Trevarthian Road, St Austell Development Brief CORNWALL COLLEGE, ST AUSTELL DEVELOPMENT BRIEF Turner Holden Town Planning Consultants Hawkridge House Chelston Business Park Wellington Somerset TA1 8YA Tel: 0183 666150 Fax. 018F3 666631OR M e-mail: [email protected] E S I G N GROUP Form Design Group Architects Tin Quay House North Quay Sutton Harbour Plymouth PL4 0RA Tel: 0175 668839 Fax: 0175 73800 e-mail: [email protected] Environs Partnership Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning The Old Rectory South Walks Road Dorchester Dorset DT1 1DT Tel: 01305 50455 Fax: 01305 64645 JUNE 2006 e-mail: [email protected] Foreword This Development Brief is the result of a long and thorough technical and public consultation process which will act as a model for the way Restormel Borough Council deals with major developments in the future. This process involves neighbours of proposed developments and the wider public at an early date. It provides for the Community Benefits that will be the subject of a legal agreement associated with a future planning application to be agreed in broad terms. This approach is now set out in the Council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement. In order for this new way to be effective, the proposed developers need to have imagination and work positively with the Council to ensure that we get the best development for the Borough whilst still reflecting commercial realities. The former College site is in a wonderful, sustainable location with good access to all facilities. This development brief will ensure a high quality development including affordable homes, employment space and Community uses. It was adopted by the Council as a Supplementary Development Document on 1st February 2006. Cllr Annette Egerton DBE Portfolio holder for Planning and Regeneration Restormel Borough Council 3 Preface Development Briefs provide a stepping stone between the provisions of planning policy and the form and detail of a planning application. They can perform a number of functions, such as promoting a site for development, interpreting Development Plan policies, or addressing a particular site constraint or opportunity. Most importantly, however, Development Briefs are intended to enhance the efficiency of the planning process and improve the quality of development. Restormel Borough Council consider that a Development Brief is required for the whole of the site and agreed with the Local Planning Authority before any planning applications are approved. This Development Brief, hereafter simply referred to as ‘The Brief’, has been prepared by Turner Holden, Town Planning Consultants, Form Design Group, Architects, Environs Partnership, Landscape Architects, WSP Development. 4 CONTENTS 1. Introduction 6 5. Constraints, Assets and Opportunities 34 1.1 Brief and scope 6 5.1 Constraints 34 1.2 Objectives 6 5.2 Assets & Opportunities 35 2. Background 7 6. Defining the Urban Form 36 2.1 Location 7 6.1 Development Objectives 36 2.2 The History of Cornwall College at St Austell 9 6.2 Design Principles 36 2.3 Planning Policy 10 6.3 Development Proposals 37 2.4 Design Guidance 12 6.4 Site Movement 38 2.5 Existing St Austell Regeneration Initiatives and Studies 6.5 Landscape 39 2.6 Market Conditions 12 6.6 Development Mix 39 2.7 Community Consultation 13 6.7 Concept Plan 42 14 6.8 Future management of the public realm 43 3. Site Context 3.1 Settings and Landform 15 7. Implementation 44 3.2 Land Use 15 3.3 Movement 16 3.4 Built Environment 18 21 4. Site Appraisal 4.1 Topography 25 4.2 Landscape 26 4.3 Ecology 27 4.4 Infrastructure 31 4.5 Archaeology 33 33 5 1. INTRODUCTION 1.2 Objectives 1.1 Brief and scope This Brief has five main objectives. It is intended to: This brief: • Describe the physical and economic characteristics of the • Describes the Cornwall College site in terms of its site and its surroundings; physical and historical context, and outlines the national, • Clarify the relevant policy context that will influence the strategic and local plans and policies which govern its development of the site; development; • Make clear the general mix of land uses considered appropriate; • Appraises the natural and built form of the site: vegetation, • Promote a high standard of design; ecology, views, history and archaeology, together with • Seek a redevelopment that will contribute towards the the infrastructure, pedestrian and vehicular movement regeneration of this part of St Austell. patterns; In meeting these objectives, Restormel Borough Council believe • Analyses the constraints, assets and opportunities of it is important to ensure that the Brief: the site and outlines urban design issues relating to the • Recognises the views of the wide range of individuals, site. land owners, neighbours and agencies that will be affected by, and involved in, the redevelopment of the The purpose of this Brief is to provide a framework for the future College site; development of the St Austell College site. • Promotes a scheme that recognises the particular opportunities, constraints and challenges presented by The basis for the Brief is the Restormel Borough Local Plan. It the site; and provides guidance as to how the site should be redeveloped, • Ensures that the proposals are genuinely deliverable. and is intended to guide the formulation and submission of future planning applications. The Brief does not seek to be overly prescriptive in terms of the detailed design of the redevelopment of the site. Good The consultation exercise consisted of a seven week period design will not be secured by dictating the detailing or precise commencing on 4 April 2005. The purpose of this exercise was siting of new buildings, nor pre-determining the materials to to introduce the Brief to the people and organisations which will be used. Rather, the Brief sets out the design principles that most be affected by the development at the site, and to consider Restormel Borough Council believe will provide a sound basis changes to the proposals resulting from this process. for the detailed design of proposals that will, in due course, be included in planning applications. 6 2. BACKGROUND 2.1 Location St Austell © Crown Copyright All rights reserved Situated in mid Cornwall on a south facing escarpment near (10001863) 006 to the south coast, with a population of 28,000, St Austell is the largest town in Cornwall. Originally a market town, but expanding over the years through mining and the china clay industry, the historic core of the town retains buildings from the 15th century onwards. The character of St Austell is defined by its geography. It lies to the south of the Hensbarrow granite massif with its industrial landscape of china clay workings. The town is at the confluence of several steeply sided, densely wooded river valleys. This hillside location affords significant views across and out of the The Site town. Within the town, the medieval pattern was one of tall buildings and a strong sense of enclosure. Narrow curved streets radiated out from the central focus of the town, Holy Trinity Church. In the last century, this tight development was surrounded by a suburban green belt of large residences in spacious, mature gardens, and the railway line bisected and disrupted the original Holy Trinity street pattern. The town expanded massively with large scale Church housing development from the 1930’s, predominantly on gentler slopes to the north east of the town centre. The Site and its Setting Town Centre 0 50 100 200 300 400m 7 Diagram 1 0 50 100 200 300 400m 1 9 1 2 a 9 N SITE CONTEXT 1 5 © Crown Copyright All rights reserved 8 L EWIS WAY The area contained within the brief is considered here at two CORNWALL COUNTY th (10001863) 006 Pa Cookworthy Path TRURO AND ST AUSTELL CO CONST levels: the Cornwall College site itself (the Site) and the part of 2 4 Pavillion 18 St Austell in which it sits (the Site Context). John Keay House Bowling Green Tennis Courts 2 9 The Site Context is defined by its incongruity with the 2 1 surrounding urban fabric. Whilst much of St Austell north of 11 3 the railway line is characterised by small scale post 1907 0 UE EN AV RE O M CA SY housing development which follows the contours of the FB 36 3 3 6 hillside, the Site Context area contains large mass, coarse John Keay House 1 79 grained buildings set in open space. These include civic LB 3 Chan 7 Jarmel 7 6 6 P 2 O 69 5 5 L 6 3 T A Cousin I Jacks R FS E D 9 uses (leisure centre, police and fire station), educational 5 5 6 5 5 4 4 6 2 39 5 2 a 5 establishments (Cornwall College, Poltair School), 14 2 8m 2. 11 10 Cappoquin 16 employment establishments (John Keay House, St Austell Hebron Penkerris 12 3 The Witheys 8 8 3 Brewery) and low density housing. 6 H 86 ILL 84 SI LO D 2 S E TW 3 St Austell RO 4 O 46 A O 7 D 8 D RD 2 Views exist from the site to the historic industrial landscape Brewery 112.5m 8 2 2 4 3 2 D 2 5 6 A 2 1 and open countryside to the north and west. John Keay t o 2 6 O R 1 4 House dominates the northern prospect, providing a dramatic Y Poltair School E Reservoirs B M 1 1 1 S . 4 7 m S El I CORNWALL COUNTY RESTORMEL DISTRICT POLTAIR ED POLTAIR WARD Sub intervention into the landscape close to the skyline. The elevation Sta N 1 2 O Poltair School ST AUSTELL G 1 CORNWALL AND WEST PLYMOUTH EURO CONST TRURO AND ST AUSTELL CO CONST POLTAIR WARD 0 E of this area offers both strategic panoramas and glimpses back 73 R 67 T B M 1 13 .7 2m over the town to the sea.