1-18 York Terrace East
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,’ 1-18 York Terrace East Historic Building Report for RP1 Devco Limited February 2021 DIA Historic Buildings Consultancy 1-18 York Terrace East 1 1-18 York Terrace East Historic Building Report RP1 Devco Limited Ordnance Survey map with the site marked in red. [Reproduced under Licence 100020449] This report and all intellectual property rights in it and arising from it are the property of or are under licence to Donald Insall Associates. Neither the whole nor any part of this report, nor any drawing, plan, other document or any information contained within it may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Donald Insall Associates. All material in which the intellectual property rights have been licensed to DIA and such rights belong to third parties may not be published or reproduced at all in any form, and any request for consent to the use of such material for publication or reproduction should be made directly to the owner of the intellectual property rights therein. Checked by CXZ DIA Historic Buildings Consultancy 1-18 York Terrace East 3 Contents Summary of Historic Building Report 1.1 Introduction 6 1.2 The Buildings, their Legal Status and Policy Context 6 1.3 Assessment of Significance 9 1.4 Summary of Proposals and Justification 12 Historical Background 2.1 Regent’s Park and the Nash Terraces 14 2.2 The Buildings: 1-18 York Terrace East 15 2.3 Occupancy 56 2.4 The Architect and Builder 57 2.5 Sources 59 Site Survey Descriptions (Undertaken in 2009) 3.1 The Setting of the Building 60 3.2 The Building Externally 60 3.3 The Buildings Internally 68 Commentary on the Proposals 4.1 Description of the Proposals and their Impact on the Heritage Assets 73 4.2 Justification of the Proposals 82 4.3 Conclusion 87 Appendices Appendix I – Statutory List Description Appendix II – Planning Policy and Guidance Appendix III – List of Plates Contact Information Cordula Zeidler IHBC (Consultant) E: [email protected] T: 020 7245 9888 Ashleigh Murray IHBC (Associate) E: [email protected] T: 020 7245 9888 London Office 12 Devonshire Street London, W1G 7AB www.insall-architects.co.uk Summary of Historic 1.1 Introduction Building Report Donald Insall Associates was commissioned by RPI Devco Ltd in February 2021 to assist them in the preparation of proposals for 1-18 York Terrace East NW1 4PT. This report relates to new proposals for residential accommodation. This follows a previous consented (2018) scheme for the formation of apartments and two large family houses, comprising 28 residential units (17/06973/FULL & 17/06974/LBC). This application is for a non-material amendment to the planning 2018 consent and a variation of condition 1 of the listed building consent. In terms of the planning history, following the 2018 consents, listed building consent (19/04385/LBC) was granted for the use of the buildings as 21 dwellings, although the associated planning application (19/04384/FULL) was refused. In 2020, permission was granted for a non-material amendment to the original 2018 planning consent (20/02593/NMA) and a variation of condition 1 of the associated listed building consent (20/02590/LBC), relating to internal layout changes. The investigation has comprised historical research, using both archival and secondary material, and a site inspection. An illustrated history of the site and buildings, with sources of reference and bibliography, is in Section 2; the site survey findings are in Section 3. The investigation has established the significance of the buildings, which is set out below. This understanding has informed the development of proposals for change to the building by John Simpson Architects. Section 4 provides a full justification of the scheme according to the relevant planning policy and guidance. 1.2 The Buildings, their Legal Status and Policy Context 1-18 York Terrace East are listed at Grade I and are located in the Regent’s Park Conservation Area in the City of Westminster. Development which affects the special interest of a listed building or its setting and development in conservation areas requires listed building consent and planning permission. The statutory list description is included in Appendix I and extracts from relevant legislation and planning policy documents are contained in Appendix II. The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 is the legislative basis for decision-making on applications that relate to the historic environment. Sections 16, 66 and 72 of the Act impose statutory duties upon local planning authorities which, with regard to listed buildings, require the planning authority to have ‘special regard to the desirability of preserving the listed building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses’ and, in respect of conservation areas, that ‘special attention shall be DIA Historic Buildings Consultancy 1-18 York Terrace East 6 paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of that area’. Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires planning applications to be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The development plan applicable to the study site comprises Westminster’s City Plan (November 2016), Westminster’s Unitary Development Plan (January 2007), and London Plan (March 2021). The City Plan 2019-2040 (submitted November 2019) is also a material considerations. Westminster’s City Plan (2016) contains policies pertaining to the historic environment, including Policy S25: Heritage, which states that Westminster’s ‘extensive heritage assets will be conserved, including its listed buildings, conservation areas...’ Westminster’s Unitary Development Plan (2007) has saved policies that deal with development affecting the historic environment, including Policy Des. 10: Listed Buildings, which requires that applications for development ‘respect the listed building’s character and appearance and serve to preserve, restore or complement its features of special architectural or historic interest’. The Development proposals also have to accord with the regional plan, in this case, the London Plan. T Policy HC1 Heritage Conservation and Growth of the London Plan (March 2021) stipulates that ‘(C) Development proposals affecting heritage assets, and their settings, should conserve their significance, by being sympathetic to the assets’ significance and appreciation within their surroundings. The cumulative impacts of incremental change from development on heritage assets and their settings should also be actively managed. Development proposals should avoid harm and identify enhancement opportunities by integrating heritage considerations early on in the design process.’ The courts have held that following the approach set out in the policies on the historic environment in the National Planning Policy Framework 2019 will effectively result in a decision-maker complying with its statutory duties. The Framework forms a material consideration for the purposes of section 38(6). At the heart of the Framework is ‘a presumption in favour of sustainable development’ and there are also specific policies relating to the historic environment. The Framework states that heritage assets are ‘an irreplaceable resource, and should be conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance, so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of existing and future generations’. The Framework, in paragraph 189, states that: In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting. The level of detail should be proportionate to the DIA Historic Buildings Consultancy 1-18 York Terrace East 7 assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. Section 1.3 of this report – the assessment of significance – meets this requirement and is based on the research and site surveys presented in sections 2 and 3, which are of a sufficient level of detail to understand the potential impact of the proposals. The Framework also, in paragraph 193, requires that: When considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation (and the more important the asset, the greater the weight should be). This is irrespective of whether any potential harm amounts to substantial harm, total loss or less than substantial harm to its significance. The Framework goes on to state at paragraph 194 that: Any harm to, or loss of, the significance of a designated heritage asset (from its alteration or destruction, or from development within its setting) should require clear and convincing justification. Section 4 of this report provides this clear and convincing justification. The Framework requires that local planning authorities categorise harm as either ‘substantial’ or ‘less than substantial’. Where a proposed development will lead to ‘substantial harm to (or total loss of significance of) a designated heritage asset’, the Framework states, in paragraph 195, that: … local planning authorities should refuse consent, unless it can be demonstrated that the substantial harm or loss is necessary to achieve substantial public benefits that outweigh that harm or loss, or all of