What is the Subcommittee’s brief?
To monitor, assess and discuss proposals for planning developments within the Barbican Estate and beyond which are likely to have a material effect upon the enjoyment by Barbican residents of their homes and the setting and environment of this Grade II and Grade II* listed Estate generally.
For commercial developments attention will be paid to the protection of residential amenity as detailed in, inter alia,
For residential applications where Listed Building Consent is being sought, attention will be paid primarily to
To monitor, assess and discuss licensing applications which are likely to have a material effect upon the enjoyment by Barbican residents of their homes and may cause harm to the environment of the Estate, under the Licensing Act 2003. Attention will be paid to:
To report to the Barbican Association’s General Council and any other interested parties on pending planning and licensing applications and any recommended course of action.
To draft the objections, if they are considered appropriate, on behalf of the Barbican Association and to present the objections, where appropriate, on behalf of the BA at the relevant City of London Planning & Transportation Committee or Licensing Committee meeting.
To advise the BA and House Groups on both the preparation of effective planning and licensing objections and to monitor any developments in their close proximity.
| Current Planning & Licensing Subcommittee Members | |
|---|---|
| Jane Smith | Chair |
| Sue Cox | Deputy Chair |
| Fred Rodgers * |
*Planning Committee only
How issues are communicated to residents
The Planning and Licensing Committee regularly distributes the weekly planning application lists published by the City of London to Barbican Association General Council members and other interested parties and highlights any applications which may be of concern to residents. It will also highlight any relevant licensing applications made.
It is then the responsibility of the House Groups to notify the residents in their individual blocks of such applications and ask residents to submit objections if they feel it appropriate.
Letters are sometimes also sent from the City of London to those residents who may be impacted by proposed new developments in their particular area.
The number of objections lodged against any application is clearly significant as greater numbers increase the likelihood of the objections being debated by either the Planning & Transportation or the Licensing Committee rather than ignored.
When objecting, it is however very important that individuals write their own objections. Templates are not received well by planning officers.
Working groups
Once a planning application is approved, we establish working groups to engage with the developers to negotiate changes that can make all the difference for residents living near large building sites for several years.
As with the developer, the occupier of the new building invariably wishes to be a good neighbour and so we engage with them to create a management plan that sets reasonable expectations for both parties.
Communications with developers and site managers are maintained via working groups primarily comprising representatives from the neighbouring residential blocks who monitor any on-site issues and help to protect residential amenity.
| Current working groups |
|---|
| 21 Moorfields |
| Tenter House |
| The Denizen |
| CoLPAI (City of London Primary Academy Islington) |
| 1 London Wall Place |
| 2 London Wall Place |
| WeWork, 1 Fore Street Avenue |
| Bastion House, London Wall |
| Pending |
|---|
| 1-12 Long Lane |
| 150 Aldersgate Street |