Blaker Road Stratford, E15 2PY
DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT
roberts & treguer April 2015 roberts & treguer Contents
1.0 Executive Summary 5.0 Massing Studies 5.1 Building Mass 2.0 Introduction 5.2 Building Heights 2.1 Brief 2.2 Planning Policy 6.0 Views 2.3 Pre-Application Discussions 6.1 Daylight and Sunlight 2.4 Design Development 6.2 Views 2.5 Consultants 7.0 Access Proposals 3.0 The Site & Surrounding Area 7.1 Waste and Recycling Management 3.1 The Site 7.2 Servicing and Maintenance 3.2 Heritage Considerations 7.3 Emergency Access/Egress 3.2.1 The Bow Back Rivers 7.4 Cycle Storage 3.2.2 Historic Evolution of City Mill Lock 7.5 Crime and Security 3.2.3 Howards House 7.7 Inclusive Design 3.3 Surrounding Buildings 7.8 Pre-Construction Phase Plan 3.4 Site Context 3.4.1 Amenity 8.0 Conclusion 3.4.2 Density 3.4.3 Vehicular Approach and Transport Links 9.0 Appendix A 3.4.4 Archaeology 9.1 Newham Core Strategy Proposals Map 3.4.5 Ecology 9.2 Historical Lock Drawings 3.4.6 Flood Risk 9.3 Lifetime Homes Assessment 9.4 Community Consultation 4.0 Design Proposals 9.5 Lifecycle & Embodied Carbon 4.1 Key Design Considerations 9.6 Statutory Consultation and Letters of Support 4.1.1 Lock Island Archive 9.7 Inventory of Waterway Artefacts and Reclaimed Building Elements 4.1.2 PassivHaus Retrofit 4.2 Proposed Mix of Units 10.0 Appendix B 4.3 Drawings - as existing 10.1 Rights of Light 4.4 Drawings - as proposed 10.2 Ecology Survey 4.5 Materials 10.3 Transport Statement 4.6 Greenspaces 10.4 Heritage Supporting Statement 4.7 Code for Sustainable Homes 10.5 Flood Risk Assessment Howards House circa 1920
roberts & treguer 1.0 Executive Summary
The proposed scheme for the City Mills Lock island seeks to restore the existing
Lockkeepers Cottage, rebuild the house of Luke Howard (the famous Victorian Blaker Street chemist) in a location close to its original setting and construct a new warehouse from building elements in the Canal and Riverside Trust’s Archive.
City Mill River Path
Marshgate Business Estate
City Mill Lock
City Mill River
The Lock Project Team Building Stratford High Street Applicant - Roberts and Treguer Ltd [contact: [email protected] or [email protected]] Architect - Roberts and Treguer Ltd Structural Engineer - Alan Baxters LLP Marine Engineer - Beckett Rankine Ltd
Civil Engineer - Land & Water Location Plan Heritage and Design Adviser - Donald Insall Associates Ltd PassivHaus Designer - Studio Bark Ltd Landscape and Ecology - Gary Grant and Dusty Gedge Community Consultation - UCL Research Rights to Light - Rights to Light Consulting Ltd Highways Consultant - Phil Jones Associates Ltd Approved Inspector - MLM Ltd
1 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Brief 2.2 Planning Policy This document has been prepared to support the planning application for the The proposals have been developed in the context of the London Legacy works to develop the City Mill Lock island site around the existing Lock Keepers Development Corporation’s (LLDC) Local Plan, the Stratford Metropolitan Cottage. Masterplan (Development Framework February 2011), Newham’s Local Plan – the Core Strategy (adopted January 2012), the London Plan and with reference The proposed scheme has been developed through extensive research into to the Area Brief for Pudding Mill as part of the Legacy Masterplan Framework. the development of the City Mill Lock island and the Bow Backwaters from 1755 The proposals have also been viewed as part of the ‘critical mass’ described through to the Olympics and present day. On the back of this work we have in section 5.20 of Policy S2 that consists of Pudding Mill Lane, Sugar House managed to identify many historic features and buildings which once, and still Lane and Three Mills in the Lower Lee Valley. Throughout the report the relevant do, contributed to the waterways landscape; giving it vibrancy, interest and LLDC planning policies below have been highlighted to indicate where the helping to create a sense of place for all members of the community. scheme has addressed compliance, specifically in relation to:
Our scheme seeks to build on these historic features and memories in BN1 Responding to Place three ways 1) by constructing a modern warehouse incorporating waterway BN2 Creating Distinctive waterway environments heritage elements including items from the Canal and Riverside Trust’s BN3 Maximising biodiversity Archive, 2) rebuilding the Howards house, a house once belonging to the BN4 Designing Residential Schemes Victorian chemists who invented the naming system for clouds, which was was BN5 Inclusive Design demolished in 1934 as part of the 1933 Flood Relief Act and 3) by restoring the BN12 Protecting archaeological interest the existing Lock Keepers Cottage that has been on the site since 1933. BN16 Preserving or enhancing heritage assets
As part of the Island Archive the scheme also proposes to restore and relocate to Stratford other historic waterway artefacts - including a Harbourmaster’s Crane - with the help of the Canal and River Trust and Local History Groups.
The Island will provide a range of highly sustainable residential accommodation to help meet Stratford’s growing urban population. All the homes on the Island will be developed to meet the PassivHaus standard, which represents a 92% improvement in the carbon footprint of the dwellings when compared to a typical home in the London area. Energy bills for these homes are anticipated to cost only £50-80 per year.
Accommodation comprises Residential C3 accommodation with the restoration of the existing lock cottage and the formation of 7 new additional residential units. roberts & treguer 2.3 Pre-Application Discussions 2.4 Design Development A formal pre-application was made to the LLDC on 23rd December 2014, the The input from the following consultees has proved invaluable and many outcome of which is detailed below. changes have been proposed as a result:
Prior to the pre-application the proposals had been discussed with Russell • LLDC Butchers, Area Planner for the Canal & River Trust, their third party works • Newham Council; highways, waste and recycling engineer and their estates and heritage officers during which no objections were • Environment Agency raised. The Head of Heritage at the Canal and River Trust also offered advice • Canal and River Trust regarding canal features for potential reclamation and re-use. Early consultation • Metropolitan Police with the Environment Agency’s Ben Llwellyn over the impact of the works on the • London Fire Brigade neighbouring flood defences was also undertaken and Katy Francis, the EA third party works engineer, confirmed that they had no objection to the proposals as it Below is a summary of the key design and amenity changes following the would be down to the CRT to maintain their neighbouring assets. original pre-application submission [ref: PREAPP 14/00058]:
The pre-application submission gave us the opportunity to discuss the scheme 1. Foundation design to mitigate impacts on flood defences by construction of directly with the LLDC. On 5th February 2015 we met with the LLDC team: new raft slab and screw mini piles inset to allow 3m from all canal edges 2. Enhancement of the amenity space provisions for each unit to comply with • Hilary Wrenn, Senior Planning Development Manager the GLA Housing SPG • Steve Tomlinson, Senior Designer 3. Reduction in the number of new proposed units on the site from 8 new units • Allison DeMarco, Head of Development Management down to 7 new to be able to provide a better mix of accommodation and unit • Pippa Gueterbock, Senior Design & Physical Regeneration Manager sizes to comply with the GLA Housing SPG and internal space standards 4. Reduction on the massing on the rear elevation of the scheme in the central The meeting provided us with a series of action points that needed to be section and setting back the warehouse roof extensions from the edges. addressed, including design development and LLDC policy adherance, as well 5. Enhanced bin store 6 no. 360 litre bins including recycling and bulk storage as providing focus for our statutory consultation process. We convened again 6. Increased cycling provisions - 14 no. spaces on 12th February and 5th March to review progress. In addition we presented 7. Increased lighting provision, planting and active frontages to public areas to the scheme to the LLDC’s Quality Review Panel on 20th February 2015, the design out crime, whilst maintaining privacy between habitable rooms outcomes of which are outlined in 2.4 Design Development and they confirmed 8. Engagement with Newham History Society, UCL and Bishopgate Institute to that they were in support of the proposals and that the points raised ‘could be help facilitate the interpretation aspects of the proposals and to actively take dealt with in collaboration with the planning officers.’ part in the restoration of the Sharpness Dock Crane. Linking the proposals through to the River Lea Fat walk (now renamed ‘Leaway’) Additional pre-application discussions and meetings with the Principal Engineer 9. Public landscaping of the wasteland north of the site where we intend to for Highways and Traffic at Newham Council, the Waste and Disposal Reduction work in partnership with Keates Community Organic Growing for some Manager and the local Designing Out Crime Officer from the Metropolitan police raised allotment beds for children, thus opening up 347msq currently were undertaken. The positive outcomes are detailed within the Appendix. private space for public use
3 2.0 Introduction The architecture of the scheme has responded to the deisgn critique of the In early 2015, following on from further design discussions with the LLDC’s LLDC quality review panel in the following ways: Senior Designer, the following changes were agreed to further improve the scheme. Warehouse • the articulation of the fenestration to the new warehouse building has been • Push back Howards House by 800mm, giving it a strip garden in front and simplified to make it less historicist whilst still retaining the reclaimed bricks making the two house entrances read symmetrically on the front facade. • Blaker Road facade has been simplifed and set back from the bridge by 700mm • Remove the communal roof terrace on third oor of the ock eepers • the introduction of reclaimed warehouse elements such as hoists have been Cottage so that the roof has a traditional pitch all the way round. made where they can be fully functioning - to lift furniture etc. • more open plan ‘loft living’ layouts have been introduced • xtend the previousl set back fourth oor roof addition to the warehouse
Howards House • Offset the warehouse elevation that fronts onto Blaker Road by 1m. • the facade treatment of the Howards House west elevation has been stripped back to make the distinction between the ‘front’ and ‘rear’ of the • Pull back the warehouse so that its plan does not overlap with the Lock house more acurate historically and, therefore, a more faithful replication Keepers Cottage.
Lock Keepers Cottage • the scale of the west extension to the Lock Keeper’s Cottage has been reduced and fenestration simplified • the fourth oor of the warehouse has been pulled back at the corner where it meets with the Lock Keeper’s cottage to help mitigate the height difference from the extension of the existing building • the extension to the rear facade has been modified so that it is in keeping with the original 1930’s building
extract from detail section roberts & treguer 2.5 Consultants The proposals have been developed in conjunction with an extensive team of consultants to address both the physical, logistical and social aspects of the proposals. Early advice was sought from Marine Engineers Beckett Rankine to establish the feasibility of constructing additional structures on the man-made lock island. The initial massing proposals were then developed in conjunction with the PassivHaus designer Studio Bark and the principles of reuse, restore and recreate were established.
In tandem with the architectural design work a researcher from the University College London, Charlotte Johnson, was enlisted to provide an insight into the communities of the local area through community consultation. As the project has progressed - and discussions with statutory consultees have gained momentum - advice has been sought from additional consultants to provide further supporting information. For example, discussions with the Canal and River Trust have led to the engagement of specialist waterway contractors and civil engineer’s - Land & Water. Land & Water were involved in the 2008 Lock Island refurbishment works carried out as part of the Olympic Games legacy improvements. Their expert knowledge has allowed us to develop method statements that outline the processes involved in the implementation of the Canal and River Trust site works, including associated micro-piling, underground services and temporary visit works. It also sets out procedures to manage the site and the removal of site waste by water.
‘www.5thstudio.co.uk/projects/lea-river-park- fatwalk-north’ - visual of Blaker Road Leaway
5 3.0 The Site & Surrounding Area
3.1 The Site The site is located centrally within an area designated by the ‘Newham 2027 - Newham Character Study’ as ‘former industrial land with some areas still in greenway industrial use’. The triangular shaped island site is bounded to all sides by the Bow Back Rivers with Blaker Road over-sailing it to the north. The only access city mill river is on foot via an existing pedestrian ramp - or by boat. The City Mill lock bounds the site to the south east and a sluice sits to the north of the site to the entrance of a dry ‘cut’ due to the consistently low water levels.
otter court C
waterworks river
blaker road
View A
D B
marshgate business the lock estate building
three mills wall river river A buildings private - greenspace
public - greenspace sugar private - hard landscaping bow back river house public - hard landscaping lane
stratford high street View D roberts & treguer the site the site
View A View C
the site
View D View B 7 3.0 The Site & Surrounding Area
3.2 Heritage Considerations
3.2.1 The Bow Back Rivers The Bow Back Rivers or Stratford Back Waters are a series of channels and rivers between Bow and Stratford, most of which are tidal, connecting the River Lea to the River Thames. The tidal nature of the channels meant that lead to the establishment of a number of watermills, which characterised the landscape of the Stratford marshes for many years. One of the last remaining mills, St homas s ills, which was located on the unction of arshgate ane and Pudding Mill Lane was demolished in 1934 as part of the river improvement works (see below). The mills changed ownership frequently and in 1752 St Thomas’s Mills had a water corn-mill, a malt mill-house, and a windmill. The Three Mills site further down river is the site of the last remaining Mills that dominated the landscape of the Bow Back Rivers from 1200.
he waterwa s themselves have been sub ect to significant change since the Queen Maud and Bow Bridge circa 1110 original, somewhat treacherous, Roman Road crossing was replaced with Bow Back Rivers circa 1741 two new bridges by Queen Maud (Henry I’s wife), who allegedly paid for the construction of the first stone bridge of it s kind ow ridge in 1110 pre dating crossings of the River Thames. The name for ‘Bow Bridge’ is reported to refer to its arched construction. he current ow over was built in 1 but evidence of the original bridge remained until 1750’s when it was replaced with a new bridge. Stratford High Street now serves as a main artery into central London from Essex maintaining it’s original function as the gateway to the City. The New River was constructed to supply drinking water to the city but this resulted in low water levels thus necessitating its canalisation in order to navigate it still. The construction of the Limehouse Cut and Hackney Cut in 1767 facilitated more direct navigation routes for commercial barges.
The Site roberts & treguer
London in 1741 - by John Rocque (extract) 1 2 3
4 1. historical map of the mills, circa 1777
2. old miller J B Greater
3. a miller bagging product
4. Bow Back River windmill
5. The Three Mills
5
9 3.0 The Site & Surrounding Area 1869
3.2 Heritage Considerations continued... arsh fie ds to north east and west of site 3.2.2 Historic Evolution of City Mill Lock The City Mill Lock island itself was constructed circa 1932 as a result of the Howards & Sons works improvement works to the Bow Back Rivers carried out by the Lee Conservancy established oard. he works were not onl intended to improve ood management but also to encourage water borne traffic again especiall commercial traffic. It was Development at Sugar Lane also an investment into the people of the area, being funded by a government Mills started unemployment relief grant, thus providing employment at a time when the effects of post-industrialisation and the decline of industry was at its peak. Startford High Street morphs into Queen Matilda As part of the redevelopment of the rivers the City Mill lock, which is located to Street - a reminder of the the south east of the site, replaced the original Marshgate Lock. However, the Bow Bridge benefactress Bow Back Rivers continued to deteriorate over the next 30 years as commercial waterwa traffic ceased. he tidal Waterworks River runs to the west of the site and a rather redundant looking sluice is located to the north. By 1996 the Cit ill lock was deemed to be officiall redundant, however, in 2002 ritish Waterways pledged to regenerate the Bow Back Rivers. Improvements to the City Mill lock were carried out in 2005 as a ‘planning gain’ required from the developers of the neighbouring Bellway Homes Essex housing scheme.
As part of the 2012 Olympic regeneration scheme the lock gates were subsequently replaced with remotely controlled electronic lock gates.
roberts & treguer© Crown Copyright and Landmark Information Group Limited 2014 all rights reserved. This map may not be reproduced without permission. 852664275 OS County Series: LONDON 1:2,500 1869 1916 1948-50
arsh fie ds to east indus- Bow Back river trualised redirected
arsh fie ds to est o site Lock island created developed with housing arsh fie ds to north o site taken over by industry
Stratford High Street is widened
© Crown Copyright and Landmark Information Group Limited 2014 all rights reserved. This map may not be reproduced without permission. 852664275 © Crown Copyright and Landmark Information Group Limited 2014 all rights reserved. This map may not be reproduced without permission. 852664275 OS County Series: ESSEX 1:2,500 1916 11 OS Plan 1:2,500 1948-1950 3.0 The Site & Surrounding Area Detail of City Mill Lock footbridge, 1932
Flood Relief Proposals for City Mill Lock and Waterway Cut, 1932
Detail of City Mill Lock gate, 1932
roberts & treguer 2.4 Historic Development of the Site
2.4.1 18th Century The site remained undeveloped marshland up until the 19th Century.
19th Century Extensive development was undertaken in and around the site throughout the 19th Century. The nature of the development was largely for industrial purposes. During this period a smelting works was located on the site.
By the end of the 19th Century the Southern edge of the site had been defined by a series of buildings. It is believed that the existing Southern boundary wall that forms the perimeter of the existing warehouseOL-01207, was OL-02007, built during OL-02707, this period.OL-03007, OL-03507, OL-05007, OL-05407, OL-07207, OL-07307, OL- 07407, OL-07407: Landscape and Standing Building Survey 0 MoLAS-PCA
20th Century The composition of the site is changed significantly with the re-alignment of City Mill River and Pudding Mill River in the mid-1930s. These were moved outside the site boundary and the resultingOL-01207, infilled areaOL-02007, of rivers offeredOL-02707, the potential OL-03007, for further OL-03507, OL-05007, OL-05407, OL-07207, OL-07307, OL- development. 07407, OL-07407: Landscape and Standing Building Survey 0 MoLAS-PCA Site Map 1766 Site Map 1869 By 1948 OS Maps depict the site as containing a Glass Works, glue works and the London Hospital Ligature Department. The glass works was later extended to cover most of the site and it is likely City Mill Lock; that the large warehouse that exists on the site today is from this 1. under construction, circa 1933 period. 2. under construction, circa 1933 3. following completion, circa 1933 The Marshgate site became a Business Centre in the late 20th 4. neglected, circa 1980 Century when it was purchased by Workspace Group Plc. 5. neglected, circa 1980 6. neglected footbridge, circa 2008 7. neglected, circa 2008
Plate 3 Setting out of the flood channel (sloping poles show position of the future concrete revetments), May 1930: OL-01207
1 3 6
Photograph of the newly built Groves Bridge - completed in 1933 Warehouses of Goulds Flour and Seed Merchants
4
Plate 3 Setting out of the flood channel (sloping poles show position of the future concrete revetments), May 1930: OL-01207
2 5 7 477 P:\MULTI\1072\OL-01207\Field\waterways survey\Overall Waterways Report\OLY Waterways Report12.doc 13
477 P:\MULTI\1072\OL-01207\Field\waterways survey\Overall Waterways Report\OLY Waterways Report12.doc 3.0 The Site & Surrounding Area
3.2 Heritage Considerations continued...
3.2.3 Howards House The canal cottage that currently sits on the site was built in the 1930’s when the City Mill Lock was constructed. Whilst the building itself is of little architectural merit it has been locally listed by Newham for it’s ‘historic interest’ and ‘townscape quality’.
In 1806 the land on which the St Thomas’s Mills stood - together with the ‘right of way to and from London - Stratford highway’ - was purchased by Howards & Sons Ltd. Howards & Sons were known as the makers of aspirin but during the nineteenth century, quinine was the firms most profitable product, though it also manufactured many other fine chemicals, including cocaine, ether, borax, and citric acid. Howards & Sons founder, Luke Howard, as well as being a chemist, was an amateur meteorologist and developed the classification system for clouds; cumulus, stratus, and cirrus. He is credited as being the ‘namer of clouds’. His son, John Howard, was also a keen botanist who took over the business and oversaw the diversification into quinine manufacture.
The Sugar House Lane conservation area lies to the south of the site and sets the tone for the proposals once completed in terms of associated heritage. archive plans of original Howards House
Luke Howard John Howard ‘Sketches of Clouds’ Howards Asprin advert Inside Howards House
roberts & treguer Extract from Plan for Howards & Sons, circa 1800 London Plan, 1893 indicating extent of Howards & Sons
View A
View B 15 View A Howards House circa 1914
roberts & treguer View B Howards House circa 1914
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