Thorncliffe Hotel, Heston
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planning report PDU/1284a/01 6 October 2010 Thorncliffe Hotel, Heston in the London Borough of Hounslow planning application no.00815/A/P22 Strategic planning application stage 1 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 Demolition of part three, part four storey, 317 bedroom hotel and ancillary outbuildings to erect a four storey 317 bed room hotel with associated parking, coach and taxi bays and cycle storage area. The hotel will also have associated conference and banqueting/exhibition facilities. The applicant The applicant is Mastcraft Limited, and the architect is ADZ Architects Strategic issues Hotel use on Green Belt land neighbouring a nature conservation site. Very special circumstances are considered to justify the inappropriate development on this Green Belt site. The proposal’s design complies with the London Plan but the recommendations suggested should be delivered. The outstanding issues with regards to accessibility (inclusive design) should be addressed. Further information is required on climate change mitigation and adaptation. There are various transport issues that will need to be addressed including pedestrian crossing facilities, cycle parking, travels plans. Recommendation That Hounslow Council be advised that the application does not comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 48 of this report; but that the possible remedies set out in paragraph 50 of this report could address these deficiencies. The application does not need to be referred back to the Mayor if Hounslow Council resolve to refuse permission, but it must be referred back if Hounslow Council resolve to grant permission. Context 1 On 1 September 2010 the Mayor of London received documents from Hounslow Council notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site for the above uses. Under the provisions of The Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 the Mayor has until 12 October 2010 to provide the Council with a statement setting out whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan, and his reasons for page 1 taking that view. The Mayor may also provide other comments. This report sets out information for the Mayor’s use in deciding what decision to make. 2 The application is referable under Category 3D of the Schedule to the Order 2008: ”Development on land allocated as greenbelt… and which would involve the construction of a building with a floorspace of more than 1000 sq. m. or a material change in the use of such a building.” 3 Once Hounslow Council has resolved to determine the application, it is required to refer it back to the Mayor for his decision, as to whether to direct refusal; or allow the Council to determine it itself, unless otherwise advised. In this instance if Hounslow Council resolves to refuse permission it need not refer the application back to the Mayor. 4 The Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 5 The Thorncliffe Hotel is located towards the eastern half of a 3.1 hectare site within the Metropolitan Green Belt, with access off North Hyde Lane. The site is bounded to the north by the M4 motorway, to the east by North Hyde Lane and to the south by the rear gardens of residential properties off The Vale. There is an area of open land to the west of the site, which is separated by a post and wire fence and is referred to as the Thorncliffe Nature Conservation Area, (also called Thorncliffe Rough). This site is also located in one of the Borough’s green chains. 6 The existing building dates from the late 1960s and was initially used as a hostel from British Airways staff and subsequently used as temporary accommodation for the homeless and asylum seekers. This use has now ceased and the building is vacant 7 This area of Green Belt is identified within the Council’s UDP as part of Comprehensive Project Area (CPA 6). This seeks ‘comprehensive treatment for this area is required to protect and enhance land which is of ecological significance, and to encourage appropriate redevelopment of the Thorncliffe Hotel in a manner which enhances this important Green Belt site’. 8 The development site is located directly to the south of the M4 but has no direct access from the M4. The site is located to the west of, and also accessed from, North Hyde Road, which in turn connects to the A4, Great West Road approximately 1km to the south which is part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). There are no roads on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) within close proximity of the site. 9 Three bus services operate on North Hyde Lane with a 10 minute morning peak time average frequency. There are no London Underground or rail stations within walking distance of the site. The public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of the site is 2 (where 1 is low and 6 is high), this equates to a poor public transport accessibility level. Details of the proposal 10 The application seeks permission for the redevelopment of the hostel to provide a 317 bedroom 4* hotel, with associated conference and restaurant facilities. The building will be four storeys, and comprise four linked blocks, broadly occupying the same developed area as the existing buildings. page 2 Case history 11 Planning permission was granted in 2006 for extension and refurbishment of the existing building for use as a 317-bedroom hotel. This application was referred to the Mayor, but was considered not to raise any strategic issues as the extension involved infilling within the existing blocks. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 12 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Urban design London Plan; PPS1 Mix of uses London Plan Transport London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; PPG13; Parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; PPG13 Retail/town centre uses London Plan; PPG13, PPS4 Open land London Plan; PPG17; draft PPS Planning for a Natural and Healthy Environment; Green Belt/MOL London Plan; PPG2 Employment London Plan; PPS4; Industrial Capacity SPG Biodiversity London Plan; the Mayor’s Biodiversity Strategy; PPS9; draft PPS Planning for a Natural and Healthy Environment Access London Plan; PPS1; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; Planning and Access for Disabled People: a good practice guide (ODPM) Equal opportunities London Plan; Planning for Equality and Diversity in Meeting the spatial needs of London’s diverse communities SPG; Diversity and Equality in Planning: A good practice guide (ODPM) Sustainable development London Plan; PPS1, PPS1 supplement; PPS3; PPG13; PPS22; draft PPS Planning for a Low Carbon Future in a Changing Climate; the Mayor’s Energy Strategy; Mayor’s draft Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies; Mayor’s draft Water Strategy; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG Urban fringe London Plan; PPG2; PPS7 13 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the development plan in force for the area is the 2003 Hounslow Unitary Development Plan, the 2008 Hounslow Employment DPD and the London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2004). 14 The following are also relevant material consideration: The draft replacement London Plan, published in October 2009 for consultation. The Hounslow Core Strategy (issues and options) 2007. The Green Belt Management Plan, April 1992. Green Belt 15 The application site is located within the Green Belt. Although it is not designated as a Major Developed Site, the UDP Proposals Schedule encourages appropriate redevelopment of the building. Policy 3D.9 of the London Plan clearly indicates that the Green Belt is to be protected page 3 from inappropriate development, and such inappropriate development should not be approved except in very special circumstances. The London Plan also makes clear that London’s growth should be sustainable and not encroach on London’s own precious green spaces (paragraph xi). The reference to “inappropriate development” flows directly from PPG2, which sets out the Government’s policy towards Green Belt. 16 PPG2 identifies the purposes of Green Belt, which are: to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas; to prevent neighbouring towns from merging; to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; and to assist in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict land. Government guidance states that development is inappropriate unless it is for the following purposes: Agriculture and forestry; Essential facilities for outdoor sport and recreation; for cemeteries; and for other uses of land, which preserve the openness of the Green Belt; Limited extension, alteration or replacement of existing dwellings; Limited infilling or redevelopment of major existing developed sites identified in adopted development plans, which meet the criteria in Annex C of PPG2. 17 The application is not for any of these purposes and is therefore inappropriate. Although not clearly articulated by the applicant the implied very special circumstances in this case are that there is an extant permission for a hotel of a slightly larger size (albeit refurbishment/extension rather than new build), the new building will have a far better environmental performance than the extant permission and will result in a significant improvement to the Green Belt. 18 Given that the UDP allows for redevelopment of this site and that development of a similar scale has previously been granted, the very special circumstances can be accepted in this instance. In addition the proposal will bring forward a viable use, which will have a broadly similar impact to the existing use and result in the redevelopment of a derelict site.