77-87, Lumley Road, Skegness, PE25 3LS Design & Access Statement – February 2021
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77-87, Lumley Road, Skegness, PE25 3LS Design & Access Statement – February 2021 In support of an application for the “modernisation” and “Change of Use” of the property and ancillary buildings. Design and Access Statement 1 002-002_v01 1.0 Introduction The Design and Access Statement has been prepared to support an application for the change of use of the existing Beales department store. Including one of the purpose-built external storage buildings to the rear of the property. Including within the proposal are some minor amendments to the street front elevation. 2.0 Background Skegness is a seaside town in East Lindsey District of Lincolnshire England, its known as its sited-on Lincolnshire’s coast line of the North Sea. The town is 43miles east of Lincoln and 22 miles north-east of Boston. With a population of 19,579 as of 2011, it is the largest settlement in East Lindsey. It also incorporates Winthorpe and Seacroft, and forms a larger built-up area with the resorts of Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards to the north. The town is on the A52 and A158 roads, connecting it with Boston and the East Midlands, and Lincoln respectively. Skegness railway station is on the Nottingham to Skegness (via Grantham) line. Properties within the town vary drastically depending on their location, with all styles of modern and traditional architecture being present, this allows the town to have an eclectic and pleasing atmosphere as its development and expansions can be sympathetically viewed. Properties off Lumley Street understandably vary in style and design, simply due to the nature of being a high street of a busy seaside town. The majority of the buildings are built from local red brick with stone cills and lintels as features. A proportionate number of the buildings have traditionally or modernised to incorporate coloured renders, usually favouring lighter tones such as creams & white. 3.0 Site & Setting The site itself is around 2286sqm or 0.2256Ha split into two plots, the larger being the main department store of 1664sqm and the smaller of 622sqm being the store and carparking provision. Both sites adopt a relatively rectangular shape and have seen there far share of activity of the past years. The department store is of terrace nature with third party properties adjoined on each side elevation. The main building elevation fronts the high street known as Lumely Road (B1451) with the rear elevation backing onto Prince George Street. The second plot equally fronts onto Prince George Street with the remainder three remaining elevations backing onto neighbouring third party properties. Design and Access Statement 2 002-002_v01 4.0 Change of Use Justification The application is based on two straight forward change of use applications, the main one being the additional use to the main department store to allow for the provision of an internal “Roller Rink” which would class it as Sui Generis, as its an area or place for outdoor sport or recreation, not involving motorised vehicles or firearms. The secondary change of use is of the rear remote store, its current use is E (D) or Sui Generis to provide an “Escape Room” which could be classed as an amusement centre . 5.0 Ecology The site in question has very little ecology value, the majority of the site is a physical structure, with a small portion being parking provision with the ground fully hard paved with tarmac. 6.0 Listed Building 77-87, Lumley Road formally known as “Beales Department Store” is not a listed building, and there are a limited number of a properties within the town which carry a listed classification. The closest of these being the Grade II listed Jubilee Clock Tower which is sited at the end of Lumley Road at the junction with Grand Parade. 7.0 Acoustics Acoustically none of the proposed change of uses would increase the current acoustic levels associated with there activities. And thus, no additional acoustic treatments have been proposed. 8.0 Drainage The proposal is to utilise all existing drainage provision already associated with the current department store. Thus, there is no detriment being proposed. Communicate has been had with Nicola Farr (Lincolnshire Area, Environment Agency) with regards to Floor Risk Assessments and I can confirm the advice is as below “quoted”. The National Planning Policy Framework (paragraph 163, footnote 50) states that all proposals in Flood Zone 3, including minor development and changes of use, require a flood risk assessment. However, the Planning Practice Guidance clarifies that ‘Site-specific flood risk assessments should always be proportionate to the degree of flood risk’. Design and Access Statement 3 002-002_v01 Our advice for development in East Lindsey’s coastal area is based mainly on our coastal hazard mapping: this shows the modelled consequences should the sea defences be breached, under standard scenarios for present day and with climate change. The mapping shows that the site lies beyond the area at risk of flooding in case of a breach. Although in Flood Zone 3, it is therefore considered low risk. In addition, the amendments to the shop front would be classed as ‘minor development’ and unlikely to increase susceptibility to flooding. The containers could be a concern in a high-risk area, depending on the contents, but not in this case. We therefore do not require that a flood risk assessment be submitted. It may be advisable to submit to East Lindsey a short ‘flood risk statement’ outlining the situation as described above. 9.0 Design The proposed design put forward with the application is intended to sympathetically enhance the building so it can accommodate the needs of a modern business. New signage provisions have been put forward which are in a style which is aesthetically pleasing to the high street, but of a size and scale which is in-keeping with the building whilst being proponent enough to promote patrons. The proposal for new security shutters to the ground floor windows has been put forward as unfortunately the area is subjected to an increased risk of forced entry and thus the proposal will be a positive deterrent to unwanted access. The application also proposes the upgrade of one of the shop fronts to incorporate a serving window, this will allow sale of goods to customers directly off the high street. The first floor will see a number of its windows boarded and rendered over to match existing, this proposal will maximise the potential for the internal space. With reference to the remote store unit off Prince George Street, no external modification is proposed, however a change of use is requested the facility can be used as an “Escape Rooms” amusement. 10.0 Conclusion Generally, its understood that any modernisation or upgrade to a towns high street is positive news for the local economy. The proposal put forward are all very sympathetic to the building and its surrounding neighbours, but will allow the facility to be brought back into use and trade in a positive secure fashion, it will also see the increase need for employment to the town. The upgrade of previously redundant unit is also positive for the community and will hopefully see more tourists enter the town to further benefit the local economy. Design and Access Statement 4 002-002_v01 .