The Planning Committee of Barking and Dagenham Council met on Monday 12 February 2024 to discuss a Section 73 application for Bryson House, 131 Church Elm Lane, Dagenham. The committee approved the application, which sought minor material amendments to an existing planning permission.

Bryson House, 131 Church Elm Lane, Dagenham - Section 73 Application

The committee considered a Section 73 application for Bryson House, 131 Church Elm Lane, Dagenham, seeking minor material amendments to an existing planning permission granted in 2020. The proposed amendments aimed to increase the number of residential units, enhance affordable housing provision, reconfigure the site layout, and introduce new community and commercial spaces.

Key Decisions and Discussions:

• Increased Residential Units and Affordable Housing: The application proposed an increase of 16 residential units, bringing the total to 91. Crucially, all 32 affordable units would be provided at London Affordable Rent, a social housing tenure, replacing the previous split of social rent and shared ownership. This was seen as a significant improvement, aligning with the borough's greatest housing needs. The applicant, Major Commercial Property Ltd., also expressed an aspiration to deliver 100% London Affordable Rent across the entire development, though this could not be guaranteed through the current consent.
• Community and Commercial Space: The ground floor would be reconfigured to provide two Class E commercial units and one Class F2 community unit. The community space would be offered at a peppercorn rent for 10 years, with assistance for fit-out, and a management plan would be secured through a Section 106 agreement.
• Parking and Amenity Space: Car parking provision was reduced from 24 to 14 spaces to align with the London Plan's emphasis on car-free development in well-connected areas. This reduction allowed for an increased children's playspace at ground floor level. A financial contribution of £95,000 was agreed for improvements to Old Dagenham Park to compensate for the reduced on-site play space.
• Neighbouring Amenity and Overlooking: Concerns were raised by objectors regarding potential overlooking from new balconies and windows. Officers noted that while some impacts were unavoidable in an urban context, the proposed amendments would not result in materially worse impacts than the extant permission. Balcony designs would incorporate denser patterns to reduce overlooking, and detailed specifications would be secured by condition.
• Fire Safety: An additional stairwell was proposed to comply with updated fire regulations, ensuring each side of the building has access to two staircases.
• Ward Councillor Concerns: Councillors Phil Waker and Lee Waker, representing the Village ward, raised concerns about the affordability of London Affordable Rent for local residents, the reduction in parking spaces, the strain on local services such as health centres and schools, and the overall height of the development. They urged the committee to reject the application to encourage a better scheme.
• Officer Response: Officers addressed these concerns, explaining that London Affordable Rent is classified as social rent in planning policy and that the proposed rents compare favourably to market rates. They also highlighted the site's good public transport links, making a car-light approach appropriate. The height of the building was already established by the previous consent.
• Applicant's Response: Sophie Hardy, representing the applicant, emphasised that the amendments were to an already approved scheme and that the increased affordable housing provision and family-sized units were significant benefits. She also confirmed that residents nominated from the Council's housing waiting list would be eligible for housing benefit support towards London Affordable Rent.

Decision:

The committee voted unanimously to approve the application, granting planning permission subject to conditions and the finalisation of a Section 106 legal agreement.

Other Business:

The committee also agreed to appoint members to the Planning Performance Review Sub-Committee for 2024. Councillors Alison Cormack, Harriet Spoor, and Sabbir Zamee were appointed to serve alongside the Chair and Deputy Chair. This sub-committee will review a sample of delegated planning decisions, appeal performance, and scrutinise overturned decisions.