Copse Hill, SW20
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PLANNING APPLICATIONS COMMITTEE Item No: 2 13th December 2007 UPRN APPLICATION NO. DATE VALID 57/22/1623/027 (1) 07/P1347 24/04/07 (2) 07/P1344 24/04/07 Address/Site The Former Atkinson Morley Hospital and The Firs, Copse Hill, SW20 (Ward) Village Proposal: (1) Alterations, extensions and new buildings in association with continued use of the site for hospital purposes (new private hospital). Alterations to existing vehicular and bus access and creation of a new bus turnaround. Provision of associated (131 spaces), landscaping, a cycle and footpath and sports fields. Retention of 27 car parking spaces off Cottenham Park Road for use by the Wolfson Rehabilitation Centre. Demolition of extensions and outbuildings associated with the hospital. (2) Conservation area consent for demolition of extensions and outbuildings in association with the former hospital. Drawing Nos AR/AN/GA-01, /MB/GA/TPA-11 E, /TPA-18 B, /TPA19 B, /TPA-20 B, /TPA-21, /FD/GA-01 B, /GA-02 B, /GA-03 A, /GA-04, /SP/TPA-08 D & Site Location Plan Contact Officer: Michaela Mercer (0208 545 3981) ________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION (1) GRANT Planning Permission subject to the completion of a Section 106 Obligation and conditions (2) GRANT Conservation Area Consent subject conditions 1. SITE AND SURROUNDINGS 1.1 The application site is approximately 9.95 hectares in area. It fronts onto Copse Hill to the north and extends southwards to Cottenham Park Road and Carnford Place, West Wimbledon. 1.2 The application site comprises the area occupied by the buildings of the former Atkinson Morley Hospital (Class C2) including the former nurses accommodation at the Firs. Whilst it includes part of the site containing the Wolfson Rehabilitation Centre it does not include any part of that building which is to remain in operational use. 149 1.3 Immediately to the south of the hospital buildings is an area of designated Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) which extends south towards Cottenham Park Road. This open land covers an area of approximately 7 hectares. A footway extending through the MOL connects Copse Hill with Cottenham Park Road and leads to a small area of existing parking sited adjacent to Cottenham Park Road opposite the now derelict former sports pavilion and groundsman’s cottage. This area was formerly used by staff of the hospital and the Wolfson Rehabilitation Centre, and is currently becoming overgrown. In the south- western part of the site there are redundant tennis courts. Scouts huts are located in the south western corner of the site which are in the applicants ownership. 1.4 The buildings that make up Atkinson Morley Hospital and the Firs are separated by the Wolfson Rehabilitation Centre (WRC), a neurological rehabilitation unit, all fronting Copse Hill. The entire site, except the Firs buildings and grounds fall within the Copse Hill Conservation Area. The main hospital building is locally listed although the additional buildings attached to and surrounding it are not. 1.5 The main access to the hospital off Copse Hill is located centrally in front of the hospital building where there is a bus stop and turning area for route 200 between Raynes Park and Mitcham via Wimbledon. The tarmac area in front of the main front facade of the hospital is used for picking up and dropping off patients. Access to the site can also be obtained from the south of the site along Cottenham Park Road although there are no public rights of way through the site. 1.6 The Firs is located in the north western part of the site and comprises 4, 3- storey blocks of flats which were used to provide accommodation for nursing staff. The flat roofed buildings constructed in the 1960`s are vacant, outdated and in need of modernisation. 20 garages are located to the south. 1.7 Existing parking areas are interspersed throughout the site. The principal form of parking is located in the north east corner of the site with further hospital parking located to the south of the building within the boundary of the MOL. There are also areas of informal parking along the main driveway including an area to the north of the site to the east of the pavilion building. 1.8 The site slopes downwards from Copse Hill to Cottenham Park Road. There are open views of the site from the south but it is well screened by vegetation on the boundaries and within the site and the adjacent built form to the north within the site. 1.9 There are a number of trees within the site which are afforded protection by the Merton (No 376) Tree Preservation Order 2004. 1.10 The application site is surrounded by residential development. The houses along Copse Hill, Prospect Place, Hillview and Cottenham Park Road are 150 located adjacent to the application site. To the north of the hospital, there are th two terraces of 19 Century houses facing Copse Hill, including Catherine Villas and Marguerite Villas. Further to the north, on Thurstan Road, are continuous th terraced houses on either side, dating back from the 18 Century. 1.11 To the northeast of the hospital, the former gardens to Cottenham House have now been developed with five substantial new houses which are accessed from Prospect Place. Cottenham House itself (now known as Prospect House) is well back from Copse Hill and is surrounded by mature trees, and to the rear of this property is a 1960s development in Cottenham Place. 1.12 To the south of the application site are detached and semi-detached houses on the south side of Cottenham Park Road which date from the 1950s, and there is a more modern residential development on Cranford Close and Hillview, to the southeast of the application site. 1.13 In the wider context, the A3 trunk road (the Kingston By-pass) is located some 500m to the west of the application site and Raynes Park station is located some 900m to the southeast. Wimbledon Common is situated approximately 300m to the north with Raynes Park the nearest district centre providing neighbourhood facilities for services, located approximately 1km to the south. The site is located approximately 2km from Wimbledon town centre, to the east. 2. CURRENT PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal seeks conservation area consent for the demolition of the substantial extensions and ancillary buildings associated with the main hospital building and a number of freestanding buildings within the site. The hospital will be redeveloped to provide a new private hospital comprising a total of 88 beds. The hospital will have a total of 69 inpatient beds and 19 beds related to the out patient clinic. Approximately 75 people will be employed at the hospital. 2.2. The redevelopment of the main hospital building involves the erection of two new curved extensions at ground floor level to the east and west of the central frontage block facing Copse Hill (approx 5m high) with a square floor plan on the lower ground floor level below it; modifications to the two existing wings that flank the central tower block; a single storey extension to the south of the core hospital buildings and two 2 storey rear wings at round and first floor levels above the terrace formed by the flat roof of the lower ground floor level. These two wings project out from the south elevation and would be approx 8.5m high to eaves and 10.5m high to ridge from ground level and 13m to eaves and 15.1m to ridge from lower ground level, compared with eaves levels of 14.5m, 16m and 19m of the existing core building from lower ground floor level, and 17.5m and 23m to the ridges of the existing core buildings from lower ground floor level. An entrance portico will be incorporated into the front elevation and brown and green roofs will be provided to the north of the building with 151 accessible roof gardens to the south. 2.3 Immediately to the west of the main hospital building, a detached part two/ part three storey block will be erected. This building will accommodate a new fertility unit. The two storey part will be approx 8.5m high to eaves and 10.5m high to ridge, and the three storey part approx 11m high to eaves and 13.5m high to ridge. The roof would have a sloping mansard type face with an angle of 70 degrees, similar to that sought on mansard type roof extensions in other parts of the borough. 2.4 The former MRI building, to the north east of the main hospital is to be refurbished and converted to provide hospital administrative accommodation. No external alterations are proposed to this building. The former cafeteria building (to the southeast of the WRC) will be refurbished, with minimal changes to the external elevations, to accommodate a physiotherapy department with appropriate changing and shower facilities and welfare facilities for hospital staff. 2.5 The gas storage containers to the south of the cafeteria buildings will be replaced with a detached gas storage building. The incinerator and shed buildings further to the south will be demolished and replaced with two similar sized new sheds. 2.6 To the south of the site, the existing Pavilion building will be refurbished to serve the adjacent sports field. The bungalow will be refurbished to provide accommodation for the groundsman / caretaker. 2.7 The existing staff accommodation (20 flats) and garages on the Firs site will be refurbished for the occupation of staff working at the hospital. Some of these units will also be allocated to visitors of the hospital.