This meeting will see the Islington Council Planning Sub-Committee consider applications for planning permission from a range of locations, including Bingfield Garages, 54 Newington Green and 123 Golden Lane.

Bingfield Garages

The Council has submitted a planning application for Bingfield Garages, Bingfield Street, London, N1 0AG, to convert the disused garages beneath the Dehli Outram Estate into eight new Use Class E(g)¹ studios, as well as install new shop fronts, remove a boundary wall with Bingfield Park and provide new waste storage and cycle parking. The studios will be let at 80% of market rent as part of the Council's Affordable Workspace programme. The proposal was reconsulted on twice. The Council is working with Public Works Group on this project.

The proposal will be discussed in light of the council's policy R3² which states that proposals for new retail and commercial space must be located in town centres and local shopping areas. It also requires that any development that is not located in a town centre or local shopping area must be supported by a 'sequential test' that shows that the same development cannot be delivered in a town centre or local shopping area. A sequential test was provided, identifying available units in the Caledonian Road and Copenhagen Street and Caledonian Road Central Local Shopping Areas, but rejecting them because they would not be suitable for letting as affordable workspace.

123 Golden Lane

Bywater Properties have submitted an application to demolish the existing roof at 123 Golden Lane and build a replacement mansard roof extension, as well as making a number of internal alterations to the building. They are working with DP9 Ltd on this project.

If the proposals are approved they will result in a six storey building, with a total internal floorspace of 2,581 square metres to be used as offices.

The proposal was discussed during pre-application engagement, with the Council's officers and planning officers raising a number of points about the daylight and sunlight³ impacts of the development, as well as the lack of a green roof⁴ in the plans. A number of amendments were made to the application following this advice, including the submission of a Daylight and Sunlight Report that assessed the impact of the development on neighbouring properties. The report included an assessment of overshadowing and sunlight impacts on the roof terrace of 125 Golden Lane.

It was determined that the proposed roof terrace would result in the roof terrace at 125 Golden Lane receiving no direct sunlight on March 21st, but the application argues that this is acceptable because:

this is a dense urban location within the CAZ where there is a general policy presumption to maximise development and office floorspace

The application also argues that the lack of a green roof is justified because:

there is no residual structural loading capacity in the existing building to accommodate the weight of a green roof

The application includes plans for bat and bird boxes to be installed in order to provide some biodiversity benefits.

54 Newington Green

The application for 54 Newington Green is to replace the existing kitchen in the property. This is a Grade I listed building.

The applicant is Councillor Caroline Russell, so the application will be decided by the committee.

Historic England⁵ stated that:

the application should be determined in accordance with national and local policy guidance and on the basis of the Local Authority’s specialist conservation advice.