Agenda item

To determine the applications.

David Rowen presented the report to members.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Liam Lunn-Towler, the agent.  Mr Lunn-Towler made the point that the proposed development is located within the Town Centre of Wisbech, a Market Town as identified under LP3 whereby the majority of the district’s housing should take place.  He stated that the dwelling is located between the Market Place and the Castle, has close ties to the town centre and its services, the site enjoys walking distances to the amenities and leisure facilities that the town offers, is in close proximity to job opportunities and the bus depot at the Horsefair, which has access to a wide area of town, villages and cities such as Peterborough and Norwich and bus links to March and Kings Lynn where train stations are located for nationwide travel.

Mr Lunn-Towler acknowledged that the application is retrospective, but it was sought to use a redundant space within the building to provide additional housing.  He summarised that the application is for a new residential unit within the Town Centre of Wisbech and if members are minded to support the application they will be supporting a new residential unit to support the amenities of Wisbech.

Members asked questions of Mr Lunn-Towler as follows:

·         Councillor Mrs French asked if someone was living in the property?  Mr Lunn-Towler responded that it did have a tenant who has now vacated.

Members asked questions of officers as follows:

·         Councillor Mrs French referred to the report which mentions that the way it has been converted may cause condensation and rising damp and asked what state it was in prior to the conversion and why officers think it will cause rising damp to the other floors?  David Rowen stated that he is not a Building Control Officer but there are construction techniques that are sympathetic to buildings of a certain era and tanking the basement so that the building cannot breathe means that the damp and condensation has nowhere to go than up the building.

·         Councillor Miscandlon clarified that rising damp normally rises to approximately 3 feet above the ground level and this flat would suffer from penetrating damp as it is below the ground level.

·         Councillor Skoulding asked if there were any extractor fans in the property?  David Rowen responded that as far as he is aware the only extractor fan is the one in the bathroom.

·         Councillor Mrs Mayor asked if the window in the kitchen, which has something stood in front of it, is able to be opened as other than this there is no ventilation in the kitchen.  David Rowen responded that he assumes the window will be able to be opened as it would be an even worse environment than anticipated, but its size would not allow adequate ventilation to the remainder of the unit.

·         Councillor Mrs Davis questioned whether there was any form of fire escape?  David Rowen responded that there is only one entrance and exit into the flat, off Church Mews.

·         Councillor Cornwell referred to the comments of the Private Sector Housing Team and asked if it complies as if it does not comply he cannot see how the committee can approve the application.   David Rowen read out the comments of the Private Sector Housing Team as detailed in the report.

·         Councillor Topgood asked when the works were carried out as prior to it being a nail bar it was a café and they used to use the downstairs as extra seating so is it the applicant that has undertaken the works?  David Rowen responded that the dry lining has been undertaken to facilitate the change of the unit to residential.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Mrs French stated that she has great respect for the Housing Team, they have to deal with very difficult situations and if the committee were to approve this application in a few years times anyone living there would have horrendous problems.  She stated that the property was previously a café, but she feels that it cannot be living accommodation as it has no fresh air, no ventilation and if someone moved in with chest problems this would make it worse.  Councillor Mrs French made the point that the committee has the advice from the Housing Team and she does not think members should go against their advice.

·         Councillor Benney referred to quality of life for people, and, in his opinion, it is not a home it looks more like a nuclear bunker.  He feels the work cannot have been undertaken through Building Control as it would have been undertaken with the right materials and officers have reached the right decision as it is not a place for people to live in in its current state with no natural light and damp problems.

·         Councillor Topgood stated that if the correct materials had been used he would have possibly leaned towards approving it.  He made the point that houses around The Crescent and on Market Street have got basements and have got a light in the pavement and if the applicant had done this he would have been more inclined to go against officer’s recommendation, but he feels the applicant has used wrong materials and had no consideration of getting light into the building.

F/YR21/1096/F

Proposed by Councillor Mrs French, seconded by Councillor Mrs Davis and agreed that the application be REFUSED as per the officer’s recommendation.

F/YR21/1097/LB

Proposed by Councillor Mrs French, seconded by Councillor Mrs Davis and agreed that the application be REFUSED as per the officer’s recommendation.