Birmingham City Council Planning Committee 19 January 2017
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Birmingham City Council Planning Committee 19 January 2017 I submit for your consideration the attached reports for the City Centre team. Recommendation Report No. Application No / Location / Proposal Defer – Informal Approval 8 2016/06617/PA SBQ1 and SBQ2 Smallbrook Queensway City Centre Birmingham B5 4HP Demolition of existing buildings SBQ1 and SBQ2; construction of part 9 part 26 storey building, plus rooftop enclosures and basement level; containing 309 residential units on the upper floors with ground floor entrances, retail/leisure uses on ground floor, and basement car parking. Defer – Informal Approval 9 2016/06618/PA SBQ 3 & 4 and SBQ 2 Smallbrook Queensway City Centre Birmingham B5 4HP Demolition of building SBQ2; and recladding, refurbishment and extension of building SBQ3&4 to include an increase in height by two storeys, rooftop plant enclosures and rear extension at first floor level. Development to provide Class B1(a) offices on the upper floors, with ground floor entrances; retail/leisure (A1-A5) uses on parts of the ground floor, mezzanine and basement levels; basement car park; and retention of existing nightclub (Sui Generis). Approve - Conditions 10 2016/07913/PA 41-42 Tenby Street North Jewellery Quarter Birmingham B1 3EG Demolition of existing building and erection of a 4 no. storey building providing 14 no. apartments, on site parking and associated landscaping. Page 1 of 2 Director of Planning and Regeneration Approve - Temporary 11 2016/10041/PA Opposite 7 Carrs Lane City centre Birmingham B4 7SE Installation of double sided digital advertising totem Page 2 of 2 Director of Planning and Regeneration Committee Date: 19/01/2017 Application Number: 2016/06617/PA Accepted: 04/08/2016 Application Type: Full Planning Target Date: 28/02/2017 Ward: Ladywood SBQ1 and SBQ2, Smallbrook Queensway, City Centre, Birmingham, B5 4HP Demolition of existing buildings SBQ1 and SBQ2; construction of part 9 part 26 storey building, plus rooftop enclosures and basement level; containing 309 residential units on the upper floors with ground floor entrances, retail/leisure uses on ground floor, and basement car parking. Applicant: CEG c/o Agent Agent: Nexus Planning Suite A, 3 Weybridge Business Park, Addlestone Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 2BW Recommendation Approve Subject To A Section 106 Legal Agreement 1. Proposal 1.1. This application proposes demolition and subsequent redevelopment of part of the Smallbrook Queensway (the Ringway Centre) building currently known as SBQ 1 and 2. Demolition 1.2. SBQ2 comprises of a bridge link above Hurst Street connecting the application building to the remainder of the Ringway Centre (SBQ 3 and 4). This link of office accommodation would be largely removed, including the supporting pillars situated within the pavement of Hurst Street except for the section immediately adjacent to SBQ3 which is structurally integral to the unit occupied by Snobs nightclub. An accompanying application elsewhere on your committee’s agenda for the redevelopment of SBQ3/4 overlaps with this application in that it proposes the total demolition of SBQ2. 1.3. The remainder of this existing office complex with retail/commercial uses at ground floor (SBQ 1) would be completely demolished. Overview of the Proposed Replacement Development 1.4. The replacement building would comprise of a tower element on the corner of Hurst Street and Smallbrook Queensway with a lower ‘shoulder’ element of the building fronting the Queensway. Behind the building would be a private courtyard space for use by the occupants of the proposed development above a basement parking level accessed off Hurst Street. Page 1 of 29 1.5. At ground floor level two entrances to the residential apartments would be provided together with two retail units and back of house facilities including plant, cycle storage, and refuse storage. Residential apartments would occupy all of the upper floors, with separate circulation cores for the tower and shoulder parts of the development. 1.6. The hard landscaping around the building on Smallbrook Queensway and Hurst Street would be upgraded. This includes new hard surfaces that rationalise the pavement level around the building, the retention of 3 street trees and the replacement of an existing street tree which has been damaged and has poor future prospects. 1.7. Overall the proposed development would provide 300 sq.m retail (A1-A5) and 309 residential apartments. In addition there would be 101 parking spaces, 223 cycle parking space and internal services and plant totalling 6,000 sq.m (all areas are GIA). The mix of residential uses would be as follows: Detailed Proposals 1.8. The proposed building has two key elements, a 26 storey tower and a 9 storey shoulder building. Tower 1.9. The proposed 26 storey tower is the most striking element of the proposals across the two applications. The scale of the tower has been guided by the height of the existing Centre City building obliquely opposite, and issues of viability. 1.10. To breakdown the massing of the broadest elevations of the building and provide visual interest, the tower includes a cranked format in plan form. The top of the tower has been carefully thought through with the ‘crown’ utilising the same materials as the main facades and open framing providing interest. The principal entrance to the residential units has been purposely located directly on the corner of Hurst Street/Smallbrook Queensway to provide interest and aid legibility. 1.11. The tower includes a deeply modelled façade with floors paired vertically to express the verticality of the tower element. The limestone grid with deep reveals incorporate balconies (including full width at level 25) with glass balustrading recessed. The limestone grid tapers to a more slender form on the upper floors (as a colonnade) to provide a distinct top to the tower. 1.12. At ground level the tower would have a lower plinth clad in dark granite, continuing the grid format used on the levels above. The main residential entrance lobby would be recessed on the corner. 1.13. The retail frontages would have a consistent appearance with bronze frames surrounding large display windows, matching those proposed on the accompanying application for SBQ 3 and 4. Page 2 of 29 1.14. At roof level there would be a plant enclosure set back from the building’s edges, bounded by an expanded metal screen with bronze fins to match the elevation below and the wider redevelopment. Shoulder Element 1.15. The 9 storey ‘shoulder’ element would largely continue the architectural approach and material pallet used on the tower and the wider SBQ redevelopment proposals. The lower two floors would be clad in granite tiling with large windows and horizontal light stone cladding above. To reflect the approach proposed on SBQ 3/4 the upper two floors incorporate projecting bronze fins. 1.16. Where obscured glazing is needed fritted glazing utilising the pattern of the existing concrete spandrel panels is proposed. This is also consistent with the approach proposed on SBQ 3/4. 1.17. A slightly recessed segment connects the tower to the lower shoulder building which has been designed to reflect horizontality. A recessed level (floor 6) corresponds with the recessed level proposed for the proposals on the SBQ 3/4 site. Elements of the limestone cladding framework would span from the tower to the shoulder building. 1.18. Architectural approach and materials proposed on the rear courtyard elevation would match the front elevation although the setting out of the limestone cladding would be more akin to the grid format of the tower rather than the horizontal banding on the frontage. 1.19. The circulation cores would be situated within the centre of both the tower and shoulder buildings, limiting internal corridor lengths. 1.20. Should the development of this application and the other application elsewhere on your agenda not take place concurrently the supporting plans and statements acknowledge that a temporary repair of the SBQ 2 - 3 end façade interface will be necessary. Public Realm 1.21. The proposals include the comprehensive refurbishment of the surrounding public realm. This includes illuminating the split-level arrangement at the development’s eastern end, the scheme would see the replacement of surfacing materials with light grey granite paving on Smallbrook Queensway and mid grey paving to Hurst Street to match the New Street Station scheme. This would complement and adjoin the wider Ladywell Walk proposals currently in development by the city. 1.22. One of the frontage (lime) trees on Smallbrook Queensway would be replaced due to a its poor condition with the remaining three trees (2 X lime and 1 Alder) retained. 1.23. This application is accompanied by detailed plans; a Planning Statement (incorporating a Statement of Community Involvement; Design and Access Statement; Air Quality Assessment; Arboricultural Report; Noise Assessment; Heritage, Townscape/Visual Assessment; Socioeconomic Impact Assessment; Daylight and Sunlight Assessment; Transport Statement; Interim Travel Plan; Archaeological Desk-based Assessment; Drainage and Flood Risk Assessment; Contamination Study; Phase 1 Habitat Study; Lighting Impact Assessment; Waste Page 3 of 29 Management Strategy; Wind Assessment; Viability Assessment; Civil Aviation Authority Assessment and a TV and Radio Communications Report. 1.24. The application has been screened at pre-application stage where it was concluded that the development would not be EIA development requiring the provision of an Environmental Statement. 1.25. Link to Documents 2. Site & Surroundings 2.1. The application building comprises a substantial part of the wider Ringway Centre complex that is situated between Holloway Circus and Dudley Street, spanning over Hurst Street. The part of the building affected by these proposals comprises the majority of the bridge link over Hurst Street (SBQ2) and the building between Holloway Circus and Hurst Street (SBQ1). The application buildings are approximately 100m long, with the whole Ringway Centre stretching to around 240m in its entirety including SBQ 3&4.