GNLP0068

Norwich City Council Planning Officers recommended approval to planning application 17/1078/F. The application proposed 152 student bed spaces in a building which would have been 8 storeys in height on the Duke Street frontage and reducing along the river frontage to 6 storeys. The development also proposed to provide a section of the missing riverside walk and be car free.

The constraints of the site have been considered through the planning application process and consultees have confirmed that issues associated with flood risk, contamination, ecology, air quality and noise can all be satisfactorily addressed.

Historic England have accepted that a building of significant scale is appropriate on the site and Norwich City Council Planning Officers have agreed to that position.

Both applicant and planning staff accepted that the amenity impacts in terms of loss of daylight and overshadowing on surrounding uses would be acceptable.
However, Norwich City Council Planning Committee refused the application on subjective grounds. The members decided that the significant benefits of the scheme did not outweigh the less than substantial harm to heritage assets and they disagreed with officer opinions on the seriousness of the loss of light to neighbouring land and property.

Lanpro have been instructed to review the situation and it is likely that we will appeal the Council's decision and also engage with the Council to ascertain if some amendments to the scheme could overcome the members concerns.

Despite this current setback we consider that the site is still available and viable. Delivery of student accommodation on the site will take longer than we would have wished for, but we are confident that a development on site will be completed by 2021.