Worksop Bus Station D&A Statement

Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT Worksop Bus Station Design and Access Statement October 2013 0 Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT Table of Contents Page no. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 Design and Access Requirements 3 1.2 Structure of Report 2.0 CONTEXT 4 2.1 Town of Worksop 4 2.2 Physical Context 5 2.3 Current Bus Stop Provision 5 2.4 Planning Policy Context 7 3.0 PLANNING, DESIGN AND ACCESS CONSIDERATIONS 7 3.1 Location Choice/Site Optioneering 7 3.2 Design Principles 12 3.3 Socio-Economic Issues 13 3.4 Proposed Development – Use 13 3.5 Proposed Development – Amount/Scale 14 3.6 Proposed Development – Layout 16 3.7 Proposed Development – Landscaping 18 3.8 Proposed Development – Appearance 19 3.9 Proposed Development – Access 19 3.10 Proposed Development – Personal Security – Fear of Crime 21 4.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 21 Appendix A – OPUN review letter Appendix B - Peer Design Review 1 Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT List of Figures Figure Page no. Fig. 1 Worksop Town Centre – Bridge Street 4 Fig. 2 Hardy Street Bus Stops 5 Fig.3 Town Centre Bus Stops to be removed and retained 6 Fig.4 Narrow and congested footways on Hardy Street 7 Fig.5 Retford Bus Station 8 Fig.6 Newark Bus Station 8 Fig.7 Potential Bus Station Sites considered from 2003. 9 Fig.8 2009 – Hardy Street potential scheme 9 Fig.9 Hardy Street potential scheme 10 Fig.10 2012 – Initial layout for a scheme on Queen Street 11 Fig.11 2012 – Early layout for Queen Street area 12 Fig.12 Walking distances to the proposed bus station 14 Fig.13 Existing view looking from the Watson Road/Newcastle Street 17 junction. Fig.14 Artists Impression of the new Bus Station 17 2 Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Worksop Bus Station – Design and Access Requirements 1.1.1 This Design and Access Statement accompanies the Full Planning Application for the Worksop Bus Station Scheme (WBSS) as submitted by NCC Highways. It should be read in conjunction with other supporting reports and the following drawings which can be found in the separate ‘Scheme Plans and Drawings’ Section: • Planning boundary (H.PHII.01800.21/ 22) • Site Layout (H.PHII.01800.21/ 20 Rev A) • Elevations - SK16 rev4 • Ground Floor Plan – SK20 rev 3 • First Floor and Roof Plan – SK24 rev 2 • Elevations and Sections – SK25 • Pv Panel Elevations and Plan – SK26 • Proposed Traffic Regulation Order – Plan Layout (H.PHII.01800.21/ 25) • Softworks Plan (LR/PH.II.01800.21/003) • Trees requiring removal (H/JH22320/TR1) • Watson Road building floor plans and photos 1.1.2 Design and Access Statements are a requirement of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and this statement sets out the context of the scheme and the design principles that have led to its evolution. 1.1.3 The document follows guidance produced by the DCLG Circular 01/2006 “Guidance on Changes to the Development Control System” and is informed by two other supporting text namely; CABE’s “Design and Access Statements: how to write, read and use them” (2006) and the Urban Design Groups “Design and Access Statements Explained” (2008). 1.2 Structure of the Report 1.2.1 The Design and Access Statement for Worksop Bus Station is structured as follows: • Section 2.0 provides the physical and historical context to the site, and provides a background to why the scheme is needed. This section also relates the scheme to existing planning policies. • Section 3.0 outlines other sites considered for the bus station and why the current site has been selected. It explains how the provision of safe and efficient bus movements has generated the layout of the site and the orientation of the bus station building. • Section 4.0 provides a summary and conclusion. 3 Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT 2.0 CONTEXT 2.1 The town of Worksop 2.1.1 Worksop is located in the western urban area within the Bassetlaw District of Nottinghamshire and lies 38.7 km north of Nottingham City Centre and 24.8km south west of Sheffield. Worksop is a thriving market town with a population of 40,000. 2.1.2 The town’s retail offer is focussed on Bridge Street which forms a pedestrian zone in three sections between Potter Street to the south and Bridge Place to the north (Figure 1). The Priory Shopping Centre lies to the north of Bridge Street and contains a Marks and Spencer store as its anchor. High Street chains are well represented in both the Priory Centre and the southern sections of Bridge Street, with the northern section being the focus for independent retailers. Figure 1: Worksop Town Centre – Bridge Street (Pedestrian Zone) 2.1.3 A new cinema opened in 2011 on Potter Street to the south of Bridge Street on a plot of land adjacent to the Civic Centre. This site previously housed the town’s outdoor market which successfully relocated onto Bridge Street in order to make way for the new cinema. The town has numerous bars and cafes, again predominantly focussed on Bridge Street. A new library and young people’s centre opened on Memorial Avenue in 2011. 2.1.2 The proposed scheme is located on the corner of Watson Road and Newcastle Street and comprises an area of approximately 3900m2 (0.39Ha). This area comprises the proposed new bus station building, the bus turning area and immediate footways bordering the site. 4 Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT 2.2 Physical Context 2.2.1 The site lies within the Priory and Bracebridge character area of the Worksop conservation area. The majority of the buildings date to the 19 th and 20 th centuries, however there are more modern buildings notably the new library on Memorial Avenue, the Crossing on Newcastle Street and the retail development on the corner of Watson Road/ Memorial Avenue which currently houses an ASDA store amongst others. 2.2.2 The proposed site consists of: • Part of the Bassetlaw District Queen Street public car park • The corner plot of Watson Road/ Newcastle Street which contains advertising hoardings and a former florists shop and parking area • 30 Watson Road which is a former NHS clinic building which requires demolition for the project to proceed. 2.3 Current Bus Stop Provision 2.3.1 The town of Worksop at present does not have a formal bus station, however most bus services congregate on Hardy Street. This one-way street was modified over a decade ago to try to improve the bus boarding areas and enable accessible boarding provision. There are four stops which are served by a ‘saw-tooth’ layout and contain standard bus stop shelters. It has not been possible to restrict access to buses only, and the need to maintain access for all vehicles on the road including the provision of a loading bay for shops on the eastern side of the street hampers the layout. Figure 2: Hardy Street Bus Stops 2.3.2 Despite the changes to the layout the bus boarding points and footways remain 5 Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT narrow and the whole area offers a poor waiting environment for passengers. Although centrally located within the town, it can feel isolated at night, a feeling which is heightened by the presence of a high brick wall and metal gates to the rear of the bus stops (Figure 2). The wall and gates form part of the Stagecoach East Midland’s bus depot which before bus deregulation and privatisation in the 1980’s was the town’s indoor bus station. Figure 3: Town centre bus stops to be removed and retained 2.3.3 A travel information office is located at the Ryton Street end of Hardy Street, however there is no public toilet provision. Public toilets are some distance away in the Priory Centre. 2.3.4 Other town centre bus stops are located on Ryton Street, Newcastle Street, Queen Street, Watson Road and Newcastle Avenue. 6 Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT Figure 4: Hardy Street Bus Stops – Narrow and congested footways 2.4 Planning Policy Context 2.4.1 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2.4.2 NPPF sets out the government’s policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. It provides a framework within which local people and their accountable councils can produce their own distinctive local and neighbourhood plans, which reflect the needs and priorities of their local communities. Please refer to the separate Planning Statement document which outlines the planning policy context for the scheme in further detail. 3.0 PLANNING, DESIGN AND ACCESS CONSIDERATIONS. 3.1 Location Choice/ Site Optioneering 3.1.1 In 2005 Nottinghamshire County Council embarked on a programme to renew and refurbish its stock of bus stations. In 2007 a new bus station opened in Retford, followed in 2010 by a refurbishment of the bus station at Sutton. In November 2011 a new bus station opened in Newark as part of a retail-led development scheme. Earlier this year (2013), the largest and busiest bus station in County opened in Mansfield. 7 Worksop Bus Station DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT Figure 5: Retford Bus Station Figure 6: Newark bus station (internal) 3.1.2 In 2002/03, consultants Halcrow were appointed by NCC to assess options for a new bus station for Worksop. Eight locations were identified by NCC and Bassetlaw to be reviewed (these are shown in figure 7).

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