Wembley Cutting a New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley

Wembley Cutting A New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley

October 2012

Ref: K:4675-120924-DOC-Feasibility-rs-rev a

www.rolfe-judd.co.uk © Rolfe Judd Old Church Court Claylands Road The Oval London SW8 1NZ T: 020 7556 1500 F: 020 7556 1501 E: [email protected] 1.0 Regeneration Offer Strategic Regeneration Benefits of a major mix use retail led development proposal by Solum RegenerationStrategic at the Wembley Regeneration Chiltern Embankment Benefits and adjoining of a land.major mix use retail led development proposal by Solum Regeneration at the Wembley Chiltern Embankment and adjoining land.

Wembley AAP Regeneration Objectives Solum Proposal Improving Connectivity between the £50 million investment to ‘fill the Stadium and Wembley Central commercial gap’ to the north of Wembley High Road linking the stadium development to Wembley Central. Strengthening the commercial connection between the Stadium development and Wembley Central. Providing a state of the art designed mixed use development that will act as a catalyst for further private sector investment in the Wembley High Road corridor

Shopping A major new store and adjacent local retail units to meet the retail requirements of the AAP New Jobs 350 new full time equivalent jobs in new shops and over 50 construction jobs. Commitment to maximising local jobs for local people through working with Wembley Works training and employment initiative. Leisure Provision of a new publically accessible woodland and environmental area on the northern embankment, around 0.4 ha in size, designed with local community and wildlife organisations, such as the London Wildlife Trust, to protect and enhance the natural environment Homes 70 new homes.

Enhancing the Environment Provision of a ‘green’ designed mixed use development that will enhance and extend the woodland area at the northern end of the cutting onto a green roof and parking area for the store which taken with the woodland area above could comprise up to 1.7 ha in total. Improving transport infrastructure A new pedestrian access through the scheme linking stadium with Wembley High Road and Wembley Central.

Minimising car parking to reduce impact local highways in line with AAP standards.

Wembley Cutting A New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley

www.rolfe-judd.co.uk 2 1.0 Regeneration Offer

Creating a new development site – Improving Connectivity between the Stadium and Wembley Central

By proposing to construct a new mixed use development we have created a new development site which needs to be recognised in the Wembley AAP. This offers a much more attractive and commercially sustainable regeneration scheme than the Wembley Plan’s current proposal of two separate development opportunities. The development is still primarily on the south of the total site, as required in the AAP, with 70% of the proposed floorspace being located in that location. As a consequence we have provided a new planning and regeneration framework that is the foundation for our planning representations on the Council’s Wembley Preferred Development Option consultation draft.

The opportunity to maximise the comprehensive regeneration benefits of our proposal will depend on the way that the retail store links to the High Road. We are now currently considering a number of options but the attached diagram demonstrates the potential impact that the provision of a mixed use retail/residential access to the square could have on the High Road frontage. There is the opportunity to move and expand the way in which our proposal connects with the High Road subject to discussions with local landowners and the Council. Certainly, we recognise the council’s aspirations to significantly improve this part of the High Road and we will work with officers to maximise the regeneration benefits that can be commercially delivered.

Promoting inward development

The scheme will deliver much needed significant private sector investment of around £50 million into Wembley and will act as a catalyst for other landowners to come forward and invest. The development will increase confidence and hopefully increase land values thereby helping to bring forward further development. Our development will therefore assist the further delivery of the Council’s regeneration aspirations in the AAP. This development could be implemented quickly, subject to planning consent, with anticipated implementation in 2015.

Wembley Cutting A New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley

www.rolfe-judd.co.uk 3 1.0 Regeneration Offer

The Retail offer Our scheme provides a major anchor retail store which will be in the centre of the High Road regeneration corridor. It consolidates the retail offer in Wembley and will strengthen the linkage of the retail/residential development around Wembley Stadium and the High Road, a stated objective of the Wembley Link Action Area Plan. In addition further retail units could be provided in the form of new mixed use ‘gateways’ for the main store as the entire scheme connects into the High Road.

The new store, with the potential for additional local retail units being provided as part of the mixed use retail/residential ‘gateways’ onto Wembley High Road, will significantly assist the Council to meet its retail floorspace target in the AAP. Creating local jobs and employment Our proposed major mixed use development will provide a significant economic regeneration boost to central Wembley delivering significant local employment in the retail store plus additional jobs as part of the construction process. We believe this will result in 300 new jobs in new shops and over 50 jobs as part of the construction process. We will work with Brent Council to provide local employment pathways into work for residents as we have done on other Solum projects in the London Borough of Walthamstow and Epsom. We will work with the ‘Wembley Works’ initiative to develop and deliver the training and employment programme.

Protecting and improving the environment – Promoting Leisure We recognise the Council’s objectives to protect and improve the local environment particularly the ‘wildlife area’ on the northern embankment. There is currently no public access to this area. We intend to promote public access for local residents in the future in an improved and locally managed nature and environment corridor alongside Mostyn Avenue. The design of this new ‘Green Corridor’ will be undertaken with local residents and wildlife organisations to ensure we improve on the exiting environmental/ecological offer. There is the potential to provide up to 1 hectare of a new leisure/environmental area subject to the detailed design of the northern embankment with local residents and the Council.

Supporting local housing The provision of 70 residential units as part of the mixed use development will assist the Council in meeting local housing need. The scale of the residential offer will depend on the extent of the development facing the High road and will be in line with the design and height guidance of Wembley Link document. We will work with the Council to ensure that the residential offer is commercially viable as well as meeting the local needs.

Wembley Cutting A New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley www.rolfe-judd.co.uk 4 1.0 Regeneration Offer

Enhancing the Environment The construction of a green landscaped roof on the retail store will further improve the residential environment of Mostyn Avenue residents. Linked with the new woodland/nature conservation area it could provide up to 1.7 ha of a new ‘green’ environment and open space in part of the borough where it is severely lacking.

In addition we have the potential of providing a new green pedestrian walkway across the scheme linking Mostyn Avenue to the High Road in line with the Council’s planning objectives for this development area. This will make it easier for those residents living to the north of the current cutting to access shops and local services in the High Road increasing ‘footfall’ and local spending.

Consideration is also been given to the creation of a new pedestrian route through the scheme connecting the Stadium area with the High Road which will assist with peak pedestrian movement when Stadium events take place.

Improving transport infrastructure Parking will be kept to a level which is in accordance with the Council’s parking standards for central Wembley. Dual use parking will support both the retail store and local parking for the town centre. Residential will be parking free and we will promote the use of car clubs as we have done on other Solum schemes.

Quality Design We recognise that central Wembley will benefit from a radical improvement in urban design and townscape. We support the Council’s aspirations in promoting good design and will incorporate latest quality design thinking into the retail store, the ‘green’ offer, residential development and the public realm.

Conclusion Thus, there are significant regenerate benefits of scheme that will be the first step to meeting the council’s long standing aspirations for this part of the High Street. Thus it is incumbent on officers to fully explore the proposal to ensure that in the present economic circumstances such regeneration benefits can come forward to the link the substantial investment at Wembley Stadium and around Wembley Central.

Solum Regeneration - October 2012

Wembley Cutting A New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley

www.rolfe-judd.co.uk 5 1.0 Development Zones

ZONE A

ZONE B

Wembley Cutting Site Boundary Zone A Zone B 2.0 Linking to the Masterplan - Option 1

Creating openings at Ground Level that link to Masterplan from Public Square

Store Development in Existing Context Demolition of Existing Buildings Addition of Proposed Blocks and Public Square Maintaining the link within the Masterplan

Wembley Cutting A New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley www.rolfe-judd.co.uk 7 2.0 Linking to the Masterplan - Option 2

Creating openings at Ground Level that link to Masterplan from Public Square

Store Development in Existing Context Demolition of Existing Buildings Addition of Proposed Blocks and Public Square Maintaining the link within the Masterplan

Wembley Cutting A New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley

www.rolfe-judd.co.uk 8 2.0 Linking to the Masterplan - Option 3

Creating openings at Ground Level that link to Masterplan from Public Square

Store Development in Existing Context Demolition of Existing Buildings Addition of Proposed Blocks and Public Square Maintaining the link within the Masterplan

Wembley Cutting A New Regeneration Opportunity for Wembley

www.rolfe-judd.co.uk 9 3.0 Option 1 - Ground Level

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