Initial Design Proposals For Pre-Application Submission Gensurco House
Prepared for Southern Properties on behalf of the Ilchester Estates 28th September 2012
Groves Natcheva Architects Contents Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 3
Contents
Executive Summary Page 4
Pre Application Information Page 5
Architectural Design Proposal Page 16
Proposed Level 1 Proposed Level 2 Proposed Level 3 Proposed Roof Plan - Aerial Perspective Diagram 1 - Facade Study Diagram 2 - Facade Study Diagram 3 - Facade Study Diagram 4 - Facade Study
Perspective Views of Proposed Scheme Page 25
Perspective Views 1-2 Taken at ground Level - Diagram 1 Perspective Views 3-4 Taken at ground Level - Diagram 1 Perspective Views 5-6 Taken at ground Level - Diagram 1
Appendices Page 28
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 4
1. Executive Summary
1. The building described in this report is Gensurco House, at 46-54 Rosebery Avenue, 11-21a Exmouth Market and 3 Spafield Street, Exmouth Market and at the junction with Rosebery Avenue and Farringdon Road. Gensurco House is an island block of offices over retail units in this popular location. Directly to the south east is the grade II* listed church of Our Most Holy Redeemer of Clerkenwell, built in 1887 on the site of the Spa Fields Chapel, in the style of an Italian Basilica. The site is within the Lateral Assessment Corridor for the strategic view from Kenwood to St Paul’s Cathedral and also within the local view corridor from Dartmouth Park Hill to St Paul’s. This said, the building itself is not considered to be of any particular merit, either architecturally or historically, and is not listed in the Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area Appraisal.
2. The purpose of this document is to discuss design options for the construction of 2 additional floors on top of the existing flat roof for residential use, including amenity. It shows a design process, through the use of both diagrams and drawings, of a number of design options discussed and honed through the analysis of precedents and accurate 3d computer images. The proposed design solution shows that the proposal will not impact on the special historic character and will relate appropriately and sensitively to the surrounding existing streetscape. The method of procurement enables the full occupation of the building during the construction period. A lightweight, prefabricated method of construction is proposed for speed of construction and to minimise disruption to both the public and occupiers.
3. The proposal adds to the vitality of the area by providing residential use and improves the architectural composition of this ‘end-stop’ building to Exmouth Market, where it meets Farringdon Road and Rosebery Avenue.
4. The design takes into account, and complies with, strategic and local view corridors, and is subservient to the local landmark of the Church of Our Holy Redeemer on Exmouth Market. A 2-storey extension will be below strategic sight lines and will fall below the threshold of 30 metres to which a tall building strategy would apply.
5. The design adds lightness and interest to what is otherwise a rather dour block in a notable conservation area.
6. The proposed accommodation exceeds recommended minimum residential space standards and would be car-free.
7. An examination of key policy documents has confirmed that there are no specific references to Gensurco House or its role in the Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area. Guidance on roof extensions in conservation areas is mainly concerned with terraced properties and is silent on individual island blocks such as Gensurco House.
8. Gensurco House falls within the periphery of the Farringdon urban design study and is therefore excluded from the Bunhill and Clerkenwell urban design study which covers Exmouth Market. These studies emphasise the historical continuity of mixed use in the area and a design-led approach to new development. As an area of opportunity it is acknowledged that additional accommodation will need to be provided.
9. The purpose of requesting a pre-application meeting is to involve officers in early discussions on the design development and consideration of what would be appropriate to extending Gensurco House.
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 5
2. BACKGROUND
10. Dominic Lawson Bespoke Planning Ltd and Groves Natcheva Architects have been retained by Ilchester Estates, the freeholder of Gensurco House on Rosebery Avenue. This briefing has been prepared to inform a pre-application meeting with Islington Council to discuss a proposal to add a 2-storey roof extension to Gensurco House for residential use. The report explains the proposal, its compliance with policy, our assessment of the effect of the proposal on the surrounding conservation area, listed building, and strategic and local views.
11. Gensurco House falls within the Central Activities Zone, is located within the Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area and within the setting of the grade II* listed church on Exmouth Market. The site is within the Lateral Assessment Corridor for the strategic view from Kenwood to St Paul’s Cathedral and also within the local view corridor from Dartmouth Park Hill to St Paul’s. However, the building itself is not considered to be of any particular merit, either architecturally or historically, and is not listed in the Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area Appraisals.
12. From the crossroads of Farringdon Road and Rosebery Avenue Gensurco House presents quite an austere approach to Exmouth Market from the south. Exmouth Market has become a pleasant pedestrianised street with a lively cafe culture extending into the evenings. A revival of market stalls extends along Exmouth Market and spills out onto the wide tread pavement on the Pine Street side of Gensurco House. The local park, Spa Fields, is hidden behind buildings on Exmouth Market but accessible by a passage running alongside the church.
13 Site Location Plan - Scale 1:1250 13. Location plan.
3. CURRENT USE
14. Gensurco House is a purpose built office block of 3-storeys above retail at ground level, dating from the 1950s. The building forms an island block to the southern end of Exmouth Market which creates an asymmetric building. Its narrowest elevation is on Pine Street where it is heavily veiled by mature plane trees from Rosebery Avenue. (See 14).
15. The central lightwell provides a service yard at ground level with access from Spafield Street. The offices are accessed from Rosebery Avenue, Pine Street and Spafield Street (addresses include 46-54 Rosebery Avenue, 11-21a Exmouth Market and 3 Spafield Street).
16. The building has a somewhat sombre presence on the street with its dark blue painted metal framed windows in a red brick facade which is enlivened by the girdle of retail shops at ground level. The elevation is relieved by brick faced columns, creating bays of single, two or three windows, depending on the length of the elevation, rising to a stucco pediment with a simple relief and a low brick pediment above.
17. Its function as offices and its girdle of retail shops and cafes at ground level contribute to the lively environment of Exmouth Market, opposite.
14 View looking North East 17 View looking West from Rosebery Avenue From Exmouth Market
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 6
4. PROPOSAL
18. Development of Gensurco House presents an opportunity to diversify the mix of uses in line with the tradition of the area, and to ‘announce’ the southern approach to Exmouth Market by creating an additional 2 storeys on the roof for much-needed residential accommodation.
19. Increasing the residential component of the street would complement the commercial uses and contribute vitality to, and informal surveillance of, Exmouth Market. The building is eminently suitable to provide this rich mix to the benefit of the character of the conservation area.
20. The area is well connected to public transport and the proposal will be car-free. The close proximity of Spa Fields provides accessible amenity space for residents in addition to dedicated balcony terraces proposed for each flat.
21. Access to the residential units would be from an existing entrance on Rosebery Avenue. This links through to the central light well in which a stair and lift can be inserted to provide separate dedicated access to the upper floors of the proposed residential element.
22. The proposed development also provides the opportunity to rationalise the servicing arrangements of the commercial units and create a better, cleaner environment within the central core. A perforated metal floor would be inserted to roof over the ground floor refuse area and separate it visually from residents.
23. Initial studies indicate the potential for Gensurco House to offer 5 apartments over two levels. The floor space provides 732 square metres of accommodation.
24. Studies have led to the extension being placed asymmetrically on the roof, reflecting the asymmetric character of the building itself, but more importantly providing a more substantial presence on Rosebery Avenue and towards Farringdon Road, which is characterised by substantial warehouse buildings, while setting the extension back from the perimeter on the side of the more sensitive and intimate scale of Exmouth Market, thus reducing overlooking. From eye level on Exmouth Market the extension appears modest and the first level disappears altogether, giving the appearance of a single height extension.
25. This response to the context is an important consideration as the building is otherwise an unremarkable presence in the conservation area and the placing of the proposed extension is subservient to, rather than competes with, the listed building of the Church of the Holy Redeemer with its tall Italianate tower.
26. The proposed design of the extension aims to lighten the presence of this rather austere building by providing a modest and light addition to the roofscape. The projecting brick columns, a characteristic feature of the existing building, is reflected in the rhythm of the vertical elements of the extension. Several options were explored for the placing and symmetry of this feature. The preferred option is for a contrast between the two storeys, so the first level has wider vertical elements to reflect 25 View from Exmouth Market towards Gensurco House with the substantial weight of the existing building, while the top level is lighter and more lively as appropriate to its skyline the Church of the Holy Redeemer on the left silhouette and its ‘smiling down’ on the vibrancy of Exmouth Market.
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 7
27. Given the confined nature of the site, it is proposed to use modern methods of construction and manufacture the units off-site to reduce construction time and inconvenience to occupiers and passers-by.
28. The extension will provide five much needed flats with generous space standards, and amenity space at roof level providing fabulous views toward the city. A green roof is proposed to mitigate rain water run-off and increase habitat diversification for the benefit of wildlife. Rosebery Exmouth Avenue Market 29. As public transport connections are excellent there is no provision for cars and the flats would be marketed as a car-free development thus not adding to competition for street parking.
30. Access will be from Rosebery Avenue through a secure entrance to the lightwell at the centre of the building, in which a dedicated stair and lift can be accommodated; this will be contained within the envelope of the extension and therefore not be visible from the street.
31. The proposed development provides the opportunity to rationalise waste management and air conditioning that clutters the central lightwell, which would improve the environmental conditions for all tenants and residents. Initial Massing Design Concept - Cross Section North to South The Design
32. The design has been a process of evolution - looking at the existing building within the existing context and looking at the additional floors and its impact on this context.
Gensurco House has no main facade with each of the 4 elevations addressing a streetscape of different scales and type: the vibrant street of Exmouth Market with the Grade II* Listed church of Our Most Holy Redeemer; the public square at the junction with Farringdon Road & Rosebery Avenue; the busy road of Rosebery Avenue running from the West End to Islington and finally the quietest and smallest of all the relationships with Spafield Street, used mainly as a pedestrian thoroughfare.
It is these relationships that were our starting point.
The options investigated are presented within the appendices of this document, with what we consider to be the most Spafield Pine appropriate option presented at the end of this section. Street Street The first and simplest option considered was an extension set equidistant from the existing parapet; while the most complex and dynamic was to create a landmark with a sculptural curvilinear form above Gensurco House to announce the presence of Exmouth Market.
The preferred option explained below and presented within the following pages, we believe, is a balance of both the basic solution with the dynamic - mirroring and further enhancing Gensurco House’s various surrounding relationships. Initial Massing Design Concept - Long Section East to West Each relationship suggests a different solution for each of the facades; the new facades overlooking Spafield Street and Exmouth Market sit back from the existing parapet by the furthest distance in order to hide the proposal from view at street level and respect the scale and required sensitivity of Exmouth Market and the church.
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 8
On the Rosebery Avenue and Pine Street elevations the proposed extension sits closer to the edge of the parapet to give Gensurco House a greater presence here than on the more intimate elevations of Exmouth Market and Spafield Street.
Study Section at Roof Level showing set back and profile of proposed new extension showing glazed facades & glazed skirtings to create a soft edge and greater transparency at roof junctions.
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 9
5. POLICY CONTEXT
33. The following policies have been examined closely to understand the implications for a proposed roof extension at Gensurco House, which lies within the Bunhill and Clerkenwell key area, and the Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area:
• Core Strategy Feb 2011 • Retained UDP policies • Site Allocations • Development Management Policies • Conservation Area Design Guidelines • Bunhill and Clerkenwell Urban Design Study; • Draft Finsbury Local Plan • Farringdon Urban DesignStudy, which underpins the draft Finsbury Local Plan.
Development Plan
34. Islington Council’s Development Plan comprises the London Plan (2011), the Core Strategy (2011) and the saved policies of the Unitary Development Plan. The Council has drafted the following LDF documents:
• Site Allocations • Development Management Policies • Finsbury Local Plan (Area Action Plan for Bunhill and Clerkenwell) • changes to the proposals map.
35. There are a number of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and other planning documents that are relevant to this pro posal:
• GLA London Views Management Framework (2010) • Islington Urban Design Guide SPD • Islington’s Conservation Area Guidance for Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area • Islington’s Farringdon Urban Design Study (2010) which forms part of the evidence base for the Finsbury Local Plan and the Lo cal Development Framework. • The Bunhill and Clerkenwell Urban Design Study.
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 10
London Plan
36. The London Plan seeks to increase housing supply (policy 3.3) and maximise the amount of new homes that can be provided, especially in accessible locations (policy 3.4). Policy 2.11(A)(a) and policy 4.3(A)(a) require a mix of uses including housing within development proposals that increase office floorspace within the Central Activities Zone.
37. While this proposal is not adding more office space, it is appropriate to increase the mix of uses by adding a residential element to the commercial and retail uses that already exist.
Core Strategy
38. The area around the new Thameslink Farringdon station is an area of intensification in the London Plan, which extends north-wards along Farringdon Road to include the redevelopment of Mount Pleasant, diagonally opposite Gensurco House. (The Conservation Area guidance for Rosebery Avenue (para 34.8) recognises the principle of demolition for Mount Pleasant subject to an appropriate scheme coming forward which will enhance the conservation area).
39. Part H of policy CS7 states that: “Due to the constraints present in the Farringdon station area, employment and residential intensification will be sought over a wider area, rather than solely immediately adjacent to Farringdon station.” Gensurco House falls within this wider area and is eminently suitable to accommodate some of the much-needed residential accommodation required.
40. Para 2.84 recognises there is potential for large, city scale buildings in this area, although the predominant character is low to medium 6-storey there are some taller buildings, typically 12-18 storey heights (mainly around City Road). Gensurco House at only 4-storeys could easily rise to 6-storeys without a harmful impact on the conservation area.
Strategic and Local Views
41. Gensurco House falls within the strategic view corridor from Kenwood to St Paul’s Cathedral passing over Gensurco House at a height of 64.168m OD. The existing roof level to Gensurco House is at or around 36.3m OD thus leaving 27.87m OD margin between existing roof level and the level at which any built form would intrude on the viewing corridor.
40 42. The northern part of Gensurco House falls within the local viewing corridor of St Paul’s Cathedral from Dartmouth Park Hill. The proposed storey height will not intrude on views of St.Paul’s from Dartmouth Park Hill.
43. With regard to local views, policy (D18) does not specifically name the Church of Our Holy Redeemer on Exmouth Market, as views of it are probably very locally restricted. The proposal for Gensurco House respects the stature of the church and does not seek to out-compete it.
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 11
UDP
44. The saved UDP policy (D11) requires roof extensions to be sensitively located. Islington’s Urban Design Guide contains detailed information on the design and acceptability of roof extensions where these apply to existing residential buildings (but appears silent on roof extensions for commercial buildings).
45. Policy (D11) explicitly states that alterations and extensions should respect the architectural character and detail of the original building; generally be carried out in the same style and compatible materials, “although in some cases good modern design respecting the character of the original building will be acceptable.” (Furthermore, this is supported by policy (D4), “Designing in Context”, which states: “Within this framework the Council will encourage architectural innovation and imaginative design solutions”). On a point of detail, D11 also notes that where lift enclosures or plant rooms are required they should be unobtrusive and integral to the design of the building. This has been taken into account in the proposal for Gensurco House, where the lift shaft is within the envelope of the extension and not visibly protruding.
46. The proposal provides the opportunity to improve the appearance of a rather substantial and dour commercial building by providing interest and delight at roof level, giving the building a lightness which the current flat roof does not. The design provides a better end-stop for Exmouth Market from the south, which it otherwise lacks.
47. Policy (D25) is dedicated to roof design policies in conservation areas. Sub-section D25(i) is the only one of relevance to Gensurco House: roof extensions visible from the street will not be permitted where this would be detrimental to character or appearance of the area. The proposal for Gensurco House enhances its contribution to the conservation area which is thereby improved.
48. Para 12.3.13 recognises that various different solutions and styles already pertain in the area; furthermore, it recognises that the roofline is a major component of character in conservation areas, particularly for terraces and groups of properties. It is silent on single island blocks.
49. While policy (D9) on high buildings expired on 27 September 2007, the explanatory text has been retained. High buildings are considered to be those over 30m from ground level i.e. equating to 7-8 storeys. Gensurco House does not fall into this category; even with a 2-storey extension it would only be 6 storeys in total, which is a not uncommon height found along Rosebery Avenue.
50. Under policy (D22), the council considers requirements of new development, including extensions. A high standard of design is expected and the proposal should conform to the height, scale and massing of existing buildings within the conservation area.
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 12
51. Gensurco House respects the predominant height of buildings in the area; its current 4-storeys is rather weak in this location and in comparison to other buildings on Rosebery Avenue; an additional 2-storey extension would integrate it better. As an island block it has different ‘faces’ and its location signals an important approach to Exmouth Market.
52. Under policy (D24) on materials, the council will “normally” require the use of traditional materials; for new development, materials should be sympathetic to the character of the conservation area in terms of form, colour, texture and profile. However, para 12.3.10 does recognise that modern materials may be acceptable so long as the scale and character of the conservation area is acknowledged. Most roof extensions in the wider area utilise modern materials and are predominantly glazed.
53. The proposed extension to Gensurco House respects the form and profile of the existing building but provides a contrast to the solidity of the existing building by proposing a predominantly glazed extension, which is consistent with the majority of consented schemes for roof extensions in the southern part of the borough.
54. We have undertaken a study of permitted and built roof extensions that illustrate successful examples in comparable contexts i.e. Islington conservation areas in the southern half of the borough, to inform the design development of the proposal at Gensurco House - see image 59, Hat and Feathers conservation area.
55. The majority of roof extensions in the area set back from the elevation. Often the existing brickwork parapet had been raised to 55 & 56 57 reduce the perception of the roof extension.
56. Many extensions have a strong roof line, often an overhang, to give weight to the top of the building.
57. Some extensions are primarily glazed but some were in contrasting render.
58. There are some examples where the extension had little in common with the host building.
59. Finally, traditional mansard roof extensions are also evident.
Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area (CA34)
60. Turning to the Rosebery Avenue conservation area, the southern half is dominated by the large scale buildings of Mount Pleasant (a scheme for which is in development and likely to replicate or indeed increase the scale and density of the existing buildings). The other half of the conservation area is focussed along the length of Rosebery Avenue with the contrasting scale and character of Exmouth Market included alongside.
61. Gensurco House occupies a central location within the conservation area although it is not mentioned at all. As an island block it has to address both the scale of Rosebery Avenue and Exmouth Market. On its narrower facades it has to relate to the public house on the corner of Spafield Street, and at its southern end relate to the civic space towards Farringdon Road.
58 59
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 13
62. There are several surrounding buildings to which Gensurco House relates in scale and style, notably the office block opposite it on Exmouth Market; together the two buildings form the dominant approach to the market and its more intimate scale.
63. The Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area guidelines are concerned with enhancing character and vitality. The variety of established uses is recognised as an intrinsic part of this character, indeed “vital to the character of the area” (para 34.5). Pockets of residential use will be retained; re-use of vacant upper floors will be encouraged, particularly for residential.
64. As noted previously, Gensurco House is an island block facing four very different streets and is therefore something of an ‘one- off’ in the area. The proposal is therefore grounded in a response to the building itself and its context, as described above. The proposed extension is subordinate to the mass and height of its host building as recommended in the guidelines (paragraph 34.21).
65. The conservation area description notes the variety of roof forms, particularly on Rosebery Avenue, which are integral to the character of different streets. Paragraph 34.15 states that the Council will have particular regard to roof extensions and dormers, and goes on to provide a list of historic properties where traditional (i.e. mansard) roof extensions would be permissible. Gensurco House is not listed among these although it is eminently suitable to take additional height. Part ii of this paragraph states that elsewhere roof extensions that are visible from the street or other public areas will not be permitted. Our studies show how little impact an addition to Gensurco House would have on the street.
62 Two buildings dominating entrance to Exmouth Market 66. The roof extension proposed for Gensurco House has been designed to minimise its impact from street level, particularly along Exmouth Market. The proposal for a roof extension on Gensurco House would be visible from the street but only obliquely, and mainly from the southern approach along Rosebery Avenue; it would be almost entirely invisible in summer when the mature plane trees are in leaf.
67. The extension has been set back from the parapet to reduce overlooking of upper floors on Exmouth Market and provide 220sqm (2350sqft) of amenity space for the apartments.
Farringdon Urban Design Study
68. The site is located at the very edge of the Farringdon Urban Design Study, unlike the rest of Exmouth Market which is within the Bunhill and Clerkenwell Urban Design Study. The Study therefore has little to say about Gensurco House, however there are some interesting and pertinent observations on the development of the area:
62 Exmouth Arms on corner of Spafield Street
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 14
• The historic origins of the area ‘without the city walls’ allowed a proliferation of uses to flourish which has carried through to this day: ”...in this respect there has always been a true mix of functions, though an evolving one. The impact of these changing uses has been a sense of ‘layering’.” (pp 5 para 2). The proposal for Gensurco House seeks to build on this tradition of layering of functions.
• The authors go on to say that the “dense juxtaposition of elements” from different periods is “fundamental to the area’s character”. Following the opening of Kings Cross to the north, the C19th medieval street pattern and dense inhabitation began to be cleared away, giving rise to wider more generous streets, like Rosebery Avenue (1878), as part slum clearance; the residential population began a long decline, continuing to the 1970s. The proposal for Gensurco House seeks to help to reverse this decline.
WWII inflicted some damage, including to Mount Pleasant (the Post Office replacing a prison in 1887) but post-war reconstruction and grand road building projects were thankfully largely unrealised, leaving the ‘layering’ of the earlier medieval street pattern and human scale still evident.
• The Survey of London’s summary of Clerkenwell’s character is quoted as being apposite to the wider area: “the chance juxtaposition of disparate scales and styles adds spice to main roads, side streets and set-pieces alike”. This is certainly one of the charms of the Rosebery Avenue Conservation Area.
68 Gensurco House From Yardley Street looking down Spafield Street • The latter part of the C20th has seen “continuity balanced with change” (pp13). The proposal for Gensurco House continues this tradition, of retaining the building while adding to it, creating the ‘spice’ so beloved of the Survey of London.
Draft Finsbury Local Plan
69. The draft Finsbury Local Plan (June 2012) policy (BC6) deals with the North Clerkenwell and Mount Pleasant area in which Gensurco House is located. Policy (BC6) is mainly concerned with the comprehensive redevelopment of Mount Pleasant Sorting Office, but also provides the context for wider development that respects the historic character and is well-designed. The policy promotes a range of residential, employment and complimentary uses, including over 700 new residential units. (BC6v) includes the maximisation of green roofs and walls (also encouraged by adopted Core Strategy policy CS15). The proposal for Gensurco House includes a green roof.
70. Gensurco House is within the draft Finsbury Local Plan area but is not an identified allocation site. Policy (BC8) of the draft Finsbury Local Plan includes Gensurco House (Exmouth Market elevation) as part of the Local Shopping Area, and within an Employment Priority Area (General), which protects existing business uses and seeks the provision of the maximum reasonable amount of additional business space as part of any development proposal. Policy (BC6) promotes the Exmouth Market and Mount Pleasant area in general for intensification, to ease pressure on Farringdon. Both commercial and residential uses are promoted generally.
71. The proposal for Gensurco House is for residential rather than additional business space, to provide a mix of uses within the building as this would better contribute to the diversification of the area and support the evening and weekend economy of Exmouth Market.
68 Rooftop to Yardley Street & Easton Street looking North
Groves Natcheva Architects Gensurco House Pre-Application Information Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 15
Bunhill and Clerkenwell Urban Design Study
72. The Bunhill and Clerkenwell Urban Design Study Dec 2009 by Urban Practitioners for Islington Council, informs the Finsbury Local Plan. Rosebery Avenue forms the northern boundary of the study area and, while Exmouth Market falls within the study area, Gensurco House does not (to avoid repetition of the Farringdon Study).
• The Area Action Plan builds on the significant work on public realm improvements achieved by the EC1 New Deal for Communities up to 2010 and identifies further opportunities to take forward.
• Page 11 notes that one of the characteristics of the area is that “Industry and commerce has funded residential development throughout the area’s history” and that the Victorian era was characterised by “vertical mixed use” with residential at ground level and workshops above, whereas the modern era has reversed that with retail below and residential above. Gensurco House continues that tradition.
• Page 15 identifies key issues and opportunities, including: “Opportunities for intensification with a view to supporting a building height limit throughout the area where taller buildings are appropriate; with one or two key nodes identified where taller buildings may be appropriate to support legibility.” A chapter is dedicated further to this idea and includes the statement that, “Tall buildings can offer exciting alternatives to more traditional development patterns, but more than any other typology require excellence in design...” (Tall buildings are defined as above 30m). The study does not consider tall buildings appropriate in this location; the proposal for Gensurco House is for an extension that would be below the tall building threshold.
• One of the headline principles emerging from the study is principle 7: “Key areas of poor townscape quality should be addressed through refurbishment, enhanced edge definition or redevelopment.” Exmouth Market is identified as forming part of an east-west ‘green chain’. (S106 funding has been held for several years to improve the street). Principles for improvement of Exmouth Market are contained in Appendix 1 but confined to the public realm and traffic management; there is nothing pertaining to the enclosing buildings. However, the enclosing buildings do clearly contribute to the quality of the public realm and the proposal for Gensurco House will provide a modest enhancement of the conservation area.
Space Standards
73. The proposal is for relatively large residential units to take advantage of this unique site. The size of the units proposed more than meet the recommended space standards.
74. The lightwell in the centre provides separate dedicated access and dual aspect to each unit.
75. Ceiling heights are generous and will meet the recommended height of 2.6m.
Car free
76. The proposal is for car-free development as the location is excellent for public transport connections.
Relevant decisions
77. Consent was granted to 62-68 Rosebery Avenue (registered as P090249), a 4-storey with basement locally listed building, by Islington’s planning committee on 30 June 2009 for change of use of the third floor and a roof extension to create four 2-bed units, with other alterations to fenestration.
Groves Natcheva Architects Proposed Scheme Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 16
View to Gensurco house from exmouth market site location plan Scale 1:1250 @ A3
Groves Natcheva Architects Proposed Scheme Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 17
Groves Natcheva Architects Proposed Scheme Proposed Level 1 Gensurco House, Exmouth Market, London - pre-application submission 28th September 2012 18
Terrace
Terrace
Existing Lightwell
Terrace
Terrace
Groves Natcheva Architects