The Local Development Committee will be considering planning applications for sites in Silvertown, Plaistow and Canning Town. They will also be asked to confirm the minutes of the previous meeting.

57 Hallsville Road, Canning Town

The report pack recommends the committee approve an application to demolish the existing building at 57 Hallsville Road, Canning Town and build a new six storey mixed use development containing commercial premises and eighteen new dwellings.

The applicant is Adamsons Investments.

The existing building currently operates as a venue hire facility, but was previously in use as a public house known as the Hallsville Tavern. It has been on the council's list of buildings of local architectural interest since before 2009. However, the report pack argues that because the later uses of the building have not been in place for ten years or more, the lawful use of the site is still a pub, and as such the committee need to consider policy HC7 of the London Plan¹ when making their decision. That policy says that:

applications which propose the loss of public houses with heritage, cultural, economic or social value should be refused unless there is authoritative marketing evidence that demonstrates that there is no realistic prospect of the building being used as a pub in the foreseeable future.

The report pack acknowledges that the applicant has not provided such evidence, but argues that the loss of the pub is outweighed by the provision of commercial space and new housing:

the loss of the public house is outweighed by the delivery of commercial floorspace and much needed housing within a designated Town Centre which would help meet some of the aims of the Newham Local Plan.

The report pack recommends the committee approve the application subject to the completion of a section 106 legal agreement². Amongst other things, this agreement will require the applicant to pay the council £414,606 in lieu of providing affordable housing on the site, pay £107,542 towards the council's Workplace scheme³, and enter into a section 278 legal agreement⁴ to make alterations to the highway.

142 New City Road, Plaistow

The report pack recommends that the committee refuse planning permission for works to 142 New City Road, Plaistow.

The applicant is Mr Monce Vamadevan.

The proposal involves the change of use and subdivision of an existing property to create four self-contained residential units. The report pack identifies two reasons for refusal:

The proposal would present poor quality accommodation by virtue of the lack of light received to the living and amenity spaces of the lower ground floor unit, and would offer poor outlook from the amenity space, without demonstrating sufficient evidence to the contrary. Furthermore, the provision of a communal garden for the first floor flats would represent poor quality amenity space provisions. Overall, the units would represent poor quality accommodation to the detriment of future occupiers.

The proposal, by virtue of creating a large public void space fronting the site, paired with the lack of architectural detailing and removal of unique existing architectural features proposed, would result in an incongruous and piecemeal form of development which would fail to successfully integrate and harmonise with the character and appearance of the host building and wider locality, representing poor quality design and is not supported.

Grey Shed London City Airport, Hartmann Road, Silvertown

The report pack recommends that the committee approve an application to change the use of the Grey Shed at London City Airport in Silvertown.

The applicant is Mr Timothy Smith.

The proposal involves changing the use of the building from a fuel facility to storage and distribution. The report pack argues that the change of use will be consistent with the London Plan and Newham Local Plan:

The change of use to a formal B8 use⁵ within this area would be consistent with the type of uses considered acceptable for LILs⁶ as per the above policies.

It also estimates that the change of use may create fifteen jobs.

The applicant estimates that the change of use may provide up to 15 jobs depending on the needs of a future occupier. Whilst this information is speculative at this stage, it is noted that the current use as an ad-hoc storage for the airport has not required any permanent airport staff to be assigned to it. There is no suggestion that the change of use would result in the loss of any jobs at the airport and as such any employment provided by the use would be a net gain.

The report pack recommends the committee approve the application subject to a number of conditions. These include a requirement for the applicant to submit a cycle parking plan and a delivery and servicing plan to the council.