The Islington Council Planning Sub-Committee B met on Tuesday 05 March 2024 and granted planning permission for the change of use of the lower ground and ground floor at 360 St John Street to a Public House, for the change of use of the 6th floor of Hill House to residential, and to allow Islington Council to construct a new fire escape and re-landscape a courtyard at Islington Town Hall. They also approved the change of use of the ground floor of 7 Manor Gardens to create an Access Islington Hub, and the change of use of the Dame Geraldine Hall to ancillary office space.

Town Hall Fire Escape and Courtyard

The most significant decision was the approval of the Council's own application to remove an existing external fire escape and portacabin at Islington Town Hall, and to construct a new enclosed fire escape and re-landscape the courtyard.

The Committee heard that the existing fire escape stair at the rear of the Council Chamber was not compliant with Building Control regulations, and the portacabin was a temporary structure that had been in place since 1983. It was also noted that the site is located in the Islington Village Archaeological Priority Area.

The proposal was supported by the Council’s Building Control Service, who had been closely consulted throughout the application process, and Atkins, who had provided a Fire Engineering Review of the proposals.

The installation of an enclosed external escape stair will provide an alternative escape route for Chamber occupants. With the addition of this second route, the maximum occupancy capacity of the Chamber can be expanded to 110 persons.

The Committee granted planning permission and Listed Building Consent subject to the following conditions:

• The development must be carried out in accordance with the approved plans.
• No amplified music shall be played in the courtyard.
• Details of all materials and fixtures to be used in the development must be submitted to and approved by the Council.
• No demolition of the gate in the north boundary wall is permitted until further details have been submitted to and approved by the Council.
• A Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) must be submitted to and approved by the Council before any demolition or development can take place.
• The fire escape stair shall only be used in case of emergency.
• A Construction and Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) must be submitted to and approved by the Council before any development can commence.

360 St John Street

Planning permission was granted for the change of use of the lower ground and ground floor at 360 St John Street to a Public House, despite a number of objections from residents concerned about the potential for noise and light pollution. The residents noted that the submitted noise assessment had identified the front and rear glazing as the weakest points for noise escape.

The noise report had made it clear the weakest points for noise escape were the rear and front glazing and there had been no protection for residents when this was installed.

The Committee heard that the premises would not be able to operate unless they adequately met the sound proofing requirements set out in the conditions. They also agreed to add a further condition to prevent the use of the rear yard by customers.

The Committee noted that the area is covered by the Council's Cumulative Impact Area policy, which seeks to protect residents from the negative impact of too many licensed premises in close proximity.

6th Floor Hill House

Planning permission was granted to change the use of the 6th floor of Hill House from a medical use (Use Class E(e)) to residential (Use Class C3), despite it representing the loss of social infrastructure floorspace. The proposals include the creation of 3 x 1 bedroom and 3 x 2 bedroom flats. The development will also be car-free, with residents prohibited from obtaining parking permits.

The Committee heard that a previous application to change the use of the space had been refused in 2021 because it did not meet the requirements of the Council’s policy on protecting social infrastructure.

The applicant for this proposal provided a Community Needs Assessment, which showed that the space could no longer be used for a medical use due to recent changes to fire safety regulations. The applicant also provided a letter from a chartered building engineer, confirming this. The change in circumstances allowed the Committee to approve the application.

The Council's Strategic and Development Management Policies ('SDMP') set out a number of policies that are relevant to this proposal, including:

• Policy SC1: Social and Community Infrastructure: This policy seeks to protect social infrastructure, such as medical facilities, from being lost unless a suitable replacement is provided.
• Policy H1: Thriving Communities: This policy seeks to ensure that new development contributes to the creation of thriving communities, including by providing a mix of housing types and tenures.
• Policy H2: New and existing conventional housing: This policy sets out the Council's requirements for the design and quality of new housing, including the provision of affordable housing.
• Policy H4: Delivering high quality housing: This policy seeks to ensure that new housing is of a high quality, including in terms of space standards, accessibility, and energy efficiency.
• Policy H5: Private outdoor space: This policy sets out the Council's requirements for the provision of private outdoor amenity space for new dwellings.
• Policy T2: Sustainable transport choices: This policy seeks to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport, such as walking, cycling, and public transport.
• Policy T3: Car-free development: This policy seeks to reduce car dependency by encouraging the development of car-free developments.

Manor Gardens Centre and Dame Geraldine Hall

Planning permission was granted to change the use of the ground floor of 7 Manor Gardens from a nursery (Use Class E(f)) to an Access Islington Hub (Use Class E(c)(iii)), and to allow Islington Council to use Dame Geraldine Hall as ancillary office space.

The Committee heard that the existing nursery had amalgamated with another nursery in the area and that the proposed new use would continue to provide a service to the community.

Some concern was raised by the Committee about the proposed change of use because the Council’s original consultation document stated that it would be from a ‘Sui Generis’ use to a ‘Sui Generis’ use, which would have been a material change requiring the submission of marketing evidence or a community needs assessment. However, the Planning Officer confirmed that the proposed change of use was within the same Use Class category and that the new description of the use in the formal application was correct.

The Committee granted planning permission subject to a condition requiring that the use of the ground floor of 7 Manor Gardens be restricted to certain parts of Use Class E, to protect the existing character of the area and neighbour amenity. They also added a condition to restrict the operational hours of the Hub to protect the amenity of neighbouring properties.

The Council’s Environmental Design SPG is relevant to this proposal because it sets out the Council's requirements for the design and management of the public realm, including in relation to noise, air quality, and accessibility.

The decision to approve the proposals was consistent with the Council’s manifesto commitment to making it easier for residents to access council services.