Land at Brill Place / Midland Road, Euston
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planning report PDU/2381/02 12 January 2011 Land at Brill Place / Midland Road, Euston in the London Borough of Camden planning application no. 2010/4721/P Strategic planning application stage II 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 Development of a biomedical research centre including laboratory and research space, lecturing and teaching space, exhibition space and a community facility; landscaped public open spaces; a new pedestrian route between Midland Road and Ossulston Street; a service entrance off Brill Place and a relocated vehicular access from Midland Road to serve the British Library. The applicant The applicant is the UKCMRI Consortium, consisting of Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council (MRC), and University College London (UCL). The architects are HOK and PLP. Strategic issues The proposal for a world class medical research institution is welcomed in strategic terms, it accords with London Plan policies on innovation, employment, health and education. The mix of uses is acceptable, and the applicant has agreed with the Council an appropriate contribution to the improvement of local housing. The design of the building and wider public realm is of a high quality. The BREEAM excellent aspiration is welcomed, as is the contribution to the delivery of a district energy network. The proposal will have an acceptable impact on public transport, cycling, and highways, and assurance has been provided that the scheme will have no detrimental impact on the operation of the transport network. The Councils decision In this instance Camden Council has resolved to agree a dual recommendation resolving to grant permission but giving delegated authority for officers to refuse permission if the Section 106 agreement is not signed within a specified date. Recommendation That Camden Council be advised that the Mayor is content for it to determine the case itself, subject to any action that the Secretary of State may take, and does not therefore wish to direct refusal or direct that he is to be the local planning authority. Context page 1 1 On 16 September 2010 the Mayor of London received documents from Camden Council notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site for the above uses. This was referred to the Mayor under Categories 1B and 1C of the Schedule to the Order 2008: 1B: Development (other than development which only comprises the provision of houses, flats, or houses and flats), which comprises or includes the erection of a building or buildings (c) outside Central London and with a total floorspace of more than 15,000 square metres. 1C: Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building in respect of which one or more of the following conditions is met (c) the building is more than 30 metres high and is outside the City of London. 2 On 20 October 2010 the Mayor considered planning report PDU/2381/01, and subsequently advised Camden Council that the application complied with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 77 of the above-mentioned report, but asked that account be taken of the comments made in paragraph 78 of the report. 3 A copy of the above-mentioned report is attached. The essentials of the case with regard to the proposal, the site, case history, strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance are as set out therein, unless otherwise stated in this report. On 16 December 2010, Camden Council agreed a dual recommendation resolving to grant permission but giving delegated authority for officers to refuse permission if the Section 106 agreement is not signed within the timescale set out in the Planning Performance Agreement for the application, and on 6 January 2011 it advised the Mayor of this decision. Under the provisions of Article 5 of the Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 the Mayor may allow the draft decision to proceed unchanged, direct Camden Council under Article 6 to refuse the application or issue a direction to Camden Council under Article 7 that he is to act as the Local Planning Authority for the purposes of determining the application. The Mayor has until 19 January 2011 to notify the Council of his decision and to issue any direction. 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 decision on this case, and the reasons will be made available on the GLAs website www.london.gov.uk. Update 6 At the consultation stage Camden Council was advised that the application complied with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 77 of the above-mentioned report, but asked that account be taken of the comments made in paragraph 78 of the report, particularly with regards to urban design, sustainable development and transport. The applicant has subsequently provided further information on these matters. Addressing each of these points in turn, the following is noted: Urban Design and inclusive design page 2 7 The stage 1 consultation response asked the applicant to refine the approach to the external appearance of the northern elevation to Brill Place, to ensure a beneficial and positive visual impact for the residential communities to the north of the site. The applicant has since proposed amendments to both the north and south elevations involving the application of terracotta fins to the vertical window mullions on both elevations. These will provide greater sophistication and refinement to the façade, and a stronger aesthetic connection between the base of the building and the bay windows of those elevations. These refinements will be secured by condition, and therefore the proposed amendments to the design successfully address the design concerns raised at stage 1. 8 The applicant has also continued to refine the landscape design and the design to the main entrance in response to comments from CABE, creating a stronger distinction between staff and public entrances and improving the navigation around the site. While these changes are welcomed it has however, necessitated a stepped and ramped approach for staff at this entrance in order to segregate and manage the high level of security needed between the staff and visitor areas. The current plans show a narrow external ramp alongside a very wide staircase to the staff entrance. A more accessible design could be achieved by making the ramp much wider. The Council has proposed a condition which requires further details of this area including the design of the entrance doors, which is welcomed as this will provide the opportunity to achieve a more inclusive solution. 9 This level change also creates challenges to providing inclusive access within the building but the details relating to the internal layout of the building, including staff and visitor access to and within the lecture theatre will appropriately be dealt with by Camden at detailed design stage. 10 Blue badge parking provision is to be made on street as there is no opportunity for on site parking bays. This provision should be monitored to ensure that any disabled staff and visitors are able to park in the vicinity of the building. Sustainable Development 11 At stage 1, the Council was advised that the applicant should aim to improve energy efficiency and reduce regulated carbon emissions beyond the level proposed; provide further information to demonstrate that provision for future connection to a district energy network is actively being made; provide further evidence to demonstrate that the applicant is actively committed to helping to implement the wider energy strategy for the area. 12 The applicant has proposed changes that will increase the projected energy efficiency savings from 10% compared to 2006 Building Regulations in the original proposal to 33% in the revised proposal, which is welcomed. 13 The applicant has also identified space for connection points for importing heat from a future district heating network, and to allow for future connection of an electrical supply from the external CHP serving the district network. The s106 agreement secures a contribution of up to £3.8million for the provision of a future District Energy Centre, which satisfactorily cements the applicants role in the Euston Road district energy scheme. The applicant has therefore fully addressed the issues raised with regards to sustainable development. Transport 14 At the consultation stage TfL raised a number of concerns with the proposed development relating to: Legible London provision; the relocation of the British Library Access and impact on bus stands; the Travel Plan; and the security issues and the associated potential impact on the operation of the transport network. Subsequently, discussions took place between the applicant and TfL in order to resolve the outstanding transport issues. page 3 15 TfL requested that Legible London Wayfinding boards be provided, the location and scope to be agreed between TfL and the Council, to further encourage and assist pedestrian movements. These measures and their funding will be secured within the detailed Section 106 agreement as part of the highways works directly adjacent to the site and within the vicinity of the site through the moneys secured for the public realm improvements. 16 Discussions took place in respect of the relocation of the British Library access on Midland Road and it was agreed by London Buses that the required modifications to the bus stands would be acceptable, and that this would be dealt with in the separate application. The proposed reconfiguration of the two pedestrian crossings into a single crossing directly outside the entrance to St Pancras Station is also supported.