This meeting was about deciding whether to approve three planning applications. Two of the applications had previously been approved by the London Legacy Development Corporation before those powers were transferred back to Newham Council. Councillors were also asked to consider a report on an application to change the use of two buildings at Royal Albert Dock from offices to student accommodation.

Land at Carpenters Estate, Stratford E15

The most significant item on the agenda was a decision to be made on a planning application for the outline redevelopment of the Carpenters Estate in Stratford. The application was originally submitted to the London Legacy Development Corporation, but was not decided before the relevant powers were transferred back to Newham Council. The report pack includes the report that was presented to the LLDC's Planning Decisions Committee on 27 February 2024. It describes an application by the London Borough of Newham for the redevelopment of the Carpenters Estate, which would involve the demolition of all of the buildings on the estate, apart from Lund Point and Biggerstaff Terrace. The application requested outline planning permission for the construction of up to 2,022 new homes, 10,071 square metres of commercial floorspace, a 9,147 square metre hotel, a 1,223 square metre pub and cinema, and a 9,323 square metre building for the Building Crafts College. The report describes how the LLDC's Planning Decisions Committee was asked to consider a number of reports and assessments about the proposal. These included an Environmental Impact Assessment, a Design and Access Statement and a number of parameter plans describing the maximum heights, massing and locations of the buildings to be constructed, if the outline application was approved. The report pack also included a set of Design Codes, which would inform the design of individual buildings as more detailed plans are submitted. The LLDC's report describes their officers' recommendations, and explains how The proposed outline application is considered acceptable in land use terms, because it would provide the comprehensive redevelopment of the Carpenters Estate providing for up to 2,022 new and refurbished homes ... incorporating existing principal routes and providing for improved connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists, providing a sustainable approach. The LLDC's officers concluded that The proposed amount of affordable housing, at 50.2% by habitable room is policy compliant. However, they also noted that Anomalies were noted between the current and proposed housing tenure mix including the replacement of ‘Secure Tenancy’ homes with ‘Social Rented’ homes. The report explains how, in light of these considerations, the LLDC's Planning Decisions Committee was asked to resolve to APPROVE application 22/00360/OUT subject to referral to the Mayor of London, the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement, and a number of conditions. The report pack for the Newham Council meeting also includes an update report that was presented to the LLDC's Planning Decisions Committee, which describes how LLDC officers recommended that members approve the planning permission for the reasons set out in Appendix A and B. The update report explained that this was because LLDC’s planning powers were transferred back to the relevant London Boroughs on 1st December 2024, and LLDC did not issue a decision notice for this application prior to that date. It therefore fell to Newham Council to decide whether to issue a decision notice.

Land at Junction of Barbers Road, Pudding Mill Lane, Stratford E15 2NQ

Councillors were asked to make a decision on a planning application by The Portable Living Group to extend the temporary planning permission for the Snoozebox hotel at Pudding Mill Lane. This application was also originally submitted to the LLDC before relevant powers were transferred back to Newham Council. The report pack contains the report presented to the LLDC's Planning Decisions Committee on 28 November 2023. It explains how the applicant sought temporary planning permission for the continued use of the hotel at Pudding Mill Lane until 31 July 2028, and retrospective temporary permission for the construction of an extension to the hotel. This extension would contain 50 additional hotel rooms. The report describes how the applicant withdrew their request for temporary planning permission for an additional multi-purpose social hub, because of concerns about potential noise impacts. It explains how LLDC officers recommended that planning permission be granted, because the extended hotel would provide visitor accommodation in the local area and London, in accordance London Plan Policy E10, and Local Plan Policies SP.1, B.2 and B.3. It describes how, subject to a number of conditions, LLDC's Planning Decisions Committee was asked to resolve to APPROVE the planning application subject to a unilateral undertaking and the conditions included in their report. The Newham Council report pack includes a draft unilateral undertaking that would have required the developer to remove the Social Hub and Decking Area in the event that they did not submit a separate planning application for it by 6 September 2024. The undertaking would have required the developer to remove the social hub even if they had submitted an application if it was not decided, or was refused by the council. The report explains how this unilateral undertaking was awaiting signatories on behalf of the applicant, but that these were not provided before planning powers transferred back to the boroughs.

Land at 27 – 37 Lascars Avenue and 14 – 23, Royal Albert Quay, Beckton E16 2YR

The report pack includes a report on an application by David Maxwell of RAD CHP Ltd for the change of use of two buildings at Royal Albert Dock from office use to 457 student bed spaces and some retail units at ground floor level. The report explains how the site is within a local plan site allocation for “Business and education uses, buildings on the strengths of the University of East London and UTC”. It is explained how the officers did not object to the loss of office space, because the application demonstrates that the existing office floorspace could be released for more productive/viable uses. Officers concluded that The proposed development is therefore supported in terms of land use. The report also describes how the applicant proposed to provide 160 affordable student rooms and 46 wheelchair accessible rooms. Officers noted that Whilst the Local Plan policy does not specify what proportion of room types should be affordable, the Local Planning Authority would seek to ensure that there is an even distribution of affordable accommodation across the range of unit types. The report sets out the Mayor of London's current policy for affordable student accommodation, which stipulates that annual rent should be no more than:

£7,341 (annual) or £193.19 per week (based on 38-week occupancy) The officers considered that Notwithstanding the above, a concern remains that the rent levels might not be affordable for Newham residents. The applicant provided a list of the annual rents of existing student accommodation in Newham that they considered to be comparable. These were: Chapter Spitalfields (Studio - ensuite) - £20,440

Scape Mile End (Studio - ensuite) - £21,495

iQ Shoreditch (Studio - ensuite) - £23,625 The report explains how the officers considered these to be open market rent levels and therefore not comparable, so they requested that the applicant enter a Section 106 Agreement that would require them to charge locally based affordable rents for the student accommodation. It is explained how officers also recommended a number of conditions be included in the planning permission, if it were to be granted, about matters including the need to provide a student management plan, a travel plan, and a construction management plan. The report explains how the officers recommended that planning permission be granted because The proposed development is therefore supported in terms of land use, and Overall, it is considered that the proposed mixed use would be consistent with the aspirations set out under the Site Allocation in the Local Plan (2018) and would therefore respond to its strategic importance.