Item 16, 1 Hardman Street, Planning and Highways Committee, 27 June
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Manchester City Council Item 16 Planning and Highways Committee 27 June 2013 Application Number Date of Appln Committee Date Ward 102370/FO/2013/C1 3 May 2013 27th Jun 2013 City Centre Ward Proposal Erection of a ground plus four storey building (total 5 storeys) comprising office accommodation (Use Class B1) with related access, servicing, landscaping and associated works. Location 1 Hardman Street, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3HF Applicant Allied London Tivoli 201 Limited Agent John Cooper, Deliotte LLP, 2 Hardman Street, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3HF 1.0 DESCRIPTION OF SITE 1.1 The site has an area of 0.05 hectares and is situated within Spinningfields. It is bounded by Hardman Street to the north, Tivoli Street to the south, Sidney Street to the east and 2 Hardman Street to the west. The site is located within the Deansgate Conservation Area and is immediately adjacent to the former County Court, a Grade II listed building. Royal London House and Sunlight House (both Grade II listed) are located between Atkinson Street and Quay Street to the south. The site has been temporarily landscaped as part of a wider strategy for the Spinningfields area. 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSALS 2.1 The proposal is for a five storey rectangular building comprising office accommodation (Use Class B1). It would incorporate a roof terrace on part of the fifth floor. 2.2 The facades to Hardman Street, Sydney Street and Little Quay Street would be constructed in two layers. The inner layer forming the building envelope would be constructed in a combination of proprietary metal cladding rib panels and glazing. The outer layer on these elevations would consist of an expanded wire mesh, which would be positioned in front of the building envelope. Graphic imagery would be printed onto the mesh screen and the screen would be cut and punctured to emphasise the form of the graphic and to provide glimpses into and out of the building. The façade would be illuminated at night. The Tivoli Street elevation would not have the outer layer of mesh. 2.3 The ground floor level would mainly be glazed. The main entrance would be off Hardman Street and an arcade would be formed along Hardman Street and Sydney Street by the overhanging façade. 2.4 The City Council has a land ownership interest within Spinningfields and members are reminded that in considering this matter, they are discharging Manchester City Council Item 16 Planning and Highways Committee 27 June 2013 their responsibility as Local Planning Authority and must disregard the City Council's ownership interest in the wider area. 2.5 A previous approval referenced 087723/FO/2008/C1 granted permission on 20 November 2008 for a four storey building comprising a mix of uses, including shops (A1), financial and professional services (A2), restaurant/café (A3) and /or a bar (A4) at ground floor; and A1, A2, A3, A4 uses and/or offices (B1), and an art gallery (D1) on the upper floors. A further application referenced 095492/REP/2011/C1 permitted the extension of the time limit on the above application by three years on 15 September 2011. 2.6 The applicant has advised that the approved scheme has not commenced due to the absence of a pre-let any of the restaurant and retail space, which affected the ability to raise funds for the development. The current proposals are designed to meet the requirements of a confirmed office occupier with whom a full pre-let of the building has been agreed, which would allow the site to be developed. 2.7 The proposed development is similar to the approved scheme in terms of the height, form, massing, scale and elevational treatment. The additional floor would be accommodated through a reduction in floor to floor heights to 3.6m (to reflect the requirements of an office user rather than an art gallery) and the removal of the double height restaurant floor. 3.0 CONSULTATIONS 3.1 Local residents and businesses – No comments or objections have been received. 3.2 Head of Highway Services – Advised on the required legal closure and Section 278 agreement, confirmed acceptability of the proposed waste management strategy and associated dropped kerb and requested details of delineation between the rear of the footway and the building frontage 3.3 Environmental Health - No objections in principle subject to conditions regarding restriction of the hours of use and servicing; delivery hours; refuse storage; and, the submission and agreement of further information in relation to the acoustic insulation of externally mounted equipment. 3.4 Contaminated Land Section - No objections in principle subject to a condition requiring the submission of further information in relation to contaminated land. 3.5 English Heritage – Advised that the application should be determined in accordance with national and local policy guidance, and on the basis of the City Council’s specialist conservation advice. 3.6 Environment Agency - Confirmed no objection in principle to the proposed development, and no further comments to make Manchester City Council Item 16 Planning and Highways Committee 27 June 2013 3.7 Transport for Greater Manchester – No comment 3.8 Greater Manchester Police – No comment 3.9 Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service – Advised that the adjacent site was investigated some years ago, producing excellent remains and a fantastic artefact assemblage relating to a late eighteenth century soda works and was possibly the first to be archaeologically investigated in the country. Unfortunately, the present site became a public house in the early nineteenth century and early mapping suggests that this was cellared from the outset and it is unlikely that there would be anything other than the pub cellars. On this basis, they consider that there is no need to place any archaeological requirements upon the applicant. 3.10 Publicity - The application has been advertised as affecting a conservation area and affecting the settings of listed buildings. Neighbours within the vicinity have been notified and no objections have been received. 4.0 ISSUES 4.1 National Policy 4.2 The National Planning Policy Framework – The NPPF sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to apply. The proposed development complies with the following policies or parts thereof: Section 1 - Building a strong and competitive economy The proposals would bring into active economic use a currently vacant, previously developed site, delivering a new office building within the financial and professional services district of Spinningfields, a location identified in the adopted Manchester Core Strategy as having a primary focus for employment growth in B1 office use. The site is in a highly sustainable location within the City Centre, with easy access by foot to its range of services and facilities as well as excellent access to a choice of means of public transport. This would assist in building a strong economy on several levels in terms of creating employment during construction along with permanent employment from the proposed offices. Section 2 Ensuring the Vitality of Town Centres, - the proposal would develop a key site within Spinningfields that is currently vacant and has been previously developed. Section 4 Promoting Sustainable Transport – The site can be easily accessed by sustainable transport methods, including all forms of public transport being close to Salford Central and Victoria Train Stations, on the free bus route, close to Deansgate and St Peter’s Square Metrolink stations and close to bus stops on Deansgate. The site is also easily accessed by walking and cycling. Section 7 Requiring Good Design - The proposed scheme has been the subject of significant design consideration, consultation and evolution. The Manchester City Council Item 16 Planning and Highways Committee 27 June 2013 building would be of a high quality and would complement the high standard of design generally in the area. The development would be integrated into the natural and built environment and its scale and form is sympathetic to its context, reflecting the architectural significance of the adjacent former County Court and providing a visual relationship between the old and new development in this location. Section 8 Promoting healthy communities – The creation of activity at street frontage in this location would help to integrate the site into the locality and increase levels of natural surveillance. Section 10 Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change –The application site is in a highly sustainable location and would aim to secure a ‘very good’ BREEAM accreditation. Section 11 Conserving and enhancing the natural environment – The application includes a Geoenvironmental investigation and assessment report, in relation to the presence of contaminated land. Section 12 Conserving and enhancing the historic environment – Conservation areas and listed buildings and structures are designated Heritage Assets and the impact on the Conservation Area and on the setting of the surrounding listed buildings and structures of the development of this site needs to be assessed Paragraph 128 – advises that local planning authorities should require an applicant to submit sufficient information to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected. Paragraph 131 – advises that in determining planning applications, local planning authorities should take account of the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets; the positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic vitality; and the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness. The development of this vacant site in an acceptable manner would improve and therefore enhance the character and appearance of the Deansgate Conservation Area and the setting of adjacent and surrounding listed buildings. There would be a temporary negative impact on the setting of the listed buildings and the character of the conservation areas during the construction works; however this would be temporary and justified by the benefits of the proposals.