MORAR HOUSE

17 UPPER COLQUHOUN STREET HELENSBURGH

SUPPLEMENTARY STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF AMENDED APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION & LISTED BUILDING CONSENTS

PROPOSED CONVERSION, SUB DIVISION, PART DEMOLITION AND EXTENSION OF PRIVATE NURSING HOME TO FORM 12 FLATS AND 3 DETACHED HOUSES

APPLICANT: PLAYFAIR PROPERTIES LTD

ARCHITECTS: LORN MACNEAL CHARTERED ARCHITECTS

Morar House, 1970s, as it ought to be.

1 BACKGROUND Morar House, or 'Drumadoon' of 1901-1903 by William Leiper for the McAlpine family. Like Hill House, it is magnificently placed to benefit from the extraordinary outward views over the Clyde Estuary.

This A Listed impressive red rosemary tiled house is one of several by Leiper in Helensburgh; it is a skilful Arts and Crafts composition that combines both Scottish and English elements with references to the work by Richard Norman Shaw.

NEGLECT Morar has endured a decade of wanton and neglect resulting in it falling into an appalling state of dilapidation with wet and dry rot rampant throughout its interior. Externally the stonework is sound, but the unchecked deterioration of roof and gutters has been the root cause of the problem.

Some of this has been arrested through pressure applied under the auspices of the Helensburgh Community Council resulting in Morar being placed in the Scottish Civic Trust buildings at risk register.

A sadly neglected Morar House

Stolen fireplaces, graffiti and rot infestation. Morar House interior at present. Note: all wall paneling since removed exposing full extent of dry rot 2 ROT INFESTATION

Internally, all the areas of dry rot have now been fully stripped back regrettably exposing an extent of infestation that has well exceeded any worst-case expectation. Dry rot has manifested itself through large areas of the roof structure, around all chimneys and external walls and spread right down through the buildings resulting in the need to strip out most areas of timber wall panelling within the stairwell and drawing room.

The total ground, first and attic floor structures, whole rear service wing including all floors ceilings and staircases are extensively infested, all as highlighted on the survey photographs.

Dry rot and fungus in ceiling Extensive dry rot

Dry rot spread through whole ground floor from Dry rot penetrating through from behind wall panels the permanently damp solemn below.

3 LORN MACNEAL ARCHITECTS

Lorn Macneal Architects have been established for more than twenty five years being primarily involved on all forms of domestic architectural projects with a strong empathy in working with historically listed buildings.

Our clients include The National Trust for , The Landmark Trust, Historic Scotland, World Heritage, Loretto School and the Edinburgh Academy. (www.lornmacneal.co.uk)

Falklands Palace The Dunmore Pineapple

Stevenson House Loretto School

4 PLAYFAIR PROPERTIES LTD

Playfair Properties Ltd were established in 1985 by Lorn Macneal, who with Catharine Macneal are directors.

During this time the portfolio of development projects have been almost entirely the alteration, conversion and refurbishment of historically listed buildings from nursing homes, hotels, and offices into serviced residential apartments.

Arthur Lodge extensive renovation and restoration Woodlands - Award Winning new build luxury home of the year.

Reinstatement of townhouses from hotel and office back to residential apartments.

5 ST ANDREWS COURT GULLANE

The most recent Playfair Properties (PPL) project in Gullane, has strong synergies with Morar House. The historically listed former Queens Hotel, then Templar Lodge, of circa 1750 has been a landmark building in of this picturesque conservation village.

During the past decade it had been allowed to fall into an appalling state of disrepair and dilapidation. With its grounds becoming overgrown and the building a total eye sore in the heart of the village.

PPL purchased this in 2010 and with the full support of Historic Scotland, East Lothian Council and willing encouragement of the Community Council have now completed the sensitive conversion, alteration, refurbishment and extension of this building to create sixteen apartments with two new houses to the rear nearing completion.

Here care has been taken to ensure the principle elevations to the Main Street are sensitively restored, with more contemporary architecture encouraged to the rear. (www.standrewscourtgullane.co.uk)

St Andrew’s Court, Gullane

6 MORAR HOUSE: CONDITIONAL OFFER TO PURCHASE

Prior to purchase Lorn Macneal met with planning and conservation officers representing Argyle & Bute Council and Historic Scotland.

PPL sought comfort that support in principle would be assured for the internal sub division of Morar House into seven flats with costs defrayed by enabling development comprising a discretely located extension to the west of Morar, and in forming a new housing plot nestled into the lower ground as described. PPL also sought concessions that commuted costs towards the provision of affordable homes could not be managed and would not be pursued.

It was agreed such planning support in principal and omission of commuted cost contributions would be conditional upon financial justification for this enabling development as part of a formal planning application.

Internally the principle stairwell would be restored, but it was acknowledged and accepted that the large ground floor drawing room would prove impractical to retain unaltered without sub division.

Lorn Macneal with PPL emphasised this ‘trade off’ would ensure the longevity of Morar with the principle elevations and external form as seen from Hill House and from Upper Colquhoun Street best maintained and restored.

On the basis of the planning comfort taken this pre purchase consultation, PPL made a successful bid for Morar house.

MORAR HOUSE: REVIEWED DEVELOPMENT DESIGN STRATEGY

AMENDED DRAWINGS TO ALTER AND EXTEND MORAR HOUSE TO CREATE 12 APARTMENTS WITH THREE VILLAS

The whole principal of the previously presented planning submission has fallen under increasing scrutiny in the interest of reducing development risk arising from untenable returns in investments.

It is hoped the amended proposals will best address this position in creating more compact apartments of greater amenity and in turn, a more marketable product at reduced risk and acceptable returns in investment.

7 REVIEWED DESIGN PRINCIPALS FOR MORAR HOUSE WITH EXTENSION

Marketing consultants recommended the development will attract greatest interest from the retirement market where more compact flat arrangements will elicit best value. They advised the previous proposals were overstated in apartment size and would be less appealing with open plan kitchen living room arrangements as presented on the withdrawn planning application.

DRIVEWAY ACCESS

The marketing consultants considered the unique selling point of Morar House unquestionably to be its close proximity to Hill House with its imposing driveway access immediately opposite. They strongly opposed a secondary driveway access off Kennedy Road that would not have the same gravitas, and if retained would only serve to diminish achievable market value.

MORAR HOUSE: PROPOSED SUBDIVISION AND REFURBISHMENT

It is reiterated that the external form of the principal elevations have been retained other than to the discrete west service wing where more extensive remodelling is proposed within this concealed location.

Care has been taken to ensure the sub division of this house is sensitively arranged. This would include the replication of areas of panelling affected by dry rot within the stairwell and the retention of all fireplaces taken for reuse elsewhere within the building.

As advised the principal stairwell space would be retained and best restored. Where practical extensive alterations would be contained in areas most affected by dry rot where the original detail has been lost.

Joinery would be best replicated at doorways, panelling, skirting’s and facings in the retained principle stairwell and drawing room. The leaded glazing would be restored to principle ground floor rooms, augmented with secondary glazing screens.

Also, where practical external walls, floors, and ceilings would be best thermally insulated, separating floors and walls upgraded to ensure effective fire and sound through consultation with Building Control and Planning. Externally, all masonry and render elements would be restored, with the rosemary roof tiles, roof flashing and gutters comprehensively repaired.

8

Proposed ground floor plan

9

Proposed first floor plan

10

Proposed second floor plan

Velux W N New dormer window PROPOSED! PROPOSED! BEDROOM 3 STAIR &! LANDING

Velux W PROPOSED! PROPOSED! BATHROOM BEDROOM 2 W PROPOSED! BEDROOM 2

Velux PROPOSED! PROPOSED! DRAWING ROOM HALL 10

reduced headroom under roof hips TV PROPOSED! PROPOSED! W EN-SUITE KITCHEN TV Remove stair PROPOSED! BEDROOM 1 Proposed conservation rooflight, 780 x 1398mm Proposed conservation ! rooflight, 550 x 978mm PROPOSED! New dormer window KITCHEN

! PROPOSED! Proposed roof infill DRAWING ROOM between double pitch velux

Proposed conservation rooflight, Remove stair Parapet PR. WC ! roof BATHROOM LARDER PROPOSED BATHROOM

velux ! ! PROPOSED! PROPOSED STORE PROP. PROPOSED 11 COMMON! ST. KITCHEN HALL STAIR up

ST !

PROPOSED HALL PROPOSED

12 BEDROOM 1 W

PROPOSED infill BEDROOM 1 W BEDROOM 2 fireplace W STORE

Proposed PROPOSED separating BEDROOM 2 wall W ! PROPOSED ENSUITE

TV

PROPOSED LIVING/DINING

Shelf high level window

ENABLING DEVELOPMENT: PROPOSED WEST EXTENSION

The proposed building extension would be intentionally pastiche in design to create a marketing empathy and ambiance for prospective purchasers. The height would be stepped up only when well back from the principle east elevation in order not to appear visually obtrusive.

Although it would step up to create a two and a half storey element, it would be subservient with its roof ridgeline set well below that of Morar House.

To enable this building extension, it would be necessary to demolish the single storey outbuilding highlighted.

External finishes would mimic Morar House in a palate of Locharbriggs red sandstone, white render, black barge boarding and rosemary roof tiles.

The proposed access road would be formed from Kennedy Road as described in a route that ensures minimal tree intervention.

11 REVIEW OF REAR MEWS VIABILITY

The proposed west mews houses had little private amenity and upon reflection sat awkwardly on the site. The mews had also been contentious with the Community Council and created much hostility and negativity within the local and national press, this has been very unfortunate.

Access off Kennedy Road is perceived in marketing terms as backland development and this, coupled with the abnormal costs in forming an extended driveway with full drainage attenuation resulted in a high-risk market strategy and offered little added value towards the principal of enabling development.

Proposed West extension: perspective sketch

Image of out building proposed to be demolished

12 ENABLING DEVELOPMENT: PROPOSED THREE GARDEN VILLA PLOTS

The principal of creating a 3000ftsq large villa in a 0.6acre plot off Kennedy drive has been established and accepted in principal with Argyle & Bute Council and Historic Scotland.

Marketing research has established that new homes within the Helensburgh area attract best market value of around 2000ftsq in plots of around 0.2 acres.

Given the unrealistic enabling value that had been first anticipated in the now withdrawn west mews and that the more limited market for larger new homes, the only practical option must be to create three best marketable plots of 2000ftsq each occupying a 0.2acre plot off Kennedy Road.

Care has been taken to ensure the proposed houses would be visually obscured from Morar House, Hill House and vistas up Upper Colquhoun Street. This would be achieved by taking full advantage of the sloping site that allows the houses to discretely nestle into the lower sloping site as described in the cross sections.

Site Cross-Section – demonstrating visual screen of proposed house

Visual screening would be ensured by retaining the mature boundary hedgerow and trees, as well as the established tree belt across the centre of the site, augmented by a programme of additional planting. A new beech hedgerow would be established around the proposed north and west site boundary.

The proposed houses would be intentionally contemporary in scale, mass and form, with flat roofs ensuring subservience and containment.

13 Materiality would consist of a high quality white render, grey stained timber cladding; and red polished Ashlar sandstone external wall finish. The timber cladding would blend the house into its surroundings of trees and planting. The red ashlar sandstone would match that of Morar.

Sketch perspective of a proposed house’s

14

Proposed site plan of three house plots

15

Fallen trees on site View from Upper Colquhoun Street demonstrating the proposed house will not be visible screened behind hedgerow.

LANDSCAPE WORKS

It would be intended to retain the dense mature variable hedgerow to both shared boundaries, but dressed back and pollarded to a unified height and line. Trees highlighted for removal are generally of self seeded none native variety including the overgrown hedgerow of Leylandii to the rear north boundary. A programme of selective replanting would be introduced to the landscape setting.

New pathways and patio would be formed using natural stone pavers or retained gravel.

Bin stores and cycle stores would be proposed in described locations enclosed and screened by 1.8m larch fences. The detail of the bin storage would be agreed to the full satisfaction of the local authority, as part of the building warrant procedure.

Boundary walls would be repaired where necessary with new driveway as described formed with Locharbriggs red stone gate pillars.

SUDS COMPLIANCE

A very significant cost has been the SUDS requirement for the disposal of all surface rainwater from the existing and new building roofs and driveways to be attenuated before being taken into the existing street drainage system.

The present driveway and garden paths are effectively formed in gravel without any drainage system and appear to more than adequately drain into the substrate. We would propose a planning dispensation be considered for the driveways and paths to be either retained in gravel, or upgraded to porous tarmac with natural substrate attenuation, thus limiting the need for

16 SUDS compliance to the attenuation of surface water from all existing and new building roofs.

A full SUDS response will be presented during January.

PARKING

Highway recommendations are to provide two parking spaces per apartment plus visitor parking or 30 spaces for the proposed 12 apartments.

Given the location and generally compact nature of accommodation provided, this amount of parking would be impractical to accommodate within the retained landscape setting of this listed building and accordingly proposed parking provision has been limited to 18 spaces.

COSTS

Confidential development costs have been presented to Argyle & Bute Council fully validating the reviewed design proposals. These will be supplemented by the requested elemental cost analysis of works in altering extending and refurbishing Morar House.

Lorn Macneal December 2013

17