PDU Case Report XXXX/YY Date
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planning report PDU/2581/01 3 March 2010 The former grounds of Hayes Football Club in the London Borough of Hillingdon planning application no.4327/APP/2009/2737 Strategic planning application stage 1 referral (new powers) Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 The proposal Redevelopment of site to provide 185 residential dwellings, comprising houses and flats, with associated amenity space, landscaping, new access road and car parking. The applicant The applicant is Barratt (Southern Counties), and the architects are Acanthus LW. Strategic issues The principal issues to consider are the loss of a playing field/community facility; the types, density, mix of unit sizes and quality of housing; the proportion and tenure of affordable housing; the provision of children’s play space, urban design & architectural quality, inclusive access provisions, climate change mitigation and adaptation (including energy provisions); transport & parking issues. Recommendation That Hillingdon Council be advised that whilst the application is generally acceptable in strategic planning terms, it does not fully comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 105 of this report; but that the possible remedies set out in paragraph 107 of this report could address these deficiencies. Context 1 On 26 January 2010, the Mayor of London received documents from Hillingdon Council notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site for the above uses. Under the provisions of The Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 the Mayor has until 8 March 2010 to provide the Council with a statement setting out whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan, and his reasons for taking that view. The Mayor may also provide other comments. This report sets out information for the Mayor’s use in deciding what decision to make. page 1 2 The application is referable under Category 1A of the Schedule to the Order 2008: “Development which comprises or includes the provision of more than 150 houses, flats, or houses and flats.” 3 Once Hillingdon Council has resolved to determine the application, it is required to refer it back to the Mayor for his decision as to whether to direct refusal; take it over for his own determination; or allow the Council to determine it itself. 4 The environmental information for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 has been taken into account in the consideration of this case. 5 The Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 6 A 3.35-hectare site located in exclusively residential surroundings and presently comprising a football pitch, with spectator terraces on three of its four sides; ancillary buildings including a grandstand, with changing facilities on the south side; a clubhouse (the Les Ferdinand Suite) with function room, which is available for hire by community groups and the general public; and an open car park accessed from Church Road, which forms the eastern boundary of the site. The playing grounds are otherwise enclosed by a perimeter wall, and are presently used for football training purposes and managed by Hayes & Yeading Football Club. 7 In its wider context, the site is bounded by residential properties to the west and south, and by Bell House Field to the north. It is located approximately 4.5 km southeast of Uxbridge Town Centre, and 1.5km northwest of Hayes Town Centre. 8 The site is approximately 0.6km from the A4020 Uxbridge Road, which forms part of TfL’s Strategic Road Network (SRN), and approximately 1.6km from the A312 The Parkway (Hayes Bypass), which is part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). 9 There are no train or London Underground stations in close proximity of the site, however, the site is served by two bus routes (H98 and 195) that run along Church Road and provide a connection to Hayes & Harlington station; which is 1.4 km away from the site. Seven further bus services are within 10 minutes’ walk of the site. Hayes and Harlington station will also benefit from Crossrail services from 2017 although being 1.4km away this falls outside the PTAL calculation area. As such, it is estimated that at present the public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of the site is 2, on a scale of 1 to 6 where 1 is low and 6 is high. Details of the proposal 10 The redevelopment proposal is associated with the imminent relocation of Hayes & Yeading Football Club from the site to The Warren Ground in Yeading, and the subsequent vacancy of the former premises. 11 Barratt Homes proposes the demolition of existing buildings on the site and the delivery of an exclusively residential redevelopment, comprising 185 dwellings in a variety of flats (71) and houses (114) of different sizes and tenure, including 64 affordable units. The development would entail the construction of a new vehicular access from Church Road, with new cycle and pedestrian links; car and cycle parking spaces, and the provision of comprehensively landscaped public open spaces and private gardens, including two communal play areas for younger children. page 2 Case history 12 In November 2008, Hillingdon Council referred a planning application to the Mayor for a redevelopment of the site to provide 282 residential units. The Deputy Mayor (Planning and Policy) considered the proposal under delegated authority, on 5 January 2009, and agreed with the GLA planning officer’s conclusion that the proposal did not comply with London Plan, for reasons set out in the officer report (referenced PDU/2086b/01). The Deputy Mayor agreed with the officer recommendations suggested to remedy the identified deficiencies. 13 The proposal was subsequently withdrawn, following Council officers’ concerns that the high density development did not sufficiently respect the open parkland character and appearance of the adjoining Bell House Field and Barra Hall Park, both of which are designated as Metropolitan Open Land; the historic setting of the grade II listed Barra Hall, or the adjoining Hayes Village Conservation Area as a whole. 14 Sketched proposals for a revised application, comprising 185 dwellings, were the subject of further negotiations with the Council in March and May 2009. The current application has evolved from those discussions. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 15 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: • Playing fields London Plan; PPG17 • Housing London Plan; PPS3; Housing SPG; Providing for Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation SPG, draft Housing Strategy; draft revised interim Housing SPG • Affordable housing London Plan; PPS3; Housing SPG, draft Housing Strategy; draft revised interim Housing SPG • Density London Plan; PPS3; Housing SPG; draft revised interim Housing SPG • Access London Plan; PPS1; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; Planning and Access for Disabled People: a good practice guide (ODPM) • Urban design London Plan; PPS1 • Transport/parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; draft replacement Transport Strategy; PPG13 • Sustainable development London Plan; PPS1, PPS3; PPG13; PPS22; the Mayor’s Energy Strategy; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG 16 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the development plan in force for the area is the 1998 Hillingdon Unitary Development Plan and the London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2004). 17 The Revised Core Strategy (Preferred Options) 2007 and the Mayor’s Consultation Draft Replacement London Plan (October 2009) are material considerations to which appropriate weight should be accorded. page 3 Loss of a playing field and the principle of development 18 The site has no specific designation in the Hillingdon UDP, although its policies (R4 and R5) seek to protect against the loss of recreational open space, including private playing fields, particularly if it would cause or exacerbate a local deficiency in accessible open space. 19 The UDP approach is broadly supported by policies 3D.8 and 3D.11 of the London Plan, which state the Mayor’s commitment to work with strategic partners to protect, promote and improve access to open spaces; realise the current and potential value of open spaces to communities; and protect the many benefits of open space, including those associated with health, sports, recreation, biodiversity and the environment. 20 To identify deficiencies, PPG17 requires local authorities to carry out quantitative and qualitative assessments of need and the availability of open space, as well as sports and recreation facilities. London Plan policies 3D.11and 3D.12 reiterate the national guidance, requiring borough councils to identify broad areas of public open space deficiency and the priorities for addressing them on the basis of local need and an audit of existing provision, as part of an open space strategy. Policy 3.20 of the Draft Replacement London Plan also resists the loss of sports and recreational facilities. 21 Whilst the development proposal would result in the permanent loss of a local playing field, the applicant has pointed out that the privately owned grounds are not and have never been openly accessible to the general public or local community; other than for hiring of the existing football pitch or ancillary facilities, such as the clubhouse and private function room, by local sporting and non-sporting clubs or individuals. As such, it is argued, the site makes no contribution to publicly accessible open space or the needs of the local community at present and should not, therefore, be assessed against the UDP policy R4. 22 The applicant has, nonetheless, submitted two open space and play facility reports to demonstrate a good local distribution of public open spaces within 1, 5, and 15 minutes’ walk of the site.