Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Randall Anderson, Stuart Fraser, Graeme Harrower, Christopher Hill, Deputy Jamie Ingham Clark, Andrew Mayer, Judith Pleasance and Oliver Sells.

Deputy Keith Bottomley declared a personal interest in agenda item 16 – Barts Hospital - by virtue of being one of the Trustees.

Deputy Alistair Moss declared an interest in agenda item 18 – Planning and Regulatory Services Casework Management System Project – as he was a client of the respective firm. Deputy Moss advised that he would leave the meeting during consideration of the item.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 8 May 2018.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 8 May 2018 be agreed as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

14.       City Corporation's Response to the NPPF Consultation

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment concerning the City of London’s response to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Members welcomed the report and the work undertaken by officers, but commented that the response should include the scope for a greater role for London Councils in relation to the drive for housing delivery and inter-borough cooperation on planning matters.

RESOLVED –

To include within the response a new reference to the scope for a greater role for London Councils in relation to the drive for housing delivery and inter-borough cooperation on planning matters.

To agree the comments set out in paragraphs 4 to 20 of this report, and the detailed comments in Appendix 1, as the City Corporation’s response to the Government’s consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework.

18.       Bank on Safety

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment providing an update on the monitoring and performance of the Bank on Safety scheme.

Officers reported that data was now available in relation to the first six to eight months of the scheme for the various monitoring criteria, and to date each of the agreed success criteria had either been met or exceeded.

Other related monitoring to assess impacts of the changes in the surrounding areas was also being undertaken, although it was important to note that not all could be directly attributed to the closure of Bank Junction.

In response to a question concerning data from the London Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA),

Report of the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Planning Officer and

Development Director in respect of development and advertising applications

determined by the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director or those so

authorised under their delegated powers since the last meeting.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

Report of the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Planning Officer andDevelopment Director detailing valid development applications received by theDepartment of the Built Environment since the last meeting.

A Member questioned what the extended hours were in relation to the Ned Hotel and officers agreed to provide this directly to the Member.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment setting out details of the planned public engagement exercise to aid the development of the Eastern City Cluster Area Enhancement Strategy. The strategy analysed the public realm within the Eastern Cluster, identifying current issues and pressures for change, and set out a framework for addressing these, including a series of enhancement projects and proposals for activating and transforming the area.

Members welcomed the reported and made a number of comments including the need to ensure extra greening didn’t congest the pavements, the possibility of including some ‘short term hits’ should be considered, and the need to take a holistic approach to tackling issues such as consolidation and rough sleepers.

RESOLVED - That

1)            Public consultation on the draft Eastern City Cluster Area Enhancement Strategy be undertaken over June and July 2018, and

2)            Authority be delegated to the Chief Officer to finalise the details of the relevant consultation material.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

(To be read in conjunction with the non-public appendix at Item 19).

The Chairman referred Members to the minutes of the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee of 21 May which had been circulated to the Committee and reported that the Sub-Committee had recommended the following:

RESOLVED - that Officers take Members’ comments and undertake to investigate fully the array of issues raised by the Sub-Committee prior to the report being considered by the Planning and Transportation Committee and a final decision being made.

The Committee therefore AGREED that the item should be withdrawn.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

Please note that Appendix C to this report will be circulated electronically.

The Committee received a report of the Chief Planning Officer concerning the adoption of the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the Postman’s Park Conservation Area which was issued for public consultation during March and April 2018. In response to comments received, several amendments were proposed, set out in Appendix B of the report.

1)           That the amendment to the Postman’s Park SPD listed in Appendix B be agreed.

2)            That Members resolve to adopt the amended Postman’s Park SPD.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Department of the Built Environment outlining the draft vision, aims and outcomes for the Transport Strategy

and Local Implementation Plan which would include detailed proposals for achieving each outcome, as well as targets and key performance indicators (KPIs) linked to the outcomes.

The Committee noted that the proposals would be finalised following public consultation in June and July 2018 on the draft vision, aims and outcomes, and would support the delivery of the Corporate Plan.

A Member commented that the proposals should aim to focus on robust firm outcomes, not just objectives, to support the development of the Square Mile as a global leader.

RESOLVED – To approve the draft vision, aims and outcomes for the Transport Strategy.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment outlining the activities undertaken during the first phase of the Transport Strategy engagement and the key themes emerging from this engagement.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

At the conclusion of this item the Chairman gave his apologies for the remainder of the meeting and the Deputy Chairman took the Chair on his behalf.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

(To be read in conjunction with the non-public appendix at Item 20).

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment concerning the current status of the Tudor Street development. Officers advised that the report had previously been considered by the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee and Members were referred to the minutes which had been circulated.

The Committee noted that the Sub-Committee had declined to accept the recommendation and had agreed the following:

That:

1)            The full implementation of the agreed scheme remain a matter of urgency;

2)            A report be brought to the Sub-Committee in July reporting on the recent independent consultant’s review of the operation of the Whitefriars streets. Such report to set out proposals for Bouverie street and the latest position in relation to improving access to the Embankment; and

3)            A further report be brought back after recess setting out clear timelines in relation to implementing the revised scheme at Tudor Street.

The Deputy Chairman advised that it would still be possible for the Committee to agree the report in principle, however other Members felt that the item should be deferred pending the outcome of the request of the Sub-Committee.

Scheme to include

Officers advised that the recommendations in the report were just to get approval to the scheme in principle, the Sub-Committee had done this but just asked for the Bouverie Street.

Arising from the discussion the Committee

RESOLVED – To note the report and the recommendations of the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee.

Report of the Chamberlain and the Chief Grants Officer

Prior to the introduction of this item the Deputy Chairman sought the Committee’s approval to extend the meeting and this was agreed.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk presenting the current draft version of ‘Towards a Sustainable Future: The City of London Corporation’s Responsible Business Strategy, 2018-23’.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment reporting the retirement of one senior officer, the planned retirement of a second senior officer and proposing a recruitment plan to recruit to both posts before the summer recess.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the Outstanding References be noted and updated as appropriate.

Blackfriars Bridge Underpass

A Member questioned why Transport for London were reluctant to allow the CoL Corporation to take over responsibility for the underpass and asked if officers had engaged at a senior level.

Members expressed concern at the state of the underpass and the fact that people were likely to try and cross the road as an alternative to using it which was extremely dangerous.

Officers undertook to report back on the options available.

Traffic impacts on Bishopsgate, flowing from the Bank on Safety scheme – Question from Shravan Joshi received inadvance of the meeting

The monitoring area falls short of Bishopsgate, yet we are seeing accidents at most of the Bishopsgate junctions and the congestion and air quality certainly feels worse (sorry, but without quantitative data, I can only offer personal observation!). I understand that Bishopsgate as a road is outside of our direct control, but we must engage with TfL for the greater good of The City.

There is some traffic collision data on the TfL website from 2016:

4 serious collisions on the junction of Wormwood St and Bishopsgate 

4 serious collisions on the corner of Brushfield St and Bishopsgate 

2 serious collisions on the corner of Primrose St and Bishopsgate 

1 serious collision outside Liverpool St station on Bishopsgate 

2015 had a total of 24 and 2014 had a total of 26 serious collisions on the junctions crossing Bishopsgate.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find data to see whether this has improved in the past two years. 

I do support the Bank on Safety scheme but would ask if plans can be made, sooner rather than later, to look at the wider traffic impact and how the Eastern Cluster, as it is presently called, could be made a priority for the next phase of such safety schemes?

Response

The modelling and data captured shows that the impact from the Bank scheme on the Bishopsgate corridor has been neutral, but these emergency works have closed four arms of this major junction, and had an undoubted impact on the A10 corridor as a result. In particular, southbound traffic has been severely affected because irrespective of the Bank scheme, this is currently the only effective way to reach London Bridge.

The

St Bart’s Hospital.

St Barts Hospital

With the Chairman’s agreement this item was taken as an urgent item of business.

The Chief Planning Officer introduced the application concerning planning permission to extend the Old Pathology Block and refurbish both the Pathology Building and Residential Staff Quarters building bringing them back into long-term healthcare use and provide a new private healthcare facility.

Peter Schmitt spoke in objection to the application on the grounds that the change of use of the Pathology Block to clinical operations was unsuitable, there had never been a private hospital on the Barts site, the rebuilding of the rear wall 3m further out would have a harmful impact on the facade of the Grade-1 Listed North Wing.

‘The scheme falls short of what is needed for the functioning and viable future of the Great Hall. The shortfalls of the scheme are; the basement catering area is below the minimum for a fully serviced kitchen, there are no catering loos, changing rooms or link to the Barts Archive, the ground floor shows the catering lift discharge directly to open air, the first floor link to the North Wing is narrow. The proposal will jeopardise the future of the historic Barts Archive’

Alwen Williams, CEO of Barts Health NHS Trust, Ian Haig, Heritage Trust and Caroline Smith, Executive Board member, Nuffield Health, were heard in support of the application which would provide new private healthcare facilities and return two vacant buildings bringing them back into long-term healthcare use. The refurbished buildings would provide acute hospital facilities, diagnostic treatment and health assessment services. These services would support NHS treatment, providing a healthcare provision to patients and would assist in retaining medical staff at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

The majority of members spoke in support of the application which they considered would be an asset

MOTION – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED - That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Deputy Chairman had declared a personal interest in this item and so left the meeting for the duration of the discussion. Alderman Gregory Jones took the chair during this time.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of the Built Environment, and Director of Markets and Consumer Protection concerning the Planning & Regulatory Services Casework Management System.

To be read in conjunction with the report at Item 7.

This item was withdrawn.

To be read in conjunction with the report at Item 11.

Members noted a non-public appendix in relation to Tudor Street.

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.