Comments on Application 19/03511 - Hitachi, Whitebrook Park, Lower Cookham Road

Change of use from offices to 97 residential units.

This change of use is under Permitted Development for offices to residential. There have been several such applications recently which have been characterised by the provision of substandard undersized flats, because Nationally Described Space Standards are not applicable to such Permitted Development. Therefore we are encouraged to note that this scheme adheres to the minimum of 50 sq mts for a one bedroom flat and 70 sq mts for a 2 bed flat.

 

The site lies within flood Zone 2 or protected Flood Zone 3. With such a large area of parking to provide the proposed 148 spaces, it would be sound planning practice to require a permeable surface to reduce the level of run-off. There are currently 291 parking spaces to service the offices, so the hard standing parking area is to be reduced by nearly 50%. The surplus parking area should be landscaped to provide garden amenity space, and the ongoing parking area should be a permeable surface.

 

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