Retirement living alterations at Beesons Yard, Bury Lane, Rickmansworth

The site and its history

The site contains a partly four-storey, partly three-storey retirement building that was being built but not occupied, following earlier permissions and enforcement issues.

“16/2620/FUL: Demolition of existing single storey temporary storage building and construction of four storey commercial building connecting to the existing two storey commercial building. Withdrawn. 1.2 21/1971/FUL: Demolition of existing buildings and structures and erection of a 48-unit Extra Care facility (Use Class C2) with car parking and associated landscaping.”

“The application site contains a recently constructed part four, part three storey building containing 43 flats for retirement living along with associated parking area, amenity area, soft landscaping and attenuation pond. The application site is accessed by a long internal road from the western side of Bury Lane in Rickmansworth. The building is not yet occupied.”

Officer report

The officers’ recommendation

Officers recommended approval subject to a deed of variation securing housing, parking, age, traffic and waste obligations, together with planning conditions.

“Recommendation: That planning permission is granted, subject to the completion of a Deed of Variation to a Section 106 Agreement pursuant to planning permission 22/1148/FUL dated 18 December 2023; securing an occupancy age restriction, affordable housing contribution, controls on parking permits, amendment to traffic regulation order and Waste Management Scheme, and planning conditions as set out below at Section 7.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A local resident spoke against the application, the agent spoke in favour, and a parish councillor spoke on behalf of Batchworth Community Council.

Members’ discussion

Members recognised concerns about planning breaches but said they could only decide the application before them, while officers said the new glazing and sensors addressed key issues.

“In responding to the points raised by speakers, the Planning Officer acknowledged that the site was constrained and that there had been a number of planning breaches, including some which had led to the application which was now before the Committee. Further matters remained to be resolved separately, including the external lighting within the car park and landscaping. Officers were working with the applicant to resolve these.”

“The Planning Officer reported that the replacement of the obscure film previously used on the northern elevation windows with purpose-made obscured glass at the highest level of obscurity was considered to have addressed the issue of the temporary nature of the obscurity. Officers did not therefore consider that there was any reason to refuse the application on that basis.”

Minutes

The committee vote

Councillor Whately-Smith moved approval, seconded by Councillor Gazzard, and the motion passed with eight votes for, none against and two abstentions.

“Councillor Whately-Smith moved, and Councillor Gazzard seconded, that planning permission be granted, subject to the completion of a Deed of Variation to a Section 106 Agreement pursuant to planning permission 22/1148/FUL dated 18 December 2023 securing an occupancy age restriction, affordable housing contribution, controls on parking permits, amendment to traffic regulation order and Waste Management Scheme, and planning conditions as set out at Section 7 of the report.”

“On being put to the vote this was carried, the voting being 8 in favour, 0 against and 2 abstentions.”

Minutes

The decision

Planning permission was granted subject to the deed of variation securing specified obligations and the planning conditions in the officer report.

“RESOLVED: that planning permission be granted, subject to the completion of a Deed of Variation to a Section 106 Agreement pursuant to planning permission 22/1148/FUL dated 18 December 2023 securing an occupancy age restriction, affordable housing contribution, controls on parking permits, amendment to traffic regulation order and Waste Management Scheme, and planning conditions as set out at Section 7 of the report.”

Minutes