Planning Applications PDF 1 MB - Meetings, agendas and minutes

edevelopment for residential use - 2013/02355/COMB, 2013/02356/LBC,
2013/02244/CAC). To the east and north east are existing residential properties at
White City Close, a Territorial Army (TA) centre and light industrial buildings and
ancillary car parking. Across South Africa Road to the north west, are further residential
flat blocks and the Canberra Heath Centre, which form part of the White City Estate.
1.4 The sports and recreation facilities that form the proposed redevelopment site
were first created around 40 years ago, but have since fallen into a poor state of repair.
The bowling green has become overgrown, following the club's relocation to
Ravenscourt Park in 2011 and the changing blocks have been vandalised. In addition,
the surfaces of the all-weather sports pitch are in poor condition and heavily damaged in
some places, as is the concrete surfaces of the basket ball and tennis courts.
1.5 There is no relevant planning history relating to this part of Hammersmith Park.
1.6 In 2011, the Council ran a tendering process to find a potential developer who
could undertake to provide upgraded sport and leisure facilities on this part of
Hammersmith Park. The preferred bidders were 'PlayFootball', who run a number of
facilities nationwide, providing all-weather five- and seven-a-side football pitches. The
current applications have been submitted by PlayFootball . The proposal seeks planning
permission and conservation area consent for a scheme involving the demolition of the
existing buildings and structures on the site and redevelopment to create all-weather
football and basketball facilities. This would comprise 2 no. seven-a-side football
pitches, 11 no. five-a-side pitches and a two-on-two basketball training court. A single
storey pavilion containing a bar, community multi-use room, public toilets, changing
rooms and office is also proposed; along with fencing around and within the site, the
erection of lighting columns, and associated hard and soft landscaping. A new car park
accessed from South Africa Road would be created, providing twenty spaces. This
report covers matters arising from both the planning application and the conservation
area consent application.
2.0 PUBLICITY AND CONSULTATIONS
2.1 Prior to the planning applications being submitted, PlayFootball held a public
exhibition on 11th December 2012 to give local people an opportunity to view and
comment on the proposals. The applicants say that over 3,000 local residents were
invited to the exhibition via individual letter and leaflet drop. The applicants report that
57 people attended the public exhibition, the majority being from the surrounding
residential areas and that 50 comment forms were completed - with 66% of respondees
saying that they would support the proposals for a PlayFootball facility. Those raising
concern or objection mentioned that a greater range of sports facilities were needed,
objections to the cost and loss of free facilities, noise and disturbance of neighbouring
residents, concern about impact on street parking, lack of consultation with local people.
Following the public exhibition, the applicants have reduced the size of the proposed car
park and are offering that the basketball pitch would be free to use by local people,
along with two football pitches.
Consultations
2.2 English Heritage have written saying that they have no comments, and authorising
the Local Authority to determine the application.