The meeting was scheduled to consider applications about works to the Alexandra Road Estate, an extension to the Royal Free Hospital, and applications about a range of other sites.

Alexandra Road Estate Heating Infrastructure

The most significant item on the agenda was the council's proposals to replace the Alexandra Road Estate's heating system.

The existing heating system has been plagued by problems. Sections of the existing pipework have corroded and become clogged, leading to extreme corrosion, furring-up and leaks. This has resulted in an unreliable and costly heating and hot water supply for residents. In the report pack, the applicant (Camden Council) describes how:

For many years the pipework has suffered from extreme corrosion, furring-up and leaks, presenting challenging maintenance issues and an unreliable heating and hot water supply for residents.

To address this, the council proposed to replace the existing heating distribution network, including installation of two new sub-plant rooms, installation of cold water storage tank rooms, and installation of new replacement infrastructure pipework.

The works include decommissioning the existing heating system within dwellings and its replacement with a new distribution network. The decommissioning of the existing system is considered necessary because of its age and associated problems.

The proposal would retain the use of the existing communal gas boilers, in conjunction with new individual heat interface units (HIUs) in each flat. This approach has been chosen in order to ensure the system is future proofed to link to alternative greener hybrid solutions when the existing gas boilers come to the end of their life.

Alexandra Road Estate Window Replacements

The meeting was also scheduled to consider an application to replace all of the single-glazed windows in the Alexandra Road Estate with double glazing.

The report pack says that vacuum double glazing would be installed, and:

Vacuum glass is commonly used in historic settings where thermal improvement is sought in a sympathetic way within existing frames. This is because it normally allows for a thinner pane. The thermal performance of vacuum glass is that of triple glazing.

The council's own analysis of the energy consumption of the estate concluded that 30% of the heat loss from dwellings on the estate is via the windows. They therefore argued that the proposed works would significantly reduce the large amount of heat currently lost through the single glazed windows.

These works would be carried out at the same time as the works to the heating infrastructure.

Royal Free Hospital Extension

The meeting was scheduled to consider an application for the construction of a two-storey extension to the existing Royal Free Hospital. The application site is an area of hardstanding that currently serves as part of a vehicular access route.

The extension would provide space for two new hybrid operating theatres, which the report pack describes as:

advanced surgical theatres

The extension has been proposed in response to increased demand for vascular surgery, in particular for complex vascular surgery, which:

has a critical co-dependency for specialist services at the Royal Free, including the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), renal transplantation and cancer.

The report pack explains how the Royal Free only has a single vascular theatre that does not meet modern space standards, and how this has led to regular cancellations that mean that the demand for complex vascular surgery cannot be met.

The report pack describes how the Royal Free has struggled to address this shortfall because there is a critical need to increase and modernise theatre provision on-site while ensuring that the operation of the existing theatres and wider hospital is not impacted.

151 Shaftesbury Avenue

The meeting was scheduled to consider an application to refurbish and extend a mixed-use building at 151 Shaftesbury Avenue. The existing building is nine storeys and includes a ground floor retail unit and offices above.

The proposals are to:

• demolish the existing rooftop plant level and replace it with two new setback floors at levels eight and nine for office use (Class E(g)(i)),
• build infill extensions at the rear of the building,
• change the use of part of the ground and lower ground floor to allow a bar/drinking establishment (Sui Generis),
• and replace the existing facades.

The proposals would see a total increase of 763 square metres of floorspace.

1-7 Alfred Place, 22 Store Street and 220-226 Tottenham Court Road

The meeting was scheduled to consider an application to refurbish and extend a vacant four storey office building at 1-7 Alfred Place, 22 Store Street, and 220-226 Tottenham Court Road.

The proposals include an infill extension at the rear of the property, a two-storey roof extension, and the replacement of the existing facades. The proposed development would increase the floorspace of the building by 988 square metres.

147-151 Haverstock Hill

The meeting was scheduled to consider an application about a building at 147-151 Haverstock Hill in Belsize Park. The building is occupied by Leyland SDM, who are a builders' merchant.

The application seeks retrospective consent for the display of five externally illuminated fascia panels and one non-illuminated vinyl sign applied externally to the transom glazing.

The applicant has made a number of changes to the proposals in response to concerns raised by the Belsize Society and Councillor Tom Simon, who represents the Belsize Ward. The objections they raised are summarised in the report pack as:

the signage and trough lighting are out of keeping with the surrounding Conservation area

The applicant responded to this by removing two of the externally illuminated signs. They have also changed the method of illuminating the fascia signs from internal illumination to external trough lighting.