6.1 Whitgift Shopping Centre And
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PLANNING COMMITTEE AGENDA 14 November 2017 PART 6: Planning Applications for Decision Item 6.1 1 SUMMARY OF APPLICATION DETAILS Ref: 16/05418/OUT Location: Whitgift Shopping Centre and Surrounding Land, Croydon, CR0 1LP Ward: Fairfield Description: Mixed use redevelopment of the Site through the demolition (within and outside the Conservation Area), alteration, refurbishment and retention of existing buildings/structures and erection of new buildings/structures to provide a range of town centre uses including retail and related uses (Use Class A1 - A 5), leisure (Use Class D2), residential (Use Class C3), student accommodation (sui generis) or hotel (Use Class C1), community facilities (Use Class D1), office (Use Class B1), residential amenity space and public realm. Alteration of existing and creation of new basements, underground servicing and multi- storey car parking, alteration to existing and creation of new vehicular and pedestrian access into the site, utility and energy generation facilities, infrastructure and associated facilities, together with any required temporary works or structures required by the development. Demolition within the conservation area of no. 5 George Street and nos. 2- 30 North End, but with retention of the building facades at no. 5 George Street and at nos. 2-30 North End. Demolition of buildings within the conservation area at no. 7 George Street and nos. 44-46, 48-50, 52, 54, 56, 94, 96, 98 and 114-126 North End including walls and fences, and part of the rear of nos. 34 and 108 North End and creation of basements beneath buildings at nos. 114-126 North End. Properties at Nos. 32, 34, 34a, 34-36, 58, 60-68, 70, 72, 74, 76-78, 80, 82-84, 86, 88-90, 92, 100, 102, 104, 106, 110 and 112 North End and Nos. 3 and 3a George Street to be retained with minor works to facilitate construction. Drawing Nos: PS001 – PS012, CA001, 7572-GA-04 Rev A, 7572-GA-05 Rev A Applicant: The Croydon Limited Partnership Agent: Mr Matthew Small, Quod Case Officer: Helen Furnell Studio’s 1 bed 2 bed 3 bed Indicative 5% 45% 45% 5% Mix Fixed At reserved At reserved At reserved 5% agreed matters matters matters as part of outline Flats Minimum 626, maximum 967 units (indicative) Totals Minimum 626, maximum 967 units (indicative) Discount Minimum quantum of 20% of total number of units required Market Rent at Discount Market Rent, with 40% of these to be discounted to London Living Rent level and 60% of these to be discounted to 80% of market rent level. Shared 0 0 0 0 ownership Totals 125 - 193 (maximum and minimum Discount Market Rent unit numbers, based on indicative residential unit numbers) Type of Existing Retained Demolished New Total Net floorspace (sqm) (sqm) (sqm) (sqm) (sqm) additional (GEA) (sqm) Retail and 128,068 254 127,814 173,430 173,684 45,616 Leisure Use (A1-A5 and D2) Of which: 128,068 254 127,814 166,062 166,316 38,248 Retail and related Uses (A1-A5) Of which: 0 0 0 16,842 16,842 16,842 Leisure Use (D2) Residential Use 0 0 0 71,250 – 71,250 – 71,250 – (C3) 139,465 139,465 139,465 Of which: 0 0 0 20,684 20,684 20,684 Student Residential (sui generis) / Hotel (C1) Community Use 0 0 0 1,053 1,053 1,053 (D1) Office (B1) 50,676 0 50,676 3,895 3,895 -46,781 Car Parking 50,265 0 50,265 100,000 100,000 49,735 Malls 15,966 0 15,966 36,842 36,842 20,876 Back of House 6,979 0 6,979 52,632 52,632 45,653 Facilities (all uses) Number of car parking spaces Number of cycle parking spaces 3,140 in main car park; Initially 300, 50 of which to be in the 6% of these accessible (blue badge basement, to increase in line with and parent/child); demand 10% (of total residential numbers), blue badge spaces for residential 1.1 This application is being reported to Planning Committee because the Ward Councillor (Cllr Vidhi Mohan) made representations in accordance with the Committee Consideration Criteria and requested committee consideration, objections above the threshold in the Committee Consideration Criteria have been received and the Director of Planning and Strategic Transport considers committee consideration to be necessary. 2 BACKGROUND 2.1 This application follows the granting of outline planning permission and conservation area consent for the redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre (refs. 12/02542/P & 12/02543/CAC) in February 2014 and detailed planning permission for the Chapel Walk entrance (ref 14/02824/P) in December 2014. These permissions are a material consideration in the determination of this planning application and are given due weight when examining the details of this application. These are extant consents and could be implemented, should the developer choose to do so, although the developer has advised that as things stand it is no longer its intention to implement the 2014 planning permission and that all discussions with anchors and key occupiers are predicated on the current planning application. In the intervening 3 years and 9 months since the 2014 scheme was granted planning permission and conservation area consent the original scheme has not been progressed any further. As per the evidence to the 2015 CPO Inquiry, the scheme design has evolved since the 2014 consent layout. The changes encompassed within the current planning application are largely commercially driven and principally as follows: Incorporation of Green Park House site into the scheme. This increased site area, along with the demolition of the Whitgift Car Park will enable Marks & Spencer to relocate into a brand new modern store rather than remaining in the outmoded current store. This is a key driver for the new scheme, albeit (as advised by the developer) at significant additional cost to them. Improved interface between scheme and Poplar Walk as a result of reconfigured northern end of scheme. Revised mall layout to enable a 3 level scheme. Separation of residential towers from the retail superstructure. This significantly improves buildability of the residential element of the scheme. Revised access arrangements so that access for the retail car park and servicing access is no longer taken from Poplar Walk. It is the scheme envisaged in the current application which is the subject of this report, which the developer wishes to progress. The main differences between the approved scheme and the current proposal are explained in the section titled ‘Regeneration of the Metropolitan Centre’ below. 2.2 In April 2014 the Council made a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to acquire the necessary land to bring forward the comprehensive redevelopment of the land, subject to the 2014 consents. The CPO Inquiry was held during February and March 2015 and the Secretary of State confirmed the CPO in September 2015. At the time the CPO was confirmed, the developer demonstrated that there was a reasonable prospect of the scheme being delivered and this will also need to be shown in relation to this scheme before the land subject to the CPO is vested, should planning permission be granted for this scheme. 2.3 Since this time, as mentioned above, the developer has acquired additional land at Green Park House (on the corner of Poplar Walk and Wellesley Road) and other land interests and undertaken further design evolution of the scheme. 2.4 The developer engaged in pre-application discussions with the Council, and whilst the proposals are described fully later in this report, a summary of the main changes since the 2014 planning permission are summarised as follows: Increased site area, including the acquired Green Park House site. Demolition (rather than retention) of the multi-storey car park on Wellesley Road, and the Marks and Spencer store on the corner of North End and Poplar Walk. These areas would be included in the redevelopment scheme (rather than being refurbished). As a result the northern section of the site is now proposed to be demolished and redeveloped. Increased residential floorspace (and reconfiguration of its location within the site). The residential component is to be provided as "build for rent" with affordable housing being provided through units at discounted market rents. Increased combined retail and leisure floorspace. Changes to vehicle access and egress points. Creation of a new area of public realm on Poplar Walk. Step-free east-west route. Potential inclusion of hotel use or student accommodation. Provision of a single, modern car park to serve the development. 2.5 The proposals which have evolved to become this application have been presented to this Committee twice during the pre-application process on 28 April 2016 and 14 July 2016. The proposed development was reported to enable members of the Committee to view it before a planning application was submitted and to comment upon it. The development presentations did not constitute an application for planning permission and any comments made upon it were provisional and without prejudice to full consideration of any subsequent application and the comments received as a result of consultation, publicity and notification. 2.6 The following comments were raised by the Committee during those presentations (the following is representative of the Council’s formal minutes). 28 April 2016: Design and massing: Generally a positive view about the exciting development coming forward Concern about views of the roof car park for residents in the towers - the applicant needs to explore the possibility of improving aspect with some landscaping or other covering Need for more separation between the towers, in order to avoid coalescence and a 'one block' appearance