36 Islington Green and 1A Camden Walk

Design and access statement 5th June 2015

Figure 1 – View of 1A Camden Walk and Camden Head pub in painting by Geoffrey Scowcroft Fletcher (1961).

Proposal Erection of a first floor bedroom extension to duplex flat (C3) over existing ground floor retail market (A1).

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Location The site is made up of two parts, 36 Islington Green and the land to the rear facing onto Camden Passage known as 1A Camden Walk.

Figure 2 – Site boundary outlined in red on current OS map.

Constraints and Guidance The site is within the Angel Conservation Area, within Angel Town Centre and within an Archaeological Priority Area. In preparing this proposal we have taken account of the following documents:- Islington Urban Design Guide (IUDG) Islington Shopfront Design Guide Angel Conservation Area Design Guidelines (CADG) London Plan – London Housing SPG

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Relevant History The site is shown on the Greenwood Plan of 1830, see figure 3 below, as part of the gap between two buildings, now known as 1 Camden Walk and 34 Islington Green.

Figure 3 – Greenwood Plan 1830

Stanford’s Map of 1862, see fig 4 below, shows the same site as a complete block which suggests that 35 and 36 Islington Green were built between 1830 and 1862. The fact that these two cottages were infilling between two existing buildings that were not orthogonal to one another explains why they are both trapezoidal on plan.

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Figure 4 – Stanford’s Map 1862 The OS plan of 1874, see fig 5 below, shows these two cottages in much better detail and also shows a building to the south east of 35 and 36 Islington Green and 1 Camden Walk, formerly Camden Street. It is quite likely that this building was built at the same time as the two cottages.

Figure 5 – OS map 1874

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Planning History

In 2001 a planning application was submitted by Mango architects for the redevelopment of this vacant site (application no P002295) and was approved on 16th January 2002.:- “Erection of a two storey extension to provide showroom and studio at first floor and three separate retail units (A1) at ground floor. Applicants’ plan nos.: MB[01]001, MB[01]004, 005, 007, 008, 009 (Date Stamped 24th April, 2001) MB[01]006 Date Stamped 22nd November, 2001.” In November 2014 David Richmond and Partners submitted planning and listed building applications (P2014.4716/FUL and P2014/5172/LBC) which were approved on 13th April 2015 :- “Erection of a roof extension and rear extension facing Camden Passage to create a single 2 bedroom residential duplex unit (C3) over retained retail and market uses (A1) on ground floor.”

Description of the proposal During the course of the application the planning officers requested that the scheme be amended to omit part of the proposed first floor and replace it with something that would appear like an extension of the shop unit adjacent at 1 Camden Walk. The argument presented was :- “There is concern at this stage over the projection of the east elevation beyond the building line at first floor level of 1 Camden Walk as well as its height rising above the ground floor of the adjacent shop…. we cannot support this section of the proposal in design terms and feel it would adversely affect the setting of both adjacent grade II listed buildings.” We believe that this advice was misguided and has resulted in a less than satisfactory “designed by committee” compromise. We are keen to ensure that the best possible solution is put forward on this important site. For that reason we are proposing a small flat roofed bedroom extension of 9.4sqm which will recreate the original two storey building which stood on the site for probably a hundred years and provide a 2 bed residential unit of 89.7sqm. This extension is only 440mm higher than the consented scheme.

Conservation and Design As part of the previous application much archival research was carried out on this site, particularly between 1 Camden Walk and the Camden Head pub, both grade 2 listed buildings. Some aerial photographs were found, see fig 6, taken in 1936 which clearly show the building on this site as two storeys high with a flat roof, built to the building line on Camden Walk.

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Figure 6 - Aerial photos from south (Britain from the air) The outline of this building is shown on the OS plan of 1874 and confirms its position as shown in the photographs.

Figure 7 - Enlarged extract of OS plan 1874 This building is also shown in a painting of Camden Passage done in 1961, see Figure 1 on the title page. We believe that these photographs and painting demonstrate that the setting of the two listed buildings is not harmed by the proposed building. Indeed the painting shows that the original building reinforced the smaller scale and character of Camden Passage. As can be seen in the photographs above (figure 6) the shopfront to 1 Camden Walk was divided into two shops. In the early 1990s this was unified into a single shop frontage which unfortunately increased the visual scale of this part of Camden Passage. The consented scheme, in extending this larger scale right along to the corner of Camden Passage is further exacerbating this problem. The issue is simply which of the two options, the consented scheme or this proposal, is better suited to the context. To help illustrate this we have prepared montage images of each proposal from further south along Camden Passage and from the Green.

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Figure 8 – Consented scheme The consented scheme continues the 1½ storey high shopfront through onto Camden Passage which we feel is detracting from the special quality and small scale of this unique space.

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Figure 9 – Proposed scheme The proposed scheme which follows the scale and material of the original building on this site, see Fig 1, has a more honest approach, by adding a simple form to the slightly ramshackle and idiosyncratic collection of buildings that make up Camden Passage.

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Figure 10 – Consented Scheme The consented scheme seen from the Green gives the impression of a large store, completely out of character with the smaller shops found along Camden Passage. It takes the scale of the buildings facing Upper Street and the Green right into the Passage, where a distinctly smaller scale should be protected. The railings and fascia create a strong horizontal line out of sync with the vertical emphasis of most the Passage.

Figure 11 – Proposed Scheme

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The proposed scheme announces the presence and reinforces the smaller scale and verticality of Camden Passage market. Re-introducing a two storey building into Camden Passage at this point is not only historically correct but also helps terminate the vista along the passage and helps create a sense of place. Section 2.2.3 of the IUDG states that:-

“Emphasising Junctions It is sometimes appropriate to have a focal point that announces or reinforces a place or closes a view. Closing a view at the junction of streets can heighten the role of architecture in giving character to space and provide an element of anticipation.”

The new proposal is only marginally higher than the consented scheme, about 440mm, but has the virtue of incorporating the wall remnants of the previous building which are still visible on site, see figure 12. The consented scheme leaves these unsightly remnants sticking up between the flat roofs either side.

Figure 12 – Wall of previous building reduced down and capped with chimney on corner left hanging. This marginal additional height is also in accordance with Para 2.2.5 of the IUDG “Streets with Frontages that Exceed their Width” which refers to the relationship between building heights and street width and concludes that where it will add to the “local distinctiveness” and where the orientation is north south to allow sunlight to penetrate, then taller frontages can be justified:- “High sided frontages along comparatively narrow streets will therefore normally be acceptable where they contribute towards maintaining the existing character of the area.” This could have been written specifically with Camden Passage in mind, see figures 13 and 14.

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Figure 13. Typical shopfront in Camden Passage Figure 14. View looking north along Camden Passage

The simple form and vertical emphasis of our proposal creates a focal point without dominating or detracting in any way from the setting of the two listed buildings.

As a building of this size was originally built on this site adjacent to 1 Camden Walk and well before the Camden Head pub was built, it does not seem reasonable to suggest that these listed buildings would now be adversely affected. The opinion was expressed that “the context had changed over time” but the only changes we can see, apart from the regrettable unification of the shopfront, are the highway has been terminated and a pub garden created. We do not consider that these changes are a material consideration.

Neighbouring Amenity

The only potential for overlooking is on the Camden Walk frontage which is a reasonably wide public highway. The occupants of the flat have the option of blinds, shears and curtains for when they require privacy.

Accessibility

This bedroom extension is fully accessible from the remainder of the consented flat and has the distinct benefit of giving more space around the bed than in the consented scheme.

Highways

The site is exceptionally well located for public transport.

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