Unrestricted office hours at 100 Church Road, Teddington

What was proposed

The application sought removal of the restricted working-hours condition from permission for the offices.

“This application relates to the removal of a ‘Restricted Working Hours’ condition UM10 which was attached to a 1991 planning permission (ref: 90/1574/FUL) and a variation consent ref: 91/0722/FUL. The condition applies to the offices of an international aid and development agency, Tearfund, located in Teddington and in Key Office Area. As it stands, this is not an open Class E Use with the condition being worded as follows:”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The four-storey office building is beside houses, faces a primary school and lies in a Key Office Area and controlled parking zone.

“100 Church Road is a two / three/ four storey flat roofed building containing the offices of Tear Fund. The site is dual frontage with two-storey houses to the south-west and north-east in Church Road and Railway Road. There are also houses further to the north in Church Road. The site faces St Peters and St Marys CoE Primary School on the opposite side of Church Road and office/light industrial buildings opposite the side service yard.”

“The site is located in a Key Office Area. There are designations relating to groundwater and surface water flooding as well as critical drainage. It is also in Controlled Parking Zone: T6 which operates 10am-12 midday, Monday to Friday.”

Officer report

Planning history

The building changed from a factory to offices in 1991, with later permissions changing parking, access, windows and other facilities.

“The building was originally built as a factory in 1964. Planning permission to convert to offices was given in 1991 with part of the ground floor used for internal car parking (Ref 90/1574/FUL). A variation consent was subsequently issued to allow revision of internal car parking layout to include larger canteen, alterations to fire escape and service yard (Ref: 91/0722/FUL).”

“The application originally sought to remove condition UM10 attached to the 1991 planning permission ref: 90/1574/FUL which allowed the change of use from offices and warehousing to offices and car parking. First floor windows facing Railway Road to be obscure glazed.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Sixteen objections raised noise, privacy, light, parking and highway-safety concerns, while Environmental Health had no objection.

“Noise Impact • Loss of privacy • Light • Parking issues • Highway safety…”

“Consultee Comment Internal Consultees Environmental Health • No objections.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A consultant for the applicant, the applicant and an interested ward councillor addressed the committee.

Committee discussion

Members considered whether the amended use condition balanced flexibility with neighbour amenity and whether second-floor windows needed obscure glazing.

“Members expressed a view that condition NSO2, as amended in the addendum, offered a reasonable balance between relaxing existing restrictions to provide increased flexibility of use compared to the current position whilst being mindful of neighbour amenity and the potential for 24 activities such as deliveries and servicing of retail premises being ruled out.”

“Official considered whether condition DT12 should be extended to include the second and third floor windows on the north-east elevation facing Railway Road. Members discussed whether obscured glazing to the second and third floor windows was necessary and proportionate. The general view was that, given the likely more intensive use of the building, obscured glazing of the second floor Railway Road elevation was necessary to prevent loss of privacy to residents.”

Minutes

The votes

Members voted for the second-floor glazing amendment and then voted for the officer recommendation with that amendment.

“The Committee went on to vote on the officer proposal as set out in the report with the agreed amendment to condition DT12 voting in favour of the officer recommendation.”

Minutes