Agenda item

In respect of application numbered S/19/0946 - Change of use of Former Telephone Exchange (Sui Generis) to 7 Apartments (Class C3) and associated works, Former Telephone Exchange, Fire Fly Avenue, Swindon the Committee considered: -

          Name                                 Address/Organisation

          Paul Exell                           Parish Council                 

Councillors Alan Bishop, Nick Burns-Howell, Paul Dixon, Steph Exell, Stan Pajak and Peter Watts spoke in respect of this application.

Submissions in support of the application can be broadly summarised as:

·       The application was to convert the existing former telephone exchange into seven apartments, comprising 6, one bed flats and one two bed flat.

·       Cycle storage in excess of minimum standards was provided although this was accessed via the pedestrian tunnel. A condition allow access to the storage area at all times prior to occupation of the building would be required.

·       There were no highways or environmental health objections to the application.

·       The site being close to facilities and bus routes was considered to be sustainable.

Submissions opposing the application can be broadly summarised as:

·       Lack of parking provision associated with the development as no parking parking spaces were allocated to the flats when the expected provision would be 10 spaces.

·       The site is located within the Railway Works Conservation Area, and is opposite to and forms part of the setting to the Railway Village Conservation Area. The site is adjacent to and part of the group of railway buildings which form a collective, such as being adjacent to the Swindon Works Main Office (Grade GII) opposite the carriage works and trimming Shop (both Grade II listed).

·       There is potential for overlooking and loss of privacy to nearby properties and a concern about the proposed works and the need to control hours of working and mitigation of noise and dust during business hours.

·       Concerns were raised regarding the need assurance that any asbestos is properly dealt with and that access to other buildings will not be affected during construction.

·       Access for emergency services and delivery vans to the building needed to be addressed.

·       There was concern as to whether the proposed application was an overdevelopment of the site.

·       The building was situated within a conservation area and Paragraph 97 of the NPPF should be considered when assessing the impact on the character of the conservation area.

·       The Parish Council was minded to echo the concerns of the conservation officer set out within the report.

·       The application represented an overdevelopment of the site with too many flats for the building with a reduction in number of flats permitting the removal of the outdoors stairs for relocation within the fabric of the building.

·       The historical integrity of the building would be compromised and external alterations and external staircase did not take into account the context or nature of the surrounding area.

·       The building had not been used since 1986 and so neighbouring properties would suffer a loss of privacy.

·       The design of the application was flawed on a number of issues including access to the cycle store and access to the first floor via a single external metal staircase which ran past one of the flats reducing privacy and would cause unacceptable noise in the evening.

·       The location of the bin storage meant residents would need to transport their rubbish bins 70 meters for collection.

Resolved - That application S/19/0946 be refused.

Reasons

1.  The proposed conversion includes the provision of a new external staircase around two sides of the building which represents an incongruous feature that detracts from the simple architectural appearance of the building and would be harmful to the significance of this part of the Railway Works Conservation Area. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to policy DE1 and EN10 of the adopted Swindon Borough Local Plan 2026 (2015), the adopted Swindon Residential Design Guide SPD 2016 and the NPPF.

2.   The proposed external access arrangements to the proposed apartments would result in an unacceptable level of amenity to future occupiers as residents and visitors would walk past serving bedroom windows of other flats at very close quarters, contrary to policy DE1 of the adopted Swindon Borough Local Plan 2026 (2015) and the adopted Swindon Residential Design Guide SPD 2016 and the NPPF.

3. The proposed provision for cycle storage is poorly located in that it is currently only accessible between 7am and 9pm daily because gates separating the cycle storage to the flats they serve is locked shut outside of those hours. Given the accommodation makes no provision for car parking for its occupants and is located some distance from a public highway, the lack of accessibility to a full range of conveniently located alternative means of transport is therefore contrary to policy DE1, TR1 and TR2 of the adopted Swindon Borough Local Plan 2026 (2015) The adopted Technical guidance on Parking Standards 2007 SPD, the adopted Swindon Residential Design Guide SPD 2016 and the NPPF.

(Councillor John Ballman made a personal and non-prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of this application as he considered the application in his capacity as a Parish Councillor and took no part in the discussion and voting thereon.)