MEETING OF COUNCIL - Town of Cambridge

COUNCIL MINUTES
TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2012
Assessment
The table below shows the comparison between the original approved plans, the approved
amended plans, and current amended plans:
Original approved
plans (Dec 2011)
Amended approved
plans (March 2012)
Current amended
plans (Nov 2012)
Undercroft 6 car bays accessed 10 tandem car bays 7 car bays accessed
from rear laneway accessed from rear from existing (widened)
laneway
crossover off Southport
Street
Ground One tenancy and 13 car One tenancy and 13 car One tenancy and 13 car
bays accessed from bays accessed from bays accessed from
new driveway from new driveway from new driveway from
Southport Street Southport Street Southport Street
First Three tenancies Two tenancies and one
balcony
Two tenancies and one
balcony
Second Three tenancies Two tenancies and one
balcony
Two tenancies and one
balcony
Total plot 1.63:1 1.4:1 1.4:1
ratio
Total car
parking
proposed
19 bays 23 bays 20 bays
The original December 2011 planning approval for the development included a 0.4:1 bonus
plot ratio on the basis that the proposed development would cede land (or secure via an
easement) to sufficiently allow effective widening of the neighbour's accessway to allow for
two-way traffic (0.2:1 bonus), and would provide parking behind street front tenancies (0.2:1
bonus). Whilst the plan to cede land has not at this time been successful, the applicant has
designed the development to easily allow this at a later date, by ensuring no building is
located in this 2.0 metre wide area at the rear of the development, and installing only
bollards separating the undercroft parking area from the existing laneway. Should access
from this laneway be granted, the applicant would revert to his amended approved plan
which showed a total of ten tandem bays in the undercroft, directly accessed from the rear
laneway. Furthermore, the widened accessway would provide benefits to the adjoining
properties that use the accessway. In view of these comments, it is considered acceptable
to allow the bonus plot ratio of 0.4:1.
With regard to car parking, the amended plans show two parallel car bays in the undercroft
parking area that are located in the 2.0 metre wide area previously set aside for the widening
of the accessway. These car bays will be used by staff and/or visitors to the development,
and should be counted as car bays for the purpose of assessing shortfall and therefore cash
in lieu. The Council report on the original application calculated a parking requirement of 27
bays after factoring an office car parking requirement for the restaurant, and a 20% discount
for the provision of bicycle facilities and proximity to public transport and an assumption that
the plot ratio would be reduced to 1.4:1. The shortfall is now 7 bays, and therefore Condition
(d) has been amended to reflect this.
Original Condition (i) requiring the applicant to provide confirmation of a legal right of
carriageway to the rear laneway has been deleted as all car parking is to be accessed from
Southport Street, and Condition (a) specifying a plot ratio of 1.4:1 has been deleted as the
plans show this plot ratio achieved. Conditions (b) and (c) have also been deleted as the
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