8 Week Date Application No. Date of Meeting Report No
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8 week date Application No. Date of meeting Report No. 23.04.08 GR/07/0414 16/04/2008 Bat and Ball Sports Ground, Wrotham Road, Gravesend. Outline application for the demolition of the existing pavilion and erection of a replacement pavilion in south west corner and erection of a two/three storey building to provide a terrace of five, three bedroom houses and four, two bedroom flats in the north west corner of site. Gravesend Cricket, Lawn Tennis and Bowls Club Recommendation: Subject to conservation and highway comments, delegated to Director (Business) for permission subject to conditions/section 106 agreement see Page 12 1. Introduction and Background This application was reported to the Regulatory Board on the 25 July 2007 wherein it was recommended that the application be deferred for a site visit. That visit took place on the 3 August 2007 where after it was recommended that the application be deferred for further negotiations. By way of background, Members will be aware that this site sits to the west of Wrotham Road and comprises the cricket pitch, pavilion, bowls club, greens and former tennis courts. The ‘Bat & Ball’ ground was originally part of a large parcel of recreational land owned by a wealthy local merchant who lived at Ruckland House (now the Masonic Hall) in Wrotham Road. Local histories chronicle the commencement of cricket at the ground in 1845 when a Tom Adams laid a wicket in the grounds of the mansion. Tom Adams was a Gravesendian who played at the ground and for Kent XI for some 25 years. The publication “The Bat & Ball, Gravesend” by H Milton gives details of the ground’s illustrious history. Lord Harris, W G Grace, Frank Woolley and Colin Cowdrey are among the famous cricketers who have played at the ground which was the home of County Cricket until 1971. It is widely accepted that the ground has a “first class cricket history”. The ground is also home to the Gravesend Bowling Club which also has a long and illustrious history. The club came into being in 1901 with the first club competition taking place in 1904. The club was proud to celebrate it’s centenary in 2001 and continues to succeed in competitions at local and county level. The current proposals seek to ensure that bowls, cricket and tennis continue to be enjoyed at this “jewel in the crown” of Gravesend’s sporting history. There are currently 65 senior and 60 junior members of the cricket section, 85 members of the bowls section. The tennis section is currently inactive following an arson attack, which resulted in the loss of their hut, but a member of the Club is currently working on re-establishing the tennis section. The Club is a popular local sporting and recreational facility which attracts a wide, varied membership across all ages. The facilities at the ground were provided between the Wars after the Gravesend Cricket Club acquired the freehold in 1921. The main pavilion was built in 1922. H Milton records that “Accommodation for about 500 was provided on the roof, an important feature it was considered, for County Cricket”. In 1934 a covered stand known as the ‘Austin Stand’ was built on the northern perimeter off Trafalgar Road. Other pavilions for bowls and tennis, a dining room, a scorecard printing hut and a large scoreboard were also provided. Some of these structures are now demolished but the main pavilions remain. Facilities for players at the ground have for many years been regarded as sub-standard and this was a contributory factor to the cessation of County cricket matches. Since then the situation has worsened. A survey carried out in July 2000 recommended that in the case of the main pavilion, it would be advisable to carry out temporary repairs until such time as finances were available to demolish and rebuild. In respect of the tennis club pavilion, it recommended that it was “not worth spending much money on – may last five years”. This building is now burnt out following an arson attack and the tennis section is not currently active. In the case of the Bowls Club tea room/bar the survey comments that “the suspended part of the floor could fail at any time, in general too many construction defects to repair”. The Bowls Club pavilion was found to be generally sound despite some rot, defective windows and plumbing problems. The survey concluded however that it was in need of repair. The Clubs now consider that action is urgently needed to allow them to continue to play there, and to restore the ground to its former status as an asset to the Borough. 2 Planning History The site has a lengthy planning history much of which is not relevant. The last most significant application was in 2006, reference GR/06/167 and was an outline application for the erection of a two storey terrace of eight self-contained flats and a replacement sports pavilion. Following objections from occupiers in Weavers Close this application was withdrawn. The current application has been designed to overcome those objections and prior to submission the applicant has confirmed that pre application discussions/consultations were carried out with residents in Weavers Close. 3 Proposal The proposal is in outline form with appearance and landscaping reserved for future consideration. Access (existing), layout and scale and not reserved and therefore to be considered as part of the application. There are two main elements and each of these will be described in turn. The Pavilion This building will sit on the site of the current pavilion although it will be approximately 10 metres longer to the west. It will measure approximately 49 metres by 10 metres (as opposed to the current pavilions 35 metres by 10 metres). The building will be orientated east west. REPORT NO PAGE 2 Accommodation at ground floor will comprise bowls club social room with bar and kitchen on the western half with glazed patio doors in the end elevation facing west (towards the bowls green). The central core will comprise female changing, lift, and stairwell going up. Eastern half will be two sets of male changing rooms and showers. The main entrance to the building will be from the north into the core area. Accommodation at first floor will be to a reduced floor area, a central section of approximately 31 metres length comprising social room, bar and food preparation area on the west. Core with lift to first floor and one accessible wc to rear, staircase and balcony area in front looking north over the cricket pitch and members room, plant room, male and female WC. Main windows on this floor will be looking north over the cricket pitch. Those to the rear (south) will be high level or obscure glazed. The dwellings The residential part of this development is required as ‘enabling development’. The dwellings will be located on the south side of Trafalgar Road in the north west corner of the site. This area is comprised of the site of an extensive concrete base of a former building that used to be the tennis pavilion. The brick wall here fronting Trafalgar Road will be retained but reduced to 900mm and the mature tree retained. The accommodation will comprise a terrace of five by three bedroom family houses which runs in an east west alignment fronting Trafalgar Road, and two attached linked blocks providing four by two bed flats adjoining the western end of the terrace of family housing. The footprint of the building fronting Trafalgar Road has been amended so that the flank wall the house number 5, on the eastern end is now located approximately 10 metres further to the west than was the case with the flank wall of the flats proposed in the original scheme. This will reduce the impact of the upper part of the terrace on the development opposite the site and result in an improved street scene. Although the built development is arranged slightly differently within the north-western corner of the site, the area within which it is accommodated remains almost identical to the original proposal and there is no loss of the cricket out field, parking area or any other area necessary to serve the recreational use of the site. The proposal includes the provision of seating areas, which will allow spectators to sit comfortably and watch the tennis and this will be a positive benefit to the sports/recreational use of the site. The proposal includes the provision of access via a ‘carriage arch’ under the flats to a parking area which will provide 16 parking spaces to serve the residential development. This will provide two spaces for each dwelling house and 1.5 spaces for each flat. Access will also be available via a barrier to the existing open hard surface area currently used for parking by the members of the Bowls Club who will be able to continue to use this area as they do at the present time. In terms of elevational treatment the design proposes a contemporary development with a slate roof, dark grey boarding, off white render and a well proportioned arrangement of fenestration. The proposal also includes the provision of a brick wall along the front part of the site to match the existing screen boundary wall with the insertion of black metal gates and railings where necessary. REPORT NO PAGE 3 4 Development Plan Policy Proposals came forward for development of part of this site at the time of the Gravesham Local Plan First Review. It will be noted that the Inspector did not rule out the principle of enabling development but stated that, if a proposal came forward, it would be for the Local Planning Authority to determine the balance to be struck.