Kingsland CAAC October 2022

Planning Applications for Kingsland CAAC meeting for October 2022

2022/2193 Flat 2, 400 Kingsland Road, E8 4AA Change of use of part ground floor from commercial (use class E) to a self-contained studio flat (use class C3). (Retrospective) Full Planning Permission (Thomas Russell)

The use of the spare space for living accommodation is a good idea, however we do have some concerns. There appears to be limited outlook from the studio and we wonder how much direct sunlight the living area will get. There is little or no outdoor amenity space.

2022/2346 Arel Coffee, 452 Kingsland Road, E8 4AE Change of use from a Coffee Shop and Bakery (Use Class E) to a Restaurant and Wine Bar (Sui Generis) including the installation of ducting and extractor to the rear. [For consultation purposes the restaurant and wine bar is proposed to have hours of operation of 0800-0000 everyday]. Full Planning Permission (Alix Hauser)

No objection.

2022/2332 23 Albion Square, E8 4ES Internal alterations at 2nd and 3rd Floor level including the removal of existing stairs, alteration in the location of the staircase to 3rd Floor, insertion of new bathroom to 2nd Floor, replacement of existing 1x side and 2x rear rooflights with conservation-grade rooflights; installation of soil vent pipe and associated drainage works. Listed Building Consent (Thomas Russell)

We regret the loss of the original internal fabric on the second floor and the changed proportions of the rooms. We are also unhappy with the positioning of the SVP which will be visible from the street.

2022/2316 23 Albion Square, E8 4ES Internal alterations to the 1st Floor including the insertion of a bathroom, new double doors in spine wall, refurbishment of bathroom in closet wing, removal of doorway, installation of new external drainage for bathroom and other minor alterations. Listed Building Consent (Thomas Russell)

No objection.

2022/2120 23 Albion Square, E8 4ES Internal alterations at 2nd and 3rd Floor level including the removal of existing stairs, alteration in the location of the staircase to 3rd Floor, insertion of new bathroom to 2nd Floor, replacement of existing 1x side and 2x rear rooflights with conservation-grade rooflights; installation of soil vent pipe and associated drainage works. Householder Planning (Thomas Russell)

We regret the loss of the original internal fabric on the second floor and the changed proportions of the rooms. We are also unhappy with the positioning of the SVP which will be visible from the street.

2022/2132 23 Albion Square, E8 4ES Internal alterations to the 1st Floor including the insertion of a bathroom, new double doors in spine wall, refurbishment of bathroom in closet wing, removal of doorway, installation of new external drainage for bathroom and other minor alterations. Householder Planning (Thomas Russell)

No objection.

2022/2141 Flat A, 93 Balls Pond Road, N1 4BL Repair and replacement of external lime render to front and rear walls of the lower ground floor. Listed Building Consent (Micheal Garvey)

No objection.

2022/2147 152 De Beauvoir Road, N1 4DJ Erection of single storey rear infill extension, refurbished single storey side extension and alterations to garden wall along Buckingham Road. Householder Planning (Raymond Okot)

We object to this application, the proposed rear in-fill extension and the alteration to the side extension do not enhance the existing building. The three glazed elements do not sit happily together and the transom window above the original door looks odd from the rear perspective. We note that there are doors at first floor level to the roof of the original rear extension and that the proposed new roof light is designated "walk on" and wonder whether there is permission to use this as a roof terrace.

2022/2033 46 Englefield Road, N1 4HA Erection of single-storey side extension at ground-floor level to form a two-storey side extension; Installation of window along side elevation of existing extension; demolition and replacement of existing single-storey rear extension; alterations to the fenestrations of existing outbuilding; Installation of rooflight above outbuilding; repositioning of entrance door Householder Planning (Thomas Russell)

This property has already been considerably extended. We don't object to the proposed side extension but we feel that the front door will out of balance with the increased width. We would prefer a stepped arrangement whereby the increase in width is set back as it is at present. We are concerned about the increased glazing in the side elevation and its effect on the neighbouring property. We also have some reservations about the proposed home studio. We should like to see the use of permeable materials for the extended area of paving. Given that there is access to the garden studio from the street via the side of the house we are concerned that it might in future be used as a separate dwelling and we ask that this potential usage be conditioned against.

2022/2260 18, Portfleet Place De Beauvoir Road, N1 5SZ Erection of single storey rear conservatory Householder Planning (Alishba Emanuel)

We think that the style of the proposed conservatory is not really in keeping with the property. It also has elements of uPVC which is not an acceptable material. Light grey powder coated aluminium would sit better with the existing building. We are also concerned about water ingress to the rear elevation caused by backsplash of rain from the pitched roof onto the rear wall of the house.

2022/1765 449 Kingsland Road, E8 4AU Redevelopment of the site, including the change of use, refurbishment and extension of the existing warehouse building, to provide 5 dwellinghouses (Use Class C3), 152sqm of community space (Use Class F) and 967sqm of commercial space (Use Class E) together with associated cycle parking and refuse and recycling facilities. Full Planning Permission (Alix Hauser)

While we have no objection in principle to the construction of a Community Hall and the refurbishment of the Tramshed building, we do have major concerns about the proposed development and therefore must object to this planning application. The community space to the west of the Tramshed building, the positioning of the proposed hall and the development of the four mews houses are at the expense of land which is currently part of the gardens of 106-120 and 124-142 Hertford Road. These houses form part of the locally listed terrace (even numbers 110-164) and the loss of gardens and inherent biodiversity is deeply regrettable. We appreciate that the properties are owned by the Benyon Estate but we understand that at least some of the tenants are less than happy at the seemingly arbitrary removal of a substantial part of their outside space.

Loss of privacy is also key issue, most particularly for the residents in houses which will be overlooked by new windows in the western elevation of the Tramshed building. The windows on the southern elevation at mezzanine level are also a cause for concern to the residents in the houses on Kingsland Road. While the lower panes of the windows on the ground and first floors are to be frosted glass, those on the higher floor are clear glass at eye level creating an opportunity for overlooking their gardens. Setting the windows in the roof might obviate this concern.

The potential for an increase in crime is another major issue. Although a gate at the end of their garden might be useful to some residents, the proposed access lane will doubtless increase the risk of burglaries. Even with an entry system at the gate from Englefield Road there is no guarantee that people won’t hold the gate open and allow others to enter or a resident in one of the mews houses will just buzz someone in. The residents are also worried that there will be an increase in petty crime on Kingsland Road with professionals being targeted for their laptops and phones outside the entrances to the commercial and community spaces.

The one house, number 122, that is not in the ownership of the Estate creates some challenges. The convoluted access route to the most northern mews house means that there is zero natural surveillance to the front door of that property which could also be accessed from the commercial and community spaces next door within the development proposal. This presents a security concern. It is also unclear how refuse servicing for this house would work in accordance with building regulations. The lightwell in the ground floor bedroom provides a compromised daylight/sunlight amenity. Given these issues it might make more sense if this space was used as an outside area for the commercial property.

Although the floor areas in the mews houses and slot house exceed minimum space requirements those in the double bedrooms are quite tight, most notably on the top floor of the slot house where the bathroom is very generous. We appreciate that the three windows in the flank wall of 6-8 Englefield Road seriously restricts the opportunities for development in the space between that property and number 10. However we remain to be convinced that this development of mews properties justifies the loss of the gardens in Hertford Road.

2022/2167 135 Hertford Road, N1 4LR Installation of solar panels at roof level. Householder Planning (Danny Huber)

Although we do not object in principle to the proposal, this is a poorly presented application lacking in detail. The existing and proposed roof drawings show the skylight in the wrong position. A scale drawing of the proposed location of the PV panels on the roof is required. The panels will need to be set back a suitable distance from the edge of the roof so that they are not visible from the street.