Kingsland CAAC April 2020

Planning Applications for Kingsland CAAC meeting for 6 April 2020

2020/0682 Flat 4 37 Ardleigh Road N1 4HS Erection of 1.2m timber screen fence to rear and side flat roof and three new rooflights to front and side roof slope. (Micheal Garvey 020 8356 8053)

We object to this application.  This is a building of townscape merit and a prominent feature of the street. The roof lights on the front slope will be very noticeable and we would point out that roof lights elsewhere in the street are only on the side and rear slopes as shown in the photograph submitted with the application.  The timber screen fence is visually incongruous and reduces the difference between the side extension and the eves of the house. 

2020/0690 173 Balls Pond Road N1 4BG Prior notification for change of use of basement and ground floor levels from office (Use Class B1) to two self-contained residential units (Use Class C3). (Alix Hauser 020 8356 6377)

The applicant has used an Environmental Agency map showing the risk of flooding from rivers and the sea and this indicates that the property is in an area of low risk.  However the Gov.Uk map of the flood risk from surface water shows that the area within 20 metres of the property is at high risk which is why the earlier application 2019/3797 was refused.  Our grounds for objection to the latter application still stand: The upper flat would be particularly small for two people, and both flats would have poor light levels. In the case of both dwellings, mechanical ventilation would be advisable as the windows face onto the Ball's Pond Road. We also regret the loss of office/commercial space in a building which is much better suited to that purpose, and has been in use as such.

2020/0115 7 Buckingham Road N1 4DG Replacement of windows and doors with double glazed windows and doors (Danny Huber 020 8356 1453)

We do not object to this application in principle.  However the proposed window details suggest that the upper pane of glass will be closer to the external façade of the building which will change the elevational aesthetic.  This should be avoided.

2020/0827 47 Buckingham Road N1 4JG Removal of existing boundary treatment at front and replacement with new wrought iron railings and gate and new bin-store. (Louise Prew 020 8356 8613)

We have no objection in principle to this application. As the applicant points out, it should make the front approach to the house more attractive.  However square section railings are rare in the Conservation Area, they are normally round and we should prefer to see this style at 47 Buckingham Road.  There is no detailed drawing of the railing head and no information on how the railings will be set into the concrete footing. Lead would be traditional. There are also no details regarding the materials and style of construction of the bin store.

2020/0684 87-95 Hertford Road N1 5AG Works to curtilage listed boundary wall with properties of De Beauvoir Square [works in relation to planning application 2009/2842] (Nick Bovaird 0208 356 8291)

We have no objection.  However we are concerned that any demolition is carried out according to current environmental procedures.  We are aware that there is asbestos on site. 

2020/0717 Basement And Ground Floor 132 Kingsland Road E2 8DP Removal of Condition 3 (no live or amplified music) of planning permission ref 2017/2469 dated 10/08/2017 for change of use from class A1 (Retail) to class A4(Wine Bar) at basement and ground floor level. (Danny Huber 020 8356 1453)

Kingsland CAAC has no comment to make on this application.

2020/0849 258 Kingsland Road E8 4DG Variation of condition 2 (temporary use) of planning permission 2016/0361 dated 29/03/2016 to allow continued temporary use of part of the ground floor as Cafe (Use class A3) until 31/03/2025. (Micheal Garvey 020 8356 8053)

No objection.

2019/2175 305A Kingsland Road E8 4DL Demolition of existing buildings and structures and erection of a part 6 and part 7 (plus basement) storey building comprising flexible workspace (Use Class B1a and B1c) and co-living accommodation (sui generis); along with plant; cycle parking; refuse / recycling facilities; and associated works. (note for consultation: This re-consultation is being undertaken as supplementary information has been submitted with regard to the co-living proposals). (Steve Fraser-Lim 020 8356 8093)

The Kingsland CAAC is divided about the merits of co-living.  However we are all very concerned that this revised proposal does not address the requirement for an element of affordable rental housing which is so desperately needed in Hackney.  Furthermore with an estimated rent of £360 per week this accommodation will be too expensive for key workers and the majority of young professionals and graduates who we are told are the prospective tenants.  Our original objections to the application in September 2019 still stand.

2020/0348 41 Ufton Road N1 4HE Erection of of a side extension above existing garage including and two storey rear extension (Raymond Okot 020 8356 8080)

We strongly object to this application.  The existing garage appears to have already been converted into habitable accommodation without consent.  The proposed side extension would be substantially more than half the width of the house, which is not acceptable.  This would be disproportionately large compared to the extension at the other end of the terrace and, as it would not be set back, would appear overbearing.  The proposed first floor window on the front elevation fails to match the windows of the main house and the door looks very cramped as shown.  The landscape format of the rear first floor extension window does not sit well with the main building.  A frosted glass block wall is indicated on the lower and upper ground floor plans adjacent to the stairwell but it isn’t shown on the drawing of the proposed flank wall so its purpose is unclear. It looks as if the applicant intends to establish the side extension as a self-contained unit because there appears to be no access from the main house. The Planning Statement describes the proposal as a side extension above existing garage including a two storey element. The latter might be presumed to be the projection three metres from the existing building line of the garage. However the proposed upper ground floor and first floor layouts and drawing A6103 show a part width extension above the existing lower ground floor extension at the rear of the main house. There is no mention of a proposed extension at the rear of the main house in either the Planning Statement or the Heritage Statement. Two earlier applications have been submitted for an extension at the rear of this property; the first in 2018 was withdrawn and the second in 2019 for a two storey extension at upper ground and first floor levels was refused. We are very concerned that this is another attempt to gain consent for a proposal which would cause significant harm to the De Beauvoir Conservation Area.

2020/0201 Flats 1-3 1 Waterson Street E2 8HE Advertisement application to paint the side of the building facing the rail line with revolving advertisements for charities, artists and commercial companies (12m height, 7m wide, 0.05m deep & internally illuminated) (Kim Aukett 020 8356 4740)

We object to this application.  The addition of a 12m by 7m illuminated sign would add to the visual clutter and affect the setting of the Conservation Area.  The applicant directed us to Shoreditchartwall.com as the best example of what they would like to do and we were not impressed.  Furthermore if the proposed medium is paint it is not clear how this will be internally illuminated.