAL have been consulted and are satisfied that the increased building height has no impact on aerodrome safeguarding. While the appearance of the roof (and vertical cladding on the west and east elevations) has been thickened it is not considered this has had a material impact on the design concept and appearance of the building. In respect to the plant enclosure, the details on the approved plans were to be agreed by condition. Overall the plant enclosure is not materially different from that approved. While some plant has been introduced onto the roof outside the enclosure, this is not readily perceptible from street level and does not impact on the overall aesthetics of the building when viewed from Gatwick Road.
While the design has removed the balcony as an accessible feature for the office users, from street level there is still a strong horizontal emphasis to the building and the amendment as proposed retains the definition for the vertical louvres which are also a feature on the building (also integral with the balcony design), overall it is not considered the removal of this feature has materially altered the aesthetics of the building.
The amendments to the doors reflect the loss of balcony on the upper floors and access requirements for the lower floors, they have no material impact on the appearance of the building and have no impact on the internal floorspace.
Section 96 A of the TCPA 1990 does not provide a statutory definition of non-material because it so dependent on the context of the scheme. In reaching the decision the LPA is required to have regard to the effect of the change, together with any previous changes made under this section
It is concluded that these changes to the elevations when considered in the context of the scale and extent of the development are non-material. Given the overall scale of the building, the alterations to the building are not readily perceptible from street level and the alterations from the original plans are not considered to materially affect the original permission as granted.
Amendments are required to condition 4 which refers to the originally listed plan drawings and to condition 26 which relates to an agreed bird hazard management plan (based on the former roof plan) and will therefore need to be updated to reflect the changes to the roof plan.

NOTE: ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OR INFORMATIVES EXTRA TO THOSE ON ORIGINAL PERMISSION CAN BE ADDED TO DEF AND WILL THEN BE INCLUDED IN DECISION NOTICE. ALSO if this permission ALTERS OR REMOVES A PREVIOUS CONDITION THIS SHOULD BE NOTED.

RECOMMENDATION:-PERMIT

Subject to the following amended conditions.

Amended Condition 4

4.The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out other than in accordance with the approved plans as listed in this Decision Notice save as varied by the conditions hereafter.

The approved plans consist of:

13.168_001 Site Location Plan
13.168_002 Existing Site Survey
13.168_SK.001 S106 Layout Plan
13.168.005 Rev J Proposed Site Layout
13.168.200 (January 2015) Proposed Phasing Plan
13.168.120 Rev C - Building C Ground Floor
13.168.121 Rev B - Building C First Floor
13.168.122 Rev B - Building C Second Floor
13.168.123 Rev B - Building C Third Floor
13.168.124 Rev C - Building C Roof Level
13.168.125 Rev J - Building C Elevations 1
13.168.126 Rev H - Building C Elevations 2

13.168.141 Rev B Parcel 2 Ancillary Buildings
13.168.142 Rev B Parcel 2 Ancillary Buildings

13.168.154 Rev A Parcel 2 Ancillary Buildings
14-047-100 Offsite Junction Location and Layouts
14-047-101 Proposed Mitigation to Manor Royal Roundabout
14-047-102 Proposed Mitigation to Fleming Way Roundabout
14-047-103 Proposed Mitigation to Beehive Signalised Junction
14-047-008 Rev B- Proposed Site Layout
14-047-012 Access to Buildings A and B Left in/ Left out junction
14-047-013 Access to Building C Left in/ Left out junction
14-047-014 Rev A Access to Building D, E, and F left in/ Left out Junction
795_LAN_PLN_001_Rev 01 Landscape Masterplan General Arrangement
795_LAN_PLN_002_Rev 01 Planning
795_LAN_PLN_003_Rev 01 Rendered Landscape Masterplan
795_LAN_PLN_004_Rev 01 Tree Removal Plan
795_LAN_PLN_005_Rev 01 Tree Protection Masterplan
795_LAN_DET_001_Rev 01 Typical Gatwick Road Boundary Sections

Amended Condition 26

26The Bird Management Plan Revision A (dated 15 December 2014) provided for building C shall be implemented in accordance with the details within the report unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

REASON: To manage the development to minimise its attractiveness to birds which could endanger the safe movement of aircraft and the operation of Gatwick Airport.

DELEGATED DECISION/OFFICER SIGNATURE:
DATE...... / SIGNED......
Case Officer Mrs J. McPherson
COUNTERSIGNED:
DATE...... / SIGNED......
Print Name......
Or
DATE...... / SIGNED......
Print Name......