Architecture + Building Surveying + Town Planning

Talacre Park Lodge, Llansa Road, , , CH8 9LU Design and Access Statement

CASSIDY + ASHTON | 10 Hunters Walk, Canal Street, Chester, CH1 4EB

Talacre Park Lodge | 28/05/2021 Design and Access Statement

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...... 1

SITE AND CONTEXT ...... 3

DESIGN ...... 5

ACCESS AND PARKING ...... 11

CONCLUSIONS ...... 12

CASSIDY + ASHTON | 10 Hunters Walk, Canal Street, Chester, CH1 4EB | www.cassidyashton.co.uk II | Page Talacre Park Lodge | 28/05/2021 Design and Access Statement

INTRODUCTION

1.1 This Design and Access Statement has been produced on behalf of the owner and applicant, the Owens Family, in support of a detailed planning application for the extension, alteration and remodelling of a single storey gate house at Llansa Road, Gwespyr, Flintshire, CH8 9LU.

1.2 This Statement describes the site and its surroundings, before setting out the design and access merits of the proposal. These are all examined, and the conclusion is reached that there are no material considerations indicating that planning permission should not be granted.

DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENTS

1.3 It is a statutory requirement that applications for planning permission and listed building consent (with exceptions) are accompanied by a design and access statement (DAS). Further guidance relating to the requirement for a design and access statement is included in appendix 1 of TAN 12.

1.4 The DAS is a communication tool explaining how the objectives of good design (which include the principles of inclusive design) have been considered from the outset of the development process.

1.5 In relation to design, a DAS must explain the design concepts and principles applied to the development or works. A DAS accompanying an outline or full planning application must explain the concepts and principles in relation to (as a minimum):

• Access; • Character (including amount, layout, scale, appearance and landscaping); • safety; • Environmental sustainability; and • Movement to, from and within the development.

THIS PROPOSAL

1.6 In order to allow a proper assessment of the proposals and satisfy the requirements of planning policy, this planning application is supported by:

o Supporting Planning Statement o Design and Access Statement o Location Plan o Block Plan

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o Existing Site Plan o Proposed Site Plan o Existing Floor Plans and Elevations o Proposed Floor Plans and elevations o Visualisations o Heritage Statement o Preliminary Ecological Assessment o Bat Survey

1.7 This Design and Access Statement is to be read in conjunction with the building plans, layout plan, 3D visuals and planning statement related to this proposal.

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SITE AND CONTEXT

Fig. 1 Site Location [Source: Google Maps]

2.1 Talacre Park Lodge is located off Road, which connects the villages of Gwespyr and , on the north coast of .

2.2 The site is highly accessible via private motor car, in close proximity to the A548, which connects Chester and Abergele, leading to the North Wales Expressway (A55), which travels across North Wales.

2.3 The site comprises a former single storey gate house. The land would therefore be identified as brownfield land, which is most favourable for development within national and local planning policy.

2.4 The site is located in close proximity to the villages of Gwespyr, Gronant and Talacre, which collectively comprise a range of facilities and services including; cafes, bars, restaurants, shops and a primary school.

2.5 The nearest bus stops are located within Gwespyr, approximately a 10- minute walk from the site. The buses travel to Rhyl and Prestatyn, or Holywell, Mount Pleasant, Flint, or Pen-y-ffordd.

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2.6 The closest railway station is located within Prestatyn, four miles to the west of the site. The primary train operating companies are Transport for Wales, which manage rail services across Wales and West England, as well as Avanti West Coast, which travel to both Manchester and London.

2.7 As such, it is considered that the site is in a relatively sustainable location.

2.8 The site and its locality are not identified as being within a flood risk area.

2.9 The site is located within the Talacre Abbey Conservation Area, however the Lodge itself is not listed.

2.10 However, there are three Grade II listed buildings in close proximity to the lodge, as shown in Figure 2, namely St Winefrides School House, The School House and St Winefrides. The buildings were designated in April 2001, for their “architectural interest as a fine mid C19 Gothic school and of additional interest as an early Roman Catholic school with segregated schoolrooms.”

2.11 The CADW map below makes the absence of protections clear.

Fig. 2 CADW Map

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DESIGN

3.1 The applicant is proposing to create a modest 2-bedroom property through extension of the existing building. Design points have been taken from the approved scheme for St Benedict’s Lodge; however, a key difference is that Talacre Lodge is not a Listed building.

3.2 The intention of the applicant is to create an attractive modest home in this historic environment.

3.3 The proposed works would look to re-establish the importance of the lodge as part of the wider Talacre Abbey Conservation Area.

Fig. 3 Proposed Visualisation

3.4 The proposed works would repair the damaged gate posts, install iron gates appropriate for the location and also refurbish the lodge, while ensuring the extension is hidden from view for vehicles travelling along Llansa Road.

3.5 The refurbishment of the lodge would be completed using local materials to reinstate its traditional appearance.

3.6 The extension has followed the principals established at St Benedict’s Lodge and proposed a modern flat roof extension, linked by glazing to the adjacent lodge.

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Fig. 4 Proposed West Elevation

3.7 The proposed extension is 1m2 smaller than the extension at St Benedict’s Lodge.

3.8 Whereas the adjacent application used a glazed link which led to two bedrooms, the layout of Talacre lodge suits the inclusion of bedrooms within the existing property nearer to the public footpath and road, with the extension tucked away out of site, including the open plan living dining area with views out towards the sea.

3.9 Rather than having a separate glazed link, this aspect has been included within the extension by creating a glazed front door on the western elevation and including a large fixed pane window on the east elevation.

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Fig. 5 Proposed Floor Plan

3.10 It is intended that there would be a modest patio area to the north of the extension with Bi-fold doors accessing onto this.

3.11 There will also be an area of garden to the south.

3.12 Car parking is located north-west of the access track, so as to move it away from the gated entrance.

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Fig. 5 Proposed Site Plan

3.13 The applicant has sought to keep the materials palette for the extension as modest as possible.

3.14 The walls of the extension would be covered in rough local stone, similar to the style which appears on the rear of the existing lodge.

Fig. 5 Proposed East Elevation

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3.15 This approach has been taken to indicate a clear subservience between the dressed stone existing lodge and its extension. This hierarchy is also reiterated through the roof types proposed, where the existing building will have a large pitched roof similar in scale and form to the St Benedict’s Lodge roof, while the extension has a simple flat roof.

3.16 All of the existing openings within the building are proposed to be utilised. Some of these will require extensions downwards to create doors from windows.

3.17 Only one new opening is proposed for the existing building and that is to create a store within the existing building, accessed from the new open plan extension.

USE

3.18 The existing building and proposed extension will be in a C3 residential use and offers 2 no. generous double bedrooms.

AMOUNT

3.19 The scale of the proposed development is entirely dictated by the previously permitted scheme at the other lodge within the Conservation Area.

3.20 The existing building - due to its very small scale - is not suitable for modern habitation in its current form, hence the extension is essential.

3.21 The proposed extension is 1m2 smaller than the previously permitted scheme for the other lodge.

3.22 As with the other scheme, the extension facilitates the creation of a modern dwelling with 2 bedrooms, a kitchen and a living space.

3.23 The volume of the extension has been minimised by including the use of a flat roof. It is proposed to reinstate the original style pitched roof on the existing building.

SCALE

3.24 The scale of the existing building will follow the prompts from the other lodge within the Conservation Area, and the extension will be flat roofed.

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3.25 The scale of the extension will be minimised through the use of natural local materials and also its location away from key public vantage points.

3.26 The scale of the garden areas associated with the lodge is very logical as existing field boundaries exist. Car parking will be located on the other side of the entrance track and domestic garden will be to the north - and to the south of the dwelling.

3.27 Both the scale of the garden and the building itself will be quite modest.

LANDSCAPING

3.28 A detailed landscaping scheme has not yet been designed; however, it is expected that new traditional style gates will be proposed for the original gate posts, and boundary treatments will be more rural in nature rather than domestic.

3.29 It is proposed that a more refined material will be used for the driveway so as to provide a nod to the surrounding heritage setting.

3.30 It is also proposed to plant trees in the western garden area towards the road, so as to limit any views of the extension from the roadside.

APPEARANCE

3.31 The site is in a relatively secluded location away from the main road frontage of Church Street. There will be limited views into the site from the surrounding streets, as such, it is expected that the building would look entirely appropriate in its location.

3.32 Materials used in the construction of the extension will be local stone, aluminium windows and doors, and flat roofing materials.

3.33 The proposed materials, orientation and layout of the building will all assist in improving the appearance of the Conservation Area and the setting of the Grade 2* listed Talacre Abbey.

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ACCESS AND PARKING

4.1 The development will be served by the existing access from Llansa Road and this will be through the existing original gate posts.

4.2 As set out above, it is the applicant’s intention that these be renovated and metal style gates appropriate to the Conservation Area be fitted.

4.3 The surface of the access track will be carefully considered to ensure it is appropriate for the heritage setting of the property and that it makes clear the access once served a large property.

4.4 Car parking has been proposed on the western side of the access track so that it is tucked out of view from Llansa Road.

4.5 Access to the dwelling will be via the open plan kitchen and living area. This has been designed with an incorporated boot room and guest toilet, so that if future occupants have been enjoying the countryside, they can use the facilities and take off their dirty boots, without dirtying the wider house.

4.6 The original access to the building will have a panelled wooden door installed, however, will be sealed internally to achieve energy efficiency standards.

4.7 A set of bifold doors will provide access to a patio area on the northern elevation, offering views towards the Irish Sea.

4.8 It is the applicant’s intention that the original building and extension should be on a single level.

CONSTRUCTION ACCESS

4.9 Due to the layout of the site, it is expected that construction vehicles will access and egress the site in forward gear throughout the construction of the development.

4.10 Due to the scale of the development, it is not expected that there will be the need for many large vehicles to attend on site.

CASSIDY + ASHTON | 10 Hunters Walk, Canal Street, Chester, CH1 4EB | www.cassidyashton.co.uk 11 | Page Talacre Park Lodge | 28/05/2021 Design and Access Statement

CONCLUSIONS

5.1 The design of the proposed development will bring a currently redundant building into a beneficial use and ensure its maintenance now and into the future.

5.2 The modest two-bedroom property will reiterate the heritage importance of the area creating a clear and legible rural streetscape, indicating that there is a large property nearby.

5.3 The proposed development will improve the setting of the nearby Grade 2* Talacre Abbey and also the wider Conservation Area.

5.4 The separate planning statement demonstrates compliance of the proposal with local and national policies, and there are not considered to be any material considerations which would preclude development.

5.5 The proposed development will be of a high quality, sustainable design, improving the character and appearance of the site, to the benefit of future occupiers and neighbouring properties.

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