1.0       Service Charges and Amenity Land

1.1         What will be the impact on Service Charges?

1.1.1     The 8 new penthouses will contribute to the service charge on a pro rata basis, thereby dividing future service charge costs by 111, not the current 103 ways. This includes payment of the amenity land and payment for heating costs, even though the new apartments will be self-sufficient in terms of heating.

1.1.2     The investment the development will be making into Darwin Court will reduce the annual service charges (by how much is impossible to quantify), however two major savings; A) new roof coverings and B) five new lifts, are two huge future cost savings for leaseholders. A conservative estimate would put this saving at well over £1,000,000.  How and when leaseholders would make this saving in the future is impossible for us to know.

1.1.3     PV Solar panels which are solely for the benefit of electricity in the common parts will further reduce costs by reducing the buildings’ energy bills. Currently Darwin Court’s energy costs are around £70,000 per annum, or circa £680 per leaseholder. This will reduce by around £12,000 per annum, approximately a 17% saving in energy costs. This will further reduce because of the additional apartments. Instead of £70,000 divided by 103 flats, the new cost will be £58,000 divided by 111 flats.

1.1.4     The amenity land to the rear is separated into two parts, that which is owned by the freeholder (closest to the buildings), and the former Network Rail Land which is subject to an annual charge.

1.1.5     The amenity land owned by the freeholder is now being incorporated into the proposals, allowing for its use by residents.

1.1.6     The former Network Rail land does not form part of the proposals.

1.2         Who pays the service charge if the flats remain unsold for a period?

1.2.1     Once practical completion is achieved, the developer will be liable for the service charge in relation to the new apartments prior to any sale.

1.3         You write that the development will not impact existing Amenity Land obligations of the current leaseholders.

1.3.1     The development will not change leaseholders’ obligations to pay the annual rent but it will reduce the cost for existing leaseholders on a pro rata basis (cost split 111 ways not 103 ways).

1.4         Does this mean that the new flats will not have in their leases an obligation to contribute to the Amenity Land payments?

1.4.1     The new flats will have the same Amenity Land obligation and contribute towards these costs on a pro-rata basis.

2.0     Legal Agreement and Legal Advice

2.1         Will there be a legally binding document signed BEFORE the planning approval, which will guarantee that the promised benefits will be delivered by the developer? If yes, what type of document will it be and who will be the signatories? When do you expect this document to be signed?

2.1.1     Currently there is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which lists out the benefits and works to Darwin Court – this document is under review subject to the current process of consultation with residents. It will contain the final agreed upon package of benefits to residents and a minimum financial contribution for each from the developer. It will be high level and will not detail specifications. These will need to be agreed by the parties if planning consent is granted.  It will be signed by the Developer, the Freeholder, and a representative from the Darwin Court Committee.

2.1.2     All benefits listed in the MOU will appear in the planning application. They will be stated in various documents, but the MOU itself will be submitted as part of the application.

2.1.3     The planning application will also enshrine leaseholder benefits via the planning drawings. In addition, items included with the application but not detailed in drawings will be proposed as planning conditions which will form part of the Section 106, a legally binding agreement with the local planning authority.

2.1.4     After planning consent is granted, a development lease which reflects all obligations of the planning application will be drawn up by the Freeholder and provided to the Developer. This will safeguard leaseholder benefits even further. The Developer will require a long leasehold interest in the roof space in order to seek development funding from an institutional grade lender.

2.2         During the presentation at Cecil Sharp House, Airspace verbally agreed they would cover leaseholders’ legal costs, to allow us to seek professional advice. Please confirm that AA will cover the cost of such legal advice. If yes, what is the budget we can count on and the mechanism of such coverage?

2.2.1     Yes, Airspace Group are prepared to cover costs of this initial advice of professionals to review the planning application.

2.2.2     Airspace Group will cover costs of up to a maximum of £10,000+vat prior to planning consent for this professional advice. Any costs in excess of this amount will be at DCRLA’s cost.

2.2.3     DCRLA should identify the professional advice they wish to have in place. Suitable professionals would then be agreed, and AG will pay their costs, up to £10,000+vat.

2.2.4     DCRLA to decide how these costs are apportioned by their professional team.

2.2.5     Post planning consent, in the lead up to construction, the developer will fund further cost for advice from professionals on behalf of DCRLA.

3.0           Benefits

3.1         Aren’t the benefits to Darwin Court that you describe are all things that you would be doing anyway?

3.1.1     This argument has been made by a small number of residents; however, the logic is flawed. If the development doesn’t go ahead, then the works described will not be undertaken, or will have to be paid for entirely by residents.

3.1.2     Some of the works, such as the lifts or a new roof are works that are required to facilitate the development, but there is a clear benefit to Darwin Court in the development funding these as opposed to Darwin Court residents having to pay for them.

3.1.3     Replacing all five lifts, for example, will cost Darwin Court a minimum of £550,000. By us doing this work there is clearly a considerable saving.

3.1.4     Replacing the roof, for example, could cost anywhere from £500,000 to over £1million. Again, this money will be spent by the developer not by residents.

3.2         Some of the benefits listed seem to be low costs. What happens if they cost more?

3.2.1     The amounts shown on our benefits page are minimum costs to show the minimum expenditure or saving that the development will generate. Some elements may cost more, and any additional cost will be paid for by the developer.

3.3         Aren’t you are just doing this to make a profit?

3.3.1     We are a commercial business and hope to make a reasonable profit from the development.

3.3.2     We believe in the ability of rooftop development to transform existing buildings and deliver meaningful long-term benefits for residents. The benefits proposed are significant and will have a positive impact on values and, we hope, Darwin Court residents’ lives.

3.3.3     There is a clear and obvious mutual interest for us and residents to want to improve the building. We want it to be a fantastic place to live.

3.4         Will residents get compensation for the works?

3.4.1     The benefits to the existing building are substantial, and in our view more than compensate for the short-term disruption from the works. No further compensation other than what has been listed will be provided.

4.0     Cold and Hot Water

4.1         There is a proposal to change the Cold-Water system. How will this work?

4.1.1     Given the concerns regarding cold water supply, we have revised our proposals to retain the existing arrangement. The only change will be that new rooftop cold-water tanks will be installed to replace the old rooftop tanks.

4.1.2     This has been done successfully on several of our previous projects.

4.1.3     Any works to services will be subject to rigorous surveys, expert design, and liaison with residents to ensure minimal disruption.

4.2         Hot Water Supply - Heating and hot water supply to the new apartments will be generated by air source heat pumps. Where will these be located, and will they create noise?

4.2.1     The Air Source Heat Pumps will be at located roof level, above the new apartments. Planning Applications are dependent on demonstrating that there will be no adverse impact from noise, and an acoustic report will accompany the application. This report will set the acceptable decibel levels based on existing noise on site which will determine the type of equipment that can be used and any requirements for sound protection or acoustic baffling. There will therefore be no impact from noise.

4.2.2     Air Source Heat pumps are the recognised preferred way of providing sustainable heating. The technology has advanced considerably in the last 10 years, and modern units are much less noisy and more efficient than they were in the past.

4.3         Why not take this opportunity to replace the existing boiler room which was clearly designed incorrectly, not fit for purpose, and will have to be changed/upgraded anyway? The heating and hot water supply to new and existing flats by a new boiler room would be much more stable and reliable than the heat pumps. Part of the cost can be covered from the existing reserve fund and part of the costs can be one of the benefits leaseholders do really need. This is a matter of vital importance to DC. Please comment.

4.3.1     Most residents we speak to have concerns about additional strain being placed on their existing services. Our approach to the new apartments is therefore to make them as self-sufficient as possible and avoid, where possible, use of the services from the existing building. Given the opposition to the proposal to update the cold-water system, we envisage a proposal by us to alter the hot water system would also not be welcomed.

4.3.2     By providing heating and hot water through modern, sustainable methods we can make the new apartments operationally net-zero carbon. They are a stable, reliable, and sustainable method of heating.

4.3.3     We have heard accounts from residents that there are issues with hot water supply but have not seen a definitive report which diagnoses these problems. The issues could be the boilers, the communal pipework, or pipework in individual flats.

4.3.4     We are committed to working with residents to help with this. We have allocated money for a report to diagnose the problem, and there is a designated minimum contribution of £150,000 to the building’s sinking fund which could be allocated to resolving this issue. If it makes sense to carry out works at the same time as the development, we are happy to facilitate this.

4.3.5     We understand MLM – the buildings’ management company, is in the process of investigating this further. We would be happy to review the results of this investigation.

5.0           External Platform Lifts and Common Parts

5.1         What will these look like and what will be the specification.

5.1.1     We are preparing more detail on these, including a visual and more detailed specification. We will share this when we can.

5.1.2     We will also share studies that we have undertaken that demonstrate that this is the best solution, and that other ideas, such as ramped access, are not realistic or desirable.

5.1.3     We will also supply an estimate of annual maintenance costs in due course.

5.1.4     The platform lifts have been discussed at length with the Design Officer at Camden. Having looked at alternative designs, we feel the proposal is a good solution which has a minimal impact on the appearance of the buildings. The existing stairs will not be altered (although we are proposing some upgrades to the surface of the steps which is in a poor state in some places).

5.1.5     We believe that the platform lifts are a considerable benefit for the building, both in terms of residents who have mobility issues now and futureproofing the building. We appreciate that some residents feel they are not necessary, but we would encourage you to consider the needs of those residents for whom this will be a huge benefit. There will be a maintenance cost, but we believe this will be relatively small and is significantly outweighed by the benefit of providing easy access to the buildings for all residents.

5.2         Redecoration of each entrance and upgrade to common parts - Please confirm (or comment otherwise) that the overall style of the entrance area (Dinosaur tiles, etc) will be kept as it is.

5.2.1     Yes, we are keen that any redecoration respects the mid-century style of the buildings and is faithful to the existing design. Our architect is an expert in working with Modernist buildings and is very aware of the specifics of the existing entrances.

5.2.2     The tiled ‘Darwin’ murals will all stay. 

5.2.3     Some design ideas will be incorporated into the planning application, but the final design will likely be subject to further discussion with residents post-planning.

5.3         Can sensor lights that only operate when needed be incorporated into the common parts to save money and energy?

5.3.1     We think this is a good idea and would be happy to provide these if there is resident support for this. We will continue to discuss this with the committee.

5.4         Why are you proposing parcel rooms and how will these work?

5.4.1     This idea arose from discussion with the committee, however resident feedback has suggested that these were not well received and may cause security issues. They have therefore been omitted from the proposal and the money that was allocated for this work can be spent elsewhere as decided by leaseholders.

5.5         Are you upgrading security?

5.5.1     Yes, we are keen to upgrade security where we can. We are looking into this.

5.5.2     We have been made aware of some issues with the block entry systems. We would anticipate upgrading this as part of the development.

5.6         How does Airspace plan to remove the asbestos in the artex in the ceiling (prior to creating the hole for the extended stairs to penthouses), whilst continuing to provide access for top floor residents to their flats?

5.6.1     Detailed asbestos surveys will be undertaken prior to any work. Method statements will be developed based on this survey information and compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations (as well as building regulations). Of course, maintaining safe access for residents will be essential in preparation and planning of the work.

5.7         If the infrastructure for fibre optic broadband is installed, will residents be restricted to one provider?

5.7.1     No, the installation will give the ability to connect to multiple providers.

6.0     The Development Team and Their Track Record.      

6.1         What is the developer’s track record and what projects have they delivered in the last 5 years?

6.1.1     Please see our team bios on the About Us page. Collectively we have 70 years rooftop development experience.

6.1.2     The Airspace Group and its subsidiaries are relatively young companies. We have not started or completed any rooftop projects on-site in the past 5 years. We have been focused on progressing planning applications. We are currently progressing 5 applications in London.

6.1.3     The team was all formerly employed by a company called First Penthouse, a leading rooftop development specialist. The Co-founders of First Penthouse are consultants to our business, so all knowledge and expertise is retained by the Airspace team. The projects shown on our website and track record pages were delivered under the First Penthouse banner. Airspace Advisory Ltd was founded in Dec 2020. The team all previously worked for First Penthouse but resigned during 2019 & 2020. The team also own other businesses in the property sector.

6.1.4     We are confident that we are industry leaders in rooftop development. We are chartered members of the Association of Rooftop and Airspace Developers, the Royal Institute of British Architects, and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. To our knowledge, there are no specialist rooftop development companies that have a better level of expertise than the Airspace team.

6.2         Will the Airspace Group will be the project manager until completion or will it only be involved up to the point of planning application approval?

6.2.1     It is our intention to deliver the project to completion, however there is a clause in our agreement that allows the freeholder to develop the project themselves should they choose (we think this would be unlikely). They will therefore determine if they wish to continue with us or an alternative partner once planning consent is granted.

7.0           The Development Team’s Financial Strength and Company Structure.   

7.1         Given examples of such developments failing badly due to the developer running out of funds (with existing leaseholders left to bear damage control costs through service charges) it is of vital importance for leaseholders to receive comfort regarding identity and the financial strength of the developer. How can leaseholders be sure that the company will not run out of money mid-way through the project?

7.1.1     The company that develops the roof space will use debt/equity to fund the build. This debt facility will be sufficient to fully fund the build in its entirety. This is standard practice in construction.

7.1.2     The bank will have extremely stringent requirements to ensure that the project is viable and that it has been adequately costed. They of course do not want the project to fail.

7.1.3     The debt will be secured against the development lease issued by the freeholder. The debt provider will have step in rights and will complete the project in accordance with the planning consent, if the developer or main contactor are unable to complete the project for any reason.

7.2         What are the details of the legal entity that will make the planning application?

7.2.1     The application will be made by Airspace 1 Ltd. This company is a Special Purpose Vehicle set up to bring forward planning applications. SPVs are a common way of structuring development companies so that investment can be procured on a project-by-project basis. Most developers adopt this structure. 

7.3         Which company will sign the contract with the builder, be the beneficial owner of the flats and sell them?

7.3.1     This is not known yet. It could, for example, be a new joint venture company set up between Airspace and the Freeholder. It is our strong intent that it would be a company wholly owned and managed by the Airspace Group, however the freeholder will determine the course of action after planning consent.

7.4         What is the total project budget and how this company will finance it – what is expected debt/equity proportion?

7.4.1     The total budget is unknown at the moment and is subject to change, but we anticipate at total development cost of not less than £9m. The debt/equity proportion is subject to several variables which are not yet known.

7.5         Does the company already have funds in its bank account?

7.5.1     See 7.1.1 and 7.3.1 above.

7.6         What will be the sales price of the new flats? How will they affect Darwin Court property Values?

7.6.1     We don’t yet know the sales values of the new flats – this is dependent on the market once they are complete. We base our current appraisals on existing sales values, with a reasonable premium on top.

7.6.2     We would encourage residents to ask local agents views on the impact on their property values given the upgrade works. On all our projects existing sales values have seen an uplift because of the development and works to the existing building. We are confident of a similar positive impact at Darwin Court.

7.7         In what respects (if any) will the new leases for the eight Penthouses differ from the existing leases?

7.7.1     The new leases will mirror existing leases. The only difference will be the number of years on the lease.

7.8         Will there be insurance and warranties in place in relation to the works?

7.8.1     Yes. During the build both the developer and the contractor will have the required all risks insurances in place. We wouldn’t be able to secure development finance without these.

7.8.2     The contractor and professional team will have the requisite Professional Indemnity Insurance. They will also supply collateral warranties which will benefit the freeholder and by extension leaseholders.

7.8.3     In addition to this, product warranties, such as for the roof covering, new lifts etc will, where relevant, be for the benefit of the freeholder and by extension leaseholders.

7.9         Will the project contribute to affordable housing?

7.9.1     Yes, the project will make a payment called a commuted sum towards affordable housing. The exact amount will be determined in consultation with the council. However, we expect that this could be as much as £1.4million.

7.9.2     On-site affordable housing is neither practical, realistic nor desirable for Housing Associations for many reasons. It is almost certain that the project will not contain affordable housing on-site. 

8.0     Fire Safety

8.1         Why install dry risers now? There seems to be no current legal requirement. They will have to be tested/inspected regularly, which will increase the service charge.

8.1.1     Dry risers are a simple bit of equipment. They are essentially a pipe that has an inlet at ground level and on outlet at each floor which the fire services can connect into, this effectively extending the length of their hoses.

8.1.2     They are used by the fire brigade to fight fires in multi-storey buildings and will make the building much safer, potentially saving lives.

8.1.3     The cost of installation will be covered by the development. The equipment is not complex, so maintenance and inspection costs are minimal.

8.1.4     We believe this is an ‘easy win’ for residents, making the buildings safer. We cannot see any reason to oppose this.

8.1.5     As part of the planning process the Health and Safety Executive are a statutory consultee and will need to review and approve our fire safety plans.

8.2         Cross Corridor Doors to create protected stair and lift. Why are they proposed at all? Please provide plans to understand exact positions of the proposed doors.

8.2.1     Again, this is a measure that will make the building safer. They will create additional protection from smoke, so if there is a fire in a flat, there is less chance of the smoke entering the corridor and stair, further protecting the escape route.

8.2.2     In addition, the new lift upgrades will give the fire service the ability to use them in the event of fire to either fight fire or evacuate the building. These doors create a protected lobby around the lifts.

8.2.3     Fire strategy documents and plans are being produced, and these will show the locations of the proposed doors.

9.0     Bin Stores and Landscaping

9.1         Please provide proposed architectural plan and design visual of the bin and garage approach area.

9.1.1     Many residents did not feel that the proposal presented at consultation was the correct approach. We acknowledge it was not well resolved. We are therefore redesigning this element and hope to have an updated proposal to share with you soon.

9.1.2     The updated proposal will not relocate the contractors’ parking spaces.

9.1.3     More detail will also be provided on bike stores, but the intention is to create storage for use by all residents in a safe and discrete location.  This is being looked at now.

9.1.4     Landscaping proposals are also being developed further, with the key consideration being the balance between enhancing security and a sense of ownership, whilst maintaining openness and visual permeability.

10.0     Electrical Supply and PV Panels

10.1      Please comment why this is deemed needed at all. If this to introduce green energy to the overall electricity needs of DC, please provide information on the total electricity consumption by DC common areas and the power generation capacity of the proposed panels to understand their possible contribution.

10.1.1  Our approach to all projects is to make the existing buildings more sustainable where we can. We aim to reduce the carbon footprint of the building.

10.1.2  Photovoltaic panels (sometimes called solar panels) provide a source of sustainable energy. As they will be paid for by the development, in effect this will be free electricity generated for Darwin Court residents.

10.1.3  The ongoing cost of the PV panels will be minimal. A warranty will cover any faults, and routine maintenance should be limited to an inspection once or twice a year, which can be undertaken at the same time as other routine maintenance on the roof. Any cost of maintenance will certainly be outweighed by the savings in electricity costs.

10.1.4  The annual communal electricity cost at DC is circa £70,000 per annum. The saving from the PV tiles will be in the region of £12,000 per annum.

10.1.5  As this is effectively a source of sustainable energy at no net cost to Darwin Court residents, we don’t see why there would be any opposition.

10.1.6  Our benefits document/page gives a minimum cost of this as £50,000, however the specialist report (uploaded to our current proposals page) has since estimated the cost at £93,150. This cost will be paid for entirely by the developer (see also 3.2.1).

10.2      Where exactly will new electrical cables connecting the new apartments be running; will they have to be installed in the current cable channels (rather clogged already) leading to existing flats (next to rubbish compartments) or elsewhere?

10.2.1  Yes, electrical cables will run in existing service risers. One or two additional apartments per building will not present any issues in capacity.

11.0        Green Roofs

11.1      What is the estimated cost of installation?

11.1.1  The cost of installation will be solely borne by the development. There will be no cost to residents.

11.1.2  The green roofs and new roof covering will mean there is up to 25% reduction in heat loss from Darwin Court. This will further reduce communal heating costs for all leaseholders and reduce the buildings’ carbon footprint. We understand the current communal heating costs at Darwin Court are in the region of £144,000 per annum.

11.1.3  Green roofs also have benefits to ecology and sustainable drainage.

11.2      What is the estimated cost of annual maintenance?

11.2.1  We are looking into this. The cost of maintenance is not likely to be much different to the annual cost of any roof maintenance.

12.0       Internal Route from Car Park to Lobbies.

12.1      What are the plans in relation to this proposal?

12.1.1  We had initially thought that residents would welcome the ability to have a secure route from the basement car park into the buildings which does not involve going outside the building, however there seemed to be opposition to this.

12.1.2  Following discussion with the committee, it has been agreed to omit this from the proposal. The money allocated for this benefit can now be dedicated elsewhere for the benefit of leaseholders.

13.0      Lifts - Catering for Residents needs during lift works.

13.1      How will residents with mobility issues be looked after during the lift works?

13.1.1  £50,000 has been allocated for this purpose. How it is best spent is an ongoing matter of discussion.

13.1.2  We acknowledge that this is a disruptive part of the proposal and will do what we can to minimise impact on residents, however we would note that lift replacements at any point would be subject to similar disruption.

13.1.3  We would also note that if lift replacements are undertaken by Darwin Court in the future, the same funds would not necessarily be available.

13.2      Is the replacement of the lifts worth the disruption?

13.2.1  We are working on a more detailed programme of works, but we anticipate the lift works in each block will take around 5-6weeks. There will be some periods of partial service during this time.

13.2.2  Block B has experienced some lift outages. We have had a report which suggests that the lifts are coming towards the end of their lives. The recommended replacement works would cost £110k per lift.

13.2.3  We believe the development providing five new lifts to Darwin Court is a minimum cost saving of £550,000 for leaseholders. The new lifts provided by the development will reduce long-term maintenance costs, costs of replacement parts, and minimise callouts.

13.2.4  The previous design had lifts opening directly into the new apartments on blocks A and E. This design has been revised.

14.0      Parking

14.1      Will the new apartments have parking?

14.1.1  No. There will be no allocated parking spaces for the new flats.

14.1.2  The planning application will be ‘car - free’ which means that the new apartments won’t be eligible for a parking permit either, so they won’t create additional parking pressure on residents’ spaces.

14.1.3  We are confident that the apartments are saleable without parking, however, should any Darwin Court residents be interested in selling their parking space, we would be interested in discussing a purchase once planning consent is granted.

15.0      Trees

15.1      Will the trees on site be affected?

15.1.1  No trees will be removed because of the proposal.

15.1.2  Some trees may need to be pollarded (trimmed) to facilitate the development. This will be subject to future applications, discussion with DCRLA and consent from Camden. The information submitted will have to demonstrate that there will be no long-term detrimental effects to the trees in question.

16.0      Impact on Neighbouring Buildings’ Sunlight and Daylight

16.1      Will the proposal affect the light of other buildings on Gloucester Avenue?

16.1.1  The proposal has been designed specifically to avoid loss of light or privacy to neighbours.

16.1.2  Our sunlight and daylight report is now available on our current proposals page.

16.1.3  The report confirms that the proposals largely do not affect the light of neighbouring windows.

16.1.4  Where windows are affected, the reduction is within the guidelines of the BRE criteria, which is the recognised method of assessing sunlight/daylight impact. No windows receive less than 90% of their original light, meaning that changes in the amount of light to those few windows that are affected will likely be imperceptible.

16.1.5  The report also demonstrates that no windows will have a meaningful loss of visible sky.

17.0       Disruption and Build Programme

17.1      How long will the build take?

17.1.1  By utilising off-site construction to build the new apartments on-site work and disruption are reduced dramatically.

17.1.2  We anticipate 3-6 months of careful, well-managed preparation and upgrade works for each building, which will be undertaken as quietly as possible. Some works to each building will overlap with other buildings so that it is undertaken as efficiently as possible. The craning of apartments then takes about 1-2 days per apartment. Following installation, there will be another 1-2 months internal finishing works in the apartments. This work is quiet, contained and won’t impact on residents or neighbours.

17.2      Will the works be noisy and disruptive?

17.2.1  Residents shouldn’t notice works going on in other buildings. They will of course notice the lift and stair works in their own building, but we do everything we can to mitigate this. There will be minimal scaffolding, certainly none directly in front of residents’ windows.

17.2.2  There is a very limited amount of drilling, demolition, and noisy work. There will be some noisier work in respect of the lifts and the stair which will be carefully managed, and notice will be given.

17.2.3  With regards to craning, this will largely be done from the street. This will involve partial road closures, or possibly just parking suspensions on Gloucester Avenue, but we anticipate around 16-20 days in total spread out over the build period.

17.2.4  We note that neighbours are concerned about disruption, but we don’t anticipate that they would be affected by the development, due to the off-site manufacture which dramatically reduces construction time.

17.2.5  A Construction Management Plan will be formulated post planning which will provide much more detail on the exact details of the works, timing, deliveries, safe working and so on. We produce this information anyway, but it will also be a condition which Camden places on the planning consent.

18.0      Level of Detail in Planning Application

18.1      Will more detail be provided before the planning submission?

18.1.1  Planning applications, by their nature, generally focus on the issues that matter in planning policy terms, and therefore only have an appropriate level of detail.

18.1.2  Our planning application is likely to have much more detail than a ‘standard’ planning application.

18.1.3  We appreciate that residents have asked for more detail on certain elements. We are doing our best where possible to provide this, but it may be the case that some detail cannot be provided prior to planning.

18.1.4  We are confident that when the planning application is submitted it will contain enough detail for residents to decide whether they support the application.

19.0      Next steps

19.1      Will there be more consultation?

19.1.1  Yes, we are preparing updated designs and more detail, which we hope to share with the committee in early September. We are aware that there is likely to a residents’ EGM in September as well.

19.1.2  We anticipate then presenting our updated proposals to all residents later in September.

19.1.3  We will aim to submit our application in early-mid October.

19.1.4  There will then be a further consultation period, when residents will have the ability to make their views known to the council. Further design changes and additional information may be requested by the council during this time.