The committee granted permission for works at 27-31 Charing Cross Road, Oslo Court and 5 Sutherland Avenue. The application regarding Paddington Academy, 50 Marylands Road was refused.

Paddington Academy, 50 Marylands Road

The most significant decision of the meeting was to refuse permission for Paddington Academy to vary condition 28 of the planning permission for the redevelopment of the site. Condition 28 requires that details of safe access for pedestrians and cyclists be approved by the council, and had been discharged by the approval of detailed drawings on 27 November 2006 under reference 06/07850/ADFULL. The school wanted to vary the condition to allow the use of a secondary access to the school from Oakington Road by two student year groups, totalling around 360 pupils. This secondary access had been intended for use by staff, cyclists and a limited number of students with key card entry, and separate vehicular access. The school had allowed more general use of the Oakington Road entrance during the Covid Pandemic to aid social distancing, and asserted that this had resulted in benefits for staff and students. The school continued to allow this general use until the council's planning enforcement team received complaints from local residents, and told the school to stop.

In the school’s experience the type of congestion which is shown in the photos may have been caused by a parent mistakenly entering at Elgin Road, then making the necessary three-point turn to exit, pausing traffic movement on Oakington Road.

The applicant asserted that this expanded use of the Oakington Road gate had not caused any particular problems, but local residents disagreed. 21 objections were received from residents of 21 addresses on Oakington Road and Elgin Avenue, who reported issues with noise, disturbance, litter, traffic congestion, antisocial behaviour and general chaos while the gate was in more general use. Objections were also made on principle, with residents stating that the original planning permission for the school had been the result of extensive consultation, and the restricted use of the Oakington Road gate was intended to balance the needs of the school with those of local residents. The residents asserted that the school should find a way to manage the arrival and departure of students using only the main entrance on Marylands Road.

The council's Highways Planning Manager did not object to the proposals, stating that use of the Oakington Road entrance by the two year groups would not have a significant impact on highway safety or operation. Councillor Concia Albert, ward councillor for Harrow Road, spoke against the application, as did two local residents. Councillor Laila Cunningham was the only member of the committee who voted to grant permission. The application was refused because the committee felt that the level of activity generated by the expanded use of the Oakington Road gate at the start and end of the school day would have a detrimental impact on the amenity of local residents.

5 Sutherland Avenue

The committee granted permission for the use of the basement floors of 5-7 Sutherland Avenue and 346-348 Harrow Road as a community centre and place of worship by the Asian Muslim Cultural Centre. Permission for the use of the basement at 5-7 Sutherland Avenue had first been granted in 2006 under reference 05/02205/FULL. In 2016 the use expanded to include the basement at 346-348 Harrow Road, and temporary permission for this expanded use was granted under reference 12/07598/FULL. This permission expired in 2017, and the community centre has been operating without permission ever since.

The applicant stated that the centre has been operating between 04:30 and 00:00 hours, with a capacity of 80 people at any one time, increasing to 200 for Friday Prayers. Seven objections were received from local residents, who reported antisocial behaviour, noise disturbance from people congregating outside the property, litter, increased pressure on parking, and that pedestrians had felt threatened by groups of men outside the centre.

Councillor David Boothroyd spoke in support of the application. The committee felt that the potential for harm to the amenity of local residents could be mitigated by the conditions attached to the planning permission, and voted to grant permission. Councillor Cunningham was the only member who voted to grant permission for only one year as a trial period.

27-31 Charing Cross Road

The committee granted permission and listed building consent for the erection of a side extension at 27-31 Charing Cross Road, increasing the size of the Assembly Hotel on the site.

The proposal included the erection of a 10 storey side extension to the existing 11 storey hotel building, and the enlargement of the roof terrace on the tenth floor. The proposed extension would be located on a vacant plot to the south of the existing hotel, which is currently used as a fire escape route for the adjacent Odeon Cinema.

Six objections were received from local residents who reported concerns about noise from the roof terrace and building works, and a lack of benefit to the local community from the development.

The committee agreed with the assessment in the officer's report, which concluded that:

Overall, the proposal would improve the appearance of the vacant plot at the south of the site through its activation, the provision of additional hotel accommodation in this area of the CAZ is acceptable, and the extension with roof terrace would not have a significant impact on neighbouring residential amenity in terms of noise and overlooking.

The committee voted unanimously to grant conditional planning permission.

Oslo Court, Prince Albert Road

The committee granted conditional planning permission and listed building consent for the erection of a roof extension and associated alterations at Oslo Court, Prince Albert Road. Oslo Court is a Grade II listed 7 storey residential building within the St John's Wood Conservation Area. The building is located to the north of Regent's Park, from which the building can be seen.

The building itself is built of brick and concrete and rises to 7 storeys to a long L-shaped plan, presenting the narrower south-eastern end to the park.

The application was very similar to one that was refused by the same committee in August 2023, but the applicant had made some changes to address the reasons for refusal.

The proposed development included the erection of a single storey roof extension, providing four new flats, the extension of the existing stair tower, a replacement single storey restaurant extension, the creation of new refuse and cycle stores, new entrance gates and landscaping.

As before, the existing stair tower is proposed to be raised, but now by a more significant degree.

The committee received a number of objections from local amenity societies and residents, with concerns raised about the impact of the development on the significance of the listed building, the character and appearance of the conservation area, the setting of Regent's Park, the amenity of local residents, and the pressure on parking.

The committee agreed with the officer's assessment, which concluded that:

In design and listed building terms, the proposals result in harm, to the lower end of less than substantial harm, it is however considered the scheme is a significant improvement over the refused scheme and that the provision of four high quality residential units are considered to be of a public benefit to outweigh this harm.

The committee voted unanimously to grant conditional planning permission and listed building consent.