Design, Heritage and Access Statement 2 Bed basement flat No.16 Duncan Terrace, Islington, N1 8BZ 16 Duncan Terrace London N1 8BZ t: 020 7704 0619 e: [email protected] Design & Access Statement Page 2 No. 16 Duncan Terrace, N1 8BZ 10.0 Design Proposals Contents 10.1 Amount 10.2 Scale 1.0 Introduction 10.3 Use and Layout 1.1 Proposals 10.4 Existing Basement Level 10.5 Proposed Basement Level 2.0 Analysis: Site Location 10.6 Proposed Front Elevation 2.1 Site Location and Description 10.7 Proposed Rear Elevation 2.2 Aerial Views 10.8 Photographic precedent examples 3.0 Heritage and Historic Context 3.1 No.16 Duncan Terrace 11.0 Design Proposals: Landscaping 3.2 1817 Map 11.1 Lightwells 3.3 1837 Map 3.4 1844 Map 12.0 Design Proposals: Energy 3.5 1872 Map 12.1 Energy 12.2 Refuse Strategy 4.0 Heritage: Conservation Area 4.1 Character of Conservation Area 13.0 Access 4.2 Regents Canal 13.1 Transport 13.2 Inclusive Access 5.0 Analysis: Existing Exteriors 13.3 Summary 5.1 No.16 Duncan Terrace 5.2 External Features 14.0 Conclusions 5.3 Brickwork and Render 14.1 Summary 6.0 Analysis: Existing Interiors 6.1 Internal Details 6.2 Traditional Details 7.0 Analysis: Local Amenity 7.1 Amenity Spaces 7.2 Social and Cultural 8.0 Planning Context 8.1 Planning History 8.2 2011 Planning Consent P110098 8.3 25 October 2011 Planning Submission P112541 8.4 24 July 2012 Planning Submission P121666 8.5 Current proposed 2 bed basement flat layout 8.6 Relevant Islington Council Planning Policies 8.7 Reference Material 9.0 Analysis: Existing Interiors 9.1 Basement Level Design & Access Statement Page 3 No. 16 Duncan Terrace, N1 8BZ 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Proposals No.16 Duncan Terrace is a four-storey plus basement, Grade II listed property located in Angel, Islington. It forms part of an elegant terrace of Georgian townhouses on the western boundary of the Duncan Terrace Colebrooke Row Conservation Area. Most properties on the terrace are residential - either single- family houses or multiple flats - however in recent decades No.16 Duncan Terrace has been adapted to accommodate B1 office space, including the erection of a single-storey commercial extension to the rear. Consent was granted on 20th September 2012 (application no. P121666) for the conversion of the existing building from B1 office use into a mixed use development of B1 office and residential use. The scheme is predominantly residential with flats located at the basement, first, second and third floors with the office use being retained at ground floor both in the original part of the property and in the existing C20th single storey rear extension. Following the granting of planning permission and listed building consent for the scheme outlined above, this new application relates to the increase in floor area of the basement flat. The proposal seeks to increase the size of the flat at basement level in order to provide a two bedroom flat in place of the already consented one bedroom flat. The additional area would come from excavating the ground beneath the late C20th wedge shaped section of the building in line with the extents of the original existing building and along the line of the party wall with No. 15 Duncan Terrace. Subsequently, the external form and scale of the building would remained unchanged. The front elevation would see minor amendments at basement level with the replacement of the existing modern window and door with traditional timber sliding sash windows. The entrance to the flat would be relocated to the elevation perpendicular to the principal facade. These alterations would bring balance to the elevation. The proposed elevations can be seen in section 10 of this document. The photographs collated in section 10 show a number of precedent examples along Duncan Terrace where the basement and the lightwell have configured in a similar way to that which is proposed for No. 16. Aerial photo of site location Design & Access Statement Page 4 No. 16 Duncan Terrace, N1 8BZ 2.0 Analysis: Site Location 2.1 Site Location and Description The property is located on the western side of Duncan Terrace, just to the east of Upper Street. Duncan Terrace runs from City Road in the south to Gerrard Row in the north where it merges with Colebrooke Row. Between these streets, a fine linear public park runs along the route of the former New River. The accompanying images illustrate the principle views of the property as one approaches from either end of Duncan Terrace. It is notable for its additional attic level rather than a typical mansard roof which characterises much of the adjacent terraces. To either side of the site are Grade II listed residential terraces mostly with long rear gardens. To the rear of the property stands a cluster of mature trees within an adjacent garden. The former Islington Metal Works - a large three-storey brick factory building - sits just to the south west corner of the site. Image A: Duncan Terrace looking south from Duncan Street (No.16 outlined) U P P E R S T R E E T A C I T Y R O A D B Key Plan (viewpoints annotated) Image B: Duncan Terrace looking north from City Road (No.16 outlined) Design & Access Statement Page 5 No. 16 Duncan Terrace, N1 8BZ 2.0 Analysis: Site Location 2.2 Aerial Views Liverpool Road Upper Street Upper Street City Road N City Road N Image A: Aerial view from south Image B: Aerial view from east City Road Upper Street City Road N Upper Street N Image C: Aerial view from north Image D: Aerial view from west Design & Access Statement Page 6 No. 16 Duncan Terrace, N1 8BZ 3.0 Heritage: Historic Context 3.1 No.16 Duncan Terrace The application site originally overlooked a stretch of the New River which was built in 1613 and which ran between Hertfordshire and the New River Head just south of Sadler’s Wells. This brought a supply of clean water to the farmland areas of Islington, its success gradually presenting an attractive location along which to generate residential development. 3.2 1817 Map The earliest map studied, dated 1817, shows the site on an area of open ground - possibly farmland - prior to the introduction of streets or squares in the immediate vicinity. The New River winds its way south, parallel to Islington High Street. Duncan Terrace exists in the form of a short terrace of houses leading from City Road. This is more than likely to have been No.2 to No.10 Duncan Terrace which today features a consistent double-window arrangement at ground floor level and a flat arch detail at first floor level. Following this it appears that No. 11 to No.14 were developed as a continuation of the terrace around 1820. 3.3 1837 Map Some twenty years later a considerable increase in development along the river is notable. Duncan Terrace - including No.16 to No.21 - now extends as Map A: 1817 Map Map B: 1837 Map far north as Duncan Street while a church now stands opposite on the shorter River Terrace. 3.4 1844 Map The 1844 map shows little change to the east of the High Street, but it is around this time that other familiar streets and squares appear to the west, including a more defined Myddelton Square, Cloudesley Square and Gibson Square. 3.5 1872 Map The Catholic church of St. John the Evangelist forms the centrepiece of the later terraces of houses to the north between No.34 and No.45 Duncan Terrace. Previous open ground to the east has now been developed with new streets leading off Colebrooke Row. These include Gerrard Street, Noel Street and Vincent Terrace. To the north, the large Agricultural Hall commenced construction in 1861 stretching between Liverpool Road and Upper Street. The enclosure of the New River in underground pipes in 1861 allowed the formation of Duncan Terrace Gardens which were unveiled as public gardens in 1893 by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association. These were re- landscaped in recent years with a wide variety of plants, tree species and enhanced pathways and seating. The gardens continue to form a key link in the linear series of green spaces as the course of the New River traverses the borough. Map C: 1844 Map Map D: 1872 Map Design & Access Statement Page 7 No. 16 Duncan Terrace, N1 8BZ 4.0 Heritage: Conservation Area 4.1 Character of the Conservation Area The Duncan Terrace Colebrooke Row Conservation Area was first designated in 1969 and was extended in 1991. The area comprises mainly late Georgian and early Victorian residential terraces, but there are also important commercial uses in the area which contribute to its character. The Regent’s Canal and City Road Basin are also important features, the former emerging from the Islington Tunnel at Vincent Terrace. A small section of the New River Walk also runs through the area. Overall the area has a striking architectural consistency, homogeneity and historic interest, which gives the area its special character and appearance. The importance of these is set out in Islington Council’s Duncan Terrace Colebrooke Row Conservation Area Design Guidelines. Duncan Terrace lies parallel to Upper Street, stretching from just southeast of the Angel tube station, before merging with Colebrooke Row at its most northerly point. The street is single-sided and separated from the facing terraced housing on Colebrooke Row by a narrow strip of maturing parkland.