planning report GLA 5167/01 19 August 2019 St Thomas’ Hospital in the London Borough of Lambeth planning application no. 19/01397/FUL Strategic planning application stage 1 referral Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008. The proposal Demolition of existing single storey hospital building and erection of a new six storey (including plant level) hospital building (C2 use), alterations to existing access arrangements and associated public realm works. The applicant The applicant is Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and the architect is ADP. Strategic issues Principle of development: The provision of modern purpose-built health facilities is supported in accordance with London Plan Policy 3.17 and draft London Plan Policy S2 (paras 22-25). Design and Heritage: The scheme is of high quality design. Whilst the proposal would result in some less than substantial harm to heritage assets, this would be outweighed by the public benefits. There is no adverse impact on protected views or river prospects. Inclusive design principles have been applied (paras 26-35). Transport: An additional long stay cycle parking space should be provided in accordance with draft London Plan Policy T5. A Delivery and Servicing Plan (DSP) and Construction Logistics Plan (CLP) should be secured by condition and discharged in consultation with TfL (paras 36-41). Sustainable Development: The applicant must provide further information relating to energy efficiency and flood risk in order to confirm compliance with the London Plan and draft London Plan energy and flood risk policies (paras 42-43). Recommendation That Lambeth Council be advised that whilst the application is acceptable in principle it does not fully comply with the London Plan and draft London Plan for the reasons set out in paragraph 42 of this report. However, the resolution of those issues could lead to the application being fully compliant with the London Plan and draft London Plan. page 1 Context 1 On 7 June 2019 the Mayor of London received documents from Lambeth 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 must provide the Council with a statement setting out whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan and draft 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. 2 The application is referable under the following Categories of the Schedule to the Order 2008: 1C: Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building of one or more of the following descriptions- a) the building is more than 25 metres high and is adjacent to the River Thames; 3 Once Lambeth 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 Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 5 St Thomas’ Hospital is located within the London Borough of Lambeth. The current application site relates to an area indicated in red in the aerial photo below in the centre of the St Thomas Hospital campus at the end of Lambeth Palace access road. Figure 1: Aerial photograph of site page 2 6 The site currently comprises a single storey timber clad building with a flat felt roof and a single storey modular link corridor connecting the existing South Wing and East Wing hospital buildings at ground floor level. The building was previously used as a radiotherapy linac treatment centre. This use is no longer required following the clinical services having relocated to the new cancer centre at Guy’s Hospital. 7 The site is bound to the north by a similar low rise infill building and further north is the north wing. To the east is the East Wing and Evelina Children’s Hospital building. To the south is an access road and to the west is the South Wing. 8 The application site is located within the Waterloo opportunity area, North Lambeth Archaeological Priority Area, Albert Embankment Conservation Area, Thames Policy Area and Central Activities Zone. 9 The site is also within the Protected Vista Extension for the Centre of Bridge over the Serpentine to the Palace of Westminster in the London View Management Framework (view 23A.1), Brixton Panoramic Local View and Norwood Park Local view. Opposite to the site, on the opposite bank of the River Thames is the Westminster Abbey World Heritage Site and Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square Conservation Area. 10 There are no listed buildings within the application site however a number of listed buildings are located within the wider St Thomas Hospital campus and in close proximity to the area. This includes the South Wing at St Thomas Hospital (Grade 2), Block 9 of St Thomas Hospital Medical School (Grade 2), western boundary of St Thomas Hospital (Grade 2), Statue of Robert Clayton (north wing Grade 1), Bronze statue of Edward V (north wing Grade 2*), 15 public benches on the embankment footpath (Grade 2), Stone statue of Edward VI (north wing Grade 2*), river wall between Lambeth Bridge and Westminster Bridge (Grade 2) and Revolving Torsion (Grade 2*). 11 The site falls within Flood Zone 3. The River Thames, designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance, is located within 80m west of the site. Lambeth Palace Gardens, considered a Site of Local and Borough Nature Conservation Importance, a Local Space of Heritage Value and a Historic Park and Garden, is located within 100m south east of the site. 12 The site has a public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of 6b which is considered ‘Excellent’. The hospital campus currently contains 240 car parking spaces as well as cycle parking provision. The site is located 410 metres south west of Waterloo Train Station, operating on the south western railway, and Waterloo Tube Station, operating on the Waterloo and City, Jubilee, Bakerloo, and Northern lines. There is bus stop which adjoins the site on Lambeth Palace Road (A3036) providing services to Waterloo, Canada Water, Victoria and Tooting Station. There are also a number of bus stops located on Westminster Bridge, providing services to Camberwell, Waterloo, Streatham, Deptford Bridge, Dulwich Library, Plumstead, Oxford Circus, Whitehall, Marylebone, Shepherds Bush and Marble Arch. Details of the proposal 13 Planning permission is being sought for the demolition of the existing single storey hospital building and construction of a new six storey hospital building (including plant level). 14 The existing building has a floor area of 372sq.m and will be demolished. The new building will have a ground floor footprint of 565sq.m and total floor area of 3465.2 sq.m across 6 floors. page 3 15 The new building is proposed to be called ‘The Core’ as it is located within the heart of the campus for patients, staff and students. The building is to be used for an expanded ‘Same Day Surgery Centre’ for the Evelina Children’s Hospital, and associated flexible healthcare accommodation to support existing hospital services and to assist in long-term modernisation of the healthcare campus in the future. Initially, the core building will be occupied by Evelina Children’s Hospital, a Simulation and Interactive Learning (SAIL) Centre and Kings College London (KCL) medical student and staff support accommodation although the use will be flexible within C2 use class overtime. 16 The new building is proposed to accommodate approximately 57 FTE employees. Of these, 49 are existing employees relocating from elsewhere on the campus with an additional 8 new employees proposed for the Evelina Day Theatre. 17 No additional car parking or cycle parking is proposed. Case history 18 Within the wider St Thomas Hospital campus, there are a number of planning applications relating to different buildings. However there is no relevant history relating to the application site. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 19 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the development plan in force for the area comprises Lambeth Local Plan (2015), Local Plan Policies Map (2015) and the London Plan 2016 (Consolidated with Alterations since 2011). 20 The following are relevant material planning considerations: • The National Planning Policy Framework and National Planning Practice Guidance. • Draft London Plan Consolidated Suggested Changes version July 2019 which should be taken into account on the basis explained in the NPPF 21 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: • Social infrastructure London Plan • Design London Plan; Character and Context SPG; • Historic environment London Plan; • Protected views London Plan; London View Management Framework SPG; • Inclusive design London Plan; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; • Transport London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy • Climate change London Plan; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG; Mayor’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy; Mayor’s Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Strategy; Mayor’s Water Strategy; the Mayor’s draft Environment Strategy Principle of development 22 Draft London Plan Policy S2 and London Plan Policy 3.17 support the provision of high-quality new and enhanced health and social care facilities. 23 Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust is one of the largest NHS foundation trusts in England. It is an integrated healthcare organisation providing a full range of adult and children’s specialist, page 4 elective, emergency and local community services.