Street cleansing vehicle depot at 61 Harewood Avenue, London NW1

The site and its history

The single-storey unlisted building and yard are accessed through shared gates, and the building has been vacant since 2018.

“The proposals relate to an unlisted single storey building and yard at 61 Harewood Avenue. The site is bounded by Harewood Avenue to the west, Rossmore Road to the north, the Four Feathers Youth Community Centre adjacent to the site to the east and the Blandford housing estate to the south of the site. The site is accessed only from Harewood Avenue via a gated entrance which is shared with the housing estate to the south and the Four Feathers Youth Centre to the east.”

“The site was last in use by ‘Sodexo’ as a ‘Meals on Wheels’ hub for Westminster City Council Children’s Services however it has been vacant since 2018.”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

Permission was granted in 2020 for security fencing, while no planning history was found for the former Meals on Wheels use.

“Permission was granted in April 2020 (20/01150/COFUL) for the installation of galvanised, black powder coated security fencing to the top of the existing perimeter boundary walls.”

“Officers can find no planning history relating to the Meals on Wheels Use.”

Officer report

Consultation and objections

Councillors, the local amenity society and residents objected over noise, traffic, parking, pollution, safety, vermin, privacy and other concerns.

“THE ST MARYLEBONE SOCIETY: Objections on the following - Noise and disturbance - Increase in traffic - Loss of residents parking - Increase in safety risk - Concerns in health and environment - Loss of privacy…”

“Other • Loss of residents parking • Increase of traffic congestion • Concerns over maintenance of the shared access gate • Increase of vermin resulting in a public health risk • Land contamination • Concerns of overloading the existing residential drainage network • Electric and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure increases the fire and explosion risk • Increase in non-residents and contractors which raises safety concerns • Request for FOI for original correspondence…”

Officer report

Who spoke at the meeting

Representatives of Westminster City Council and Turley spoke in support, while representatives of the residents’ association, the estate and a councillor spoke against.

The vote

Three councillors voted to approve the application and two voted to refuse it.

“RESOLVED (Approve: Councillors Lilley, Hassan and Williams. Refuse: Councillors Robathan and Glen)”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee granted conditional permission, added a gate-noise condition, required complaints contact details and added a pedestrian-crossing informative.

“That conditional permission be granted under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992. That a condition be added requiring submission of details of both gates to demonstrate minimising noise. That a condition be added requiring the amendment of the Operational Management Plan to include both telephone number and email address for residents’ complaints.”

“That an informative be added that the Council as Highway Authority consider the possibility of providing a pedestrian crossing.”

Minutes