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Hotel) and Class A3 (Restaurant) Purposes, and Associated Extensions and Alterations

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Hotel) and Class A3 (Restaurant) Purposes, and Associated Extensions and Alterations Jon Dingle 22 – 25 Finsbury Square Use of existing building for Class C1 (hotel) and Class A3 (restaurant) purposes, and associated extensions and alterations Economic Regeneration Statement December 2015 Jon Dingle Contents Paragraphs Pages 1 Introduction 1.1 – 1.3 1 2 Site and Surroundings 2.1 – 2.17 2 – 4 3 Proposals 3.1 – 3.3 5 – 6 4 Economic Regeneration Statement 4.1 – 4.20 7 – 11 Appendices 1. Proof of Evidence of Bridget Rosewell, Volterra – September 2014 Jon Dingle 1. Introduction 1.1. This Economic Regeneration Statement is submitted in support of the application for planning permission by The Montcalm Hotel Group (MHG) at 22 – 25 Finsbury Square, London EC2. 1.2. Planning permission is sought for, Use of existing building for Class C1 (hotel) and Class A3 (restaurant) purposes, and associated extensions and external alterations 1.3. This Statement is set out under the following sections, Section 2 analyses the site, its surroundings and planning history Section 3 describes the planning application proposals Section 4 sets out the relevant development plan policy and material considerations Section 5 considers the planning issues raised by the proposal against planning policy, guidance and material considerations Section 6 provides a conclusion 1 Jon Dingle 2. Site and Surroundings 2.1. 22 – 25 Finsbury Square is located on the fringe of the City of London, within the Bunhill and Clerkenwell area of the London Borough of Islington. 2.2. The building was purpose-built in the 1950s for Royal London House for their single occupation and exclusive use; it was utilised for this purpose until their vacation in the early years of this Century. Until December 2014, the building was let to a range of tenants, including a D1 user, but much of the floorspace was vacant. The building is now a construction site and is under-going a conversion to hotel use following the grant of planning permission on 3rd November 2014. 2.3. The original building was arranged over basement, lower ground, ground and six upper floors and is located in the north-eastern corner of Finsbury Square. The building comprised 12,864 square metres (GIA) B1 (office) floorspace, and is configured in an “I” shape, oriented north-south with frontages on Finsbury Square and Worship Street. 2.4. The building, and the site itself, are unique on Finsbury Square being deep but constrained, so whilst each floor plate is large, the frontages of the site are narrow, and although there are lightwells to the east and west, the proximity and height of the neighbouring buildings restricts the amount of daylight that can enter each floorplate. 2.5. All the other buildings on Finsbury Square have frontages in proportion with the size of floorplate which allow significant amounts of daylight in to the buildings. 2.6. As the building was designed for a single occupier, there is one main entrance on Finsbury Square, with the Worship Street entrance being secondary. The services within the building are arranged for a single occupier, with the four lifts split into two pairs at either end of the building, and male and female toilets alternating on each floor at the Worship Street end of the site. 2 Jon Dingle 2.7. Triton Court is located to the west, whilst the building to the east is currently under construction and nearing completion. Triton Court was built in 1929 and forms the dominant element on the north side of the Square. Planning Designations 2.8. Located in the Central Activities Zone (CAZ), the front third of the site falls within the Finsbury Square / Bunhill Fields Conservation Area; the rear two thirds of the building are not within a conservation area. 2.9. The application site is identified within the Site Allocations Chapter of the Finsbury Local Plan as Site BC 28; the allocation confirms that “... Intensification of existing uses is considered appropriate”. However, it should be noted that the designation does not exclude other uses. 2.10. In addition, the building also falls within the Employment Priority Area (offices) and City Fringe Opportunity Area on Map FLP2 of the Finsbury Local Plan. 2.11. The site is highly accessible by public transport and this is reflected in its PTAL rating of 6a, the second highest. The offices and associated services of the City of London are all within easy, level walking distance of the site; indeed, Finsbury Square has the character and feel of the City. 2.12. Finsbury Square is characterised by 19th and 20th Century buildings as well as contemporary developments, all on a substantial scale. The Square itself is designated as a Protected London Square and described in Table 9.1 (Appendix 9: Heritage landscapes) of the Development Management Policies Submission as “Garden enclosure bounded on all sides by the roadway of Finsbury Square”. 2.13. The Square and the surrounding roads of Worship Street, Wilson Street and City Road are dominated by offices. A small number of Class A units are found at ground floor level in some of the surrounding buildings, particularly on City Road, whilst the nearest residential is to be found in the building adjacent to the site at 65 – 69 Wilson Street, where the redevelopment scheme included 8 units on the set-back top floors of the building. 3 Jon Dingle 2.14. In addition, the recently opened South Place Hotel is located to the south of Finsbury Square at the corner of South Place and Wilson Street. It is a four star, 80- bedroom hotel and replaced an old office building. Planning History 2.15. On 3rd November 2014, planning permission (P122324) was granted for, Change of use from Class B1 (offices) to Class C1 (hotel), roof extensions and associated external alterations at 22-25 Finsbury Square 2.16. The approved scheme has been implemented and work to create the new, 256- bedroom, five-star hotel is well under-way. The building is a construction site, in the process of being converted and extended, and the previous office use ceased in December 2014. 2.17. It is relevant to note that the MHG would simply complete the implementation of the existing permission (P122324) if the current application proposals are not approved. 4 Jon Dingle 3. Proposal 3.1. In the light of the approved scheme, which is currently under construction, the differences between the approved and proposed schemes can be summarised as follows, i. Minor internal layout changes to the basement servicing and back of house areas ii. Minor internal layout changes to the lower ground floor iii. Internal layout changes to the ground floor involving the loss of 11 hotel bedrooms and the creation of a club lounge for hotel guests only iv. One additional hotel bedroom on each of the first to sixth floors (inclusive) v. Two additional hotel bedrooms on both the seventh and eighth floors vi. An extension of 159 sqm and one additional hotel bedroom at ninth floor vii. An extension of 193 sqm and a loss of six hotel bedrooms at tenth floor to allow for the creation of a restaurant with 129 covers inside the building and the potential, weather permitting, for 47 covers on the terrace viii. The area of green roof has been maximised and a total of 419 sqm is proposed ix. The area of PV panels has been maximised and a total of 69 sqm is proposed x. The proposals will lead to an increase in the number of people being employed on the site, with the restaurant requiring around 20 staff 3.2. The approved scheme provides for the creation of 256 hotel bedrooms and associated bars, restaurant and conference / banqueting space. The existing plant on the building is removed, along with the top two floors of the building, and four new floors and new roof plant created. 3.3. The proposed scheme provides for the creation of 250 hotel bedrooms and associated bars / restaurants and conference / banqueting space. The existing plant on the building is removed, along with the top two floors of the building, and 5 Jon Dingle four new floors and new roof plant created. The new ninth and tenth floors are extended when compared with the approved scheme. 6 Jon Dingle 4. Economic Regeneration Statement 4.1. The Council require major developments incorporating employment uses to be accompanied by an Economic Regeneration Statement. 4.2. The Council’s guidance confirms that such statements should be provided on the economic impacts and potential regeneration benefits of the proposal. This should include: i. Details of any jobs that might be created, supported or lost ii. Information on existing and proposed employment uses and occupants, including floorspace quantum iii. Information on potential occupiers, lease terms, etc iv. Plans demonstrating how employment floorspace will operate, including measures to ensure flexibility v. Information on affordable workspace provision vi. Potential community benefits vii. Regeneration strategies that might lie behind or be supported by the proposal 4.3. This Economic Regeneration Statement is provided in the light of the fact that construction of the approved scheme is already underway and, should permission not be granted for the proposed scheme, the applicant will simply complete construction of the approved Hotel. The site will therefore be used for a large, high quality hotel with associated facilities regardless of the outcome of this application. 4.4. Notwithstanding this important material consideration, the Statement considers the seven issues that the Council have identified an Economic Regeneration Statement should cover. In doing so, the Statement draws upon the work of Volterra, a leading economic consultancy, that was prepared in support of the approved scheme and considers the economic benefits to the local and London economies of the proposed high quality Hotel.
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