Public Document Pack
Planning and Transportation Committee
Date: TUESDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2014 Time: 11.00am Venue: LIVERY HALL
Members: Deputy Michael Welbank, MBE Gregory Jones QC (Chairman) Deputy Henry Jones Oliver Lodge (Deputy Chairman) Deputy Keith Knowles Randall Anderson Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli Alex Bain-Stewart Paul Martinelli David Bradshaw Brian Mooney Deputy John Chapman Sylvia Moys Dennis Cotgrove Deputy John Owen-Ward Revd Dr Martin Dudley Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley Peter Dunphy Ann Pembroke Sophie Fernandes Deputy Henry Pollard John Fletcher Chris Punter Marianne Fredericks Jeremy Simons Deputy Bill Fraser Tom Sleigh Alderman John Garbutt Graeme Smith George Gillon (Chief Commoner) Patrick Streeter Alderman David Graves Deputy James Thomson Christopher Hayward Michael Hudson
Enquiries: Katie Odling tel. no.: 020 7332 3414 [email protected]
Lunch will be served in Guildhall Club at 1pm
John Barradell Town Clerk and Chief Executive AGENDA
Part 1 - Public Agenda
1. APOLOGIES
2. MEMBERS' DECLARATION S UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUC T IN RESPECT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
3. MINUTES
a) To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 14 January 2014 (Pages 1 - 4)
For Decision
b) To receive the minutes of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee meetings held on 14 October and 18 November 2013 (Pages 5 - 14)
For Information 4. TOWN PLANNING AND DE VELOPMENT APPLICATIO NS Report of the City Planning Officer relative to development and advertisement applications dealt with under delegated authority.
For Information (Pages 15 - 22)
5. REPORTS OF THE CITY PLANNING OFFICER REL ATIVE TO PLANNING APPLICATIONS
a) Emperor House & Roman Wall House 35 - 36 Vine Street & 1- 2 Crutched Friars, London (Pages 23 - 86)
For Decision
6. BISHOPSGATE AND TRIN ITY SQUARE CONSERVAT ION AREA CHARACTER SUMMARY AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES - DRAFT SPD Report of the City Planning Officer.
For Decision (Pages 87 - 180)
7. PLANNING APPEAL D ECISIONS Report of the City Planning Officer.
For Information (Pages 181 - 184)
8. SCHEME OF DELEGATION Report of the Town Clerk.
For Decision (Pages 185 - 200)
9. PLANNING PROTOCOL Report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor.
For Decision (Pages 201 - 270)
10. QUESTIONS ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE
11. ANY OTHER BUSINESS T HAT THE CHAIRMAN CON SIDERS URGENT
12. EXCLUSION OF THE PUB LIC MOTION – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.
Part 2 - Non -public Agenda
13. ISSUE REPORT - BRIDGEMASTER'S HOUSE Report of the City Surveyor.
For Decision (Pages 271 - 286)
14. ANY OTHER BUSINESS T HAT THE CHAIRMAN CON SIDERS URGENT AND WHICH THE COMMITTEE AGREES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHILST THE PUBLIC ARE EXCLUDED
Any drawings and details of materials submitted for approval will be available for inspection by Members in the Livery Hall from Approximately 9:30 a.m.
3
This page is intentionally left blank Agenda Item 3a
PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, 14 January 2014
Minutes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Committee held at the Guildhall EC2 at 11.00am
Present
Members: Deputy Michael Welbank (Chairman) Deputy Henry Jones Oliver Lodge (Deputy Chairman) Deputy Keith Knowles Randall Anderson Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli Alex Bain-Stewart Brian Mooney Dennis Cotgrove Sylvia Moys Revd Dr Martin Dudley Deputy John Owen-Ward Peter Dunphy Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley Sophie Fernandes Deputy Henry Pollard Alderman John Garbutt Jeremy Simons Alderman David Graves Graeme Smith Christopher Hayward Patrick Streeter Gregory Jones QC Deputy James Thomson
Officers: Simon Murrells - Assistant Town Clerk Katie Odling - Town Clerk's Department Deborah Cluett - Comptroller and City Solicitor's Department Philip Everett - Director of the Built Environment Peter Rees - City Planning Officer, Department of the Built Environment Annie Hampson - Department of the Built Environment Paul Beckett - Department of the Built Environment Paul Monaghan - Assistant Director Engineering Sam Cook - Remembrancer’s Department Alan Rickwood - City Police Alexander Williams - City Police
1. APOLOGIES Apologies for absence were received from Deputy John Chapman, John Fletcher, Marianne Fredericks, Deputy Bill Fraser, George Gillon (Chief Commoner), Michael Hudson, Deputy Henry Jones, Paul Martinelli, Ann Pembroke and Chris Punter.
2. MEMBERS' DECLARATIONS UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN RESPECT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA There were no declarations of interest from Members.
3. MINUTES RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 November, 2013 be approved.
Page 1 4. TOWN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS The Committee received a report of the City Planning Officer relative to development and advertisement applications dealt with under delegated authority since the previous meeting.
5. REPORTS OF THE CITY PLANNING OFFICER RELATIVE TO PLANNING APPLICATIONS
5.1 15 - 17 St Swithin's Lane, London, EC4N 8AL
Registered Plan No.: 13/00805/FULMAJ
Proposal – Demolition of existing office building behind retained facades, to provide a new building comprising two basement levels, ground and seven upper floors together with a café/restaurant unit (A3) at ground floor, plant at roof level, vehicular servicing bay from Salters Hall Court and other associated works, all in connection with the use of the building as a 55 bedroom hotel.
The City Planning Officer detailed site and surrounding information to Members.
During discussion, reference was made to the following –
• It was confirmed that the restaurant which was part of the proposed development would be accessible to the public and was not solely for the use of hotel residents; • Members were informed that the opinion of the Conservation Area Advisory Committee was that they considered the design to be bulky and overpowering to the conservation area. However, the City Planning Officer was satisfied that this impact would not be detrimental to the character of the area when viewed from the narrow St Swithin’s Lane; • With regard to condition 23 on page 70, it was agreed to include that windows should not open over the public highway in the interests of the safety of the public; • With regards to deliveries, it was noted that the size of the vehicle that could access the site was controlled under the S106 Agreement; and • Members were informed that one method of meeting the carbon emissions standards was to include combined heat and power, however, it this did not prove viable, the developer was able to put forward an alternative method.
In summary, the Committee considered the proposal the most suitable proposal for the site.
RESOLVED – That Planning Permission be granted for the above proposal in accordance with the details set out in the attached schedule, subject to – a) Planning Obligations and other agreements being entered into as set out in the body of the report, the decision notice not to be issued until such obligations have been executed; and b) Officers being instructed to negotiate and execute obligations in respect of those matters set out in “Planning Obligations” under Section 106 and any necessary agreements under Section 278 of the Highway Act 1980.
5.2 15 - 17 St Swithin's Lane, London, EC4N 8AL - CAC
Page 2
RESOLVED – That conservation area consent be granted in accordance with the conditions set out in the attached schedule.
6. CONSULTATION ON DRAFT OFFICE USE SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING DOCUMENT A report of the City Planning Officer was considered regarding the draft Office Use Supplementary Planning document.
RESOLVED – That the draft Office Use Supplementary Planning Document be approved for public consultation for a period of at least 6 weeks.
Local Plan – Members were informed that the Chairman had agreed to further refinements to the published Local Plan in order to improve clarity of intent. These refinements would be publicised and the Local Plan consultation process would be extended to the end of February to allow time for any comments to be submitted on the refinements.
7. PLANNING PROTOCOL A report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor was considered which provided a review of the Planning Protocol which was introduced in October 2007.
Some concern was expressed by Members in respect of pre-determination (sections 4 and 5(1) page 114). It was felt that this overly restricted the interpretation of the Localism Act 2011 and therefore limited a Members ability to be involved in discussions pertaining to an application. Members also expressed concern that the revisions restricted Ward Members from being able to represent the views of their constituency.
Concern was also expressed regarding decisions taken against officer recommendation (paragraph 2, page 119) and the process taken when an application was refused.
The Comptroller and City Solicitor agreed to consider amendments to address the concerns for consideration at the next meeting on 4 February 2014.
RESOLVED – That the content expressed for the revisions to the protocol be noted and further consideration be given to sections 4 and 5 (1) on page 114 and a revised report be submitted to the next meeting on 4 February 2014.
8. SURPLUS ARISING FOR ON-STREET PARKING 2012-2013 AND UTILISATION OF ACCRUED SURPLUS A report of the Chamberlain was received which provided details of the surplus arising from On-Street Parking in 2012/13 and utilisation of accrued surplus.
9. GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACT 2013 - NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT A report of the Remembrancer was received which described the final form of the changes made by the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 in relation to ‘nationally significant’ commercial developments.
10. QUESTIONS ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE
Page 3 Queensbridge House – In response to a question relating to the planned re- development of Queensbridge House, it was noted that demolition was expected to take place in April/May. However, further clarification as regards the position moving forward would be sought from the City Surveyor following the meeting.
Millennium Bridge – A Member questioned the Corporation’s involvement in the removal of the padlocks on Millennium Bridge which were placed on the bridge to mark affection or love. The City Surveyor advised that in the interests of safety, these were removed each month.
Streets and Walkways Sub Committee – It was suggested that when major projects are considered by the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee, these are brought to the attention of this Committee in more detail.
11. ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT THE CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS URGENT There were no items of urgent business.
The meeting closed at 12.45pm
Chairman
Contact Officer: Katie Odling tel. no.: 020 7332 3414 [email protected]
Page 4 Agenda Item 3b
STREETS AND WALKWAYS SUB (PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION) COMMITTEE
Monday, 14 October 2013
Minutes of the meeting of the Streets and Walkways Sub (Planning and Transportation) Committee held at Committee Rooms, 2nd Floor, West Wing, Guildhall on Monday, 14 October 2013 at 11.30 am
Present
Members: Jeremy Simons (Chairman) Marianne Fredericks (Deputy Chairman) Randall Anderson Brian Harris (Ex-Officio Member) Michael Hudson Sylvia Moys Barbara Newman (Ex-Officio Member) Deputy John Owen-Ward Deputy Michael Welbank
Officers: Katie Odling - Town Clerk's Department Julie Smith - Chamberlain's Department Anna Simpson - Comptrollers and City Solicitor’s Department Paul Monaghan - Assistant Director Engineering Steve Presland - Department of the Built Environment Victor Callister - Department of the Built Environment Iain Simmons - Department of the Built Environment Ian Hughes - Department of the Built Environment Rob Oakley - Department of the Built Environment Sarah Whitehorn - Department of the Built Environment Giles Radford - Department of the Built Environment Patrick Hegarty - Open Spaces Department Alan Rickwood - City Police
Deputy Chairman in the Chair
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Alderman Alison Gowman and Oliver Lodge. The Chairman apologised for lateness.
2. MEMBERS' DECLARATIONS UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN RESPECT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA Marianne Fredericks and Sylvia Moys declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 5 as Members of the City of London Boy School.
Page 5 3. MINUTES RESOLVED - the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2013 be approved as a correct record subject to the following sentence being included in paragraph 2 of item 6 (Fleet and Plumtree Court Public Realm and Security Improvements) – ‘Members expressed concern over the limited area of the Section 106 .’
Beating the Bounds (Item 3) – Members were informed that the poor weather conditions had affected the turnout of the event which attracted around 100 motorcyclists. Members noted that another motorcyclist event had taken place that same day in Brighton. In light of this, very few complaints had been received and minimal road closures were required on the day.
Ludgate Hill Crossing Review (Item 5) – Members were informed that funding had not yet been secured from Transport for London, however, an application had been submitted. A further update would be provided at the next meeting.
4. REPORTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT :-
4.1 Options Appraisal - Middlesex Street Area project
A report of the Director of the Built Environment was considered in respect of the Middlesex Street Area Project.
During discussion, reference was made to the following –
• Consultation process - Members were informed that as part of the consultation processes issues in respect of the enhancement of areas, co-ordination of maintenance, licensing and trespassing had arisen. Issues such as the positioning of tables and chairs would be addressed as part of the detailed design stage. • Design - Members were advised that the design of the carriageway would be similar to those at Whitecross Street and Cheapside. • Signage – As part of the project, signage on Widegate Street had been accounted for. • Christmas lights – In response to a question, the Assistant Director advised that Officers were looking at the capital costs being borne by the City and discussions around on-going maintenance costs for the lights were being undertaken between the Corporation and the market traders. • The use of York Stone was queried and the Assistant Director advised that by varying the module of the York Stone and in this case reducing it, this would mitigate the risk of cracking where there were high levels of trafficking.
Members were informed that Option 3 under Financial Implications on page 18 of the report should read – “The first five years maintenance costs (£815,000) for the new planting ”
RESOLVED – That, a) new signage and way finding in the project area be implemented and funded by £6,000 from 201 Bishopsgate Section 106 agreement; b) Phase 1 of the project proceed to Gateway 5 (authorisation to start works) and be funded by £96, 571 from 201 Bishopsgate Section 106 agreement; c) Option 2 be approved at a total cost between £850,000 to £932,000 to be funded by 201 Bishopsgate Section 106 agreement;
Page 6 d) Temporary traffic experiments be carried out in Widegate Street, Sandy’s Row and Fort Street, the outcomes of which to be reported as part of the next Gateway; and e) Phase 2 of the project be approved to proceed to Gateway 4/5 at a future date.
Chairman in the Chair
4.2 Gateway 3 Outline Options Appraisal – 40-45 Chancery Lane (Section 106 prioritisation)
Consideration was given to a report of the Director of the Built Environment in respect of 40 – 45 Chancery Lane (Section 106 prioritisation).
It was agreed that Christmas lighting should be included in the list of potential enhancements, along with Quality Court to be funded from Section 106 monies with negotiations to progress with the Chancery Lane Association on future maintenance costs.
RESOLVED - The projects outlined below be progressed to the detailed design stage (in order of priority). The delivery and scale of Quality Court and Christmas Lighting would be subject to funds remaining upon completion of the raised crossovers and Southampton Buildings. i) Raised crossovers at two locations on Chancery Lane to improve accessibility and connectivity; ii) Closure to traffic of the eastern end of Southampton Buildings and the creation of a new ‘pocket space’; and iii) Public realm improvements to Quality Court to enhance the character of the courts and alleyways off Chancery Lane, and Christmas Lighting in Chancery Lane, subject to negotiations with the Chancery Lane Association on future maintenance costs.
4.3 Detailed Options Appraisal - Aldgate Highway Changes and Public Realm Improvement Project
A report of the Director of the Built Environment was considered in relation to the Aldgate Highway Changes and Public Realm Improvement project.
During discussion, reference was made to the following –
• Members noted that on St Botolph Street there would be a general narrowing of the carriageway with a formal crossing. The design of the crossing would take account of the increasing number of pedestrians and would include a timer, a feature of most new crossings. • It was noted that by the time construction of the project had begun, the proposed 20mph speed limit would be in place. • One Member highlighted the importance of the safety of pedestrians and that the positioning of the bus station needed to be given careful consideration to respond to traffic flow. Members noted that Officers were liaising with Transport for London on this matter. • Concern had been raised by the Open Spaces Committee about on-going revenue costs, for example for the proposed water feature. Revenue costs might be funded by larger up-front payments to cover a longer period of running costs. • Members were informed that more work would be undertaken to address issues regarding pollution from stationary vehicles and a response explaining a plan to address this would be submitted to the nearby residents.
Page 7 • One Member advised that at a meeting between Ward Members it was considered that the project should not move forward unless the cycle way through the open space was relocated to below ground level. In response, the Assistant Director agreed to contact the Ward Members to arrange a meeting to discuss the concerns raised. • Members noted that details regarding the design, funding and operation of the kiosk were not contained in the report however; the Assistant Director explained that these were being investigated by the working party and would be contained in the issues report.
Members congratulated Officers for an excellent piece of work and the thorough consultation which had been undertaken and it was agreed that an issues report would be brought back to the Committee in advance of Gateway 5.
RESOLVED – That Option 1 with an estimated cost of £16.3m to £17.1m be taken forward to Gateway 5, and that Urgency procedures, if required, be carried out by the Court of Common Council.
5. QUESTIONS ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE WORK OF THE SUB COMMITTEE In response to a question from a Member, Officers informed the Committee that gas repair work on London Wall had been undertaken, and although the utility had found it difficult to access their plant due to other underground services, London Wall had now been reopened.
6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT THE CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS URGENT There was one item of urgent business in relation to Riverside Walk
The project for landscaping on the Riverside Walk, adjacent to the City of London Boys School required ground condition bore holes to be carried out and were approved by Committee in June at a cost of £18,895. These costs were required to ascertain the deep ground conditions and minimise potential risk on below ground structures and the river wall, and commenced in August. Unfortunately, the drilling of the bore holes had to be halted at 7 Metres below ground, due to striking an ‘unidentified ferrous object’. Mindful of the potential for this to be a piece of unexploded WWII ordnance, Officers in consultation with the Town Clerk and City Surveyor put in place further urgent investigative works, involving adjacent drilling to allow access for detection equipment. Thankfully this investigation concluded that the object was highly unlikely to be ordnance and the object can be left in place.
Carrying out this urgent investigation required expenditure above the level agreed for the initial bore holes. Initial estimates were that an additional £24,000 would be required to carry out the investigations. However, difficult ground conditions in this area, related to instability from below ground voids and buried building material meant that 3 additional boreholes were attempted. The final cost of this investigation was now £48,965. Detailed breakdown of these costs are in Table below.
Page 8
Fees Estimated Actual Difference Additional Additional (£) Costs Costs (£) (£)
Highway permits 3,000 3,000 0 Drilling of 3 further bore holes to 13,220 35,365 * 22,145 triangulate the unidentified object at 7m below ground level + reporting factual. (Inclusive of additional boreholes due to obstructions/voids *) Magnotometer + reading apparatus to 2,500 2,500 0 establish nature of unidentified object at below ground level Reinstatement of footway in the area 0 1,100 1,100 associated with investigations (required due to instability of footway following additional excavations) Extraction of object at below ground NA N/A NA level if identified as an unexploded ordnance (Immediate notification of City Police to manage Public Welfare and Safety) Staff Costs To manage communication between: 5,000 7,000 2,000 local occupiers, investigative agencies, stakeholders, Emergency Services, manage the City’s Consulting Engineers and reporting of outcomes TOTAL 23,720 48,965 25, 245
The bore holes had also confirmed that the ground conditions were fine for the landscaping project to commence as intended.
The additional £48,965 for borehole investigations would need to be met from the existing project budget of £1,123,305, and if required through the reduction in the scope of paving, planting etc..
Members were informed that approval under Urgency procedures had been given by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Projects Sub Committee.
RESOLVED - That the costs required to carry out this necessary work to be funded from the approved project budget of £1,123,305.
The meeting ended at 1.15 pm
Chairman Contact Officer: Katie Odling tel. no. : 020 7332 3414 [email protected]
Page 9 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 10 STREETS AND WALKWAYS SUB (PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION) COMMITTEE
Monday, 18 November 2013
Minutes of the meeting of the Streets and Walkways Sub (Planning and Transportation) Committee held at Basinghall Suite - Guildhall, EC2 on Monday, 18 November 2013 at 11.30 am
Present
Members: Jeremy Simons (Chairman) Marianne Fredericks (Deputy Chairman) Randall Anderson Dennis Cotgrove Brian Harris (Ex-Officio Member) Michael Hudson Oliver Lodge Sylvia Moys Barbara Newman (Ex-Officio Member) Deputy John Owen-Ward Deputy Michael Welbank
Officers: Katie Odling - Town Clerk's Department Anna Simpson - Comptrollers and City Solicitor’s Department Steve Presland - Department of the Built Environment Victor Callister - Department of the Built Environment Iain Simmons - Department of the Built Environment Ian Hughes - Department of the Built Environment Rob Oakley - Department of the Built Environment Patrick Hegarty - Open Spaces Department Alan Rickwood - City Police
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE An apology for absence was received from Alderman Alison Gowman.
2. MEMBERS' DECLARATIONS UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN RESPECT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA There were no declarations of interest.
3. MINUTES RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2013 be approved.
MATTERS ARISING –
Ludgate Hill – Members noted that funding had not yet been secured, however a funding announcement on the Fleet Street / Ludgate Hill corridor was expected in December, therefore an update would be provided once more information had been
Page 11 obtained. Should the Corporation be successful in obtaining funding, it was anticipated that the St Paul’s crossing trial would take place in 2014/2015.
Aldgate Highway Changes and Public Realm Improvement Project – Members were informed that a further report containing proposals for the payment span for maintenance of the project would be brought to this Sub Committee in the Spring next year.
4. REPORTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT :-
4.1 Barbican Seating - Consultation Report This report had been withdrawn to allow further analysis of the consultation responses.
4.2 72 Fore Street A report of the Director of the Built Environment was considered relative to Phase 1 of 72 Fore Street (Moorgate Exchange).
During discussion, reference was made to –
• Members noted that the kerb lines will remain as existing, however, dropped kerbs would be added at Fore Street/Fore Street Avenue junction to improve accessibility and this would be part of the detailed design stage. The Assistant Director agreed to update the Phase 1 Works Plan on page 11 of the report to show the dropped kerbs. • Further to a question, the Sub Committee was informed that where there was a clear road safety benefit, a granite surface would be used at the east and west entrances to the site where vehicles cross the footway
RESOLVED – That, i) Phase 1 of the project be approved at a maximum cost of £86,000 as funded by the 72 Fore Street S106 agreement; and ii) Authority to start work be granted to deliver Phase 1 of the project.
4.3 5 Broadgate A report of the Director of the Built Environment was considered relative to 5 Broadgate.
Following a brief discussion the sub-committee requested that consideration be given to seeking a longer period of funding from Section 106/278 arrangement(s), perhaps as long as 20 years, for the maintenance of street scene features.
RESOLVED – That, i) the design as detailed in the main body of the report and in Appendix 1be approved; ii) the budget and associated tolerances as set out in the main body of the report be approved; iii) the commencement of the project in line with the outline programme as detailed in section 15 of this report be approved; iv) the Director of the Built Environment be authorised to agree arrangements for the land shown in Appendix 3 to be dedicated and accepted as public highway and to instruct the Comptroller & City Solicitor to complete any necessary deeds; and
Page 12 v) The Director of the Built Environment be requested to seek from the developer a longer period of funding from Section 106/278 arrangement(s) for the maintenance of street scene features.
5. QUESTIONS ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE WORK OF THE SUB COMMITTEE Cycling in the City – Members expressed concern regarding the increasing number of deaths on London’s roads and questioned Officers in respect of the plans to address this serious issue.
Members were informed that the Corporation was taking an active role to improve safety for cyclists. The Corporation was working with Transport for London, the City of London Police and London Boroughs and a proposal would be coming forward to introduce ‘quiet routes’ for cyclists.
Alderman Anstee informed the Sub Committee that he had spoken to the Town Clerk to initiate a discussion which all Members would be invited to attend so that views could be shared regarding the safety of cyclists, perhaps in the format of a forum.
The Assistant Director advised that greater responsibility was required to ensure that the penalties for failing to comply with the law were relative. It was noted that it had been suggested that fixed penalties for cycling infractions should be aligned with other offences such as littering, and that penalty points might be imposed on cyclists’ driving licences.
6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT THE CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS URGENT There were two items of urgent business.
6.1 Green Corridors
In November 2011, Members approved the Green Corridors projects which was a three year programme of planting up to 50 trees on highways in the City, to be wholly funded by Transport for London (TfL) at an estimated total cost of £415,000 (£65,000 Year 1, £175,000 Year 2 and £175,000 Year 3). Members also delegated approval to the Director of the Built Environment to agree the location of the trees.
The Year 3 programme was currently underway however, the budget available from the TfL funding allocation was reduced from £175,000 to £100,000 as these funds were allocated to other projects. Therefore, fewer trees than originally anticipated were planned.
An additional £30,000 of the TfL funding has recently become available for the Green Corridors programme in the current financial year which would facilitate an increase in the existing tree planting schedule. These funds were originally intended to be allocated to the Pedestrian Modelling Project but due, due to the length of the tender process they would not be able to be spent by the end of March 2014. In order to utilise these funds in the current financial year and facilitate the Open Spaces annual planting season between December 2013-March 2014, the current budget would need to be increased to £130,000 (£100K + £30K) to ensure the timely procurement of tree specimens/tree grilles and associated resources by 31 st November 2013.
This item was therefore to seek approval for the current TfL award of £100,000 (Year 3 – Green Corridors programme) to be increased to £130,000 to ensure the funds were expended efficiently by 31 st March 2014. A breakdown of costs associated with TfL funded Green Corridors Year 3 project are in the Table below:
Page 13 Table 1: Estimated Implementation Cost Breakdown (Year 3) 2013/14 2013/14 Differenc Approved Budget Proposed e Budget Approximate no. of trees 15 19 4 Item £ Evaluation 0 0 0 Radar surveys / trial holes 7,500 10,000 2,500 Supply and plant trees plus civil 61,767 81,500 19,733 works (works) Open spaces labour costs 12,733 15,000 2,267 DBE Staff Costs (incl., consultation 10,000 13,000 3,000 process, selection of planting locations, associated survey works, site monitoring, snagging and project management/reporting) Establishment of Trees (via 8,000 10,500 2,500 Department of Open Spaces) Total 100,000 130,000 30,000
RESOLVED – That the proposed increase in the current Green Corridors Year 3 budget from £100,000 to £130,000 (highlighted in Table 1) in light of the availability of £30,000 of TfL funding for the current financial year (2013/2014) be approved. 6.2 BT Openreach
The Sub Committee were informed that BT Openreach were unable to deliver the works in New Bridge Street which were due to start last Monday as they had failed to suspend the bus stop. When they did start on Tuesday, they disrupted traffic leaving Tudor St and then their plant failed, causing them to abandon the work. The Sub Committee expressed concern regarding this delay and requested that a letter be written to the Chief Executive of BT Openreach.
The meeting ended at 12.40 pm
Chairman
Contact Officer: Katie Odling tel. no.: 020 7332 3414 katie .odling @cityoflondon.gov.uk
Page 14 Agenda Item 4
Committee: Date:
Planning and Transportation 4 February 2014
Subject:
Delegated decisions of the City Planning Officer and the Planning Services and Development Director
Public
1. Pursuant to the instructions of your Committee, I attach for your information a list detailing development and advertisement applications determined by the City Planning Officer or the Planning Services and Development Director under their delegated powers since my report to the last meeting.
2. Any questions of detail arising from these reports can be sent to [email protected]
DETAILS OF DECISIONS
Registered Plan Address Proposal Date of Number & Ward Decision
13/01088/MDC 52-54 Lime Street & 21- Details of a programme of 09.01.2014 26 Leadenhall archaeological work and Aldgate (Prudential House), 27 foundation design pursuant to & 27A Leadenhall conditions 7 and 8 of Planning Street (Allianz Cornhill permission dated 11 June House) & 34-35 2013 (Application number Leadenhall Street & 4-5 12/00870/FULEIA). Billiter Street (Winterthur House) London EC3
13/01124/LBC Dixon House 72 - 75 Installation of two CCTV 09.01.2014 Fenchurch Street cameras. Aldgate London EC3M 4BR
13/00998/FULL 107 Leadenhall Street Introduction of seven windows 16.01.2014 London on the north elevation. Aldgate EC3A 4AF
Page 15 22 January 2014 13/01150/FULL 30 St Mary Axe London Use of part of the landscaped 16.01.2014 EC3A 8BF open space as an open air Aldgate market one day each week (maximum of eight market stalls and vans).
13/00842/ADVT Hamilton Hall Liverpool Installation of one non 09.01.2014 Street Station illuminated fascia sign Bishopsgate Liverpool Street measuring 0.36m high by 4.1m London wide at a height above ground EC2 of 4.4m.
13/00963/FULL 1 New Street London (i) Change of use at part 09.01.2014 EC2M 4TP ground and lower ground floor Bishopsgate levels from office (Class B1) to retail (Class A1, A2 or A3) use; (ii) Removal of existing roof top plant room and extension of the building to create a new fifth floor for office (Class B1) use and recessed rooftop plant enclosure; (iii) Associated alterations to the front facade.
13/00983/LDC Hamilton Hall, Liverpool Details of the interior colour 09.01.2014 Street Station, scheme and external paved Bishopsgate Liverpool Street surface pursuant to condition 2 London (a) & (b) of listed building EC2M 7PY consent dated 4 July 2013 (13/00279/LBC).
13/01001/LBC Hamilton Hall Liverpool Installation one non illuminated 09.01.2014 Street Station fascia sign, three halo Bishopsgate Liverpool Street illuminated fascia signs and London two externally illuminated EC2M 7PY projecting signs.
13/01115/ADVT 9 Artillery Lane London Installation of (i) one set of 15.01.2014 E1 7LP externally illuminated letters Bishopsgate and logo at fascia band level measuring 0.60m high by 1.46m wide and 2.50m above ground level and (ii) one externally illuminated projecting sign measuring 0.60m high by 0.60m wide and 3.37m above ground level .
13/01141/MDC Broadgate Circle & 3 Details of canopies pursuant to 16.01.2014 Broadgate London condition 2(b) of Planning Bishopsgate EC2M 2QS Permission 12/00431/FULL dated 24th July 2012.
Page 16 22 January 2014 13/01142/MDC Broadgate Circle & 3 Details of the facades of the 16.01.2014 Broadgate London kiosks and 1st floor Bishopsgate EC2M 2QS restaurant/bar pursuant to condition 2(c) of planning permission dated 24th July 2012 (App No. 12/00431/FULL).
13/01143/MDC Broadgate Circle & 3 Details of the location of the 16.01.2014 Broadgate London relocated cycle parking Bishopsgate EC2M 2QS pursuant to condition 2(d) of Planning Permission dated 24th July 2012 (App. no.12/00431/FULL).
13/01145/MDC Broadgate Circle & 3 Details of the replacement 16.01.2014 Broadgate London trees and their location Bishopsgate EC2M 2QS pursuant to condition 2(h) of planning permission 12/00431/FULL dated 24th July 2012.
13/01146/MDC Broadgate Circle & 3 Details of the external surfaces 16.01.2014 Broadgate London within the site boundary Bishopsgate EC2M 2QS including hard and soft landscaping pursuant to condition 2 (g) of Planning Permission 12/00431/FULL dated 24 July 2012.
13/01117/MDC Salters Hall 4 Fore Details of a Demolition Method 09.01.2014 Street Statement, Noise dust and Bassishaw London Vibration Plan, Noise EC2Y 5DE Monitoring Report, Newsletter and Demolition Operations Leaflet pursuant to the part discharge of condition 2 (demolition) of planning permission 13/00463/FULL dated 8th November 2013.
12/01048/MDC City Place House & City Details of the external 16.01.2014 Tower 40 & 55 appearance pursuant to Bassishaw Basinghall Street condition 3 a, b, c, d, f, g, h, i London and details of the landscaping EC2V 5DE pursuant to condition 5 planning permission 12/00167/Full dated 19th April 2012.
13/01148/LBC 43 Eastcheap London Installation of two internally 09.01.2014 EC3M 1JA illuminated fascia signs and Billingsgate one non illuminated projecting sign.
Page 17 22 January 2014
13/01076/MDC Carmelite House 50 Particulars and samples to be 09.01.2014 Victoria Embankment used on all external faces of Castle Baynard London the building, new facades, EC4Y 0BN typical bay, ground floor elevations, office entrance, windows and joinery pursuant to condition 2(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of planning permission 11/00228/FULL dated 25.08.2011.
13/01052/FULL 60 Victoria Installation of replacement 16.01.2014 Embankment London external light fittings, including Castle Baynard EC4Y 0JP spotlights, LEDs, uplights and floodlights, on the John Carpenter Street and Victoria Embankment facades of the old school building and associated works.
13/01053/LBC 60 Victoria Installation of replacement 16.01.2014 Embankment London external light fittings, including Castle Baynard EC4Y 0JP spotlights, LEDs, uplights and floodlights, on the John Carpenter Street and Victoria Embankment facades of the old school building and associated works.
13/01136/MDC Carmelite House 50 Details of window cleaning 16.01.2014 Victoria Embankment equipment and garaging Castle Baynard London thereof, and fire escapes EC4Y 0LS pursuant to conditions 2 (L) and (M) of planning permission 11/00228/FULL dated 25.08.2011.
13/01137/LDC Carmelite House 50 Details of window cleaning 16.01.2014 Victoria Embankment equipment and garaging Castle Baynard London thereof, and fire escapes EC4Y 0LS pursuant to condition 2 (i) and (j) of Listed Building Consent 11/00230/LBC dated 25.08.2011.
13/01172/FULL Faraday Building 136 - Installation of four additional 16.01.2014 144A Queen Victoria louvres behind retained Castle Baynard Street existing window frames on the London Queen Victoria Street EC4V 4BU Elevation at fifth floor level.
Page 18 22 January 2014 13/01128/LBC 253 Cromwell Tower (i) Removal of bedroom 09.01.2014 Barbican partition walls and construction Cripplegate London of new partitions to form study, EC2Y 8DD (ii) installation of suspended ceilings and recessed spotlights throughout flat, (iii) modification and refurbishment of bathroom and kitchen.
13/01214/NMA 55 Bishopsgate London Non-Material amendment 09.01.2014 EC2N 3AS under S96A of the Town and Cornhill Country Planning Act 1990 to planning permission 12/01107/FULL to enable minor modifications to the proposed ground floor elevation details.
13/01096/FULL 69 King William Street Application under S73 to 09.01.2014 London remove Condition 2 of Candlewick EC4N 7HR planning permission 12/00184/FULL dated 12.07.2012, providing details of alterations for the removal of existing ground level windows and stone plinth and installation of new shopfront windows and doors.
13/01077/FULL 110 Cannon Street Change of use of part 16.01.2014 London basement and part lower Candlewick EC4N 6EU ground floor from office (B1) to a cycling studio (D2) (405sq.m).
13/01135/ADVT St. Alphage House Installation and display of five 09.01.2014 London Wall Place non-illuminated hoarding signs Coleman Street 121-123 London Wall measuring (i) 3.0m high by Place 172m wide at ground level (ii) London 3.0m high by 18.85m wide at EC2 5DH ground level (iii) 3.0m high by 119m wide at ground level (iv) 3.0m high by 41m wide at ground level (v) 3.0m high by 27m wide at ground level.
13/01092/PODC River Plate House 7 - Submission of a Local Training 16.01.2014 11 Finsbury Circus Skills and Job Brokerage Coleman Street London Strategy pursuant to schedule EC2M 7EA 3 paragraph 4.2 of section 106 agreement dated 10.05.2013 planning application reference 12/00811/FULMAJ.
Page 19 22 January 2014 13/01159/ADVT 120 Cheapside London Installation and display of two 16.01.2014 EC2 internally illuminated projecting Cheap signs measuring 0.65m by 0.65m situated at a height above ground of 3.4m.
13/01218/NMA Guildhall House, 85 Non-Material Amendment 16.01.2014 Gresham Street under Section 96A of the Town Cheap London and Country Planning Act EC2V 7NQ 1990 to make alterations to the rear entrance door, basement lightwell windows, flagpoles, maintenance access door, louvres to basement and plantroom.
13/01066/FULL 90 Queen Street Installation of one air 09.01.2014 London conditioning unit and louvred Cordwainer EC4N 1SE screen at roof level.
13/00874/ADVT 7 Ludgate Broadway Installation and display of (i) 16.01.2014 London two sets of non-illuminated pin Farringdon EC4V 6DX mounted lettering measuring Within 0.31m high by 1.1m wide, at a height above ground of 2.68m (ii) two non-illuminated name plates measuring 0.4m high by 0.4m wide, one at a height above ground of 1.3m, and one at a height above ground of 1.07m.
13/01111/MDC 22 West Smithfield Details of external facing 09.01.2014 London materials pursuant to condition Farringdon EC1A 9HY 2 of planning permission Without 13/00749/FULL dated 3rd October 2013.
13/01044/FULL 23 West Smithfield Roof extension to provide 1 16.01.2014 London no. studio apartment. Farringdon EC1A 9HY Without
13/01099/FULL 140 Leadenhall Street Installation of plant within an 09.01.2014 London existing plant enclosure and Lime Street EC3V 4QT installation of associated ventilation grilles.
Page 20 22 January 2014 13/01100/LBC 140 Leadenhall Street Installation of plant within an 09.01.2014 London existing plant enclosure and Lime Street EC3V 4QT installation of associated ventilation grilles.
13/01194/MDC 5 - 7 St Helen's Place Details of construction 09.01.2014 London methods pursuant to condition Lime Street 2 of planning permission 10/00902/FULMAJ dated 15/03/2011.
13/00992/MDC Three Quays Lower Details of handrails, 16.01.2014 Thames Street balustrades, ground level Tower London surfaces, Riverside City EC3R 6DS Walkway finishes, lightning, drainage and cleansing facilities and surface water drainage pursuant to conditions 6(d),6(j), 8, 12, 13, 15, and 33 of planning permission 11/00131/FULL dated 8/8/11.
13/00973/FULL 68 Lombard Street Installation of plant equipment 13.01.2014 London on first floor balcony (Change Walbrook EC3V 9LJ Alley elevation).
13/00962/LBC 1 Prince's Street Internal refurbishment of 16.01.2014 London ground floor banking hall; Walbrook EC2R 8BP relocation of one ATM and refurbishment of second ATM.
Page 21 22 January 2014 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 22 Agenda Item 5a
Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 86 Agenda Item 6
Committee(s): Date(s): Planning and Transportation Committee 4 February 2014 Subject: Public Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategies – draft Supplementary Planning Documents Report of: For Decision The City Planning Officer
Summary
Character summary and management strategies have been prepared for Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Conservation Areas. These analyse the special architectural or historic interest of the conservation areas and set out the existing policies and guidance.
Members are asked to agree the draft Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategies, and agree to them being made available for informal and formal public consultation to allow their adoption as Supplementary Planning Documents.
Recommendations • Members approve the draft text of the Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategies, appended as Annexes A and B to this report, and agree to them being placed on the website as ‘living drafts’ prior to formal public consultation in 2014;
• The City Planning Officer be authorised to make amendments in response to the public’s comments, providing these do not materially change the documents;
• Agree that following informal public consultation the documents be published for formal consultation, prior to adoption as Supplementary Planning Documents.
Main Report
Background
1. Section 71 (1) of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires the local planning authority to " formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their area which are Conservation Areas ."
2. The London Plan, adopted July 2011, encourages the identification and recording of heritage assets through character appraisals or conservation plans.
3. The City Corporation has prepared character summaries for 18 of the 26 conservation areas, under the umbrella document ‘Conservation Areas in the City: A General Introduction to Their Character ’ (1994). Separate management strategies have been prepared for five conservation areas. Combined character summary and management strategy Supplementary Planning Documents have been adopted for ten conservation areas. These are available on the City Corporation’s website.
Page 87 4. The Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets out the planning policy documents to be prepared and the timetable for preparing them. The most recent update of the LDS was approved by your Committee in July 2012 and includes a programme to complete character summaries and management strategies for the remaining conservation areas which have no document, and to revise and update existing character summaries. These are being prepared in line with current English Heritage guidance on the appraisal and management of conservation areas.
5. The City Corporation’s Core Strategy was adopted by resolution of the Court of Common Council on 8 September 2011. Policy CS12: Historic Environment seeks to preserve and enhance the distinctive character and appearance of the City’s conservation areas, while allowing sympathetic development within them. The draft SPDs are consistent with the approach outlined in the Core Strategy.
Current Position
6. The draft Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategy documents are attached to this report – see Annexes A and B.
7. Each draft SPD comprises two main parts. The character summary defines the special interest of the Conservation Area by analysing its historical, spatial and architectural character. The management strategy sets out existing policies and guidance relating to the preservation and enhancement of the conservation area.
8. It is intended that the Character Summary and Management Strategies will be adopted as SPDs.
9. SPDs must be prepared in accordance with procedures set out in relevant regulations and public consultation must be in accordance with the City’s Statement of Community Involvement, adopted in 2012. The draft SPDs have been prepared having regard to the matters specified in Section 19 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) and prescribed in Regulation 10 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
10. Prior to formal consultation, it is proposed that the Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Character Summary and Management Strategies should be placed as ‘living drafts’ on the website. The ‘living draft’ documents will be available for City developers, private land owners, organisations and residents. They will be available for comment and this will be an informal consultation stage.
11. It is proposed that the Character Summary and Management Strategies will be the subject of a formal consultation exercise for a six week period in 2014, in line with the relevant Regulations. This involves publishing a draft version of each SPD together with the consultation statement and carrying out public consultation. Formal consultation will take place concurrently with other draft SPD’s. This will deliver cost and efficiency savings over separate consultation on each document.
12. At the end of the formal consultation period I will report the final version of the SPDs to your Committee for adoption.
Corporate & Strategic Implications
13. In preparing the draft SPDs regard has been had to the Community Strategy: The City Together Strategy which contains five key themes. The most relevant to Bishopsgate
Page 88 and Trinity Square Conservation Areas is to ‘protect, promote and enhance our environment’, including the built environment of the City and its public realm.
14. The Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategies support the Strategic aims of the Departmental Business Plan, relating to the sustainable design of the streets and spaces and the protection and enhancement of the City’s built environment. These aims are met by promoting the protection and enhancement of Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Conservation Areas.
15. Equality Impact Assessments have been carried out for the draft SPDs and no equality issues were identified.
16. Sustainability Appraisal Screening Reports have been carried out for the draft SPDs which have concluded that a full Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental Assessment is not required, subject to statutory consultees’ confirmation.
Implications
17. There are no financial, risk, legal, property or HR implications arising from the proposed SPD consultation and adoption process.
Conclusion
18. Members are asked to agree the draft texts of the Bishopsgate and Trinity Square Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategies for informal consultation on the City Corporation’s website and, subject to there being no material changes to the drafts following this consultation, to agree that they be issued for formal consultation in 2014.
Background papers
Annex A • Bishopsgate Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategy draft SPD • Equality Impact Assessment • Sustainability Appraisal Screening Report
Annex B • Trinity Square Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategy draft SPD • Equality Impact Assessment • Sustainability Appraisal Screening Report • Statement of Consultation for Bishopsgate Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategy draft SPD and Trinity Square Conservation Area Character Summary and Management Strategy draft SPD
Contact: Kathryn Stubbs 020 7332 1447 [email protected]
Page 89 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 90 City of London Trinity Square Conservation Area Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 1 Page 91 Contents Introduction ...... 3
Character Summary ...... 4
1. Location and context ...... 4 2. Designation history ...... 5 3. Summary of character ...... 5 4. Historical development ...... 5 5. Spatial analysis ...... 11 6. Character analysis ...... 14 7. Land uses and related activity ...... 21 8. Architectural character ...... 21 9. Local details ...... 21 10. Building materials ...... 23 11. Open spaces and trees ...... 23 12. Public realm ...... 23 13. Cultural associations ...... 24 Management Strategy ...... 25
14. Planning Policy ...... 25 15. Access and an Inclusive Environment ...... 28 16. Environmental Enhancement ...... 29 17. Transport ...... 30 18. Management of Open Spaces and Trees ...... 30 19. Archaeology ...... 31 20. Enforcement ...... 32 21. Condition of the Conservation Area ...... 32 Further reading and references ...... 33
Appendices ...... 34
Contacts ...... 35
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 2 Page 92 Introduction
The present urban form and character of the City of London has evolved over many centuries and reflects numerous influences and interventions: the character and sense of place is hence unique to that area, contributing at the same time to the wider character of the City.
This character summary and management strategy provides an understanding of the significance of the conservation area by identifying and analysing its principal characteristics. It does not include specific detail about every building and feature within the area, and any omission from the text should not be interpreted as an indication of lesser significance. The character summary and management strategy has been prepared in line with the English Heritage document Understanding Place: Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management (2011).
This document is proposed to be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document. It should be read in conjunction with the City of London Core Strategy, the emerging City of London Local Plan, saved policies from the City of London Unitary Development Plan and other guidance, including ‘Conservation Areas in the City of London, A General Introduction to their Character’ (1994) which has more information on the history and character of the City.
Former Port of London Authority Building
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 3 Page 93 Character Summary
1. Location and context Trinity Square Conservation Area is in the South-East of the City of London, adjacent to the boundary with the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets. It is situated to the North-West of the Tower of London on an area of relatively high ground.
The conservation area is bound by Trinity Gardens and Byward Street, Coopers Row, Crutched Friars, Hart Street, and Seething Lane. The conservation area is located in Tower Ward and covers an area of 16,421 sq. metres.
Trinity Square Conservation Area shares a boundary with Fenchurch Street Station Conservation Area on its northern side, and with Lloyd’s Avenue Conservation Area, just beyond that. Crescent Conservation Area lies a short distance to the east.
Boundary Map
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 4 Page 94 2. Designation history
16 May 1991 Designated as part of Tower Conservation Area
01 April 1994 Minor extensions to Tower Conservation Area following the Boundary Commission’s Review of local administrative boundaries
16 June 2007 Re-designation of part of Tower Conservation Area as Trinity Square Conservation Area
3. Summary of character The characteristics which contribute to the special interest of Trinity Square Conservation Area are summarised as follows:
• The principal interest is the dominance of the former Port of London Authority building (10 Trinity Square), Trinity House and the Church of St Olave.
• A conservation area focused on an intact group of mostly early 20 th Century buildings with a distinctive Imperial character unified by the use of Portland stone with a high level of decorated and Classical details.
• A formal network of streets with a southern open aspect over Trinity Gardens.
• The southern part of the conservation area lies within the local setting boundary of the Tower of London World Heritage Site.
• Tightly drawn boundaries with opportunities limited to proposals that preserve or enhance the conservation area.
4. Historical development
Early history Evidence for prehistoric occupation is limited, and comes from a small assemblage of flint scrapers and cutting tools of late Bronze Age and early Iron Age pottery. A later Iron Age burial was found at the Tower of London.
For much of the 1 st and 2 nd centuries the area lay beyond the fringes of the Roman city. The principal area of Roman settlement and growth lay to the west centred on the Walbrook stream. Another stream, the Lorteburn was in the eastern part of the city. The conservation area lies inside the Roman City
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 5 Page 95 wall, built during the early 3 rd Century. The wall enclosed a large area of just under 330 acres (133 ha). This area may have been relatively undeveloped in the Roman period.
Evidence suggests that occupation in the early Roman period comprised low-density development inside the area later to be enclosed by the city wall. This was characterised by enclosures for animals and small fields (evidenced by parallel ditches). There is also evidence of 1st and 2 nd century Roman buildings and glass making activity in the area.
Later in the Roman period it appears that several large-scale high-status buildings were constructed, including some with substantial wall foundations. At least three metalled roads with timber lined drainage ditches have also been found. Close to the Church of St Olave, Roman tessellated pavements were discovered during excavations for sewers in 1839-41. A sculpture of three mother goddesses was also found, probably coming from a temple or a shrine, and further indicating the richness of Roman activity in this part of the city. The roads and some of the buildings show evidence of repair and replacement suggesting a denser and more diverse activity for this part of Londinium.
Evidence of a monumental building dating to the 3 rd century AD has been recorded east of Seething Lane. The building had two rows of large stone pier bases, indicating it may have been a basilical building.
Along the riverfront, there is evidence of quays or hithes, being formed, with sides lined with timbers and stakes, where ships could moor and be loaded or unloaded.
In the post-Roman period, there is limited evidence of activity until the later period of 11 th century.
Medieval This area was transformed by the construction of the Tower of London, beginning with the White Tower in the 1090s. During this period there were successive modifications undertaken to the Roman defences. Maps from c.1270 show the rapid development of the City that followed the Norman Conquest and the basic street pattern that survives today. An area of land was originally kept open around the Tower for its defence, known as the Tower Liberty.
The earliest street to be mentioned is Seething Lane, called Shyvethenstrat in 1257; the name derives from the Old English for chaff, which may refer to corn being threshed and winnowed in the lane. The name became Syvidlane, and later Seething Lane. It ran north to the junction of Olafstrete, later to become Hart Street.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 6 Page 96
The Church of St Olave was situated at the junction. The earliest mention was 1100 -1135, dedicated to Olaf, King of Norway who was martyred in 1030; suggesting the presence of Scandinavian traders in the area.
Cooper’s Row is first recorded c.1260 as Woderoulane/ Woodruffe Lane, and is so called from the coopers who stored their casks in the recesses against the City wall, but the area behind the City wall remained open ground until the end of the medieval period. This part of the City was sparsely occupied by comparison with Cheapside and the waterfront areas.
Tower Hill was described at this time as a large plot of open ground surrounded with irregular houses. The scaffold on which state offenders were executed stood on the site that now lies within Trinity Square Gardens. Among the most notable to be executed here were Sir Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, the Protectore Somerset, Lord Strafford and Archbishop Laud. The occupant of one of the houses was Lady Raleigh whilst her husband Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned in the Tower.
The Port of London continued to develop with numerous docks (both wet and dry), being built throughout the medieval period. Associated with the increase in river trade, was the formation of the Trinity Guild by the sailors who practised pilotship on the river. From 1514 the guild or Corporation of Trinity House, became the public authority which provided the means of safe navigation, particularly on the River Thames.
A significant event in the area was the founding of the Crutched Friars Friary in 1298. The Friary was dissolved in 1539 and the priory hall turned into a glass factory, one of the earliest in England to produce Venetian glass. It burned down in 1575, which lead to further subdivision of building plots in the area. Agas map of 1579 shows houses fronting onto Seething Lane, with open space divided by walls to the east. It is clear that the later development of the site was influenced by this medieval and even Roman activity, evidenced by reused wall foundations and plot boundaries. 16 th to 18 th century buildings on the site may reflect, in part, the medieval layout. Other Friary buildings were replaced by a large house, fronting onto Seething Lane and extending into the northern part of Seething Lane Gardens. The house belonged to Master John Aleyn in 1538, and was known as Muscovy House in 1579 and Walsingham House in 1606.
Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Early in the 17 th century, development spread with the construction of properties along the frontage of Cooper’s Row (Woodruffe’s Lane), with gardens stretching back to the City wall. Historically, Cooper’s Row formed a
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 7 Page 97 connection between the northern edge of the Tower of London Liberties and the City, running north-south on the inside of the Roman Wall.
The Great Fire of 1666 was halted just short of the Church of St Olave, and this part of the City was left untouched. By 1676 the area was characterised by dense building plots to the south as far as All Hallows Barking by the Tower Church. To the north of this was an open area, shown on Ogilby and Morgan’s map. There were several inns with courtyards to their rear located on Seething Lane, which were described by Samuel Pepys in 1660. At the same time, to the east (where Trinity House now stands) was the open space that formed part of Tower Hill.
The proximity of the river and numerous docks along the riverbank had a significant effect upon the developing use of the area for warehouses and organisations with maritime connections.
From 1580 until his death in 1590, Sir Francis Walsingham had a house in Seething Lane. The house, with White Horse Yard to the south (within All Hallows parish), was sold to a Navy Commissioner in 1654, and by 1656 the Navy Office had been built here. In 1660 Samuel Pepys was appointed Clerk of the Acts of the Navy and given a house in the Lane. In 1672 the Navy Office was destroyed by fire, but was re-built in 1674-5 on the old site to the designs of either Sir Christopher Wren or Robert Hooke. In 1777 Nelson stayed at the Navy Office with his uncle who was Comptroller of the Navy. Finally, the building was demolished in 1788 when the office moved to Somerset House. Following this, the site was taken over by the East India Company, who constructed a large bonded warehouse on the site, known as ‘Crutched Friars Warehouse’. It is shown by Rocque in 1746 but had been replaced by warehouses by the time of Horwood’s map in 1819. The East India Company sold the property in 1835 to the East India Dock Company who sold it to the London and India Docks Company.
Opposite the Navy Office was the Church of St Olave where Pepys worshipped in the Navy Office pew, and where he and his wife are buried. Pepys was a frequent worshipper in this parish church, but had no monument until 1884, when one was designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield and placed on the south wall.
By 1746, Savage Gardens ran north through the centre of the area, and in 1797 Trinity Square was laid out by Samuel Wyatt as the setting for Trinity House, built in 1796 as the headquarters of the Corporation of Trinity House. In 1836 the corporation was given control of all English lighthouses and navigation marks, and a government loan of £1.25 million financed the purchase of all private lighthouses.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 8 Page 98
Ogilby and Morgan 1676-79
R Horwood 1792-99
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 9 Page 99 By the late 18th century, smaller warehouses had been constructed to the south of the Crutched Friars warehouse and houses fronted onto Seething Lane with open space to the rear. Catherine Court was a narrow court of fine early 18 th century houses which was entered from Seething Lane on the west and Trinity Square to the east. It replaced an earlier court on the same alignment, known as Green Arbour Court, first mentioned in 1683. It is clear that this later development of the site was influenced by the earlier Roman and Medieval buildings, which is shown by evidence of reused wall foundations and land boundaries. Therefore the arrangement of the 16 th – 18 th century buildings recorded in the area and on historic maps may reflect, at least in part, the medieval layout.
Nineteenth century In the 19 th century, the character of the area developed in association with the Port of London and growing commercialisation. Fenchurch Street Station was built to the north in 1841, and a new east-west (Lower Thames Street) road cut through to the north of the Tower in 1882-4, followed by the construction of Tower Bridge in 1886-94. All of this prompted increasing commercial development, including several warehouses and Bonded warehouses built by 1873.
In 1894, Mark Lane Station and train line was opened in the south west corner of the area, and throughout this period the area remained densely occupied, characterised by small plots, except for Trinity House and the East India Company warehouses.
Twentieth and twenty-first centuries The early 20 th century is characterised by the clearing away of small buildings, courts and yards of previous centuries to make way for more imposing buildings. These larger public and office buildings reflected the importance of the river trade and increasing commercial uses in the area.
In 1909 the Port of London Authority was formed to put an end to the fierce competition between dock companies, and improve the efficiency of the docks. The Authority needed a headquarters and a competition was held to choose the design.
The construction of the Port of London Authority building at 10 Trinity Square, 1912-22, to the design of Sir Edwin Cooper, resulted in the demolition of the buildings of Catherine Court and the remainder of Seething Lane Gardens. The development created two new streets; Pepys Street and Muscovy Street.
Muscovy Street probably takes its name from the Tavern; the Tzar of Muscovy which used to stand at no. 48 Great Tower Street. It was frequented by Peter
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 10 Page 100 the Great when he was learning ship-building at Deptford. The construction included the creation of a garden along the west side of the property. Seething Lane Gardens, as they are known, are built over the backfilled cellars of the East India Company Warehouses and earlier buildings.
The City of London was heavily bombed during the Second World War, however Trinity Square itself remained relatively unscathed. The damage prompted ideas of radical re-planning in the Tower environs. The road north of the Tower was widened and realigned as part of a proposed ’ring road’ (Lower Thames Street), of which only the southern section was realised. New office buildings were constructed to the north and west of the conservation area as well as residential buildings.
The Port of London Authority occupied the building at 10 Trinity Square until 1970 when the Authority moved to Tilbury and the building was sold.
5. Spatial analysis
Layout and plan form The conservation area is an irregular shape with a closely drawn boundary around the three dominant buildings within it. The Church of St Olave in the north-west corner, the former PLA building occupies the central portion, and to the east is Trinity House. These buildings and the streets that border them – Hart Street/Crutched Friars in the north, Seething Lane on the western boundary, Savage Gardens and Pepys Street, form a compact area indicative of this part of the city.
In the development of the street layout, it is the north–south routes through the Conservation Area that have the longest history. Seething Lane was first mentioned in documents as Shyvethenstrat in 1257, and Coopers Row in 1260, with Savage Gardens shown to be a well-established route by1746.
The modern street layout came into existence with the demolition of domestic dwellings and warehouses on Seething Lane and Catherine Court in 1913. The former Port of London Authority building was completed in 1922 with the completion of Seething Lane Gardens as a public garden at the same time. Two new streets were created as a result of this large development – Pepys Street and Muscovy Street.
Byward Street was built by the Metropolitan and District Railway Companies in 1889-1906, with a railway running beneath to connect the Metropolitan Railway and Metropolitan District Railway to form the Circle Line. Mark Lane Station opened in 1894. For the first few years it was known as Great Tower Street. The present name is derived from the Byward Tower of the Tower of London where the password or byword has to be given at night.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 11 Page 101 Building plots The building plots in the conservation area vary in size due to the variety of building types and ages. They are characterised by their setting and the relationship to the streets, the open spaces and the Church of St Olave.
Building heights Building heights in the area are between 5 and 8 storeys, except for the tower of 10 Trinity Square which rises above. This uniformity of height protects the setting of the Tower of London World Heritage Site, and forms an intermediate step between the river frontage, the Tower of London and buildings rising up towards the Eastern Cluster.
It is important to maintain views of Trinity Gardens as an open space between the Tower and the City (reflecting the defensive open space of the Tower of London Liberties), reinforcing its strategic location.
The consistency of building heights across the conservation area enables the tower of the former Port of London Authority building and the spire and tower of the Church of St Olave to retain their prominence in the streetscape.
Views and vistas The buildings of the conservation area form part of the local setting of the Tower of London. They define the series of spaces which form the local setting, and contribute to the quality of those spaces. They form the immediate backdrop to the Tower in views of the World Heritage Site across the local setting. In these local views, the imposing former Port of London Authority building and Trinity House can be seen rising behind the railings and above the trees that encircle Trinity Gardens. 10 Trinity Square has been designated a City Skyline feature and further information can be found in the Protected Views SPD.
The green spaces of Trinity Gardens and Seething Lane Gardens permit longer views of the buildings of the conservation area.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 12 Page 102
10 Trinity Square across Seething Lane Gardens
The ground level rises northwards from the river. Beyond the conservation area, the cluster of tall buildings contrasts with the scale and character of this part of the city. The skyline of the area is clearly visible from the south and south-east as a result of the change in topography, and has an effect on the appearance of the area.
The view south along Coopers Row provides a medium to long distance framed view of parts of the Tower of London.
The railway bridge at the north end of Coopers Row creates a dark section of street, becoming lighter and more open towards the southern end at Trinity Gardens. The view from the southern end is focused on the Tower beyond a foreground that is interrupted by vehicles, vegetation, street furniture and a telephone kiosk. The Tower is a key focus of the view along Cooper’s Row
A significant view within the conservation area is from Pepys Street of the decorated and carved gate to the churchyard and the Church of St Olave.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 13 Page 103 6. Character analysis The conservation area is varied in the size of its buildings, but unified in the use of Portland stone, with imposing facades and modelling. Buildings throughout the conservation area adjoin the pavement.
Trinity Square No.15 is prominent in its position on the corner of Byward Street and Trinity Square. Built by E.B I’Anson in 1908-9, it is an early 20 th Century Portland stone building with granite plinth and banded rustication above on the ground floor. It has large timber windows. The 1st and 2nd floors are restrained, with banded rustication on the outer bays and the prominent corner, being the only embellishment. Above the cornice on the Byward Street elevation there is fine detailing in the form of a pediment at either end, a central stone arch and an eagle sculpture poised above. The mansard is set back and barely visible from street level. The building was formerly the General Steam Navigation Company building, and was heightened in 1931 by Alfred Roberts. He added the Palladian extension facing north to Muscovy Street, which is more restrained but with a fine balcony at 1 st floor level. The building makes a valuable contribution to the conservation area by virtue of its corner position, the three elevations, each with its own character, and the unity of height, material and age with its neighbours.
15 Trinity Square
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 14 Page 104
15 Trinity Square 14 Trinity Square
No. 14 is a plainer building that blends well with the more restrained elevation of No.15 that faces onto Trinity Square. The rusticated Portland stone at ground floor level rises to plain stone work above, terminating in a carved fascia (with Greek references), below the entablature. A double mansard rises above. The cornice and ultimate building height matches that of no.15, contributing to the homogeneity of the group. It was built by Niven & Wigglesworth in 1920-2 and was originally occupied by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce.
Nos. 14 and 15 Trinity Square, form a townscape group with No.16 Byward Street and 32 Seething Lane, subservient but complementary to the imposing former Port of London Authority building. This group contributes greatly to the setting of the two listed buildings that border Trinity Gardens, strengthening the character of this southern aspect of the conservation area and the local setting of the Tower of London World Heritage Site, and Trinity Gardens.
10 Trinity Square (former Port of London Authority building) was designed by Sir Edwin Cooper, 1912-22. The plan is perfectly square, except for the SE entrance corner, which is dominated by the splayed monumental Corinthian portico, with six columns rising through three storeys. Above is the massive square stepped angle tower, with square columns to the left and right. A uniform entablature girdles the whole structure. The building is designed to be clearly visible from the surrounding area and the river. Clad in Portland stone
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 15 Page 105 and enriched with quantities of decorative sculpture, it displays Edwardian confidence and is the dominant presence on Trinity Square. The dark metal windows frames have slim profiles. Consent has been granted for the refurbishment of the building, and extensions into the courtyard and at roof level. The permission is for use as a hotel and apartment building and works are due to be completed in late 2014.
10 Trinity Square (former Port of London Authority Building)
In 1793-6 Trinity House on Tower Hill was built to the designs of Samuel Wyatt. The foundation stone was laid by William Pitt. Severely damaged by bombing in the 2nd World War, it was re-built by Richardson and Houfe behind the 18 th century façade in 1953. Wyatt’s façade is elegant yet serious. Stone-faced, of five bays, with a tall piano nobile on a rusticated basement. It is organised as a series of three-fold divisions, each with a wider middle section. The centre is recessed, and triply subdivided by unfluted Ionic columns (paired pilasters on the end bays). It has straight-headed tripartite windows at the centre and ends, made by smaller Ionic columns. There are reliefs over the windows including cherubs and lighthouses (ends) and the Corporation of Trinity House arms (centre). This building provides a valuable transition between the grand Portland stone buildings to the west, and the more domestic scale, brick Georgian buildings of Coopers Row (in Tower Hamlets) and Crescent conservation area. There have been a number of interventions at roof level to increase the roof plant; however it has been possible to ensure that it is not visible from below.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 16 Page 106
Trinity House
Whilst Trinity Gardens lies outside the boundary of the conservation area (within the Tower Hamlets Tower of London conservation area), it provides structural form to the sweep of imposing buildings around the gardens and has a strong impact on their prominence and setting. The open space forms an important backdrop to the setting of the Tower of London. The buildings on Trinity Square respect the open space of Tower Hill and maintain the building line set back from the Tower at the edge of the Liberties.
Seething Lane No.32 is a typical early 20 th Century Portland stone building with arcaded ground floor, and banded rustication above. It has principal elevations onto Seething Lane and Byward Street, with its rear elevation facing onto Muscovy Street. This building is valuable in its punctuation of the corner of Byward Street and Seething Lane, and forms a fine townscape group with no. 16 Byward Street and Nos. 14 & 15 Trinity Square. This group are united by their use of Portland stone, similar building heights, and a pleasing similarity of design, whilst each building also retains its individual identity.
On the east side of Seething Lane is Seething Lane Gardens bound by railings, and the side elevation of the former Port of London Authority building. The garden forms part of the hotel development at 10 Trinity Square and will be reinstated once the development works are complete.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 17 Page 107 No. 35 Seething Lane at the north end of the street is also referred to as Walsingham House. It was built by E.G.W Souster in 1929 from Portland stone. This is a well-executed City-style, commercial building with fine glazing. It combines bronze floor bands at the windows and decorated spandrel panels at ground floor level. It is an unusual survivor in the City from this period, and a relatively unaltered example, making its contribution to the conservation area all the more notable.
35 Seething Lane
Opposite Walsingham House is the entrance to the Church of St Olave and churchyard, Hart Street.
Coopers Row This is a busy but relatively narrow route, used by many pedestrians moving between Tower Hill and Fenchurch Street Station.
Savage Gardens This is a narrow street running between the dominant buildings of 10 Trinity Square and Trinity House. The road provides a historic connection between the north-west corner of the Tower of London Liberties and the City. It is enclosed by 8-10 storey buildings on both sides with an open view at the end of the street towards Trinity Gardens. Tower Bridge becomes visible upon approaching the southern end. Articulated stone work, recessed statues and iron railings at pedestrian height contribute to the local palette of high-quality materials.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 18 Page 108
View along Savage Gardens 14 Trinity Square
Byward Street No.16 is built of Portland Stone, a solid, early 20 th century office building dating from 1909, by George Sherrin. It formerly housed Mark Lane station which closed when the new station opened on Tower Hill. The upper office storeys were added by Delissa Joseph, 1911, and a rear extension by Joseph, 1922, faces Muscovy Street. It has an arcaded ground floor with French influenced piers of banded rustication and cartouche capitals above. It has a strong character with details and materials typical of the period. The height is consistent with its neighbours and with the street elevation of the Former Port of London Authority building. A fine townscape building, this forms a group with 32 Seething Lane and 14 & 15 Trinity Square.
Muscovy Street This street between large blocks was formed by the development of the former Port of London Authority building. It is lined by elevations of buildings that front Trinity Square and Byward Street. It forms the southern boundary of Seething Lane Gardens. The street probably takes its name from the Tavern, the Tzar of Muscovy which used to stand at no. 48 Great Tower Street. As referred to above, the rear elevations of 14 & 15 Trinity Square, 16 Byward Street and 32 Seething Lane form a group that make a strong contribution to the conservation area by virtue of their unifying characteristics of materials, height, building age and detailing. In particular, the banded rustication across all the elevations facing onto Muscovy Street, create a rhythm that
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 19 Page 109 mirrors the side elevation of 10 Trinity Square opposite, and strengthens the overall significance of the group.
Hart Street The Church of St Olave is small, and a rare survival from before the Great Fire. The Tower was heightened with brick and the turret added in 1732. The church was severely damaged by bombing in April and May 1941, and was restored by Ernest Glanfield 1951-54, with King Haakon VII of Norway and the Bishop of London laying dedication stones. The vestry of 1662 survives.
The churchyard to the south is entered up steps and through a gateway on Seething Lane. It is embellished with skulls and spikes (dating from1658) which are almost an exact copy of a plate in a Dutch copy-book of 1633. The walled churchyard is secluded and atmospheric. It is one of the most attractive churchyards in the City – sensitively treated, with trees, bushes, grass, seats and railings. An intended landscaping scheme would introduce new planting, seating and lighting.
No. 8 Hart Street, adjoining the church there is a substantial gabled rectory by Glanfield, 1954, vestigially Gothic in Portland stone Ashlar. It is embellished with a carving of St Olav by the Norwegian artist Carl Schou.
Images of St Olave’s Church, Hart Street
Pepys Street A street formed by the construction of 10 Trinity Square in the early 20 th century, this route is more restrained, occupied by the north elevation of 10 Trinity Square. Nonetheless it still has a certain majesty about it, with an imposing façade, fine railings and lamp standards along the rear of the building.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 20 Page 110 The north side of Pepys Street is outside the conservation area. The modern building here is traditionally designed with solid stone cladding and punched window openings to be sympathetic to the neighbouring buildings in the conservation area, particularly 10 Trinity Square and Walsingham House.
7. Land uses and related activity The area was traditionally occupied by public buildings and warehouses associated with the Port. The use of many of these buildings has changed, and in recent years the area increasingly features residential apartments, hotels, restaurants and bars.
Architectural character
Architects, styles and influences The architecture of the area is predominantly early 20 th century with the two notable exceptions of the Church of St Olave and Trinity House.
The characteristic features of 10 Trinity Square and the group of buildings to the south is Edwardian Baroque. Typical details include extensive rustication, usually heavier at ground level, often running into and exaggerating the voissours of arched openings; domed corner rooftop pavilions and a central taller tower-like element creating a lively rooftop silhouette; such as exaggerated keystones, segmental arched pediments, columns with engaged blocks, attached block-like rustication to window surrounds; colonnades of (sometimes paired) columns in the Ionic order and domed towers. The former Port of London Authority Building and in a less exuberant way, 14 &15 Trinity Square, 16 Byward Street and 32 Seething Lane demonstrate these features.
Building ages The conservation area contains buildings spanning more than 800 years from the Church of St Olave 1100 -1135 to the construction of Walsingham House in 1929. With the exception of the Church of St Olave and Trinity House, all the remaining buildings in the conservation area were constructed in a 30 year period between 1900 and 1930, resulting in a great unity of character of the area.
8. Local details The conservation area is enriched by the presence of statuary, memorials, gravestones, plaques, decorative architectural features and other details.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 21 Page 111 10 Trinity Square exhibits a wealth of architectural detail and sculpture, with additional embellishments such as lamp standards and railings. 15 Trinity Square and Trinity House are embellished with sculpture.
Architectural details: 10 Trinity Square
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 22 Page 112 The entrance gate to the Church of St Olave provides enrichment, and the view of this gate and glimpse views of the churchyard along Pepys Street are important features of the conservation area.
The listed Tower of London Liberty markers on Trinity Square are part of an important and unique collection of historic boundary markers of the Tower of London Liberty.
There was a Blue Plaque commemorating Samuel Pepys in Seething Lane Gardens. This is currently in storage pending the garden reinstatement.
There is very little signage in the conservation area contributing to an uncluttered appearance of the buildings and the public realm.
There are numerous examples of iron railings and balconies in the area e.g. the front and rear of 14 and 15 Trinity Square, 10 Trinity Square and in front of Trinity House.
9. Building materials Portland stone is the predominant building material which is characteristic of and unifies the conservation area.
10. Open spaces and trees Seething Lane Gardens and Trinity Square (although outside the conservation area) make a significant contribution to the character and appearance of the area. There are glimpsed views of buildings through Seething Lane Gardens (looking both north and south) which contribute to the interest of the area. The churchyard of St Olave’s also contributes to the significance of the area, it is a more private, and contemplative space, with views glimpsed through the railings and gate.
11. Public realm Paving materials are predominantly of York stone with granite kerbs. Asphalt is laid on the road surfaces.
A public realm enhancement project at the southern end of Seething Lane has pedestrianized a small section of the Lane preventing direct vehicular access onto Byward Street at this point. Surfacing is York stone and there are several planters with low level herbaceous planting to soften the area.
The area fronting Trinity House is laid with large granite setts which complement the setting of the Grade I listed building.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 23 Page 113 12. Cultural associations It was long supposed that Richard Whittington’s house was located on Hart Street but the mansion identified as his to visitors in the 18 th century was built after his death.
The gate and churchyard of the Church of St Olave is referred to by Charles Dickens in ‘The Uncommercial Traveller’.
Samuel Pepys, the Diarist, had a long association with this part of the City of London. He was a regular worshipper at the Church of St Olave whilst working at the Navy Office where he was appointed Clerk of the Acts of the Navy In 1660 and was given a house in the Lane. He arranged for the Navy Pew to be installed in the Church, and both he and his wife were buried there.
The bust of Samuel Pepys in Seething Lane Gardens will be returned there when the gardens are re-instated.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 24 Page 114 Management Strategy The management strategy sets out the position regarding the wider policies and guidance concerning the preservation and enhancement of Trinity Square. Future development schemes and enhancement projects will need to take account of these policies in relation to the special architectural and historic interest of the conservation area, as detailed in the above character summary. Significant characteristics of Trinity Square include its early 20 th century buildings and other significant historic buildings and its relationship with the Tower of London World Heritage Site.
Documents produced by the City of London are available on the website www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
13. Planning Policy
National policy The Civic Amenities Act, 1967, gave local authorities the power to designate conservation areas, and these powers are now contained in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The Act (section 69 (1) (a)) defines a conservation area as ‘…an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Section 71 (1) of the Act requires the local planning authority to "…formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their area which are Conservation Areas." See www.legislation.gov.uk
The Government’s planning policies are contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which came into force on 27 March 2012. Historic environment policies are detailed in chapter 12 which sets out the requirements for local authorities and applicants in relation to the conservation of heritage assets, including conservation areas. See www.communities.gov.uk. NPPF historic environment policies are supported by the Historic Environment Planning Practice Guide (2010), produced by English Heritage and endorsed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. See www.english-heritage.org.uk
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 25 Page 115 London-wide policy The London Plan (2011) forms part of the statutory development plan for the City of London and needs to be taken into account when considering development within the conservation area. Key policies to consider are: policies 7.8 Heritage assets and archaeology and 7.9 Heritage-led regeneration. See www.london.gov.uk
City of London Corporation policy Planning policy in the City of London is contained within the adopted Core Strategy 2011 and a number of saved policies from the 2002 Unitary Development Plan. The City’s Core Strategy will be incorporated into the emerging Local Plan, which is due for adoption in 2015. The Local Plan includes new policies for Development Management, which will be taken into account when deciding applications for planning permission. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Development proposals within Trinity Square Conservation Area have to be considered in the context of the policies in the Core Strategy, the emerging Local Plan and the 55 saved policies from the UDP. Within this framework, particular account will need to be taken of Core Strategic policies CS9 ‘Thames and the Riverside’, CS10 ‘Design’, CS12 ‘Historic Environment’, CS13 ‘Protected Views’, CS20 ‘Retailing’, and CS21 ‘Housing’. Saved UDP policies include ENV 11 ‘Development in Conservation Areas’, ENV 13 ‘Conservation Areas: Premature Demolition’.
In addition to policy CS10 Design, special attention should also be paid to the Local Plan policy DM10.6 ‘Advertisements’. This policy seeks to encourage a high standard of design and a restrained amount of advertising, in keeping with the character of the City, and to resist excessive or obtrusive advertising, inappropriate illuminated signs and the display of advertisements above ground level. See also paragraphs 3.10.32 to 3.10.36 for further details. Other key policies in the Local Plan are: DM12.1 ‘Managing change affecting all heritage assets and spaces’; DM12.2 ‘Development in conservation areas’, DM12.3 ‘Listed Buildings’ and DM10.5 ‘Shopfronts’.
Protected views The London Plan and the Core Strategy seek to protect strategic views which are defined within the Mayor’s SPG – the London View Management Framework (LVMF) 2012.
The City of London Protected Views SPD (2012) outlines protected views of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Monument, Tower of London World Heritage Site and
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 26 Page 116 other historic landmarks and skyline features protected and managed by planning policies in the Core Strategy and Mayor’s London Plan.
In Trinity Square conservation area, the following Protected Vistas need to be considered:
• Tower Bridge (LVMF River Prospect 10A)
• Queen’s Walk (LVMF Townscape View 25A.1)
• London Bridge (LVMF River Prospect 11B.2).
Development proposals in this area must be designed or sited so that they preserve or enhance the viewer’s ability to recognise and appreciate the Strategically Important Landmark, in this case The Tower of London. Further detail can be found in the London View Management Framework SPG. See www.london.gov.uk
The conservation area is within the Tower of London World Heritage Site Local Setting, as defined by the World Heritage Site Management Plan (Historic Royal Palaces, 2007).
The character summary identifies a number of distant and local views that contribute to the character of the conservation area. Proposals will be assessed for their potential effect on these and other views of significant individual buildings, townscape or skylines.
Sustainability and climate change The City of London is committed to being at the forefront of action in response to climate change and other sustainability challenges that face high density urban environments. In particular, areas will need to be resilient to warmer wetter winters, hotter drier summers and more frequent extreme weather events.
In adapting to meet these challenges, it is important that sustainable development is sensitive to the historic environment. Development, including the incorporation of climate change adaptation measures, should have regard to the need to protect the historic significance of heritage assets.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 27 Page 117 Issues specifically relevant to Trinity Square include:
• The open spaces of Seething Lane Gardens and the Churchyard of St Olave’s, Hart Street, contribute to the biodiversity of the conservation area (see Management of Open Spaces and Trees). Seething Lane Gardens have been cleared due to the on-going redevelopment of 10 Trinity Square. The garden and landscaping will be replaced once the development is complete. Trinity Square Gardens lie outside the City of London boundary.
• Tower Hill suffers from traffic related air pollution including high levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulates (PM10). The City of London Air Quality Strategy 2011-2015 (March 2011) sets out the current position and the measures required to ensure improvements in the City’s air quality.
• In order to minimise the risks of flooding elsewhere in the City, new development schemes will be expected to make use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) including rainwater harvesting systems and green roofs.
The Core Strategy policy CS15 provides guidance on sustainable development and climate change and policy CS18 on SuDS. This will be supplemented by policies in the forthcoming City Local Plan. The City has also produced a Climate Change Adaption Strategy (revised and updated January 2010).
14. Access and an Inclusive Environment The City of London is committed to creating an environment suitable for everyone. Opportunities will be taken where possible to provide an inclusive environment and improve accessibility in ways that enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area. This may include improving access to buildings and treating road and pavement surfaces in materials that are sympathetic to access and in keeping with the appearance of the area. As technology evolves and experience in finding solutions to access barriers grows the City Corporation believes that with thought and discussion a solution can be found to ensure that the needs of all users are met.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 28 Page 118 15. Environmental Enhancement A City Street Manual (April 2005) has been prepared which sets out in detail the policies used to manage the public realm. The main principles set out in the manual provide the framework for the City Corporation’s vision for the City’s streets. The principles are to:
• Rationalise street furniture.
• Improve the pedestrian experience.
• Enhance paving and surfaces.
• Introduce more trees and planting.
• Preserve historic character.
• Create an inclusive environment.
• Maximise the sustainability of each project.
These principles, detailed guidance and history and evolution of streets and spaces in the City are set out in detail in the manual.
Completed public realm enhancement schemes in Trinity Square conservation area include:
• Trinity Square – This scheme enhanced the paving and street lighting in Trinity Square. The scheme is linked to other proposals for the Tower Gateway area that lies mainly within Tower Hamlets. The Trinity Square enhancements include a new granite setts surface to the carriageway, together with York stone for resurfacing the footways. The new lighting for the square involved the installation of several new light columns.
A public realm enhancement strategy has been adopted for the Aldgate and Tower areas, including Trinity Square. Its principal aims and objectives are as follows:
• To achieve transformational change by removing barriers to movement and creating a vibrant and attractive environment that supports regeneration and increases in users in the area.
• To introduce more green elements such as street trees and new public spaces including: a new public space of significance between Sir John Cass Primary School and St Botolph without Aldgate Church; a new
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 29 Page 119 green space at America Square; and a new green space at The Crescent.
• To improve the quality and consistency of surface materials and street furniture to create an enhanced street scene.
• To encourage biodiversity within the area.
16. Transport Much work has already been done on reducing motor vehicle traffic in the City, including Trinity Square.
• The Mayor's congestion charging zone scheme has significantly reduced motor vehicle traffic in Central London.
• The Mayor's low emission zone scheme has further reduced numbers of the most-polluting heavy vehicles across London.
• In adopting its Core Strategy the City Corporation has refined its highway hierarchy to further reduce the adverse impacts of motor vehicle traffic, including on the valued character of the City's conservation areas, and will continue to reduce the impact of traffic management infrastructure wherever possible.
• Tower Hill is a London distributor road for which Transport for London is the local traffic authority and the local highway authority. It is used by considerable volumes of motor vehicle traffic, including heavy goods vehicles. An appropriate balance should be struck between efficient through traffic movement and local demands on the street and new accesses onto the street may be permissible if alternatives from other site frontages are not available. Opportunities for ameliorating the adverse impact of the heavy traffic volumes will be sought and taken wherever possible.
Further details about transport proposals, including the City of London Cycle Plan, and Rail Strategy are available on the website. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
17. Management of Open Spaces and Trees Trees, churchyards, gardens and other green spaces make a strong contribution to the character and appearance of Trinity Square and will be enhanced, where appropriate, when opportunities arise.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 30 Page 120 The City of London Open Space Strategy (2008) details the existing open spaces of the City, what spaces are to be provided in future, and how these could be delivered. The City of London Biodiversity Action Plan 2010-2015 (2010) outlines the importance of the City’s urban green spaces, which in Trinity Square includes small public gardens and trees. In addition, the City Corporation has published a Habitat Action Plan (HAP) for Urban Green spaces, Churchyards and Cemeteries, and for Built Structures.
The City of London Tree Strategy SPD (2012), Parts 1 and 2, sets out a strategy for the protection, maintenance and increase in privately owned trees and City Corporation owned and managed trees within the City of London. The location of trees or the potential loss of trees in the townscape may have an impact on the setting and views of heritage assets. It is important that this issue is considered and that significant harm is not caused to the setting of heritage assets.
Trees in the conservation area are protected under section 211 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). Anyone proposing to carry out works to a tree in a conservation area must give six weeks’ notice to the local planning authority of their intention to do so prior to undertaking such works.
There are currently no Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) in Trinity Square, although the City Corporation will give further consideration to TPO designation in accordance with the Tree Strategy.
18. Archaeology The City of London is the historic centre of London and has a rich history with monuments and archaeological remains surviving from all periods. It has an historic landscape which has shaped and influenced the modern townscape. There has been almost continuous occupation of the City from the initial Roman settlement and there is some evidence of earlier occupation. The development of the City is contained in the visible and buried monuments and archaeological remains. The history of settlement has led to the build-up and development of a very complex, and in some areas, deep archaeological sequence. Later building development and basement construction has partly eroded the archaeological evidence, and in some areas remains have been lost with no record or an incomplete record of only part of a site.
Due to the complex layering of remains above and below ground, the entire City is considered to have archaeological potential unless it can be demonstrated that archaeological remains have been lost, due to basement construction or other ground works.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 31 Page 121 Where development is proposed which involves new groundworks, an historic environment assessment, including an assessment of the archaeological potential and impact of the proposals will be required as part of the planning application. Where significant remains survive, consideration will be given to amendments to the proposals to ensure that disturbance to archaeological remains is minimised or reduced.
The City Corporation will indicate the potential of a site, its relative importance and the likely impact to a developer at an early stage so that the appropriate assessment and design development can be undertaken. Developers should refer to Planning Advice Note 3: Archaeology in the City of London, and Conservation Areas in the City of London: A General Introduction to their Character for further information.
There is high archaeological potential in Trinity Square, including:
• Evidence of Roman settlement and roads
• The church of St. Olave Hart Street
• Remains associated with the House of the Crossed Friars, also known as Crutched Friars
• Medieval and post medieval buildings, settlement and trade, manufacture including glassmaking
• East India Company and other warehouses
• The 17th century Navy Office
• Lorteburn stream
19. Enforcement Suspected potential breaches of planning control regulations are investigated in accordance with the City of London Planning Enforcement Standards, August 2013. This sets out the manner and timescales in which issues will be investigated, and is available on the City of London website.
20. Condition of the Conservation Area The buildings and public realm of Trinity Square are generally in good condition and maintained to a high standard. Potential pressures in the conservation area have been identified as new development and utilities replacement works, although these do not threaten its character. The condition of the conservation area is judged to have improved in recent years, and is expected to further improve in coming years. Planning
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 32 Page 122 applications will be judged against the local, regional and national policies and guidance identified above, and the loss of buildings and features that contribute to the character of the area will be resisted accordingly.
Further reading and references Bradley, Simon, and Pevsner, Nikolaus, The Buildings of England London 1: The City of London (1997)
English Heritage, Understanding Place: Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management (2011) www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage, Seeing the History in the View (2011) www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage, The Setting of heritage assets (2011) www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage climate change guidance and resources www.helm.org.uk
English Heritage climate change website for property owners www.climatechangeandyourhome.org.uk
Freeman, Jennifer (editor) Save the City: a Conservation Study of the City of London (1979)
Stephens Curl, James, Encyclopaedia of Architectural Terms (1992)
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 33 Page 123 Appendix
Designated Heritage Assets
Correct February 2014
Listed Buildings STREET NUMBER/NAME GRADE Trinity Square HM Tower of London Liberty Boundary Grade II Markers #9: Square metal plaque with embossed inscription reading '9 TL BM', set into road surface at corner of Trinity Square and Muscovy Street. Date unknown, but probably mid C20.
#11: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed '^ W.D. No.11.’ at base of wall facing Trinity Square in front of Trinity House (Grade I). Possibly of 1868.
#12: Painted iron post with rounded
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 34 Page 124 top, inscribed '^ W.D. No.12.’ at base of wall facing Cooper's Row in front of Trinity House (Grade I). Possibly of 1868. 10 Trinity Square Former Port of London Authority Grade II* Building Trinity Square, EC3 Trinity House Grade I Trinity Square, EC3 Iron Railings and Gates at to Trinity Grade II House Hart Street and The Church of St Olave Grade I Seething Lane, EC3 Hart Street, EC3 Gateway with adjoining wall and Grade II* railing to yard of Church of St Olave
World Heritage Site The Conservation Area is within the Tower of London World Heritage Site Local Setting, as defined by the World Heritage Site Management Plan (Historic Royal Palaces, 2007) and shown in the City of London Core Strategy 2011.
Contacts Department of the Built Environment City of London P.O. Box 270 Guildhall London EC2P 2EJ
Tel: 020 7332 1710 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
The London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road Clerkenwell London EC1R 0HB
Tel: 020 7332 3820 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 35 Page 125
The City of London Corporation is the local planning authority for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the City of London. It is committed to maintaining and enhancing the status of the business city as one of the world’s three leading financial centres, through the policies it pursues and the high standard of services it provides. Its responsibilities extend far beyond the City boundaries and it provides a host of additional facilities for the benefit of the nation. These range from the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, to the famous Barbican Arts Centre and open spaces such as Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath.
Among local authorities the City of London Corporation is unique. Not only is it the oldest in the country, combining its ancient traditions and ceremonial functions with the role of a modern and efficient authority, but it operates on a non-party political basis through its Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Members of the Court of Common Council.
The City of London Corporation: a unique authority for a unique city.
Trinity Square CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Feb 2014 36 Page 126
City of London Bishopsgate Conservation Area Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 1
Page 127
Introduction
Character summary
1. Location and context 2. Designation history 3. Summary of character 4. Historical development Early history Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Twentieth and twenty-first centuries 5. Spatial analysis Layout and plan form Building plots Building heights Views and vistas 6. Character analysis Bishopsgate Bishopsgate courts and alleys St Botolph without Bishopsgate Church and Churchyard Liverpool Street/Old Broad Street Wormwood Street Devonshire Row Devonshire Square New Street Middlesex Street Widegate Street Artillery Lane and Sandy’s Row Brushfield Street and Fort Street 7. Land uses and related activity 8. Traffic and transport 9. Architectural character Architects, styles and influences Building ages 10. Local details Architectural sculpture Public statuary and other features Blue plaques Historic signs Signage and shopfronts 11. Building materials 12. Open spaces and trees 13. Public realm 14. Cultural associations
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 2
Page 128 Management strategy
15. Planning policy 16. Access and an inclusive environment 17. Environmental enhancement 18. Management of transport 19. Management of open spaces and trees 20. Archaeology 21. Enforcement 22. Condition of the conservation area
Further reading and references
Appendix
Designated heritage assets
Contacts
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 3
Page 129 Introduction
The present urban form and character of the City of London has evolved over many centuries and reflects numerous influences and interventions: the character and sense of place is hence unique to that area, contributing at the same time to the wider character of London.
This character summary and management strategy provides an understanding of the significance of the conservation area by identifying and analysing its principal characteristics. It does not include specific detail about every building and feature within the area, and any omission from the text should not be interpreted as an indication of lesser significance. The character summary and management strategy has been prepared in line with the English Heritage document Understanding Place: Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management (2011) .
This document is proposed to be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document. It should be read in conjunction with the City of London Core Strategy, the emerging City of London Local Plan, saved policies from the City of London Unitary Development Plan and other guidance, including ‘ Conservation Areas in the City of London, A General Introduction to their Character’ (1994) which has more information on the history and character of the City.
Bishopsgate looking north
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 4
Page 130 Character summary
1. Location and context
Bishopsgate Conservation Area (CA) lies to the northeast of the City of London (the ‘City’) and includes Liverpool Street, part of Bishopsgate, and extends east to the boundary between the City and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Bishopsgate Conservation Area is in the wards of Bishopsgate and Broad Street. It covers an area of 6.03 hectares.
The area adjoins New Broad Street Conservation Area to the west, with Finsbury Circus Conservation Area a short distance away. Tower Hamlets’ Artillery Passage Conservation Area adjoins to the east.
Conservation area boundary map
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 5
Page 131 2. Designation history
10 December 1981 Middlesex Street CA designated, to include streets to the east of Bishopsgate.
21 July 1994 Minor extension to Middlesex Street CA to the east to conform to administrative boundary changes.
14 June 2007 Bishopsgate CA designated to incorporate Middlesex CA with Liverpool Street and adjoining streets to the north and south.
Designation history map
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 6
Page 132 3. Summary of character
The characteristics which contribute to the special interest of Bishopsgate Conservation Area can be summarised as follows:
• The major route of Bishopsgate, with streets leading east and west along the route. • An area consisting of predominantly Victorian and Edwardian buildings with small-scale commercial uses, alongside notable examples of the City’s Georgian townscape. • An area originally outside the City wall that has developed since the Great Fire of London (1666) on what was formerly a low-density suburb. • A dense urban grain formed by the historic network of streets lanes and alleys either side of Bishopsgate, overlaid with key examples of Georgian town planning and Victorian railway infrastructure. • An area distinct in the east of the City in terms of building scale and diversity of use, contrasting with the large-scale office buildings to the north, south and west. • The northern half of Bishopsgate in the conservation area is framed on the west by the long expanse of Broadgate.
4. Historical development
Early history Bishopsgate follows the approximate line of the Roman road, Ermine Street, running north out of the City from the Basilica Forum. The southern boundary of the conservation area follows the line of the Roman and medieval city wall which ran east-west to the south of Houndsditch and below the buildings fronting Wormwood Street. A gate in the wall at Bishopsgate formed one of the principal entrances to the City.
The original Roman gate was rebuilt in the 7 th century by Eorconweold, Bishop of London; in 1431 by Hansa merchants; and finally by the City authorities in 1735. The gate was demolished in 1760 and its site is marked by a bronze bishop’s mitre at first floor level of no. 105-107 Bishopsgate.
There is little archaeological evidence of Roman settlement in the area beyond the wall. The area is outside the wall is within the Eastern Roman cemetery area.
By the 11th century, buildings are known to have been constructed outside the City’s main gates and the City gradually expanded outside the line of the Roman and medieval walls. The area outside the walls is known as Bishopsgate Without.
The priory of the Blessed Virgin Mary Without Bishopsgate, sometimes known as the New Hospital Without Bishopsgate, and later usually called St. Mary Spital was founded on the east side of Bishopsgate in the late 12 th century. Shortly before its dissolution, land was leased to an artillery company from 1537-80. The military use continued until 1658 when it moved to the present site in Finsbury and became the Honourable Artillery Company. These former uses are referenced in street names, including Widegate Street (the ‘white gate’ into the site), Artillery Lane and Artillery Passage.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 7
Page 133 Another significant institution in the area, the Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem was founded in 1247 on the site now occupied by Liverpool Street Station. By the 14 th century, it was involved in the treatment of the insane, making it one of the world’s oldest hospitals specialising in mental illness. Bethlem Hospital, or ‘Bedlam’, as it became known, survived the dissolution of the Priory and was taken into the possession of the City of London, with joint administration by Bridewell Hospital.
In 1676, the hospital was moved to a new building by Thomas Hooke on nearby Moorfields, before moving to a site in Southwark in 1815 (now the Imperial War Museum), and its present site in Kent in 1930. Archaeological recording in the area has included the excavation of approximately 400 burials within the former Bethlem Churchyard.
There were many coaching inns on Bishopsgate and The White Hart Inn, was claimed to be the oldest, it has a date of 1480 displayed across its medieval façade in historic images. Although rebuilt in 1829 following the creation of Liverpool Street, White Hart Court partially survives and is a reminder of the Inn’s galleried courtyard and the dense network of alleys which previously existed on the west side of Bishopsgate.
Sixteenth century Stow’s Survey of London, published in 1598, describes this area as part of the ‘Suburbs Without the Walls’. It mentions the Dolphin Inn, just north of Houndsditch, Fisher’s Folly, and ‘… so up to the west end of Berwardes Lane continual building of small cottages then the hospital of St Mary Spittle’.
The ‘Agas’ map c1562 Through the 16 th century, wealthy citizens developed properties on land outside the City walls, acquired from St Mary Spital, Holywell Priory, Charterhouse or Holy Trinity Aldgate. The area became a popular suburb enjoyed by Elizabethans for recreation and entertainment within easy reach of the City’s heart. When the
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 8
Page 134 Venetian Ambassador lodged at Sir Paul Pindar’s House in the early 17 th century, he described Bishopsgate Without as ‘ …an airy and fashionable area…a little too much in the country’.
The suburban character of the area began to be eroded in the late 16 th century, A dense network of lanes and alleys developed as estates were divided, several examples of which still in exist on the east side of Bishopsgate. Bishopsgate Street Without was paved in 1582 between the gate and the city bars, which were situated just beyond the walled area. More houses appeared on both sides of the street, resulting in a continuous building line that was only interrupted by Fisher’s Folly built in 1567 and Paul Pindar’s house, built in 1599.
Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries In the early 17 th century, the area retained the character of a garden suburb, with the mansions of wealthy citizens on lands near the gate and Moorfields, and areas to the north and Shoreditch packed with artisans, traders, Huguenot refugees and immigrants from the country. Building ceased during the Civil War, between 1642 and 1660. In the following decades, wealthy Londoners began to drift west to fashionable new housing developments such as those in Soho, Covent Garden, Lincoln’s Inn Fields and Queen Anne’s Gate.
The Elizabethan mansion, Fisher’s Folly, built for Jasper Fisher the warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company, stood just to the west of what later became Devonshire Square. From 1620 to 1675 the building was in use as the Duke of Devonshire’s town house, and from 1666 part was leased to the Quakers as a meeting house. In 1675 the house was abandoned and sold to Nicholas Barbon for development, with Devonshire Square and a new Quaker meeting house built on the former garden between 1678 and 1708. Devonshire Square is an early example of a formal square in this area. No buildings from this period are extant, although remains of a wall of Fisher’s Folly survives, forming the lower part of the rear wall of 4-18 Devonshire Row.
In 1698, the London Workhouse was formed on a site north of St Botolph’s Church, south of Sir Paul Pindar’s property (opposite Swedeland Alley), with a narrow façade to Bishopsgate and a long elevation to the side alley. The workhouse provided accommodation, food and employment to the area’s poor until it closed, following an Act of Parliament in 1829. The site was demolished in the 1870s as part of the development of Liverpool Street Station.
The18th century saw a significant expansion of both residential and commercial developments. New Street was formed when the L-shaped Hand Alley was realigned and renamed in 1782. Evidence of 17 th century houses, gardens and cottage industries on the street were uncovered during excavations in 1978, and these commercial and industrial uses were to continue well into the 20 th century with the dominating presence of Georgian and Victorian warehouses.
A number of 18 th and early 19 th century buildings survive in the conservation area. In Widegate Street, 24 and 25 are town houses dating from c.1720. On the south side of Brushfield Street, the terrace contains an example of a four storey town house dating from c.1785. 5-7 New Street are another group of fine Georgian houses, as are 12 and 13 Devonshire Square.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 9
Page 135
Ogilby and Morgan 1676-79
Richard Horwood 1792-99
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 10
Page 136 The group of late 18th century warehouses on New Street are the first buildings of what became known as the Cutler Street Warehouses, built for the East India Company. The Old Bengal Warehouse in New Street was built in 1769-70. The buildings on the eastern side of Devonshire Square were built in 1820. The warehouses were used by the Port of London Authority from 1909 before being partially redeveloped and converted to offices in the 1970s.
The Church of St Botolph Without Bishopsgate was first mentioned in the late 12 th century, but it is almost certainly a late Saxon foundation. It was rebuilt in 1725 to a neoclassical design by James Gould, father- in-law of George Dance the Elder. It rises to a tall spire and forms a notable landmark on the street. When built, it comprised a new church of substantial size, with ample facilities to serve the ever- expanding community. To the west of the church, the Church Hall was built in 1861 as an Infants School.
Nineteenth century The 19th century saw the decline of the area as a fashionable residential district with increased commercial activity. Existing buildings were modified, as can be seen in the number of 19th century shopfronts that were inserted into much earlier buildings and in the purpose-built workshops and warehouses that were created.
The character of Bishopsgate was that of a busy high street with a mixture of shops, trades, coffee houses and inns, such as Dirty Dick’s Public House at 202-204 (established 1745). The White Hart Inn occupied a key location on the corner of Old Bethlem Lane and Bishopsgate, near the entrance to the City and the site of the Bishop’s Gate, and had long served as a key pick-up/drop-off point for coach traffic to the north. When Liverpool Street was formed in 1829, named after former Prime Minister Lord Liverpool, the galleried medieval inn was replaced by the simple Regency inspired building that exists today. The area was characterised by contrasts between flourishing main thoroughfares, and slum-like conditions in the numerous overcrowded side streets.
The social mix in the area gave rise to institutions such as the Workhouse of 1805 on Bishopsgate, as well as several churches and schools. A few decades later, when the proposed location of two railway termini in the area forced the issue of slum clearance, The Times wrote that the district north of Liverpool Street was ‘… one of the most poverty-stricken, dirty and unhealthy clusters of thickly populated houses in this eastern part of London’. The dwellings that were cleared in the 1860s and 1870s to make way for the stations accounted for a drop in the area’s population from 12,000 in 1838 to 5,000 in 1880.
The most significant change to the area in terms of form and scale was the building of railway termini at Liverpool Street and Broad Street on the western side of Bishopsgate. The terminus of the Great Eastern Railway was moved south from the northern end of Bishopsgate to its current site.
The Great Eastern Railway (GNR) planned a terminus in the City following an Act of Parliament in 1861. Financial limitations delayed progress until after 1867 when construction of Liverpool Street Station began and it opened in 1874. Ten acres of property were cleared and up to fifteen medieval lanes including Angel Alley, Bull Court, Britannia Place and Flying Horse Yard. The station was built 17ft below ground Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 11
Page 137 level, with the approach tracks running beneath roads and the old Bishopsgate Station. The Building News of August 1875 included a detailed account of ‘…this latest attempt to make railway stations architectural…Though we might have mistaken it, but for its approaches and surroundings, for a college or an asylum. It is, at any rate, a station designed in the last approved medieval fashion .’
The popularity of the station with commuters meant that it was deemed necessary to construct a substantial extension to the east, approved by an Act of Parliament in 1887. This necessitated the demolition of the Armourers’ and Braziers’ Company Almshouses and Sir Paul Pindar’s house. A large part of the front elevation of the latter, featuring two storeys of multi-paned, elaborately decorated, bay windows, was saved by antiquarians and is displayed in the Victoria and Albert Museum. As recompense for the loss of the house, Skinner Street was renamed Pindar Street.
In common with the majority of Victorian stations, a hotel was built at Liverpool Street. The Great Eastern Hotel was built to the designs of Dobbin, Charles Barry and C E Barry in1880-84, and extended along Bishopsgate by Edis in 1899-1901. The building’s external grandeur, with Flemish gables that echo the 16 th century Bishopsgate buildings the station had displaced, is matched by its interior which includes a glass-domed restaurant and two Masonic temples. The gables reflect the building styles of eastern England served by the Great Eastern Railway, in turn reflecting connections to northern Europe.
The proximity of the associated goods depot reinforced the area’s commercial importance. Large-scale renewal in the area began in the 1870s after the arrival of the railway, with warehouses and commercial buildings surrounding Liverpool Street Station and extending towards the east and north. Late 19 th century buildings, many of which were on a grand scale, largely respected the pre-existing pattern of courts and alleys which remained on the east side of Bishopsgate. Catherine Wheel Alley, Rose Alley and Swedeland Alley are examples of those which were incorporated into new development and still survive to this day.
The Bishopsgate Institute was built with the intention of consolidating the parochial charities of St Botolph’s Church: the Charity Commissioners’ scheme received royal approval in 1891. It includes a public hall, library, and a collection of prints and drawings.
Twentieth and twenty-first centuries Liverpool Street Station was altered and extended between 1985-91. Buildings to Bishopsgate were demolished and a new range built to match the Victorian train shed, while two new entrances with flanking towers were created facing Liverpool Street and Bishopsgate. Refurbishment work internally included the reinstatement of detailing to the Station’s columns, and the introduction of a galleried parade of shops at first floor level.
Alongside these major infrastructure projects, there has been ongoing alteration and refurbishment of many, more modest, buildings such as townhouses and warehouses in the area to the east of Bishopsgate. Examples are Shield House, 16 New Street which was altered for residential and retail use, and 5 – 7 New Street which were converted back to residential use. There has been limited recent infill development Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 12
Page 138 in the conservation area, which has largely been sympathetically designed to recognise and enhance its special character.
The extension of the conservation area in 2007 includes the important grouping of 19 th century buildings near St Botolph’s Church and along Liverpool Street, including part of the Station and former Great Eastern Hotel.
The former Fire Brigade Station and Police Station on Bishopsgate are major public buildings: their larger scale and individual character make strong statements to convey their prominent and important civic functions.
5. Spatial analysis
Layout and plan form Bishopsgate is a major thoroughfare, with slight variations in width, which runs approximately northeast/southwest, through the conservation area.
There is a great contrast between the layout and plan form of Bishopsgate Conservation Area on each side of Bishopsgate, which contributes strongly to the distinctive character of the area. To the east, the historic streets, lanes and alleys which run predominantly east-west, form a dense and intricate streetscape and provide numerous routes through the area.
The eastern side of Bishopsgate, north of Houndsditch and south of Brushfield Street, strongly reflects the historic layout and evolution of the area in the 18 th and 19 th centuries. Earlier thoroughfares such as Catherine Wheel Alley and Artillery Lane exist alongside later insertions such as Devonshire Row and Devonshire Square, Victoria Avenue, and the northwest section of Middlesex Street. The layout of the area today is easily discernible in historic maps from the end of the17 th century onwards. Devonshire Square stands out as a notable example of formal 18 th century town planning in the City. Despite later interventions such as the substantial East India Company warehouses, the layout remains a distinctive element in the townscape.
West of Bishopsgate, a series of developments from the early19 th century onwards has resulted in a dramatically different layout. With the formation of Liverpool Street in 1829, the development of the Metropolitan Railway and Liverpool Street Station later in the century, the pre-existing pattern of narrow lanes and alleys was almost entirely swept away. White Hart Court, Alderman’s Walk, St Botolph’s Church and Churchyard survive as reminders of the west side’s former intricacy. The vast combined footprint of Liverpool Street Station and the Great Eastern Hotel replaced a substantial number of small side streets leading to Bishopsgate.
St Botolph’s Churchyard forms a unique and distinctive area within the conservation area. It is roughly square shaped in plan, with the Church to the north and is bisected by a pedestrian footpath that joins Bishopsgate to Old Broad Street.
Building plots The size and arrangement of plots reflect their historic origins. Although buildings fronting principal streets predominantly have substantial nineteenth century commercial frontages, historic maps demonstrate that many have been formed by Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 13
Page 139 combining earlier narrower plots. During the 19 th and early 20 th centuries, the amalgamation of building plots resulted in the loss of some smaller lanes and alleys.
Building plots form a continuous street frontage, interrupted by the intersection of a street or alley, or at ground floor level by the slight projection of an entranceway or the recesses of a colonnade or arcade. Above ground level the building line follows the alignment of each street and junction.
Building heights There is significant consistency in the height of buildings within different sections of the conservation area. This assists in defining the area in relation to the large scale office developments at its perimeter.
To the east side of Bishopsgate, between Brushfield Street and Houndsditch, there is strong consistency in the height of buildings. The predominant height of four to five storeys is established by the 19 th century public houses, warehouses and other commercial buildings, while later infill generally respects their scale.
There is a strong hierarchy applied to different storeys of historic buildings, with each floor above the ground floor diminishing in height towards the roof. There is frequently additional accommodation in an attic behind gabled dormers. Architectural embellishment, such as pilasters or string courses and variation in materials, adds interest to building façades.
The predominantly domestic scale of buildings east of Bishopsgate is contiguous with streets and buildings, of similar age and date, to the east in Tower Hamlets.
Views and vistas Distant and local views make a strong contribution to the character of the conservation area. The scale and age of buildings, its intricate historic street pattern, and its location in relation to other parts of the City and Tower Hamlets, results in a greatly diverse range of views. Views along broad thoroughfares and narrow alleyways to numerous historic and modern landmark buildings contribute greatly to the area’s rich character.
The following illustrates the range of distant and local views which exist in Bishopsgate Conservation Area. This list is not comprehensive, and the area provides further opportunities to capture long, short and kinetic views. Distant views are listed in bold .
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 14
Page 140
Local and distant views
1. View north from Liverpool Street along Sun Street Passage and the west elevation of Liverpool Street Station train shed 2. View east from the junction of Liverpool Street and Old Broad Street to the southern elevation of the former Great Eastern Hotel 3. View north from Bishopsgate Churchyard to St Botolph’s Church Hall and the south/west elevations of St Botolph’s Church 4. View north from the junction of Bishopsgate and Wormwood Street/Houndsditch to St Botolph’s Church and former White Hart Inn 5. View north from Bishopsgate to the southeast corner of the former Great Eastern Hotel 6. View southeast from the eastern entrance of Liverpool Street Station to the west elevation of the former fire station, 164 Bishopsgate 7. View south from Bishopsgate towards the eastern cluster of office buildings and the south of the City 8. View east along Brushfield Street to the Church of Christ Church Spitalfields 9. View east along Widegate Street to Artillery Passage 10. View west from New Street to the east entrance of Liverpool Street Station 11. View east from New Street into the courtyard of the former East India Company warehouses 12. View north from New Street to the gateway of 21 (with ram statue) 13. View west from Devonshire Row to the east elevation of the former Great Eastern Hotel 14. View north from southern end of Bishopsgate 15. View within Swedeland Court, off Bishopsgate
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 15
Page 141 6. Character analysis
Bishopsgate
East side of Bishopsgate looking south Great Eastern Hotel
Bishopsgate is part of a major north/south route, connecting London Bridge to the north of the City and beyond. Before the addition of new north-south routes of Princes Street and Moorgate in the 19th century, the street was the principal route and carried a significant volume of traffic. It remains a busy thoroughfare, and is wider than other roads in the conservation area. Today, this part of Bishopsgate is part of the hub, together with Liverpool Street, for access to important transport links – rail, underground, coaches, buses and taxis. Consequently, it has heavy pedestrian and vehicular use.
The boundaries of the conservation area are defined by taller buildings on the north, west and south sides, including the eastern section of Broadgate. There are views south to the towers and skyline views of the Eastern Cluster.
Forming a small group with St Botolph’s Church, 117 and 119-121 are the earliest buildings on the west side of the street in the conservation area. The White Hart Inn, 119-121, was rebuilt in 1829 to replace its 16 th century predecessor, in a simple neoclassical regency style with a stuccoed exterior and an entrance to the remaining section of White Hart Court. Although very different in style, the group is linked by the use of pale coloured materials: stone for the church and cream- painted stucco for the row of adjacent buildings. These buildings contrast strongly with the use of red brick at the former Great Eastern Hotel across the junction with Liverpool Street, where the built character and scale changes significantly, too. Planning permission has been granted for a development at 117-119 Bishopsgate which would retain the facades to Bishopsgate and the entrance to White Hart Court, incorporated into a new development.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 16
Page 142
Former Fire Brigade Station Dirty Dick’s Public House
On the east side of Bishopsgate, the conservation area is defined by a series of predominantly Victorian buildings, punctuated by a series of historic east-west streets and alleys. Buildings are largely commercial in character, with public houses, banks and shops alongside converted warehouses originally constructed in convenient proximity to Liverpool Street Station. The mix of different frontage widths, heights of buildings, materials used, varying designs and usages of buildings contributes to a visually rich and strong historic character, with a variety of architectural detailing and sculptural ornament.
On the southern edge of the conservation area, planning permission has been granted for a development of a tower with a public plaza on the corner of Bishopsgate and Houndsditch. It would relate more in scale to the buildings to the south and was designed to complement the Heron Tower. The development would retain the front sections of 1-17 Devonshire Row, 1879, and part of the facade of 142- 146 Bishopsgate, Devonshire Chambers, built 1878-79. 1-17 Devonshire Row are a terrace of brick warehouses with shallow three and five light windows. The retained façade of 142-146 Bishopsgate is in painted stone with restrained classical detailing, with a central bow window and columns. 1 Stone House Court, by Sir Albert Richardson 1928, is a segmental bay shop front with faience cladding on the upper floors. It has been dismantled for reconstruction on the site, facing a new pedestrian route linking Devonshire Row to the new public plaza. The new plaza would introduce greening to this area and is appropriate in the context of the building.
152-154 is a grand, ornate commercial building of red brick with Dutch gables that reflect the design of the former Great Eastern Hotel opposite. 158 is a contemporary interpretation of key characteristics of 152-154 and 164 and uses the same materials of red brick with a tall shop storey in stone and uses stone dressings to windows. It is complementary in design and is of a similar height, and features a tall gable as the crowning roofline focus, emulating the Flemish-inspired gables of its neighbours.
164 is the former Fire Brigade Station, with a richly articulated frontage, bearing the text ‘FIRE BRIGADE STATION’ and the date AD 1885, incorporated into the cornice. The building is of high quality and is an expression of Victorian civic pride. The ground floor features wide arched openings, relating to its former use to house fire engines. The lower two storeys are of stone, with two storeys of brick with stone frames above, and a tall, double storey attic with gables and cut brick elaborate detailing,
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 17
Page 143 together with prominent chimney stacks, creating a lively skyline. In the late 1990s the building was altered and the ground floor now has a retail use, providing a lively, active, frontage.
166-170, New Chapter House is Postmodern in style, with unconventional proportions and bold unconvincing details to the front elevation. The building has sympathetic materials and is of a scale consistent with neighbouring building heights. It has a quieter treatment to New Street that appropriately reflects the hierarchy of the streets.
North of New Street is a series of buildings occupying narrow plots which reflect the historical development of Bishopsgate. 172 is a stock brick late19 th century building, with a long return to New Street. It has ornate Italianate features with stucco window surrounds. 173 is red brick with bay windows, while 176 is a building that fails to harmonise with its context due to its painted treatment. It is faced in black painted render with obscured windows, in a horizontal configuration. A local curiosity, 178 has a ceramic panel commemorating ‘ Sir Robert Peel 1788-1850 ’ with an image and lettering. The building is Art D éco in style, which contributes to the richly varied street scene, but the uPVC windows detract from its appearance. 180 has an original first floor display window to its late 19 th century stock brick façade, with a strong verticality and one original corbel surviving to the rebuilt second floor.
Standing out among the predominantly 19 th century brick commercial buildings, Bishopsgate Police Station occupies a large site extending east to New Street. The building has a robust Portland stone ashlar façade with a granite base to the principal elevation, contrasting in materials and design from its neighbours. The scale and proportions of the front elevation are consistent with neighbouring buildings, with additional stories discreetly set back above third floor level. To the rear, the building extends to fill a large site bounded by Rose Alley, New Street and Victoria Avenue, with higher utilitarian wings around a series of lightwells.
Dating from 1957, 186-190 is of an appropriate scale to its context, with a tall, narrow, elevation clad in an early example of curtain walling, above a sympathetic recent shopfront, with an attractive, well-proportioned fascia. However, the dark brown glazing and grid arrangement of the façade fail to relate to its context and the character of the conservation area. Similar in scale and proportions, yet entirely contrasting in appearance, 192 is an altered early 18 th century red brick building of two bays with multi-pane timber sash windows, emphasised by brick aprons, and a later top storey with cornice.
Bishopsgate Police Station Woodin’s Shades Public House Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 18
Page 144 One of the area’s finest Victorian warehouses, 196 was built in 1887 for a stationer’s company and has large window openings divided by columns and pilasters below an attractive pedimented upper storey, with small round-headed windows. 202, Dirty Dick’s Public House, has an attractively eclectic late 19 th century warehouse façade with tall gothic arches, foliate capitals, a two storey timber pub frontage, and a semi-circular relief showing the old Bishop’s Gate. The building has a pronounced doorway bottom right with a sign for ‘ Abbotts Chambers ’, dated 1870, while its overall appearance is diminished by the truncation of the roof gable in the late 20 th century.
Acting as a bookend with 208 Middlesex Street and Dirty Dick’s, the Woodin’s Shades Public House dates to 1893, when Middlesex Street was extended into Bishopsgate. The red brick building curves around the junction and has florid neoclassical features focused on the Bishopsgate elevation, with simpler detailing to the five bays on Middlesex Street. 210 has its main elevation to Middlesex Street, and comprises a red brick Queen Anne style building with a varied roofline including a series of pediments to the curved corner, and an entrance to Swedeland Court.
Bishopsgate east side Devonshire Chambers Bishopsgate Institute
214-216 is a former bank dated 1906 by the architect Campbell Jones, and is a quietly restrained building in red brick with full height pilasters. 220-226 is a late 20 th century development which successfully fits into the character of the street in terms of height, proportions and materials. It has Portland stone pilasters that continue the rhythm of the street and break the building into separate elements.
232-238 is an Edwardian bank building with restrained detailing to its Portland stone façade, that sits comfortably against the elaborate Grade II* listed Bishopsgate Institute frontage. The Bishopsgate Institute opened in 1895, with facilities that included a public library and lecture hall. Built to the design by Harrison Townsend, it forms one of the area’s most distinctive buildings. It has Romanesque brick and terracotta elevations to Bishopsgate, Brushfield Street and Fort Street, with an elaborately articulated main entrance façade on Bishopsgate. The upper part of the Bishopsgate façade is framed by two polygonal towers, with a steep mansard roof behind, creating a prominent and distinctive roofline. On the north side of the Institute on Brushfield Street, the building has been extended with a glazed infill on a former courtyard. Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 19
Page 145 The strong character of architectural variation on Bishopsgate is tempered by a largely consistent building line. The built form is dense on both sides, unrelieved by any green or major open space, with the exception of Bishopsgate Churchyard and the proposed open space on the corner of Houndsditch.
Bishopsgate is notable for the location of several prestigious, civic buildings – the former Fire Brigade Station, Police Station and the Bishopsgate Institute. The varied and decorative treatment of many roofscapes along Bishopsgate, with mansards, dormers, prominent chimney stacks and sculptural ornament, makes for an attractive and lively skyline. The mixture of materials (stone, red brick painted render and metal – including colour), the variety of fenestration styles, together with inventive modelling of wall treatments, all give Bishopsgate a particularly vibrant character.
Bishopsgate courts and alleys
View within Swedeland Court Catherine Wheel Alley
To the east of Bishopsgate a number of historic alleys and courts run east towards Middlesex Street and the City boundary, providing additional connections to the wider area. Surviving alleys of different periods reflect the historic form of the area to both sides of Bishopsgate, which prior to the development of the railway stations was similarly punctuated by side streets.
Catherine Wheel Alley, formerly the site of a medieval coaching inn of the same name, is formed of two sections. An extremely narrow section is accessed through a Victorian warehouse on Bishopsgate, before forming a dogleg and then a slightly wider section that connects to Middlesex Street. The alley could be enhanced with uses and active façades, to enhance its amenity value and improve its contribution to the network of alleys and connectivity in the area.
Victoria Avenue widens as it enters a courtyard of long, rectangular, form. Although no longer a thoroughfare, it provides access to buildings including the Police Station. It could benefit from provision of active frontages.
Swedeland Court is another very narrow passage accessed to the north of Dirty Dick’s Public House. Although relatively inconspicuous from the street, it encloses small-scale restaurant and bar uses which give it a vibrant character, in contrast with
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 20
Page 146 other alleys in the area. The active character of Swedeland Court provides a good example for other alleys to follow.
Alderman’s Walk and White Hart Court lead west from Bishopsgate, on the north side of St. Botolph’s Church and beneath the White Hart Inn respectively, the only surviving medieval courts on this side of the street. The western section of White Hart Court, including the courtyard itself, was lost during construction of the underground line. Planning permission has been granted for a development that would involve the eastern section of White Hart Court being stopped up.
166-170, New Chapter House incorporates the entrance to a subway under Bishopsgate which emerges in Liverpool Street Station. The subway contributes to the permeability of the immediate area, by helping to facilitate pedestrian access to and from the Station.
The presence of a number of alleys and lanes is an essential characteristic and contributes an extra layer of variety in the conservation area. Their historic character and small scale create intimate places. They provide practical means of pedestrian navigation into and through densely built up areas. These narrow passageways provide significant interest and enhance the special character of the conservation area. However, the character of some alleyways could be enhanced by creating more active uses, to improve the connectivity and vibrancy of the conservation area, and appearance improved by avoiding visible plant installations.
St Botolph’s Without Bishopsgate Church and Churchyard
St Botolph’s Church St Botolph’s Church
The Grade II* listed St Botolph’s Church is a prominent neoclassical building, rectangular in plan, of red brick with prominent stone dressings, set on a tall stone plinth, with two levels of windows. The façade to Bishopsgate has a neoclassical centrepiece, with a substantial, tall, stone tower and steeple. As such, it has a prominent position on Bishopsgate and adds significantly to the quality of the conservation area.
St Botolph’s Church is a dominant presence on Bishopsgate, because of its east elevation and tall steeple. As the only church in the conservation area, the Church makes a notable reference to its historic religious and parochial functions.
St Botolph’s Church Hall, to the west of the Church, was built as an infants’ school in 1861. Compact in size, of rectangular plan, it has strong neoclassical detailing. It is Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 21
Page 147 of red brick with Tuscan order stone columns that frame the entrance, with tall sash windows on the long sides. The prominent corner quoins and framing of the lunette above the entrance door echo the neoclassical treatment of the Church. Flanking the entrance door are two Coade stone statues of a charity boy and girl in niches. Although it is a small building, it seems grander than its size, in part due to the bold detailing, together with its full width pediment with an oculus on the entrance front.
The large open space to the south, with lawns, shrubs and trees, is the former churchyard, made into a garden in 1863. A paved pedestrian path runs across it, linking Bishopsgate and Old Broad Street. It passes under wrought iron lanterns of the overthrow type. At the Bishopsgate end of the path, the entrance is framed by tall stone piers which contain small drinking fountains, with pink granite bowls.
The Church and Church Hall form a complementary group and the sense of enclosure adds to its character. The churchyard has been largely cleared of monuments, but several remain which are of interest. It has two nineteenth century drinking fountains and three overthrows with lanterns. Access throughout the Churchyard has been improved by the addition of sloping ramps, for access to the upper level, the Church and Church Hall. The Churchyard is a tranquil green oasis, offering a valuable resource for rest and quiet, which contrasts with the noise of Bishopsgate, with its heavy pedestrian and vehicular use. There is a tennis and netball court to the southwest of the Churchyard. The permeability of the site, with its routes crossing west-east and north-south, make it a popular cut through for pedestrians.
Liverpool Street/Old Broad Street
Liverpool Street (south side) Former Great Eastern Hotel
Liverpool Street was formed by widening Old Bethlem Lane, in 1825-29. Both north and south sides of the street are dominated by buildings which were constructed for uses associated with the railway (hotel, shops and public houses) and station buildings.
Liverpool Street Station (opened 1874) is one of London’s great Victorian stations, and is a dominating presence in Liverpool Street and Bishopsgate. The station, its 1990s additions, its Gothic style office wing on Liverpool Street and the former Great Eastern Hotel (1880-84) collectively form a notable Victorian townscape group. The Hotel dominates the corner, in terms of its size and elaborate decorative treatment. It is of five storeys and attic, built of red brick with stone and terracotta dressings. Its façades are very busy, with projecting bays, and has tall gables and dormers which Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 22
Page 148 create a complex and intricate roofscape. The heavily articulated and florid façades are emblematic of the original desire to create a high status Victorian building.
View towards Hope Square 76-80 Old Broad Street
Marking the western edge of the conservation area, 15 (the Railway Tavern) is a substantial Victorian public house, designed by architect G Low in 1877. The Railway Tavern wraps around the corner, with boldly articulated façades making a strong statement. Good quality details include a large projecting decorative iron bracket bearing the sign ‘The Railway Tavern’ and glass lamps on iron brackets. These are important surviving original features.
76-80 Old Broad Street was built c. 1860 and continues the neoclassical character and roofline of the prominent Railway Tavern public house.
17-33 Liverpool Street and 70-74 Old Broad Street comprise the former Metropolitan Railway Station, designed in 1876 by its engineer, Edward Wilson. The building, which is of stock brick, is relatively low-rise in relation to the area, but forms part of an important Victorian grouping on Liverpool Street and Old Broad Street. It has a prominent and attractive French-style mansard roof, neoclassical stucco detailing, and an interesting window arrangement with alternating segmental and triangular pediments.
The two long terraces , 17– 27 and 28–33, on the southern side of Liverpool Street are somewhat run down and include much altered shopfronts, which would be improved by general restoration and reinstatement of missing original motifs. Reinstatement of the original shopfront design (of which parts do survive) with standard fasciae and position of signage would enhance the amenity value of this frontage.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 23
Page 149
Old Broad Street Metropolitan Arcade
Built over the open cut Metropolitan Underground line, the Metropolitan Arcade is an important example of its type and is largely intact. It is a single storey arcade, by Fred Sherrin, dated 1911-12 and was sympathetically reconstructed in 1994-95. It has two imposing entrances, on Liverpool Street and Old Broad Street and is a key pedestrian link to both streets as well as entrance to the underground. The entrance on Old Broad Street has a neoclassical treatment, with painted stucco columns supporting an architrave with a deep fascia containing the inscription ‘THE ARCADE’. The corner is open, with views into a terrace of small shops on either side. These shopfronts have painted timber frames, with stallrisers in grey granite and are divided by pilasters. There is a metal framed pitched roof with extensive glazing that permits natural light into the ‘indoor street’. Altogether it is a very pleasing ensemble, notable for its character and surviving historic fabric and its wider group value tied to the other railway linked buildings, such as the Railway Tavern nearby. The retail use is varied, creating a lively and animated atmosphere.
The rear wall of The Metropolitan Arcade that forms part of the boundary of the conservation area has different wall treatments, reflecting previous buildings on the site.
Planning permission has been granted to redevelop a site on the corner of Liverpool Street and Bishopsgate. This would include the demolition of Alderman’s House at 34-37 Liverpool Street, which is a 1970s red brick building, and is considered to have a harmful effect on the character of the conservation area. The facades of 117 and 119-121 Bishopsgate would be retained and refurbished. A new taller building would fill the site behind the retained facades and create new frontages in Liverpool Street.
Liverpool Street is a major collecting and delivery point for taxis. As part of the Liverpool Street Strategy, the taxis would be relocated to improve pedestrian movement, safety and the amenity of the area.
At the northwest corner of the conservation area, Hope Square is a raised area framed to the front by tall stone columnar gate piers, with elaborately detailed iron gates. To the rear of the space, tall brick towers with a glazed canopy mark the entrance to the Station. Hope Square is a busy area, used by large numbers of
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 24
Page 150 people, passing through the Station and the retail areas. Sun Street Passage, to the west of Liverpool Street Station, offers a fine view of the richly arcaded side elevation of the train sheds, outside the conservation area.
Wormwood Street
Wormwood Street Wormwood Street defines part of the southern boundary of the conservation area and forms a continuation of London Wall. There are remnants of an earlier, late 19 th century, townscape and modern buildings have been designed to complement the earlier scale and layout.
21 (and 105-107 Bishopsgate) is a 1990s building faced in brick and render, with metal spandrel panels. It is formed of two elements, with the taller section to Bishopsgate and the smaller part stepping down onto Wormwood Street where it corresponds to the scale of the adjoining buildings. Of a similar date, 22-24 Wormwood Street is a symmetrical building of brick with metal clad details and pavilion sections. Its façade is divided into separate sections to give the impression of several smaller buildings, which succeeds in providing rhythm on the street and harmonises with earlier neighbouring buildings. The shop fronts are largely traditional in design, including side pilasters or piers supporting a fascia and a stall riser at the base of the shop front.
25 is a late 19 th century commercial building, with a richly ornate sandstone façade that makes a valuable addition to the townscape. It has a central projecting oriel window with carved reliefs to the first and second storeys, as well as a range of additional surface detail, including elaborate double corbels to the shopfront and Grecian details to the attic storey. Another earlier survival on Wormwood Street, 26, is a stock brick building dating to the early 1800s with timber sash windows and a simple cornice to its narrow façade.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 25
Page 151 Houndsditch
Houndsditch marks part of the southern boundary of the conservation area. The street frontage contains Jubilee Gardens, a green open space with seating in front of the substation. Planning permission has been granted for the development of a tower and public plaza on the corner of Houndsditch and Bishopsgate.
Devonshire Row
View towards Devonshire Corner of Devonshire Row North side of Devonshire Row Square and Bishopsgate
Developed in conjunction with Devonshire Square, Devonshire Row has a formal linear layout, with predominantly 19 th century warehouses to both sides, designed with architectural features and detailing that create a rhythm along the street. It was rebuilt in the 1870s when the Metropolitan railway was constructed, using the cut and cover method. The buildings have a variety of uses with a resulting mixture of projecting signs and canopies. The proliferation of A boards on the public footway in front of some shops has created a cluttered effect.
1-17 are part of a consented scheme for the development of a tower and public plaza to the south. These buildings would be refurbished with a new south elevation and two new links to the proposed plaza, retail area and Houndsditch.
A grand and imposing public house, 4-6 (The Bull) is built of fine Fareham red brick with high quality detailing. It is dated 1876, and was designed by W S R Payne, in an Anglo-Dutch style. Its dormer windows are notable for their unusual detailing, and the upper storey has a striking inset balcony, originally serving the publican’s quarters. 1-21 (north side) are a range of late 19 th century warehouses, with simple neoclassical proportions and detailing to their stuccoed façades . They were Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 26
Page 152 designed in 1878-79 by architect W W Neve, a pupil of Norman Shaw. Opposite, 8-18 are warehouses of a similar date, with large timber-framed windows divided into smaller panes, between red brick piers. The ground floor is enhanced by traditional timber shopfronts.
The character of Devonshire Row is principally one of narrow plots, with active frontages, on both sides. The width of the street appears wide due to the introduction of a level surface of pavement and street. The historic character of the street has been changed by raising the carriageway and resurfacing with granite setts and double yellow lines. The footways have been paved in York stone. Devonshire Row has an important function as a formal, linear, route leading into Devonshire Square.
Devonshire Square
15 Devonshire Square 1 and 2 Devonshire Square 12 Devonshire Square
The oldest houses on the square are 12 and 13, which date from a second phase of development on the square in the 1740s. These tall, narrow, neoclassical inspired details on brick townhouses are characteristic of their period.
The east side of the Square is dominated by the former East India Company and Port of London Authority warehouse buildings, which, when built in the 1820s, marked a fragmentation of the Square’s residential character, while the south side is filled by an electricity substation. Between the Substation and warehouses, the south eastern corner of the square and boundary of the conservation area is marked by gardens on the site of former warehouse buildings.
Buildings to the west and north sides of the square are domestic in character and are of a consistent scale. Properties of different periods are united by their use of red brick, neoclassical proportions, vertical window openings, cornice lines, and basement lightwells with iron railings. These characteristics are largely continued along Devonshire Row.
1, Bank of Ceylon is a distinctive red brick former warehouse building with strong painted stone base and well modelled brickwork features above, with depth and layering created by a combination of pilasters, cornice and window aprons. 2 is a refined Neo Georgian building dated 1926 with the character of a townhouse. It is of brownish red brick with chunky stone detailing including a large portico, rusticated base, window surrounds, cornice and balustrade to the lightwell. On the south side, the electricity substation has been designed to be sympathetic to the formal Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 27
Page 153 character of the square. It has coursed stone entrances, a cornice line consistent with neighbouring buildings, is of yellow brick with rendered undecorated pilasters, and blind windows with coloured ventilation grilles, reflecting its use. Trees on the south side of the square partly conceal the building.
14 is an early 20 th century red brick warehouse building, with modern replacement windows to the large window openings that are out of keeping with the building’s historic character. 15 (1898 by Chatfield-Clark) continues the red brick theme, with substantial stone features in an eclectic, innovative, Queen Anne style. The façade of the building is irregularly arranged, with different designs of windows on each floor, a tall wide entrance door with projecting door hood, an egg and dart cornice supported on brackets, with pilasters that rise from the floor below and which frame the windows at second floor level.
16 and 17 date from about 1900: it is a large block that wraps round the corner to Devonshire Row. It is of three storeys of red brick, with a tall white-rendered attic and a basement enclosed by railings on the Devonshire Square side. The scale, materials and some details of its elevations relate well to adjoining buildings on both Devonshire Row and Devonshire Square.
The former Great Eastern Hotel is an imposing landmark, viewed from Devonshire Square and west along Devonshire Row, which is dramatically framed at the opening of the street, highlighting its intricate detailing and roofline.
Public realm enhancement works have re-established the formal character and layout of the Square, with hard landscaping and the planting of trees, including the creation of a new central seating area.
Devonshire Square is important in terms of historic town planning, being the sole historic planned square in the conservation area. Its formal layout is in marked contrast to the irregular forms of many parts of the area. It has a strong sense of enclosure on three sides, which frame a rectangular open space. This has a key amenity value as a relatively quiet place for people to sit in, away from the bustle and noise of Bishopsgate. The Square opens up on its eastern side, on the boundary of the conservation area with a wide vehicular road.
New Street
5, 6 & 7 New Street 21 New Street New Street
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 28
Page 154 Originally named Hand Alley, this L-shaped street was altered and renamed in 1782. During excavations in 1978, evidence of 17 th century houses, gardens and cottage industries was uncovered. Commercial and industrial uses were to continue well into the 20 th century, with the dominating presence of 19th century warehouses.
1-2 is a late 19 th century warehouse, with attractive elements including columns, colonnettes and sections of marble cladding. However, its appearance has been diminished by reversible 1960s alterations, such as the infill to windows and the entrance canopy. 3-4 is in a more authentic condition and is a grander and taller building of the same period in white Suffolk brick, with colonettes dividing the large window openings, and impressive railings to the basement lightwell. Both warehouses are by architect Charles Bell and are dated 1882-84.
5, 6 and 7 New Street are a row of later 18 th century, four storey houses, with basements enclosed by railings, of brownish stock brick. Each house has identical, pedimented doorcases, with engaged Corinthian columns and fanlights, with timber sash windows. The buildings, recently refurbished for residential use are important as a high quality group of Georgian houses, retaining key original features and overall strong character.
8-9 is an attractive warehouse of 1870 in pale brick with a solid painted stone base. 10-11 has simple neoclassical proportions with arched windows and a strong vertical emphasis.
12, Magpie Public House, is a stock brick building dating from about1830, with original multi-pane sash windows and a timber pub frontage. The building is symmetrical and of domestic proportions, with blind windows to the upper central bay. It is a storey lower than adjoining buildings, and its roof has original dormers and tall chimney stacks.
21, the former Cooper’s Wool Warehouse by Herbert Williams, is dated 1863-64, (top storey added in 1868) and was converted to offices in 1981-82. It is a plain stock brick building with regular window openings and segmental brick lintels, and makes a strong statement on New Street. The listed gateway to 21 has a ram sculpture atop it (1860s), emblematic of its former use as a wool warehouse. Alongside the courtyard of 21, there is a compact mid 19 th century brick warehouse, which was extended in 1996 by the addition of a matching top storey.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 29
Page 155 Middlesex Street
Middlesex Street north side 19 Middlesex Street
Middlesex Street (formerly named Hogge Lane) is the widest road in this part of the conservation area to the west of Bishopsgate. Middlesex Street is the site of large houses built in the 17 th century and occupied by notable individuals, including Gondomar the Spanish ambassador, and Hans Jacobson, the King’s Jeweller. The London historian John Strype was born here in 1643 – hence nearby Strype Street, which lies outside the City. The northwest part of Middlesex Street was formed in 1892-96 by the London County Council, to provide a connection between Bishopsgate and Widegate Street, and to strengthen links between Liverpool Street Station and the industrial and residential areas to the east.
On the south side of Middlesex Street is a unified group of late 19 th century buildings originating from the 1890s extension of the street, and which follows its irregular, stepped, layout. The buildings have a consistent scale of four storeys and are of red brick, with a varied roofline of gables, chimneys and arches that are typical of the Queen Anne style.
110-116 (and 1-11 Widegate Street) occupies the majority of a triangular ‘flatiron’ site, and is of four storeys with a setback roof. It dates from the 1980s and its buff brick façade is divided by pilasters and regular, shallow, window openings, which diminishes its appearance. 109-117 is another 1980s building, built in two similar sections: the eastern section is of brown brick above a stone colonnade and a Portland roach base, while the western section is of simpler yellow stock brick. To the roof are a giant pediment and two turrets, one with a statue of a horse by Judy Boyt.
Part of a late 19 th century grouping on the south side, 119-121 has a long, symmetrical, elevation of red brick facing north, and an opulent end elevation with a Baroque-influenced scrolled pediment over a giant pilasters that presents a dramatic façade to the east. 123 has a symmetrical red brick façade and a decorative gable to its Queen Anne-influenced front elevation, above a replacement shopfront which is out of keeping with the period character of the building. 125-129, Shooting Star Public House is the former Jewish Board of Education building by David and Emmanuel, 1895-96. It is of red brick, with a wealth of terracotta and stone detailing, including a balustraded parapet.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 30
Page 156 131, Middlesex House is a simple red brick warehouse with paired timber sash windows divided by brick piers, and with a simple cornice below an attic. The building has a simple character and appearance that is consistent with 133, which is slightly lower than its neighbours and has tripartite sash windows.
To the north side of Middlesex Street lies a mixed group of brick former warehouses and commercial buildings, on a predominantly domestic scale. In contrast with the consistency of the south side, buildings on the north side are irregular in terms of age, design and materials. 120 is a plain stock brick warehouse with dark metal windows in broad openings below plain concrete lintels, and a contemporary glazed shopfront. Displaying a more domestic character, 122 is a narrow building of pale brick with attractive decorative elements that include decorative bargeboards to the dormer windows, an unusual parapet and carved keystones.
124 is an attractive stock brick warehouse with distinctive arched windows, loading bay, metal hoist, and brick cornice. It has late 20th century brick framing to the shopfront and a setback roof extension behind incongruous metal railings. 126 has a very narrow stock brick façade of four storeys, with a gauged brick lintel to the first floor that suggests it dates to about1800.
Widegate Street
King’s Stores, corner of 12-13 Widegate Street (former bakery) Corner of Widegate Street Widegate Street and and Middlesex Street Sandy’s Row
Named after the ‘white gate’ entrance into the old artillery ground, Widegate Street was partially absorbed into Middlesex Street when it was extended west in the 1890s. The eastern section remains and forms a narrow lane with an attractive grouping of narrow-fronted historic buildings.
12-13 is one of the area’s more unusual buildings, being a former bakery in an interwar neo-Georgian style, with a glazed brick ground floor with red brick above, and strongly projecting cornice and string course. The building’s multi-paned Crittal windows are integral to its distinctive appearance, and to the first floor a series of ceramic reliefs depicting different aspects of baking (1926 by P Lindsey Clark) make a rich contribution to the townscape. 14, The King’s Stores Public House, is a late19 th - century public house of red brick in a Queen Anne revival style. It has neoclassical detailing, arched windows to its public house frontage and upper storeys, and a prominent gabled sign above a pleasingly curved corner. Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 31
Page 157 17-19 is a simple building dated 1895 on the blunt, flatiron-shaped corner which faces the junction with Sandy’s Row. It is of London stock brick with horizontal bands and aprons to the second floor windows picked out in red brick. 20-21 is a mid-19 th - century stock brick building with red brick cambered arch window heads, and original corbels and pilasters to its shopfronts. 22-23 are identical to 20-21 to the upper floors, except for extra brick string courses to 23. The shop front has narrow pilasters and corbels.
24 and 25 date approximately to the 1720s and are some of the earliest buildings in the conservation area. Their connection to the nearby Spitalfields silk trade is indicated by the weavers’ lofts at roof level, where large windows lit the workspace. Later buildings on the north side of Widegate Street and Middlesex Street generally respect the scale and proportions of these modest former houses. An example is 26, which is a narrow painted brick example with a good hierarchy to each floor emphasised by round-headed windows with a double reveal picked out in red brick to the first floor.
Artillery Lane and Sandy’s Row
Former warehouse, Artillery Lane, north side Artillery Lane, south side Artillery Lane
Artillery Lane occupies part of a former artillery ground and continues across the City boundary into Tower Hamlets, intersecting with the narrower Artillery Passage to the southeast. It was historically known as Tasel Close because of the prickly headed teasel plants used in the treatment of cloth being made in this area.
Artillery Lane is narrower at the junction with Bishopsgate and widens towards the east. On its north side is a stretch of narrow fronted buildings, but there is only one on the south side. These narrow plots relate to the domestic scale of houses and contrast significantly with much wider ones that relate to industrial warehouse use. These contrasts illustrate the varied uses of buildings that developed in the area. Views in Artillery Lane are restricted by its narrow width. Artillery Lane has a more intimate character and a stronger sense of enclosure than the major thoroughfares in the conservation area.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 32
Page 158 The principal material used on the lane is brick of varied colours, with interesting architectural details. The variety of scale, character, design and materials creates a lively street scene.
Artillery Lane includes a mixture of buildings of a consistent scale and character, predominantly of brick. 1-3 is of stock brick and of an appropriate scale, but lacks depth to the window reveals and is further weakened by an unattractive service access to the ground floor of its 1970s façade. 5-9 are narrow buildings on a domestic scale with multi-pane timber sash windows and stock brick elevations that suggest they date from c.1800, and as such indicate the way in which earlier buildings were re-used for commercial purposes.
11-13 are restrained stock brick buildings dating to the late 19 th century with simple elevations and original iron window frames. Bunge House, 15-25 Artillery Lane is another former warehouse in two parts. The main section is a particularly fine stock brick late-19 th century example with a symmetrical composition surmounted by a central pediment. It has polychromatic brick detailing, a robust painted stone base and the remnants of loading bays and cast iron hoists. To the east is a brown brick and sandstone extension in a postmodern style.
The south side of Artillery Lane includes two recent buildings, both of which successfully reference the predominant warehouse character of the immediate area, 4-10, and 12-18 which is of red brick with neoclassical detailing and a central pediment, echoing that of Bunge House opposite. 20-24, (the Williams Public House), has a simple early to mid19 th century stock brick elevation, partially painted, with timber sash windows and vermiculated keystones. 26-30 is the grandest former warehouse on the street and dates to 1884. It has five storeys of pale gault brick with stucco details including corbels, cornicing and window heads above iron colonnettes which divide the building’s large openings.
Sandy’s Row links Artillery Lane and Middlesex Street. 2-3 is a 1980s brown brick building on an appropriate scale for its location, with red brick lintels, black metal windows and concrete window sills that are unsympathetic in character to the area. 4 is an unusually modest painted brick cottage of two storeys with dormer windows to the roof. 4½ appears to be the former ‘office’ entrance to the Victorian buildings it adjoins on Widegate Street, and is an interesting curiosity and an isolated feature in the area.
Sandy’s Row is a narrow lane which has lower vehicular and pedestrian use than wider thoroughfares in the conservation area, so it is relatively quiet and intimate in character.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 33
Page 159 Brushfield Street/Fort Street
Brushfield Street south side Brushfield Street Brushfield Street marks the northern edge of the conservation area. Formerly named Union Street East, its name was changed in 1870, after Thomas Brushfield, a justice of the peace. The street has buildings of varied designs and periods, and has strong character, with an active frontage at ground floor, largely composed of restaurants and cafes.
The north elevation of Bishopsgate Institute on Brushfield Street is set back from the street and of red brick and stone. It has a varied design, enlivened by an elegant, glazed café infilling an external courtyard and which permits views through to the original building’s elevation. The irregular terrace from 8 to 18 is a group of three storeys, brick built, with good quality timber shopfronts at ground floor. Common features include the use of brownish stock brick, with timber sash windows on the upper floors. Of particular interest are the two buildings at 10 and 14. Both are late 18 th century, four storeys, and two bays wide, of stock brick, with timber shopfronts and sash windows at upper floors.
Looking east, there is a fine view of Christchurch Spitalfields (1714–1729 by Nicolas Hawksmoor). Its neoclassical front with a tall tower and steeple, of stone, makes a striking end stop at the eastern end of Brushfield Street, outside the City.
Fort Street marks the northeast boundary of the conservation area. The major part of this short stretch comprises the rear elevation of Bishopsgate, which is two storeys high, of red brick and stone and continues the good quality detailing of its front and side facades. Fort Street is very narrow and has limited vehicular use and pedestrian footfall, so it has a quiet character.
7. Land uses and related activity The variety of land uses which exist in the conservation area is one of its most distinctive features, contributing to its special character and continued vitality. The principal thoroughfare of Bishopsgate is dominated on its west side by the entrance to Liverpool Street station and the former Great Eastern Hotel, which wraps around the corner towards Liverpool Street and the station buildings.
Uses on Liverpool Street, the Metropolitan Arcade and Old Broad Street include various retail uses, restaurants, cafes, bars and public houses and office use. On the
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 34
Page 160 west of Bishopsgate, retail and public house use continues. On Wormwood Street, retail use predominates.
Liverpool Street and Old Broad Street are areas of major transport interchange – train, Underground, coach, bus and taxi use.
Scattered among the higher status buildings on the east side of Bishopsgate and the south side of Liverpool Street, the character is composed of small-scale buildings, with retail shops, public houses and other varied uses, with mostly office accommodation above. These are separated by individual, larger scale, buildings – the Bishopsgate Institute and the Police Station.
Devonshire Square and Jubilee Gardens are open spaces on the east side. Devonshire Square has pedestrian access from Devonshire Row to the west and vehicular access. The Square is dominated by offices, but includes a bank and an electricity substation on the south side.
The western section of the conservation area in Liverpool Street and Old Broad Street continues the pattern of varied uses, with public houses, shops with offices above and station entrances. The Metropolitan Arcade provides an internal pedestrian route, with entrances on Old Broad Street and Liverpool Street, and has small shops and eating places lining each side.
In contrast to the rest of the conservation area, the southwest area is dominated by the Church of St Botolph, with its adjacent Church Hall, which has a community function. The open, landscaped, garden Churchyard provides a valuable public space that acts as a ‘green lung’ in an area that is otherwise densely developed. The Churchyard garden has pleasant green planting and quiet seating areas that are popular and used by office workers and visitors. The tennis and volleyball court is the sole outdoor sporting facility within the conservation area and provides considerable public benefit.
On Sundays, Petticoat Lane Market is held on Middlesex Street, selling clothing and general goods. It is one of the oldest surviving traditional markets in London.
8. Traffic and transport
The character of Bishopsgate Conservation Area is heavily influenced by the nature of its street network and the traffic using it.
The principal traffic route is the A1211 along Wormwood Street, Outwich Street and Houndsditch, which is a borough distributor road, designed to facilitate efficient vehicle movement into and out of the City, and still providing for frontage access. Bishopsgate, part of the A10, is a local distributor road, designed to provide defined routes for vehicle traffic into the local area, with full frontage access. The A10, Bishopsgate, has traditionally been a busy thoroughfare, linking London Bridge, the centre of the City and is one of the main routes to areas north of the City.
Several pedestrian routes have significant footfall, including Devonshire Row and New Street. The pedestrian route through Bishopsgate Churchyard is quieter in terms
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 35
Page 161 of volume of pedestrian use, but remains a well-used route between Bishopsgate and Old Broad Street. Similarly, the Metropolitan Arcade is used by pedestrians to reach Liverpool Street and Old Broad Street
The mixture of heavily trafficked areas contrasts strongly with the more intimate scale of pedestrian-friendly alleys and courts, such as Artillery Lane, Sandy’s Row and Fort Street.
Liverpool Street Station, with entrances on Liverpool Street and Bishopsgate (the latter just outside the conservation area boundaries), has a significant number of people travelling through the area, using mainline rail and underground services. These services are linked to many bus and coach routes, and there is heavy taxi use for onward journeys. As a consequence, the Station areas and access routes suffer from overcrowding, especially at peak times. The high volume of vehicular traffic impacts on the area’s character and appearance, particularly on views within and out of the conservation area.
Bishopsgate has historically been a busy thoroughfare, linking London Bridge, the centre of the City and one of the main routes to the north of the City.
9. Architectural character
Architects, styles and influences Buildings in the area which date from the 18 th and early 19 th centuries make use of simple classical proportions, details and features that continue to be used for the majority of later developments.
Victorian warehouse buildings in the conservation area are similarly neoclassical in style and as such harmonise well with their earlier counterparts and domestic neighbours. Individually and collectively the groups of warehouse buildings are distinctive parts of the conservation area’s character.
The neoclassical proportions of the majority of these buildings are a significant characteristic of the conservation area that results in an imposing ground floor and entranceway, with upper storeys that reduce in scale toward the top of the building. Timber sash windows make an important contribution to the design and proportions of a large number of older buildings in the area. Recognisable features of all these neoclassical buildings include columns, pilasters, pediments, a frieze, cornice and string courses. They provide surface detail, visual variety and rhythm to building façades and the wider streetscape.
The grouping of Victorian buildings on Liverpool Street illustrates the eclectic nature of late 19 th century architecture, employing a range of decorative styles in elaborate and diverse ways. Liverpool Street Station, part of which lies within the conservation area, is one of London’s principal gothic revival buildings. Its vast shed is characterised by pointed arches and naturalistic detailing, inside and out.
Attached to the station, but of a different date and architectural language, the former Great Eastern Hotel is designed in an elaborate Flemish style, with prominent gables and pinnacles. It has been suggested the design was intended to reflect the Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 36
Page 162 form of timber framed buildings which had previously stood here, for example, Sir Paul Pindar’s House, which was demolished to make way for the hotel extension.
Opposite, the former Metropolitan Railway Station and Arcade are notable for French architectural influences, while the neighbouring Railway Tavern is more conventionally neoclassical in style. Other striking examples of eclectic Victorian architecture in the area include the former Fire Brigade Station and Bishopsgate Institute, both of which have elaborate ornamentation.
A number of late 19 th century buildings could broadly be described as Queen Anne revival in style, as characterised by their use of red brick and eclectic detailing which includes Flemish and neoclassical references. Examples include public houses such as 4 - 6 Devonshire Row, 212 Bishopsgate, as well as the run of buildings between 119 and 131 Middlesex Street.
Building ages Buildings in the Bishopsgate Conservation Area are predominantly Victorian or Edwardian in origin, and there are a number of substantial and significant examples focused on Bishopsgate and Liverpool Street. A large number of these buildings, including those on Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate and Middlesex Street, relate to the commercial expansion of the area in the late 19 th century when large-scale railway infrastructure and architecture was imposed over the historic street pattern. Warehouses, shops, public houses and civic buildings were developed incrementally throughout this period, enlarging historic building plots for commercial or public uses. In the case of Middlesex Street and New Street, entirely new sections of townscape were created in relation to civic improvements, and these remain largely intact today.
Amid the prevalent Victorian and Edwardian commercial buildings, there are numerous examples of Georgian architecture, evidence of the former scale and appearance in some areas. Domestic examples such as 5-7 New Street and 12-13 Devonshire Square contrast with the larger 18 th -century warehouse buildings on New Street and those adjoining the conservation area on Cutler Street. The character established by these buildings in terms of scale, proportion, materials and proportions, informed much of what was built in later decades, and adds coherence to the area. There are 20 th century buildings scattered throughout the conservation area, including the Police Station.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 37
Page 163
10. Local details
Architectural sculpture
Former Fire Brigade Station Former Great Eastern Hotel Former Great Eastern Hotel (detail) Bishopsgate Conservation Area contains significant examples of architectural sculpture in the form of decorative relief motifs and/or lettering that form part of the articulation of façades and which make a key contribution to the appearance of the conservation area. Their function is to both embellish the principal elevations of buildings, either for artistic enrichment, to convey prestige, or to identify the uses of the buildings.
Important examples of decorative schemes are the elaborate sculptural façades of the former Fire Brigade Station and Bishopsgate Institute, both prominent public buildings located on Bishopsgate. Examples of schemes that are incorporated into the decoration of façades include Dirty Dick’s Public House, which has a prominent sculpted motif of a bishop’s mitre over a city gate (emblematic of the word Bishopsgate), and the Sir Robert Peel Public House, which unusually incorporates a portrait.
Public statuary and other features
Bishopsgate Churchyard, Charity schoolboy Gate piers with drinking fountains Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 38
Page 164 Rawlins monument
A wide range of public statuary and other features can be found in Bishopsgate Conservation Area. These features make a notable contribution to the character of the conservation area and provide visual reminders of its diverse history. The statuary covers a wide range of dates, up to the 21 st century and includes a range of materials.
Examples in Bishopsgate Churchyard include the statues of a school boy and girl in nineteenth century costumes, of Coade stone with later painting, at St Botolph’s Church Hall, Bishopsgate (1821). The current statues are casts of the original ones and have been left unpainted to signify that they are not the originals; funerary monument, of stone, to Sir William Rawlins (Sheriff of London in 1801), of the Regiment of Light Infantry (died 1838) and to his wife; Memorial cross, of stone, ‘In memory of officers and men of the Honourable Artillery Company who died in the Great War, Aug 4 1916’; three overthrows and lanterns, of black painted iron and glass; two drinking fountains set in gate piers, of stone; inscription on north pier: ‘The Gift of C. Gilpin Esq M.P. 1800’, and on south pier: ‘The Gift of the Churchwardens 1800’; ornamental fountain, of stone.
Elsewhere in the conservation area, examples include: Kindertransport: the Arrival, of bronze, at Hope Square, Liverpool Street Station (Frank Meisler, 2006; Rebellion, an equestrian sculpture, at East India House, 109 Middlesex Street (Judy Boyt, 1992-93); Ram sculpture, of painted stone or terracotta, at 21 New Street, formerly the entrance to Cooper’s Wool Warehouse (1860s); reliefs of bakers, of ceramic, at 12 and 13 Widegate Street, built as the Nordheim Model Bakery (P Lindsey Clark, 1926).
Examples of street furniture include historic bollards, of painted iron, on Middlesex Street and Artillery Lane, Police public call point, of painted iron, Liverpool Street, entrance gates to Liverpool Street Station, historic railings to buildings, including on New Street and Devonshire Square, parish boundary markers, Victorian coalhole and manhole covers, of iron.
Liverpool Street Police call point Entrance gate, Liverpool Street Station
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 39
Page 165
Blue plaque
The following significant site in the conservation area is commemorated by a City of London Blue Plaque:
Liverpool Street – Site of the first Bethlehem Hospital 1247-1676
See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk – search for Blue Plaques
Historic signs
Railway Tavern, Liverpool Street Sir Robert Peel, Bishopsgate The Bull, Devonshire Row
Historic projecting signs are scattered throughout the conservation area and have visual interest. They commonly take the form of a painted image on a wooden board hanging from a decorative wrought iron bracket. Another form includes Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 40
Page 166 sculpture that forms part of the decorative scheme of an elevation, which may allude to function or historical context. Both types are found on public houses in the conservation area and notable examples include the Railway Tavern, Old Broad Street and the Williams Public House, Artillery Lane.
Signage and shopfronts
There is a range of advertising and signage in Bishopsgate Conservation Area, reflecting its varied commercial and retail uses. The character of signage is generally traditional and restrained, and there are few illuminated signs or conspicuous shop canopies that might otherwise have a substantial impact on the area’s character and appearance. There are many locations where the quality and appearance of signage and advertising in the area could be enhanced, consistent with its traditional character.
Shopfronts in the conservation area are predominantly traditional in form, incorporating pilasters, a stallriser, non-illuminated signage to a fascia panel, subdivided glazing and other conventional elements. The most sympathetic and appropriate examples are of painted timber. Where commercial buildings have been converted to residential or office uses, the retention of a traditional ground floor shopfront has been an important element in preserving the character of the area. At street level, shopfronts in the area typically provide clear definition to the building line at the back of the pavement.
11. Building materials
There is a broad palette of materials across the conservation area, providing richness and variety to the townscape. However, buildings within specific streets and locations in the conservation area make use of a relatively limited range of materials which succeeds in unifying building groups, streets, and the wider area.
There is a predominant use of red brick with stone dressings for buildings of all periods. Prominent examples include Liverpool Street Station, the former Great Eastern Hotel, and Georgian warehouses on New Street. Victorian, Edwardian and more recent buildings on Bishopsgate between Brushfield Street and Devonshire Row continue this theme and as such form a largely cohesive group. Similarly, the south side of Middlesex Street and Devonshire Square are two locations where red brick unites groups of buildings. The dominance of red brick distinguishes it from conservation areas nearby, such as Bank and Finsbury Circus, where Portland stone typically dominates.
St Botolph’s Church is given additional status and visual prominence by the use of Portland stone to its principal elevation and tower. To the side and rear elevations, the use of red brick with stone dressings ties it into its wider setting and context.
The use of buff terracotta for the Bishopsgate Institute and red terracotta for the former Fire Brigade Station on Bishopsgate give richness and variety to the townscape. The stucco of the former White Hart Inn and 138-150 Bishopsgate harmonises with the Portland stone of St Botolph’s Church.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 41
Page 167 12. Open spaces and trees
Bishopsgate Churchyard Jubilee Gardens, Houndsditch
Bishopsgate Conservation Area is predominantly urban in character and its special interest is primarily derived from the dense arrangement of historic streets and buildings. However, there are two key open spaces with trees and greenery which make an important contribution to the character of the area and provide important amenity spaces for people using the area, as well as valuable biodiversity.
St Botolph without Bishopsgate Churchyard is to the south and west of the Church. It was extended south in 1760 on land donated by the City. The Churchyard garden contains a wealth of trees, shrubs, hedges and lawns that support a variety of birds and other wildlife.
Devonshire Square, both within and on the boundary of the conservation area boundary has a number of trees and a concentration of greenery.
Open spaces with hard landscaping are limited to the southern entrance to Liverpool Street Station (Hope Square), the sections of Middlesex Street that open up to provide a modest public amenity area and Jubilee Gardens in Houndsditch.
13. Public realm
The public realm of the conservation area is traditional in terms of design and materials.
Paving materials are largely York stone with granite kerbs and setts, stone setts or asphalt to side alleys, lanes and courts. Benches and modern street furniture are largely of traditional, standardised designs in traditional or natural materials such as timber or cast iron. Similarly, street lighting to principal routes is provided by substantial lamp standards or wall-mounted equivalents.
Parts of the conservation area are popular lunchtime destinations, which increases the demand for tables, chairs, benches and other places to sit. This provision for outdoor facilities has an effect on the character of the area, and where appropriately located and well-designed in high quality materials, may be sympathetically accommodated.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 42
Page 168 Completed and planned public realm environmental enhancement projects are identified in the Management Strategy below.
14. Cultural associations
Kinderstransport monument and memorial plaque, Hope Square
Bishopsgate Conservation Area has a strong cultural association with filming, covering a wide range of types – feature films, TV dramas, TV documentaries and commercials. Liverpool Street and Catherine Wheel Alley are particularly popular.
The Kindertransport was a rescue mission that took place during the nine months prior to the outbreak of World War II. The United Kingdom took in almost 10,000 predominantly Jewish children from Nazi Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Free City of Danzig. Many of the children arrived by train at Liverpool Street Station, which is commemorated by a statue in Hope Square.
Management strategy
The management strategy sets out the position regarding the wider policies and guidance concerning the conservation and enhancement of Bishopsgate Conservation Area. Future development schemes and enhancement projects will need to take account of these policies in relation to the special architectural and historic interest of the conservation area, as detailed in the above character summary. Significant characteristics of Bishopsgate conservation area include the historic network of streets, lanes and alleys east of Bishopsgate, Victorian railway infrastructure developments and a rich, varied, built environment.
Documents produced by the Corporation are available on the website www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
15. Planning policy
National policy The Civic Amenities Act, 1967, gave local authorities the power to designate conservation areas, and these powers are now contained in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The Act (section 69 (1) (a)) defines a conservation area as ‘… an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance ’. Section
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 43
Page 169 71 (1) of the Act requires the local planning authority to "…formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their area which are Conservation Areas ." See www.legislation.gov.uk
The Government’s planning policies are contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which came into force on 27 March 2012. Historic environment policies are detailed in chapter 12 which sets out the requirements for local authorities and applicants in relation to the conservation of heritage assets, including conservation areas. See www.communities.gov.uk . NPPF historic environment policies are supported by the Historic Environment Planning Practice Guide (2010), produced by English Heritage and endorsed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. See www.english-heritage.org.uk
London-wide policy The London Plan (2011) forms part of the statutory development plan for the City of London and needs to be taken into account when considering development within the conservation area. Key policies to consider are: policies 7.8 Heritage assets and archaeology and 7.9 Heritage-led regeneration. See www.london.gov.uk
City of London Corporation policy Planning policy in the City of London is contained within the Core Strategy 2011 and a number of saved policies from the 2002 Unitary Development Plan.
The City’s Core Strategy will be incorporated into the emerging Local Plan, which is due for adoption in 2015. The Local Plan includes new policies for Development Management, which will be taken into account when deciding applications for planning permission. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Development proposals within Bishopsgate Conservation Area have to be considered in the context of the policies in the Core Strategy and the 55 saved policies from the UDP and the published draft Local Plan. Within this framework, particular account will need to be taken of Core Strategic policies CS5 ‘North of the City’, CS10 ‘Design’, CS12 ‘Historic Environment’, CS13 ‘Protected Views’, CS20 ‘Retailing’, and CS21 ‘Housing’. Saved UDP policies include ENV 11 ‘Development in Conservation Areas’, and ENV 13 ‘Conservation Areas: Premature Demolition’.
In addition to policy CS10 ‘Design’, special attention should also be paid to the Local Plan policy DM10.6 ‘Advertisements’. This policy seeks to encourage a high standard of design and a restrained amount of advertising, in keeping with the character of the City, and to resist excessive or obtrusive advertising, inappropriate illuminated signs and the display of advertisements above ground level. See also paragraphs 3.10.32 to 3.10.36 for further details. Other key policies in the Local Plan are: DM12.1 ‘Managing change affecting all heritage assets and spaces’; DM12.2 ‘Development in conservation areas’, DM12.3 ‘Listed Buildings’ and DM10.5 ‘Shopfronts’.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 44
Page 170 Protected views This character summary identifies a number of distant and local views that contribute to the character of the conservation area (see section 5. Spatial analysis: views and vistas). Proposals will be assessed for their potential effect on these and other views of significant individual buildings, townscapes or skylines.
The City of London Protected Views SPD (2012) categorises one City Church with a Skyline Presence - St Botolph Without Bishopsgate, listed Grade II* by James Gould, dated 1725-28 . It has a square tower with a pilastered bell stage and is crowned by a circular cupola with an ogee cap and urn.
Sustainability and climate change The Corporation is committed to being at the forefront of action in response to climate change and other sustainability challenges that face high density urban environments. In adapting to meet these challenges, it is important that sustainable development is sensitive to the historic environment. In particular, areas will need to be resilient to warmer wetter winters, hotter drier summers and more frequent extreme weather events.
Issues specifically relevant to Bishopsgate Conservation Area include:
• The garden and mature trees of St Botolph Without Bishopsgate Churchyard, and the trees of Devonshire Square, which contribute to the biodiversity of the area and should be enhanced where appropriate. • St Botolph Without Bishopsgate Churchyard is identified in the Mayor of London’s Biodiversity Strategy as a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. • In order to minimise the risks of flooding elsewhere in the City, new development schemes will be expected to make use of appropriate rainwater attenuation measures such as the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) and green roofs. • The City is an air quality management area for fine particulates and oxides of nitrogen. It is therefore essential that development does not exacerbate existing air quality issues, particularly around sites of particular vulnerability.
The Core Strategy policy CS15 provides guidance on sustainable development and climate change and policy CS18 on SUDS. This will be supplemented by policies in the forthcoming Development Management DPD. The City has produced a Climate Change Adaption Strategy (revised and updated January 2010).
16. Access and an inclusive environment
The City of London is committed to creating an environment suitable for everyone. Opportunities will be taken where possible to provide an inclusive environment and improve accessibility in ways that enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area. This may include improving access to buildings and treating road and pavement surfaces in materials that are sympathetic to access and in keeping with the appearance of the area. As technology evolves and experience in finding solutions to access barriers grows, the City believes that with thought and discussion a solution can be found to ensure that the needs of all users are met.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 45
Page 171 17. Environmental enhancement
Shield House, New Street Devonshire Square
The Liverpool Street Area Enhancement Strategy (September 2013) sets out the City’s vision for transportation and public realm improvements in the Liverpool Street area over the next five to ten years.
A City Street Scene Manual (April 2005) has been prepared which sets out in the detail the policies used to manage the public realm. The main principles set out in the manual provide the framework for the Corporation’s vision for the City’s streets. The principles are to:
• Rationalise street furniture. • Improve the pedestrian experience. • Enhance paving and surfaces. • Introduce more trees and planting. • Preserve historic character. • Create an inclusive environment. • Maximise the sustainability of each project.
These principles, detailed guidance and history and evolution of streets and spaces in the City are set out in detail in the manual.
Completed schemes in Bishopsgate Conservation Area include: • Section 106 funded enhancements to Devonshire Row involved the closure to through traffic between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm Monday to Friday. Bespoke gates were installed at both ends to maintain the timed closure. The carriageway was raised up to footway level and resurfaced using granite setts. The footways were re-paved in York stone and there are bespoke lead cistern planters.
• The enhancement of Devonshire Square included tree planting, seating, York stone paving and a granite setts carriageway. The project created a new central pedestrian area with a circle of trees and seating within.
• Enhancement of New Street to give a strong pedestrian character, by creating a single surface of natural paving materials. Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 46
Page 172 Approved schemes include: The Middlesex Street neighbourhood has been identified as a high priority, key opportunity area. The project aims to declutter the overall area by removing all unnecessary or redundant street furniture and upgrade paving materials where possible. It also aims to unify the two existing traffic islands in Middlesex Street and create increased space and enhancements for pedestrians that will make this a more attractive and usable public space.
18. Management of transport The Liverpool Street area is a key transport interchange and is extremely busy, accommodating large numbers of pedestrians and vehicles. New developments and Crossrail will add significantly to these numbers. Crossrail is predicted to bring an additional 15,000 commuters to the area at peak time. This will increase demand for easier pedestrian movement, demand for transport and for accessible and pleasant public spaces. The Liverpool Street Area Strategy aims to examine current problems and explore opportunities to improve existing streets and public spaces, whilst also ensuring there is the capacity to deal with future demands on the area.
Further details about transport proposals, including the City of London Local Implementation Plan, Cycle Plan, and Rail Strategy are available on the website. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
19. Management of open spaces and trees
Green spaces and trees map
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 47
Page 173 The City of London's Tree Strategy SPD (2012) sets out how trees will be protected and maintained and how further tree planting will be encouraged. Part 1 of the Tree Strategy contains policy and guidance on the planting, preservation and management of trees in the City and was adopted as a SPD in May 2012. Part 2 provides additional detailed guidance and information on the implementation of part 1. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
The City of London Open Space Strategy (2008) details the existing open spaces of the City, what spaces are to be provided in future, and how these could be delivered. The City of London Biodiversity Action Plan 2010-2015 (2010) outlines the importance of the City’s urban green spaces, which includes small public gardens, squares and churchyards; and built structures, which include trees and manmade structures such as green walls and roofs. In addition, the City has published a Habitat Action Plan for Urban Green spaces, Churchyards and Cemeteries , and for Built Structures .
St Botolph Without Bishopsgate Churchyard is maintained in accordance with the City of London City Gardens Management Plan 2011-2016 (2012), which sets out site- specific action points. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
All trees in conservation areas are protected under section 211 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) except those which are dead, dying or dangerous. Anyone proposing to carry out works to a tree in a conservation area must give six weeks’ notice of their intention to do so before works begin. There are no Tree Preservation Orders in Bishopsgate Conservation Area.
20. Archaeology
The City of London is the historic centre of London and has a rich history with monuments and archaeological remains surviving from all periods. It is an historic landscape which has shaped and influenced the modern townscape. There has been almost continuous occupation of the City from the initial Roman settlement and there is some evidence of earlier occupation. The development of the City is contained in the visible and buried monuments and archaeological remains. The history of settlement has led to the build-up and development of a very complex, and in some areas, deep archaeological sequence. Later building development and basement construction has partly eroded the archaeological evidence, and in some areas remains have been lost with no record or an incomplete record of only part of a site.
Due to the complex layering of remains above and below ground, the entire City is considered to have archaeological potential unless it can be demonstrated that archaeological remains have been lost, due to basement construction or other ground works.
Where developments are proposed which involve new groundworks an historic environment assessment, including an assessment of the archaeological potential and impact of the proposals will be required as part of the planning application. Where significant remains survive, consideration will be given to amendments to the
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 48
Page 174 proposals to ensure that disturbance to archaeological remains is minimised or reduced.
The City Corporation will indicate the potential of a site, its relative importance and the likely impact to a developer at an early stage so that the appropriate assessment and design development can be undertaken. Developers should refer to Planning Advice Note 3: Archaeology in the City of London , and Conservation Areas in the City of London: A General Introduction to their Character for further information .
There is high archaeological potential in Bishopsgate Conservation Area, including: • Evidence of pre-Roman settlement or occupation • Remains of the Roman and medieval City Wall and defensive ditches surviving below ground and incorporated within later buildings • Remains of the Roman extra-mural eastern cemetery • Remains of the Roman road pattern, including the main north-south road leading north to Lincoln and York through Bishopsgate, Ermine Street, and an east-west extra-mural road • The church of St. Botolph without Bishopsgate and Churchyard • Medieval remains including those associated with the eastern area of Moorfields and its subsequent development • Remains of the medieval development of the area including the Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem (Bethlem Hospital) buildings, settlement and street pattern • Remains of the 16 th century house, Fisher’s Folly
21. Enforcement
Suspected breaches of planning control are investigated in accordance with the City of London Planning enforcement standards (August 2013). This sets out the manner and timescales in which breaches will be investigated, and is available on the City of London website. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk.
22. Condition of the conservation area
The buildings, open spaces and public realm of Bishopsgate Conservation Area are generally in good condition and maintained to a high standard. The adaption, upgrading, repair, conservation, or redevelopment of buildings is managed to have a minimum effect on neighbouring buildings, the highway and the amenity of the area.
Potential pressures in the conservation area have been identified as new development and utilities replacement works, although these do not threaten its character. The condition of the conservation area is judged to have improved in recent years, and is expected to further improve in coming years.
Planning applications will be judged against the local, regional and national policies and guidance identified above, and the loss of buildings and features that contribute to the character of the area will be resisted accordingly.
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 49
Page 175 There are currently no buildings or structures within the conservation area that are on the Heritage at Risk Register maintained by English Heritage.
Further Reading and references
Bradley, Simon, and Pevsner, Nikolaus, The Buildings of England London 1: The City of London (1997).
English Heritage, Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance for the Sustainable Management of the Historic Environment (2008).
English Heritage, Understanding Place: Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management (2011). www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage, Seeing the History in the View (2011). www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage, The Setting of heritage assets (2011). www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage climate change guidance and resources - www.climatechangeandyourhome.org.uk/live
English Heritage, The National Heritage List for England – www.english-heritage.org.uk
Freeman, Jennifer (editor) Save the City: a Conservation Study of the City of London (1979).
Huelin, Gordon, Vanished Churches of the City of London (1996).
London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre (LAARC) Add website
London Borough of Tower Hamlets Artillery Passage Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Guidelines (2007). http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
Rosehaugh Stanhope Developments plc and the British Railways Board, Broadgate and Liverpool Street Statio n (1991).
Stephens Curl, James, Encyclopaedia of Architectural Terms (1992).
Strype, John, A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster (1720).
Ward-Jackson, Philip, Public Sculpture of the City of London (2003)
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 50
Page 176 Appendix
Designated heritage assets
Correct February 2014.
Scheduled Ancient Monument
London Wall: remains of Roman and medieval wall from west end of All Hallows Church to 38 Camomile Street.
Listed Buildings
Street Number/name Grade of listing Bishopsgate Bishopsgate Institute (and 6 Brushfield II* Street) Church of St Botolph Without Bishopsgate II* 164 (former Fire Brigade Station) II Bishopsgate Churchyard Two drinking fountains, three overthrows II and lanterns. St Botolph’s Church Hall II Brushfield Street 10 II 14 II Devonshire Row Wall to the rear of 14-18. II Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 51
Page 177 Devonshire Square 12 and 13 II Liverpool Street Police Call Box outside Liverpool Street II Station. Great Eastern Hotel II Gothic style offices flanking the ramp and II the two western bays of the train sheds, at Liverpool Street Station. New Street 5 to 7 (consecutive). II Gateway to No. 21 II Port of London Authority Warehouses to II Middlesex Street, Cutler Street and New Street and Devonshire Square. Shield House, 16 II Old Broad Street 76 to 80 (consecutive) II Stone House Court 1 II
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 52
Page 178 Contacts
Department of the Built Environment City of London P.O. Box 270 Guildhall London EC2P 2EJ
Tel: 020 7332 1710 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/plans
London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road Clerkenwell London EC1R 0HB
Tel: 020 7332 3820 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma
Bishopsgate CA Draft Character Summary and Management Strategy SPD – Jan 2014 53
Page 179
The City of London Corporation is the local planning authority for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the City of London. It is committed to maintaining and enhancing the status of the business city as one of the world’s three leading financial centres, through the policies it pursues and the high standard of services it provides. Its responsibilities extend far beyond the City boundaries and it provides a host of additional facilities for the benefit of the nation. These range from the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, to the famous Barbican Arts Centre and open spaces such as Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath.
Among local authorities the City of London Corporation is unique. Not only is it the oldest in the country, combining its ancient traditions and ceremonial functions with the role of a modern and efficient authority, but it operates on a non-party political basis through its Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Members of the Court of Common Council.
The City of London Corporation: a unique authority for a unique city.
54 Bishopsgate Conservation Area SPD Page 180 Agenda Item 7
Committee(s): Date: Planning & Transportation Committee 4th February 2014 Subject: Public Planning Appeal Decisions Report of: For Information The City Planning Officer Ward: All
Summary
The purpose of this report is to advise the Committee about the decisions made by the Planning Inspectorate on appeals made against the decisions of the City Corporation during 2013.
Recommendations I recommend that the contents of this report be noted.
Main Report
Background
1. This report is to notify your Committee of appeals made to the Planning Inspectorate and decided upon during January 1 st 2013 – December 31 st 2013
Current Position
2. During 2013, eight planning appeals decided by the Planning Inspectorate against decisions made by the City of London Corporation. Of these, two were withdrawn by the appellant, two were allowed by the Planning Inspectorate and four were dismissed.
Page 181 3. The tables below summaries the applications which have gone to appeal and the Planning Inspectorate’s (PINs) decisions.
Application number 11/00024/FULL Address 14 New London Street London EC3R 7NA
Proposal Use of roof as an ancillary open seating area for existing restaurant (Class A3) [391sq.m]. Change of use of residential unit/caretakers flat (Class C3) to restaurant use (Class A3) [84sq.m] to provide ancillary kitchen and toilet facilities.
Appeal Type Appeal Against Refusal
Appeal decision Appeal Dismissed 18.01.2013
Application number 12/00482/CLD Address Roof Over 14 New London Street London EC3R 7NA
Proposal Certificate of lawful development in relation to the proposed use of the flat roof area (edged red on plan no. 1235-01 Received 10th August 2012) above an existing wine bar/restaurant for outdoor dining including the installation of dining tables, chairs, railings, retractable awnings, removable umbrellas and other furniture. (REFUSAL)
Appeal Type Appeal Against Refusal
Appeal decision Appeal Dismissed 16.01.2013
Application number 12/00338/ADVT Address 206 - 210 Bishopsgate London EC2M 4NR
Proposal Installation for a temporary period of 14 weeks of an externally illuminated advertisement scaffold shroud measuring 6m high by 6m wide and 5m above street level.
Appeal Type Appeal Against Refusal
Appeal decision Appeal Allowed 28.02.2013
Comment This was for an advert on a temporary hoarding around a construction site which the City had felt inappropriate in a Conservation area.
Page 182
Application number 12/00669/DPAR Address Land Outside Irongate House 22 - 30 Dukes Place London EC3A 7LQ Proposal Application for determination under Part 24 of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended) as to whether prior approval is required for the siting of a public telephone box.
Appeal Type Appeal Against Refusal
Appeal decision Appeal Allowed 06.03.2013
Comment This was for a telephone box of a design and size which the City has regarded as unacceptable.
Application number 12/00169/ADVT Address 61 Fleet Street London EC4Y 1JU
Proposal Installation and display of an internally illuminated advertisement to the Bouverie Street elevation measuring 3m high, 2m wide, 0.25m deep, at a height above ground of 0.6m.
Appeal Type Appeal Against Refusal
Appeal decision Appeal Dismissed 28.02.2013
Application number 12/00798/ADVT Address Norex House 1 Goodman's Yard London E1 8AT
Proposal Installation of internally illuminated portrait display to be mounted on the gable wall of Norex House, 1 Goodman's Yard measuring 7.5m high by 5.0m.
Appeal Type Appeal Against Refusal
Appeal decision Appeal Dismissed 04.03.2013
Application number 13/00765/FULL Address 73 Aldgate High Street London EC3N 1BD
Proposal Installation of a green wall structure to gable end wall.
Appeal Type Non-determination
Appeal decision Appeal Withdrawn 27.11.2013
Page 183
Application number 13/00723/ADVT Address 73 Aldgate High Street London EC3N 1BD
Proposal Digital Media Display measuring 8.00m high by 4.00m wide and 5.47m above ground level.
Appeal Type Non-determination
Appeal decision Appeal Withdrawn 27.11.2013
Conclusion
4. Your Committee is recommended to note the contents of this report.
Contact: Elisabeth Hannah Chief Planning Administrator 0207 332 1725 [email protected]
Page 184 Agenda Item 8
Committee: Planning and Transportation Committee Date: 4 February 2014
Subject: Corporate Governance – Scheme of Public Delegations and Standing Orders Report of: Town Clerk For Decision
Summary
As part of the City Corporation’s arrangements for ensuring good governance the Scheme of Delegation to Chief Officers has been reviewed and a number of changes have been proposed. The changes, which principally reflect changes to legislation and previously agreed City Corporation’s policies, are due to be considered by Policy and Resources Committee on 23 January 2014 before being submitted to the Court of Common Council.
The Policy Committee is responsible for the review and for the co-ordination of the City Corporation’s governance arrangements. The Committee will therefore be considering the Scheme in its entirety including the general framework and conditions of the delegations and an amendment to Standing Orders which relate to the declaration of operation property assets which are surplus to requirements.
All service committees are required to consider those elements for which they have responsibility. A copy of the revised section(s) applicable to this Committee is attached as an appendix to this report for your consideration.
Recommendation s
1. Subject to the approval of the Policy and Resources Committee of the overall Scheme of Delegation, the delegations relating to the Director of the Built Environment as set out in the appendix to this report be approved; and 2. note the proposed amendment to Standing Orders relating to the declaration of operation property assets which are surplus to requirements.
Main Report
Background 1. As a corporate body all decisions are vested in the Court of Common Council. To facilitate the administration of the City Corporation’s many and complex functions, the Court delegates the majority of its functions to its committees and officers. The committee terms of reference set out the functions delegated to committees whilst the Scheme of Delegations sets out those functions which have been delegated to officers.
Page 185 Scheme of Delegations 2. The Scheme of Delegations has recently been reviewed and a number of changes are proposed which on the whole reflect changing legislation, amendments to corporate policy and operational needs. A copy of the revised Chief Officer(s) delegations relevant to this Committee is attached as an appendix to this report.
3. A full copy of the Scheme is available for Members to view in the Members’ Reading Room and is also available on request.
Director of the Built Environment
4. To enable certain City Corporation’s functions and services to be better managed a number of organisational changes were agreed in 2011 which resulted in the creation of the Department of the Built Environment. The Scheme of Delegation now needs to be adjusted to take account of these changes. The proposed amendments to the functions delegated to the Director of the Built Environment are therefore more substantial in order to reflect this.
5. The Policy and Resources Committee are responsible for the review and co- ordination of the City Corporation’s governance arrangements which includes amongst other things, committees and Standing Orders.
Standing Orders – Declaring Assets Surplus 6. The drive for efficiency savings including the Corporate Asset Realisation Programme and the more recent Service Based Reviews have highlighted the need for the City to more effectively identify those assets which are surplus to departmental need so they can be considered for alternative uses or disposal. 7. Whilst there are a number of officer groups considering the efficient and effective use of assets and resources it is felt that their work would be assisted by a change to Standing Orders which would formalise the process for Chief Officers and Committees identifying assets as surplus. It should be noted that prior to the approval of the Court, the Policy and Resources Committee is being asked to consider adding the following with regard to this.
Standing Order No 55 - Identification of Property Assets Surplus to Departmental Requirements (1) Committees are required to consider the effective and efficient use of all operational property assets. This will be monitored by the Corporate Asset Sub Committee
(2) Where assets are no longer required, in whole or in part, for the provision of operational services for which they are currently held, a report on the circumstances must be made to the Corporate Asset Sub Committee. This does not apply where letting are an integral part of the service e.g. market or housing tenancies
Page 186
Corporate & Strategic Implications 8. The proposed changes to the Scheme of Delegations and Standing Orders are intended to support the effective governance of the City of London and ensure that decision making is effective and transparent.
• Appendix 1 – Revision(s) to Scheme of Delegations
Angela Roach Committee and Members Services Manager Town Clerks Department
T: 020 7332 3685 E: [email protected]
Page 187 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 188
CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION
SCHEME OF DELEGATIONS TO OFFICERS
Page 189
DIRECTOR OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
The following general powers are delegated to the Director of the Built Environment.
Authorisations 1. To authorise duly appointed officers to act under any enactments, regulations or orders relating to the functions within the purview of the Committee and of Department. 2. To sign the necessary warrants of authorisation for the above officers.
Charges 3. Setting miscellaneous hourly-based charges subject to agreement with the Chamberlain.
Transportation & Public Realm
4. To implement, waive or vary charges relating to traffic management and /or the Public Highway and/or pipe subways such as parking dispensations, private apparatus in the highway, temporary road closures and traffic orders, scaffolding hoarding and fencing licenses, and charges for pipe subways (including under S.73 of the London Local Authorities Act 2007).
5. To grant permission or consent with or without conditions or refusing to grant permission or consent as the case may be with respect to applications made to the City of London Corporation:
a. under Part II of the Road Traffic Act 1991, relating to dispensations from, or, the temporary suspension of, waiting and loading regulations or parking places regulations made in accordance with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984;
b. under Section 7 of the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1973, relating to new buildings;
6. To sign appropriate notices indicating that consent or refusal has been given, as the case may be under (a) above.
7. To sign and serve notices or granting of consents under the Highways Act 1980, City of London Various Powers Act 1900 and the City of London Sewers Act 1848 relating to the management and maintenance of streets within the City.
8. To exercise powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 in respect of temporary traffic orders
9. To issue notices and, as necessary discharge the City of London Corporation’s obligations under Part III of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, relating to the co-ordination and execution of street works by public utility companies and other licensed operators.
10. To enter into agreement with companies and statutory companies to allow the placement of plant within the pipe subways inherited from the Greater London Council in accordance with the London County Council (General Powers) Act 1958 and to determine applications for consent to place electricity substations in the street pursuant to the Electricity Act 1989
11. To enter into agreements with other traffic authorities to jointly exercise the City’s traffic order making functions or to delegate those functions to them in accordance with S.101 Local Government Act 1972
1 Page 190 12. To enter into agreements with other highway authorities under section 8 of the Highways Act 1980
Water and Sewers 13. The requisition of sewers under Sections 98 to 101 inclusive of the Water Industry Act 1991 (relating to the powers to exercise and discharge the functions of the Undertaker within the City to adopt sewers).
14. The adoption of sewers under Sections 102 to 105 inclusive of the Water Industry Act 1991 (relating to the powers to exercise and discharge the functions of the Undertaken within the City to adopt sewers).
15. To authorise and/or approve works under Section 112 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (relating to the power to exercise and discharge the requirements of the Undertaker within the City).
16. The closure or restriction of sewers under Section 116 of the Water Industry Act 1991, relating to the powers to exercise and discharge the functions of the Undertaker within the City to close or restrict the use of a public sewer.
17. The alteration or removal of pipes or apparatus of the Undertaker under Section 185 of the Water Industry Act 1991, relating to the power to exercise and discharge the functions of the Undertaker within the City to alter or remove any relevant pipe or apparatus.
Highways and Transport 18. To make all Traffic Orders under sections 6, 9, 10, 23 and 45 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, and to make modifications to or to revoke any experimental Traffic Regulation Order (following consultation with the Commissioner of Police for the City of London) where deemed necessary in the interests of safety, convenience or the expeditious movement of traffic.
19. To exercise powers under Part V of the Highways Act 1980 dealing with highway improvements.
20. To make representation or lodge objection, as appropriate, to applications for a Public Service Vehicle Operator’s Licence, under Section 14A of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 or for a London Local Service Licence, under section 186 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and authorising in writing the appropriate officers in his Department to put forward objection or recommendation on behalf of the City of London Corporation at any Inquiry or Appeal arising out of an application for either of the recited licences.
21. To agree details of railway works in the City of London under the Transport and Works Act 1992.
22. To issue projection licences on, over or under streets pursuant to schemes where planning permission has already been agreed or renewing existing licences.
23. To be responsible for all functions under the Traffic Management Act 2004 and Regulations made thereunder that relate to the City of London as a local highway and local traffic authority.
24. To agree consents for temporary highway activities pursuant to the Crossrail Act 2009
2 Page 191 25. To exercise through Civil Enforcement amongst other things, parking management and parking enforcement functions, under the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984, the Road Traffic Act 1991, the London Local Authorities Acts 1996 – 2008 (LLAA), and the Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA)
City Walkway 26. 25. Power to licence the temporary hoarding or enclosure of City Walkway pursuant to Section 162 of the City of London Sewers Act 1848 and Section 21 and Schedule 2 Part II to the City of London (various Powers) Act 1967.
Cleansing
27. The institution of proceedings and other enforcement remedies in respect of offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part II, Part III and Part IV.
28. To institute proceedings and other enforcement remedies in respect of the Health Act 2006, section 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
29. To institute proceedings and other enforcement remedies in respect of offences under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act. 1978.
30. To institute proceedings and other enforcement remedies in respect of offences under the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1987.
31. To institute proceedings and enforcement remedies in relation to part VI of the Anti-Social Behaviours Act 2003.
32. To institute proceedings in relation to Town and Country Planning Act 1990 section 224 and 225.
33. To institute proceedings in relation to Regulatory Investigator Powers Act 2000
34. To institute proceedings in relation to Control of Pollution Act 1974
35. To issue notices under section 6 London Local Authorities Act 2004 (abandoned vehicles).
Delegations to other Officers The following authorities are also delegated to the specified Deputies or Assistants:
Transportation and Public Realm Director – Items 4-35
Assistant Director (Highways) –5 -17 and Items 23 – 26
CITY PLANNING OFFICER
The following functions are delegated to the City Planning Officer:
Development Management
3 Page 192 Planning 36. To determine applications for outline, full and temporary planning permission under Part III of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 subject to the applications being in accordance with policy, not being of broad interest and there being no more than 4 planning objections.
37. To make non-material changes to planning permission pursuant to Section 96A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
38. To determine applications for Listed Building Consent under the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990; subject to the applications not being of broad interest and there being no more than 4 planning objections.
39. To advise the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government of what decision the City of London Corporation would have made on its own applications for listed building consent if it had been able to determine them subject to the same criteria as 41.
40. To grant applications for Conservation Area Consent under the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990; subject to the applications not being of broad interest and there being no more than 4 planning objections.
41. To determine submissions pursuant to the approval of conditions, under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 and the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and in relation to clauses set out in approved Section 106 Agreements.
42. To make minor changes to conditions in respect of planning permissions, listed building consents and conservation area consents which have been conditionally approved by the Planning & Transportation Committee
43. To determine applications for planning permission, listing building consent and conservation area consent to replace an extant permission/consent granted on or before 1 st October 2010, for development which has not already begun with a new permission/consent subject to a new time limit pursuant to Article 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2010 and Regulation 3 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 and provided no more than 4 planning objections have been received.
44. To determine applications for Certificates of Lawfulness of existing and proposed use or development in accordance with sections 191 and 192 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
45. To determine applications for Advertisement Consent pursuant to Regulations 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the Town & Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.
46. To determine applications for prior approval under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995.
47. To make observations in respect of planning and related applications submitted to other Boroughs, where the City of London’s views have been sought and which do not raise wider City issues.
48. To serve notices under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2010.
4 Page 193 49. To determine the particulars and evidence to be supplied by an applicant for planning permission pursuant to section 62 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
50. To serve Planning Contravention Notices under Section 171C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
51. To serve Planning Contravention Notices under Section 171C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
52. To issue and serve Enforcement Notices under Section 172 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and Section 38 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
53. To issue a letter of assurance under Section 172A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
54. To serve notices under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
55. To serve Breach of Condition Notices under Section 187A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
56. To decline to determine a retrospective application for planning permission under Section 70C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
57. To seek information as to interests in land under Section 330 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and as applied by Section 89 of the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas Act) 1990, and Section 16 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.
58. To institute proceedings pursuant to Section 224 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
59. To serve Notice of Intention to remove or obliterate placards and posters pursuant to Section 225, 225A, 225C and 225F of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
60. To agree minor variations to agreements pursuant to sections 106 and 106A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
61. To determine applications made under section 106BA of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (concerning the modification or discharge of affordable housing obligations) and to agree viability assessments submitted in support of such applications.
62. To agree minor variations to agreements pursuant to section 278 of the Highways Act 1980.
63. To make payments to other parties where required by the terms of an agreement made under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or section 278 of the Highways Act 1980.
64. To determine City Community Infrastructure Levy contributions pursuant to the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended).
65. To pass Community Infrastructure Levy contributions to other parties pursuant to section 216A of the Planning Act 2008 and regulations made thereunder.
5 Page 194 Trees 66. To authorise works, including their removal, to trees in Conservation Areas and works in relation to a tree the subject of a Tree Preservation Order (T.P.O.), subject to them being seen and agreed by the Chairman of the Planning & Transportation Committee or Deputy Chairman in his or her absence.
67. To determine applications made under sections 206 (2) and 213 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to dispense with the duty to plant replacement trees, subject to notification to the Chairman or Deputy Chairman of the Planning & Transportation Committee except in urgent cases.
Churches 68. To respond to consultation made under the provisions of the Pastoral Measure 1983, the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2000 and 2013, the Care of Churches and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1991, the Care of Cathedrals Measure 1990 and the Code of Practice relating to exempted denominations procedures agreed by the Secretary of State.
69. The City of London Corporation’s functions under the City of London (St. Paul’s Cathedral Preservation) Act 1935.
Environmental Impact 70. To carry out the following functions under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations of 2011 and Circular 02/99: a. formulating “screening opinions” under Regulation 5; b. requiring developers to submit an environmental statement to validate an application under Regulation 10; c. formulating “scoping opinions” under Regulation 13; d. providing relevant information to developers who propose to prepare an environmental statement under the provisions of Regulation 15 (4); e. requiring the submission of further information pursuant to regulation 22 f. requiring the local authority to submit an environmental statement in respect of applications for local authority development under Regulation 25; g. formulating a “screening opinion” in matters of planning enforcement under Regulation
Crossrail
71. To agree Crossrail contributions, agree viability assessments and instruct the Comptroller & City Solicitor to secure any necessary planning obligations in respect of Crossrail contributions pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
72. To review Section 106 agreements for planning permission already considered by the Planning & Transportation Committee, but not yet issued prior to the policy being adopted, and re-determine the application to ensure that appropriate consideration is given to relevant policy on the Crossrail contribution (subject to there being no reduction in any S.106 contributions previously envisaged).
73. To make payments of Crossrail contributions received by the City to the Mayor and/or Transport for London on the basis of the Implementation Protocol between the Mayor, Transport for London and the local planning authorities, subject to such payment being agreed by the Chamberlain.
6 Page 195 Local Plans, Naming and Numbering
74. To carry out sustainability appraisal of Local Development Documents under Section 19(5) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and to exercise functions under the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 including carrying out strategic environmental assessment (including assessments under the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC)), preparing, publishing and consulting upon screening reports, scoping reports, sustainability commentaries and sustainability appraisal reports.
75. To carry out public consultation in the preparation of Local Development Documents in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement and the duty cooperate in Section 33A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
76. To carry out surveys under Section 13 of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
77. To provide any documents necessary to support consultations on Local Development Documents and submission of Local Plans.
78. To prepare and publish monitoring reports on an annual basis in accordance with Section 35 of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004
79. To make observations on consultation documents issued by central and local government, statutory bodies etc., where the observations are in accordance with the City’s general policy position.
80. To carry out public consultation in the preparation of the Community Infrastructure Levy, in accordance with the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) and the Statement of Community Involvement.
81. To exercise powers under the London Building Acts (Amendment) Act 1939 – Part II relating to street naming and numbering of property.
Land Charges 82. To maintain a register and index of Local Land Charges pursuant to section 3 of the Local Land Charges Act 1975, including the amendment and cancellation of registrations pursuant to the Local Land Charges Rules 1975 and to set search fees pursuant to Section 8 of the Local Land Charges Act 1975 and Section 150 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and relevant Rules and Regulations made there under.
83. To make searches and issue search certificates pursuant to section 9 of the Local Land Charges Act 1975.
Delegations to other Officers
The following functions are also delegated to the following Officers:
Director of the Built Environment – Section A to F
Planning Services & Development Director - Sections A to E
7 Page 196 Policy & Performance Director - Section F, and in the absence of the City Planning Officer and the Planning Services and Development Director, Sections A to E
Statutory Authorities
82. Officers of the department are authorised to exercise the following powers in accordance with the responsibilities of the post:
a. Sections 178(1), 196A(1), 196B, 209(1), 214B(1)(3), 214C, 219(1) and 225, 324 and 325 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended),
b. Sections 42(1), 88(2), (3), (4) and (5) and 88(A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (as amended)
c. Sections 36 and 36A of the Hazardous Substances Act 1990.
DISTRICT SURVEYOR
The following functions are delegated to the District Surveyor:
83. To grant permission or consent, with or without conditions or, refuse to grant permission or consent, as the case may be, with respect to applications made to the City of London Corporation under the London Building Acts 1930-1982, The Building Act 1984 and The Building Regulations 2010 (as amended).
84. To sign and serve any notices required to be given by the City of London Corporation under the London Building Acts (Amendment) Act 1939, Part VII, Section 62 relating to dangerous structures within the City of London.
Delegation to other Officers
The functions of the District Surveyor are also delegated to the Director of the Built Environment and the Deputy District Surveyor
Relevant Legislation
Legislation Delegated Function 1. City of London (Various Powers) Act 1967 – i) Institution of Proceedings and other Sections 11, 12 and 18 enforcement methods Byelaws ii) Granting of consents iii) Making of temporary Prohibition or Restriction Orders iv) Section 11(1) - Serving of notices
8 Page 197 2. City of London (Various Powers) Act 1969 – To exercise the powers in extinguishing rights of Section 6 burial
3. Tourism (Sleeping Accommodation Price i) Institution of Proceedings and other Display) Order 1977, made under Section 18 enforcement methods of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 ii) Authorisation of officers under paragraph 5
4. European Community Act 1972, Power to appoint inspectors; authorise officers; Section 2(2) issue notices, approvals, authorisations, Including all Regulations made thereunder registrations and permissions; institute proceedings and other enforcement methods in respect of the regulations made under Section 2(2) of the Act that are applicable to the functions of the City of London Corporation acting as a Port Health Authority, a Food Authority, a Feed Authority, an Animal Health and Disease Control Authority and a Local Weights and Measures Authority
5. Greater London Council (General Powers) Act i) Institution of Proceedings and other 1974 enforcement methods ii) Issue of Notices
6. Highways Act 1980 i) Institution of Proceedings and other enforcement methods ii) Issue of Notices iii) Authorisation of Officers. iv) Entering into Agreements. v) Granting of Permissions and Licences. vi) Issue of Fixed Penalty Notices. vii) Making requisite applications
7. London Building (Amendment) Act 1939 i) Institution of Proceedings and other enforcement methods ii) Granting of consents ii) Issue of Notices iii) Authorisation of officers iv) Granting of Exemptions and Licences
8. London County Council (General Powers) Act Section 27 – Agreeing level of Charge between 1958 City of London and Undertakers in respect of apparatus in subways
9. London Local Authorities Act 1995, Part II Issue of Penalty Charge Notices
10. London Local Authorities Act 1996, Part II Issue of Penalty Charge Notices
11. London Local Authorities Act 2000 i) Institution of Proceedings and other enforcement methods ii) Issue of Penalty Charge Notices.
9 Page 198 12. London Local Authorities Act 2004 Authorisation of Officers
13. London Local Authorities & Transport for i) Issue of Notices London Act 2003 ii) Issue of Penalty Charge Notices
14. New Roads & Streetworks Act 1991 i) Institution of Proceedings and other enforcement methods ii) Granting of licences iii) Issue of notices iv) Serving Fixed Penalty Notices
15. Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 i) Institution of Proceedings and other enforcement methods. ii) Authorisation of Officers iii) Issuing Fixed Penalty Notices iv) Removal of abandoned vehicles v) Disposal of removed vehicles
16. Road Traffic Act 1991 i) Institution of Proceedings and other enforcement methods ii) Issue of Penalty Charge Notices iii) Issue of Notices iv) Consideration of Representations
17. Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 i) Making temporary prohibition or restriction orders ii) Granting of suspensions and dispensations iii) Appointment of Parking Attendants
18. Traffic Management Act 2004 All functions required of a local Highway and local Traffic authority
19. Other functions, not Specific to an Enacted (i) Authority to write off debts arising in the Power Department up to a limit of £1,000, subject to concurrence of the Chamberlain ii) Authority to pay up to £1,000 in any one case of exclusion from work under the provisions of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 – Section 20.
NB (i) In each instance above, the Institution of Proceedings and other enforcement methods to be subject to the proviso that, in each case, the Comptroller & City Solicitor has advised that the evidence is sufficient to justify a prosecution. (ii) All of the Officers so authorised are indemnified against all claims made against them, including, awards of damages and costs arising out of acts done by them in the bona fide discharge or purported discharge of functions delegated to them by the Port Health & Environmental Services Committee (formerly the Port & City of London Health and Social Services Committee) or any of its Sub Committees (see report to Common Council of 2.11.1995).
10 Page 199 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 200 Agenda Item 9
Committee(s): Date:
Planning & Transportation Committee 4 February 2014 Policy and Resources Committee tbc
Subject: Public Planning Protocol Review Report of: For Decision Comptroller and City Solicitor
Summary
An update of the Planning Protocol was recommended to the Planning and Transportation Committee at its meeting of 14 January 2014. (Report of 14 January 2014 and Appendices attached at Appendix B to this report). Some Members expressed concern that in advising on pre- determination, the wording of the Protocol was overly restrictive. Concern was also expressed regarding the procedure in the event of committee refusing an application for planning permission where the City Planning Officer has recommended approval. It was agreed that the Comptroller and City Solicitor review the relevant sections of the draft updated Planning Protocol and submit a revised draft Planning Protocol for approval. The revised draft Planning Protocol is attached to this report showing the changes.
Recommendations It is recommended that:- (i) the revised draft Planning Protocol be referred to Policy and Resources Committee for approval.
Main Report
Background
1. The full background in respect of the Planning Protocol is set out in the attached report to 14 th January 2014 Planning and Transportation Committee, which recommended that an updated revised Planning Protocol be agreed. 2. In considering the report, some Members expressed concern that in advising on pre-determination, the wording of the Protocol was overly restrictive. Concern was also expressed regarding the procedure in the event of committee refusing an application for planning permission where the City Planning Officer has recommended approval. It was agreed that the Comptroller and City Solicitor
Page 201 review the relevant sections of the draft updated Planning Protocol and submit a revised draft Planning Protocol for approval
Pre-determination
3. Concern was expressed that the advice in part 3, sections 4(3), 4(4) and 5(1) (page 3) of the draft Protocol was too restrictive as to the circumstances when Members should regard themselves as unable to vote on a matter due to pre- determination. The concept of predetermination derives from the common law principle of natural justice which requires a decision maker not to make a decision with a closed mind. This applies to decisions of a planning authority on a planning application. Section 25 of the Localism Act recognises that the courts had, in the past, gone too far in quashing decisions on the basis that apparent pre-determination could be inferred from comments merely expressing a pre-disposition. Section 25 therefore provides that in the event of a decision being challenged on grounds of bias or predetermination, the decision maker is not to be regarded as having a closed mind just because he had previously “ done anything that directly or indirectly indicated what view the decision maker took, or would or might take, in relation to the matter ”. This does not remove the requirement not to take a decision with a closed mind, but makes clear that an expression of a view on the matter will not in itself be taken as evidence of having a closed mind. 4. Members’ comments have been carefully considered and it is recognised that parts of the existing Protocol (in respect of paragraphs 4(4) and 5(1)) should have been more extensively revised to reflect the fact that Section 25 now provides comfort that expressions of views will not in themselves be taken as evidence of pre-determination. However, given that the common law rule on predetermination remains in place (despite the evidential shift brought about by Section 25) it is still the case that a member must approach a decision with an open mind. Paragraphs 4(4) and 5(1) provided further detail on the principle set out at paragraph 4(3) but did not reflect the comfort regarding the balance of evidence now provided by Section 25. It is therefore proposed they be deleted. It is not considered helpful to replace them with different examples, because inevitably the sort of situation where a claim of predetermination may arise cannot be predicted, and is likely to turn on the very specific facts and context of a particular case. It is therefore preferable for Members to seek advice on any particular circumstances where they have concerns, rather than try to predict examples for inclusion in the Protocol.
Refusal of Planning Permission contrary to a Recommendation
5. Appendix A Section 2 of the draft Protocol deals with a refusal of planning permission contrary to the officer recommendation. Paragraph2.1 advises that in those circumstances committee give clear reasons and they be confirmed by the Chairman and minuted in full. This is intended to avoid delays arising from deferral of the decision to a later meeting, to enable the reasons to be framed and agreed. It also advises that as long as the reasons are clear, the precise drafting to reflect the agreed reasons can be delegated. Paragraph 2.2 goes on to advise that in exceptional circumstances where the reasons cannot be
Page 202 indicated sufficiently clearly at the committee meeting (for example through lack of time, the complexity of the issues, the wide range of concerns expressed and uncertainty as to which concerns are held by a majority of Members) the matter be deferred for a further report which would enable the clear reasons to be drafted and agreed. 6. Concern was expressed that this could be undemocratic in that it could fail to carry forward the views of Members. Having carefully reviewed this concern, it is considered that Appendix A Section 2 provides sound guidance which aids the committee in reaching its decision, and should be retained as drafted. The primary advice is that clear reasons should be agreed at the initial meeting. Paragraph 2.2 only deals with those very exceptional occasions when that cannot be done, and sets out a recommended mechanism for taking forward the committee’s decision-making, not changing or hindering it. Although these circumstances will be very rare, they have occasionally arisen in the past on difficult cases, and it is in those more complex situations when guidance can be most helpful. Therefore no changes to the draft Protocol in this regard are recommended.
Proposals and conclusion
7. The draft updated Protocol has been further revised to address Member’s concerns where this is felt appropriate, and is recommended for approval.
Contact: Deborah Cluett, Assistant City Solicitor [email protected] 0207 332 1677
Page 203 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 204
CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION
PLANNING PROTOCOL
(Jan 2014 revisionv2 )
d:\moderngov\data\agendaitemdocs\8\7\6\ai00023678\$xfqb2ou0.docPage 205 PART 1
1. Introduction
(1) This Protocol relates to the way in which the Planning & Transportation Committee exercises its functions on behalf of the City of London Corporation as Planning Authority for the City . The Protocol has been prepared to guide Members and Officers and to inform the public generally of the high standards of ethical conduct adopted by the City in the discharge of its statutory planning functions.
(2) The Protocol aims to ensure that the Committee acts reasonably and openly in dealing with planning matters; to protect the Court of Common Council and individual Members from allegations of unfairness, findings of maladministration and legal challenge; and to preserve public trust in the integrity and fairness of the planning system.
(3) The new Code of Conduct for Members (Appendix C to this Protocol) (adopted by the City of London Corporation on 25 th October 2012 to reflect changes brought about by the Localism Act 2011) sets out the general provisions which must be complied with in all decision-making, and must be applied in relation to planning decisions. This Protocol is intended to supplement the Code of Conduct and DCLG Guidance on Openness and Transparency on Personal Interests (Appendix D to this Protocol) specifically in the context of planning decisions, and must also be read in conjunction with Standing Orders.
(4) In this Protocol the word “must” is used to mean it is a specific legal or regulatory requirement which must be complied with, and the word “should” is used for advice or recommendations which are regarded as good practise.
PART 2
PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
2. The Committee
(1) The Planning & Transportation Committee is a Ward Committee comprising Common Councilmen for each Ward of the City together with four Aldermen.
(2) The Committee on Standards in Public Life recommended that members of planning committees should receive appropriate training. Appointment to the Planning and Transportation Committee effectively creates a requirement for Members to undertake such training, both on appointment
Page 206 1 and periodically thereafter. The form of the training is to be agreed by the Committee and Members are advised not to accept nomination for appointment on the Committee unless they are prepared to accept this responsibility. Members should also familiarise themselves with this Protocol and the Code of Conduct.
3. General Principles
Members of the Planning and Transportation Committee must consider all planning applications objectively on the basis of evidence of relevant planning issues presented to them, the first consideration being compliance with planning policy. Non-planning considerations such as property values are not relevant and must be disregarded.
PART 3
PRE-COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
4. Contact with Applicants and/or Objectors
(1) Approaches from applicants, potential applicants or objectors is a normal and proper aspect of the political process. However, unless the parties concerned exercise care and common sense, this can lead to the impartiality and integrity of Members being called into question. A planning committee decision may be susceptible to judicial review where there is a real danger of bias.
(2) To avoid such problems, discussions should take place within the following guidelines :-
• Members, and Members of the Planning and Transportation Committee in particular, must take care not to indicate they have made up their mind on an issue before they have heard and/or read all the evidence, and should make clear that any views expressed are personal and provisional. • Members should make it clear that they will not be in a position to make a decision until they have heard and/or read all the relevant evidence and arguments at the Committee meeting. The Committee report may contain issues previously unknown to Members and other aspects, not previously evident, may arise during the Committee’s deliberations. • Where a meeting between a Member and an applicant or objector can be foreseen, the Member may, at their discretion, ask for an Officer also to attend (and for a follow-up letter of the meeting to be sent to record the matter). Also, if there is a contentious telephone discussion, it is recommended that the Member should make a note afterwards of what was said. • Officers may give an indication of the recommendation that is likely to be made to the Committee, particularly in the light of relevant
Page 207 2 planning policy, but it should be made clear that this will not bind the Committee to make a particular decision.
(3) Pre-determination - A distinction can be drawn between pre-disposition and pre-determination. A Member can quite properly be pre-disposed towards or against an application for a variety of good planning reasons. This is perfectly acceptable as long as the Member remains open to persuasion based on the evidence and arguments presented at the meeting. The Localism Act 2011 makes it clear that a decision maker is not to be taken to have had a closed mind merely because he did or said something which indicated the view he took, or might take, on the issue. It is recognised that decision makers may have views on certain matters. If, however, the Member approaches the meeting with a closed mind, and has already reached a fixed view, then he could be deemed to have pre- determined the matter and should not vote .
(4) A Member who has pre-determined an application attitude as described in paragraph 4(3) could be viewed as having restricted his duty to represent his electorate; such a Member must make an open declaration at the Committee and not vote. This underlines the importance of the advice set out in paragraph 4(2) that Members should await the presentation of all the evidence at Committee before expressing a set view and making a final decision and should not take actions or make statements that would lead others to the conclusion that they have already made up their mind .
(4) Notwithstanding the above, it should be possible for a Member of the Committee to assist members of the public in dealing with the planning process and explaining how they are able to make their views known.
(5) Gifts and Hospitality - Members should be very cautious about accepting gifts and hospitality from planning applicants, or objectors or other interested parties, and must notify any acceptance in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct and guidance issued by the Standards Committee (Appendix E to this Protocol). Unless there are special reasons, the presumption should be that hospitality (other than routine refreshments offered in the ordinary course of business) and gifts are refused.
5. Ward Members of other Committees
(1) A Member of the Planning and Transportation Committee who represents a Ward affected by an application may be placed in a difficult position if the matter is controversial. If the Member becomes involved by speaking publicly or campaigning in support of or against a particular planning decision it will be difficult for that Member to argue later, when the Committee takes a decision, that he has carefully weighed all the evidence and arguments presented, and the member may be deemed to be biased or to have pre-determined the planning decision. (2) The City of London Corporation’s Standing Orders permit Members who are not Members of the Committee to attend meetings of the Planning &
Page 208 3 Transportation Committee and, with the permission of the Chairman, to speak (from the floor) but not vote. However, any Member who has a disclosable pecuniary interest in the matter being considered is prohibited from participating in discussion at the meeting and must not speak unless they have first been granted a dispensation by the Standards Committee.
6. Site Visits and Questions
(1) In terms of site visits, the presumption is that Members have a general knowledge of the City that can be supplemented, as necessary, by the site descriptions set out in the reports submitted to the Committee. Therefore, site visits are not generally considered necessary.
(2) Site visits will be undertaken if Members or the City Planning Officer consider there are reasons for doing so. The decision to hold a Members’ site visit will be recorded in the minutes of the Committee meeting.
(3) Occasionally, Members may wish to hold site visits before the planning application is submitted to them for consideration. A decision to hold such a visit may be agreed in advance of the Committee meeting by the Chairman. Non-attendance would not preclude a Member voting on the matter.
(4) Site visits will consist of an inspection by Members in company with the appropriate officers. Other than for reasons of access, visits should normally not be accompanied by applicants or objectors. If, however, the applicant, objector or agent is present, Members should avoid making any statements that could prejudice consideration of the application.
(5) A site visit is not a formally convened meeting of the Committee and, therefore, decisions cannot be taken. The following meeting of the Committee should be advised that the site visit has occurred.
(6) Where possible Members should give advance notice to officers of any additional information they intend to request or of any other concerns so that officers can seek to provide the information or clarification sought, and minimise the risk of deferral and delay.
7. Briefings
Occasionally, briefings on major applications are arranged by applicants for all Members of the Committee or Common Council to facilitate general “information gathering”. Officers should also be in attendance. Attendance at such a briefing would not compromise the ability of a Member of the Planning & Transportation Committee to participate in the determination of the application
Page 209 4
PART 4
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
8. Interests
(1) Private interests should never be allowed to influence a Member’s decisions on matters the Member is asked to decide. Where a Member has an interest they should never seek to use their position to advance that interest; and should avoid both impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.
(2) In considering planning matters, in common with all City Corporation business, Members should apply the Seven Principles of Public Life 1 (See Appendix F to this Protocol). Members should ensure that they leave the room during discussion and voting on matters if they consider their continued presence would be incompatible with the Seven Principles of Public Life.
(3) A Member of the Planning and Transportation Committee who is, at the same time, a Member of a City of London Corporation committee responsible for a site or building that is the subject of an application does not, by that fact, have an interest that is disclosable under the Code of Conduct. Nor does the fact that they may have participated in the consideration of non-planning matters in relation to the site or building mean they would be regarded as biased or as having pre-determined consideration of planning matters in relation to the same site. However, if the Member’s participation in a meeting of the other committee means his consideration of planning issues is not impartial (for example because he has already reached a decision about the planning merits of a planning application under consideration) then he must not participate in the decision of the Planning and Transportation Committee.
(4) Particular care must be taken in determining planning applications for the development of land or buildings owned by the City of London Corporation so as to ensure that such an application is not subject to preferential treatment but is subject to the same rigorous evaluation as other applications.
9. Members’ Presence throughout Consideration of an Item
(1) Committee Members should be present for the full discussion of an item in order to be able to vote on it, as their decision should be based on all the evidence presented to them, including the City Planning Officer’s introduction and any questions and discussion.
1 Selflessness;Integrity;Objectivity;Accountability;Openess;Honesty;Leadership
Page 210 5
(2) A Member who arrives after an Agenda Item has commenced should seek and follow the advice of the Chairman as to whether he has arrived in sufficient time to be aware of the evidence presented.
10. Reports to the Planning & Transportation Committee
(1) All planning and related applications considered by the Planning & Transportation Committee should be the subject of reports by the City Planning Officer.
(2) Such reports will include:- • the substance of the objections and views expressed by respondents to the consultations • relevant Government advice, Development Plan policies and supplementary planning guidance, site or related history, and any other considerations including technical aspects that are material planning considerations on which other City of London Corporation departments may have commented • a technical assessment which justifies the recommendation(s) • a recommendation (unless, in rare circumstances, the reason for making no recommendation to approve or reject is explained in the report) • reasons in the case of a recommendation for refusal, and any necessary conditions (and reasons therefor) in the case of a recommendation for approval
11. Decisions Contrary to Officer Advice
Where a decision on a planning application is made contrary to the recommendation(s) of the City Planning Officer sufficient information will be required by the City Planning Officer to prepare the formal Decision Notice in accordance with the statutory requirements. The decision must be made on reasonable planning grounds which can be substantiated by relevant evidence, otherwise, in the event of an appeal, costs may be awarded against the authority. A statement as to how the planning authority has worked with the Applicant in a positive and pro-active manner must also be provided in the Decision Notice. In the case of approval, any necessary planning conditions must be framed in the Decision Notice. How these requirements can be most appropriately met will depend on the circumstances. Guidelines for dealing with such cases are set out in Appendix A to this Protocol..
12. Public Participation
(1) Applicants, agents and objectors have the right to address the Planning & Transportation Committee in accordance with the approved Procedure for Public Speaking set out at Appendix B.
Page 211 6
(2) The operation of the Procedure will be reviewed if required to ensure that it continues to operate in an effective way.
(3) The Committee must take account of the material planning matters expressed (whether in writing or orally) when reaching a decision.
Page 212 7 APPENDIX A
GUIDELINES
PLANNING APPLICATIONSDECISIONS
DETERMINATIONS CONTRARY TO RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY PLANNING OFFICER
These guidelines apply when a majority of Members do not consider that a planning application should be determined in accordance with the City Planning Officer’s recommendation. The appropriate way of proceeding will depend on the circumstances but in most cases the following options and suggested actions will apply:
1. Deferral
1.1 If further information is required or the Committee considers that minor change may make a scheme acceptable, the application may be deferred for decision at a later meeting. (This may need to follow further public consultation in respect of the change, depending on its impact). 1.2 However, the requirement to determine planning applications within a fixed period, and the implications of delay must be borne in mind in considering whether to defer. 1.3 It may also be necessary to defer a decision in the circumstances set out at 2.2
2. Refusing a Planning Application contrary to a recommendation to approve.
2.1 The Committee should indicate reasons for refusal with sufficient clarity to enable clear and precise reasons (with reference to relevant policies) to be provided in the Decision Notice. The reasons indicated should be confirmed by the Chairman and minuted in full. However, it may well be that although the committee has indicated clear reasons, the precise wording (including relevant policies) cannot appropriately be framed in the forum of the committee meeting. In this case the drafting of precise reasons may be delegated to the Town Clerk (after consultation with the City Planning Officer and the Chairman and Deputy Chairman), rather than reported back to Committee for final approval.
2.2 In exceptional circumstances, if the Committee is unable to indicate reasons for refusal with sufficient clarity to frame the Decision Notice (for example, due to their complexity or to the wide range of concerns expressed) it may be necessary to defer an application for a further report to enable detailed reasons to be framed and considered. In those circumstances it may be necessary for the Committee to reconvene at a special meeting as soon as possible to avoid undue delay in issuing the Decision Notice. Only those
Page 213 8 Members who attended the Committee meeting which initially considered the application will be eligible to vote at the reconvened meeting, and those Members should therefore make every effort to attend. .
3. Approving a Planning Application contrary to a recommendation to Refuse .
Where the Committee wishes to grant planning permission contrary to a recommendation to refuse, the reasons should be clearly stated and minuted, and the Committee should consider whether there are any planning conditions it would wish to see imposed. The drafting of appropriate conditions, including those specified by Committee, will normally be delegated to the City Planning Officer (unless Committee resolve otherwise), and reported to the Committee at its next meeting.
Page 214 9
APPENDIX B
RULES GOVERNING PUBLIC SPEAKING AT MEETINGS OF THE PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
1. In order to speak members of the public must have submitted written representations on the relevant planning application at least 14 days before the committee meeting.
2. There will be a maximum of 20 minutes’ public speaking time allotted to each planning application. This time is divided between the following categories:
(a) Objectors – 10 minutes in total (b) Applicants, agents or supporters – 10 minutes in total
3. No person may speak for more than 5 minutes each. If there are more than two persons wishing to speak from category (a) or (b) they will need to organise themselves by appointing up to two spokespersons or agreeing to share the allotted 10 minutes in shorter slots between more people to enable more speakers to participate from that category within the allotted 10 minutes. In rare circumstances where there is considered to be an exceptionally wide range of different issues, the Chairman may, at his discretion, allow limited additional time.
4. Anyone wishing to speak at Committee must register a request to do so with the City Planning Officer at least five working days before the meeting. This is to allow time for the City Planning Officer to alert those wishing to speak if it is necessary to organise themselves as set out in paragraph 3, and to allow time for such organisation.
5. All parties on registering a request to address the Committee must submit a written statement of their case in order that any factual or new points can be investigated prior to the meeting and to facilitate the organisation of speakers in accordance with paragraph 4 above . This should include any material to which they wish to refer in order to ensure that it can be appropriately displayed.
6. Persons will address the Committee after the City Planning Officer has presented the application to the Committee and Members have obtained any necessary information in respect of that presentation and the relevant Committee report.
7. Persons addressing the Committee will not be given the opportunity to question Members or officers of the Committee.
8. Persons addressing the Committee are expected to be available to answer questions in order to clarify points which they have made to Committee.
Page 215 10 9. Committee cases will be taken in the order in which they are set out in the agenda unless it is felt expedient by the Chairman to do otherwise (eg. if there were a high level of public interest in a particular case).
10. The Committee will not accept additional written representations in lieu of a person addressing the Committee unless they convey new points that had not been included in the original representation, which will already have been taken into account.
11. If there is any dispute as to whether it is appropriate for someone to address the Committee, the final decision rests with the Chairman or Deputy Chairman.
12. Representation on matters other than planning applications will be at the discretion of the Chairman.
Page 216 11 APPENDIX C
CODE OF CONDUCT AND GUIDANCE
Page 217 12 APPENDIX D
DCLG “Openness and transparency on personal interests – a guide for councillors”
Page 218 13
APPENDIX E
STANDARDS COMMITTEE GUIDANCE ON VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION OF GIFTS AND HOSPITALITY
Page 219 14
APPENDIX F
SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC LIFE
Page 220 15 APPENDIX B
Committee(s): Date(s):
Planning & Transportation Committee 14 January 2014
Subject: Public Planning Protocol Review Report of: For Decision Town Clerk
Summary
This report reviews the Planning Protocol introduced in October 2007. The purpose of the Protocol is to provide information and guidance in relation to the way in which the Planning and Transportation Committee exercises its planning functions. The Planning Protocol was reviewed in 2008, and a further main review was deferred pending the introduction of the Localism Act changes to the Standards regime including the adoption of a new Code of Conduct for Members. The Public Participation arrangements (Appendix B of the Protocol) were reviewed and amended in late 2011 to address issues which had arisen, especially concerns about the occasionally repetitious nature of representations at Planning and Transportation Committee. The overall perception is that the Protocol, including the revised Public Participation arrangements, have been operating reasonably well. However, now that the new Code of Conduct has been adopted and embedded, and other procedural changes to the planning process have been brought into force it is timely to update the Protocol.
Recommendations It is recommended that:- (i) the revised draft Planning Protocol (attached as Annexure 1 to this report) be approved
Main Report
Background
1. In July 2007, the Court of Common Council agreed to adopt the Planning Protocol with effect from 1 October 2007 and include it within the Code of Corporate Governance. The Court agreed that, as any future amendments to the Protocol were likely to be matters of detail rather than of principle, authority to amend the document could be delegated to the Policy and Resources
Page 221 APPENDIX B
Committee in consultation with the Planning and Transportation Committee. The Protocol was reviewed in 2008 and minor changes were made.
2. A further main review was deferred pending the introduction of the Localism Act 2011 and its changes to the Standards regime for democratic governance. This led to a new Code of Conduct being adopted in 2012. The Public Participation arrangements (Appendix B of the Protocol) were reviewed and amended in late 2011 to address issues which had arisen, especially the occasionally repetitious nature of representations at Planning and Transportation Committee. The existing Protocol is at Annexure 2. 3. The overall perception is that the Protocol has been operating reasonably well since its adoption, and the revised Public Participation arrangements have reduced repetition while maintaining a fair opportunity for oral representations. The Protocol now needs updating to reflect the Localism Act changes to the Standards Regime and to ensure it is consistent with the current Code of Conduct for Members. In addition significant procedural changes to the planning application process have been introduced aimed at improving and streamlining the planning performance which make efficient decision-making even more critical.
Current Position
4. Conduct - It is proposed that the Protocol be stream-lined to reflect the more “light-touch” approach to Standards ushered in by the Localism Act 2011, whereby less reliance is placed on detailed prescriptive requirements, and greater reliance is placed upon the general requirement to promote and maintain high standards of conduct, the need to ensure that personal interests do not influence decision-making, and Members’ observance of the Seven Principles of Public Life. Therefore the old guidance regarding pecuniary interests has been deleted and the new regime concerning disclosable interests cross-referenced at paragraph 1(3), with specific guidance on Interests relative to planning decisions updated at Section 8. Under the new regime, failure to comply with the rules on Disclosable Pecuniary Interests may result in criminal sanction. It is therefore essential that Members are familiar with the Code of Conduct. Given its importance and its more concise form, it is now appended at Appendix C to the Planning Protocol for ease of reference, together with the brief DCLG Guidance on the Code (Appendix D), the adopted City Guidance on Gifts and Hospitality (current version, and subject to further updates) (Appendix E), and Seven Principles of Public Life (Appendix F). The aim is to bring together a full “pack” of key documents relevant to the committee’s decision- making framework. The Protocol has been clarified to show where it contains legal requirements and where it contains good practise recommendations (paragraph 1(4)). 5. Pre-determination – Section 25 of the Localism Act 2011 states that if there is an issue about the validity of a planning decision arising from an allegation of bias or pre-determination, a decision maker is not to be taken as having a closed mind “just because the decision maker had previously done anything
Page 222 APPENDIX B
that directly or indirectly indicated what view the decision maker took, or would or might take, in relation to a matter”. This clarifies the rules on pre- determination and recognises that Members will inevitably wish to become involved in local debate without being unduly stifled. However, it does not remove the requirement that decision-making must be approached with an open-mind. The guidance on pre-determination reflects the recognition that Members will wish to play an active role in local discussions, while offering guidance aimed at ensuring they are nevertheless seen to be retaining an open mind (Paragraph 4(3) - (5)) 6. Procedure – In order to help deliver the government’s “Planning Guarantee” that “applications will not have to spend more than 12 months in total with decision- making bodies” regulations were brought into force in October 2013 which include provision for the refund of planning application fees where the application is not determined within 26 weeks of a valid application being received (or within such extended period as the applicant and the authority agree). The opportunity has therefore been taken, as part of this update, to provide more focussed guidelines for deferrals and decisions contrary to officer advice (Appendix A to the Protocol). Members are advised that deferrals should be used only where there is a genuine likelihood that the information or amendment sought will lead to a fully informed decision soon, and where there is no likelihood of deciding without the information or change. Where members indicate that they wish to refuse applications contrary to officer advice, the focus is on ensuring the committee gives clear reasons at the meeting where the decision is made so that the drafting of the Decision Notice can be completed by the delegated officer soon after the meeting. 7. Public Speaking – no changes are proposed to the arrangements for public speaking at committee (Appendix B to the Protocol) as these were updated after careful consideration in 2011 and the aim of minimising repetition is being generally met.
Proposals and conclusion
8. The overall perception is that the Protocol has been operating reasonably well since its adoption. However, an update is timely in order to reflect statutory changes and to address their impacts. A copy of the proposed new draft Protocol is annexed to this report (Annexure 1), and the existing Protocol is annexed for reference (Annexure 2). The aim of the Protocol is to support Members in the proper exercise of their duties, and to seek to ensure decisions are robust and safe from challenge. The recommended update of the Protocol provides up to date guidance to achieve this aim.
Contact: Deborah Cluett, Assistant City Solicitor [email protected] 0207 332 1677
Page 223 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 224 ANNEX A
CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION
PLANNING PROTOCOL
(Updated January 2014)
Page 225 PART 1
1. Introduction
(1) This Protocol relates to the way in which the Planning & Transportation Committee exercises its functions on behalf of the City of London Corporation as Planning Authority for the City . The Protocol has been prepared to guide Members and Officers and to inform the public generally of the high standards of ethical conduct adopted by the City in the discharge of its statutory planning functions.
(2) The Protocol aims to ensure that the Committee acts reasonably and openly in dealing with planning matters; to protect the Court of Common Council and individual Members from allegations of unfairness, findings of maladministration and legal challenge; and to preserve public trust in the integrity and fairness of the planning system.
(3) The new Code of Conduct for Members (Appendix C to this Protocol) (adopted by the City of London Corporation on 25 th October 2012 to reflect changes brought about by the Localism Act 2011) sets out the general provisions which must be complied with in all decision-making, and must be applied in relation to planning decisions. This Protocol is intended to supplement the Code of Conduct and DCLG Guidance on Openness and Transparency on Personal Interests (Appendix D to this Protocol) specifically in the context of planning decisions, and must also be read in conjunction with Standing Orders.
(4) In this Protocol the word “must” is used to mean it is a specific legal or regulatory requirement which must be complied with, and the word “should” is used for advice or recommendations which are regarded as good practise.
PART 2
PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
2. The Committee
(1) The Planning & Transportation Committee is a Ward Committee comprising Common Councilmen for each Ward of the City together with four Aldermen.
(2) The Committee on Standards in Public Life recommended that members of planning committees should receive appropriate training. Appointment to the Planning and Transportation Committee effectively creates a requirement for Members to undertake such training, both on appointment
Page 226 1 and periodically thereafter. The form of the training is to be agreed by the Committee and Members are advised not to accept nomination for appointment on the Committee unless they are prepared to accept this responsibility. Members should also familiarise themselves with this Protocol and the Code of Conduct.
3. General Principles
Members of the Planning and Transportation Committee must consider all planning applications objectively on the basis of evidence of relevant planning issues presented to them, the first consideration being compliance with planning policy. Non-planning considerations such as property values are not relevant and must be disregarded.
PART 3
PRE-COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
4. Contact with Applicants and/or Objectors
(1) Approaches from applicants, potential applicants or objectors is a normal and proper aspect of the political process. However, unless the parties concerned exercise care and common sense, this can lead to the impartiality and integrity of Members being called into question. A planning committee decision may be susceptible to judicial review where there is a real danger of bias.
(2) To avoid such problems, discussions should take place within the following guidelines :-
• Members, and Members of the Planning and Transportation Committee in particular, must take care not to indicate they have made up their mind on an issue before they have heard and/or read all the evidence, and should make clear that any views expressed are personal and provisional. • Members should make it clear that they will not be in a position to make a decision until they have heard and/or read all the relevant evidence and arguments at the Committee meeting. The Committee report may contain issues previously unknown to Members and other aspects, not previously evident, may arise during the Committee’s deliberations. • Where a meeting between a Member and an applicant or objector can be foreseen, the Member may, at their discretion, ask for an Officer also to attend (and for a follow-up letter of the meeting to be sent to record the matter). Also, if there is a contentious telephone discussion, it is recommended that the Member should make a note afterwards of what was said. • Officers may give an indication of the recommendation that is likely to be made to the Committee, particularly in the light of relevant
Page 227 2 planning policy, but it should be made clear that this will not bind the Committee to make a particular decision.
(3) Pre-determination - A distinction can be drawn between pre-disposition and pre-determination. A Member can quite properly be pre-disposed towards or against an application for a variety of good planning reasons. This is perfectly acceptable as long as the Member remains open to persuasion based on the evidence and arguments presented at the meeting. The Localism Act 2011 makes it clear that a decision maker is not to be taken to have had a closed mind merely because he did or said something which indicated the view he took, or might take, on the issue. It is recognised that decision makers may have views on certain matters. If, however, the Member approaches the meeting with a closed mind, and has already reached a fixed view, then he could be deemed to have pre- determined the matter.
(4) A Member who has a pre-determined attitude as described in paragraph 4(3) could be viewed as having restricted his duty to represent his electorate; such a Member must make an open declaration at the Committee and not vote. This underlines the importance of the advice set out in paragraph 4(2) that Members should await the presentation of all the evidence at Committee before expressing a set view and making a final decision and should not take actions or make statements that would lead others to the conclusion that they have already made up their mind.
(5) Notwithstanding the above, it should be possible for a Member of the Committee to assist members of the public in dealing with the planning process and explaining how they are able to make their views known.
(6) Gifts and Hospitality - Members should be very cautious about accepting gifts and hospitality from planning applicants, or objectors or other interested parties, and must notify any acceptance in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct and guidance issued by the Standards Committee (Appendix E to this Protocol). Unless there are special reasons, the presumption should be that hospitality (other than routine refreshments offered in the ordinary course of business) and gifts are refused.
5. Ward Members
(1) A Member of the Planning and Transportation Committee who represents a Ward affected by an application may be placed in a difficult position if the matter is controversial. If the Member becomes involved by speaking publicly or campaigning in support of or against a particular planning decision it will be difficult for that Member to argue later, when the Committee takes a decision, that he has carefully weighed all the evidence and arguments presented, and the member may be deemed to be biased or to have pre-determined the planning decision. (2) The City of London Corporation’s Standing Orders permit Members who are not Members of the Committee to attend meetings of the Planning &
Page 228 3 Transportation Committee and, with the permission of the Chairman, to speak (from the floor) but not vote. However, any Member who has a disclosable pecuniary interest in the matter being considered is prohibited from participating in discussion at the meeting and must not speak unless they have first been granted a dispensation by the Standards Committee.
6. Site Visits and Questions
(1) In terms of site visits, the presumption is that Members have a general knowledge of the City that can be supplemented, as necessary, by the site descriptions set out in the reports submitted to the Committee. Therefore, site visits are not generally considered necessary.
(2) Site visits will be undertaken if Members or the City Planning Officer consider there are reasons for doing so. The decision to hold a Members’ site visit will be recorded in the minutes of the Committee meeting.
(3) Occasionally, Members may wish to hold site visits before the planning application is submitted to them for consideration. A decision to hold such a visit may be agreed in advance of the Committee meeting by the Chairman. Non-attendance would not preclude a Member voting on the matter.
(4) Site visits will consist of an inspection by Members in company with the appropriate officers. Other than for reasons of access, visits should normally not be accompanied by applicants or objectors. If, however, the applicant, objector or agent is present, Members should avoid making any statements that could prejudice consideration of the application.
(5) A site visit is not a formally convened meeting of the Committee and, therefore, decisions cannot be taken. The following meeting of the Committee should be advised that the site visit has occurred.
(6) Where possible Members should give advance notice to officers of any additional information they intend to request or of any other concerns so that officers can seek to provide the information or clarification sought, and minimise the risk of deferral and delay.
7. Briefings
Occasionally, briefings on major applications are arranged by applicants for all Members of the Committee or Common Council to facilitate general “information gathering”. Officers should also be in attendance. Attendance at such a briefing would not compromise the ability of a Member of the Planning & Transportation Committee to participate in the determination of the application
Page 229 4
PART 4
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
8. Interests
(1) Private interests should never be allowed to influence a Member’s decisions on matters the Member is asked to decide. Where a Member has an interest they should never seek to use their position to advance that interest; and should avoid both impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.
(2) In considering planning matters, in common with all City Corporation business, Members should apply the Seven Principles of Public Life 1 (See Appendix F to this Protocol). Members should ensure that they leave the room during discussion and voting on matters if they consider their continued presence would be incompatible with the Seven Principles of Public Life.
(3) A Member of the Planning and Transportation Committee who is, at the same time, a Member of a City of London Corporation committee responsible for a site or building that is the subject of an application does not, by that fact, have an interest that is disclosable under the Code of Conduct. Nor does the fact that they may have participated in the consideration of non-planning matters in relation to the site or building mean they would be regarded as biased or as having pre-determined consideration of planning matters in relation to the same site. However, if the Member’s participation in a meeting of the other committee means his consideration of planning issues is not impartial (for example because he has already reached a decision about the planning merits of a planning application under consideration) then he must not participate in the decision of the Planning and Transportation Committee.
(4) Particular care must be taken in determining planning applications for the development of land or buildings owned by the City of London Corporation so as to ensure that such an application is not subject to preferential treatment but is subject to the same rigorous evaluation as other applications.
9. Members’ Presence throughout Consideration of an Item
(1) Committee Members should be present for the full discussion of an item in order to be able to vote on it, as their decision should be based on all the evidence presented to them, including the City Planning Officer’s introduction and any questions and discussion.
1 Selflessness;Integrity;Objectivity;Accountability;Openess;Honesty;Leadership
Page 230 5
(2) A Member who arrives after an Agenda Item has commenced should seek and follow the advice of the Chairman as to whether he has arrived in sufficient time to be aware of the evidence presented.
10. Reports to the Planning & Transportation Committee
(1) All planning and related applications considered by the Planning & Transportation Committee should be the subject of reports by the City Planning Officer.
(2) Such reports will include:- • the substance of the objections and views expressed by respondents to the consultations • relevant Government advice, Development Plan policies and supplementary planning guidance, site or related history, and any other considerations including technical aspects that are material planning considerations on which other City of London Corporation departments may have commented • a technical assessment which justifies the recommendation(s) • a recommendation (unless, in rare circumstances, the reason for making no recommendation to approve or reject is explained in the report) • reasons in the case of a recommendation for refusal, and any necessary conditions (and reasons therefor) in the case of a recommendation for approval
11. Decisions Contrary to Officer Advice
Where a decision on a planning application is made contrary to the recommendation(s) of the City Planning Officer sufficient information will be required by the City Planning Officer to prepare the formal Decision Notice in accordance with the statutory requirements. The decision must be made on reasonable planning grounds which can be substantiated by relevant evidence, otherwise, in the event of an appeal, costs may be awarded against the authority. A statement as to how the planning authority has worked with the Applicant in a positive and pro-active manner must also be provided in the Decision Notice. In the case of approval, any necessary planning conditions must be framed in the Decision Notice. How these requirements can be most appropriately met will depend on the circumstances. Guidelines for dealing with such cases are set out in Appendix A to this Protocol..
12. Public Participation
(1) Applicants, agents and objectors have the right to address the Planning & Transportation Committee in accordance with the approved Procedure for Public Speaking set out at Appendix B.
Page 231 6
(2) The operation of the Procedure will be reviewed if required to ensure that it continues to operate in an effective way.
(3) The Committee must take account of the material planning matters expressed (whether in writing or orally) when reaching a decision.
Page 232 7 APPENDIX A
GUIDELINES
PLANNING APPLICATIONSDECISIONS
DETERMINATIONS CONTRARY TO RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY PLANNING OFFICER
These guidelines apply when a majority of Members do not consider that a planning application should be determined in accordance with the City Planning Officer’s recommendation. The appropriate way of proceeding will depend on the circumstances but in most cases the following options and suggested actions will apply:
1. Deferral
1.1 If further information is required or the Committee considers that minor change may make a scheme acceptable, the application may be deferred for decision at a later meeting. (This may need to follow further public consultation in respect of the change, depending on its impact). 1.2 However, the requirement to determine planning applications within a fixed period, and the implications of delay must be borne in mind in considering whether to defer. 1.3 It may also be necessary to defer a decision in the circumstances set out at 2.2
2. Refusing a Planning Application contrary to a recommendation to approve.
2.1 The Committee should indicate reasons for refusal with sufficient clarity to enable clear and precise reasons (with reference to relevant policies) to be provided in the Decision Notice. The reasons indicated should be confirmed by the Chairman and minuted in full. However, it may well be that although the committee has indicated clear reasons, the precise wording (including relevant policies) cannot appropriately be framed in the forum of the committee meeting. In this case the drafting of precise reasons may be delegated to the Town Clerk (after consultation with the City Planning Officer and the Chairman and Deputy Chairman), rather than reported back to Committee for final approval.
2.2 In exceptional circumstances, if the Committee is unable to indicate reasons for refusal with sufficient clarity to frame the Decision Notice (for example, due to their complexity or to the wide range of concerns expressed) it may be necessary to defer an application for a further report to enable detailed reasons to be framed and considered. In those circumstances it may be necessary for the Committee to reconvene at a special meeting as soon as possible to avoid undue delay in issuing the Decision Notice. Only those
Page 233 8 Members who attended the Committee meeting which initially considered the application will be eligible to vote at the reconvened meeting, and those Members should therefore make every effort to attend. .
3. Approving a Planning Application contrary to a recommendation to Refuse .
Where the Committee wishes to grant planning permission contrary to a recommendation to refuse, the reasons should be clearly stated and minuted, and the Committee should consider whether there are any planning conditions it would wish to see imposed. The drafting of appropriate conditions, including those specified by Committee, will normally be delegated to the City Planning Officer (unless Committee resolve otherwise), and reported to the Committee at its next meeting.
Page 234 9 APPENDIX B
RULES GOVERNING PUBLIC SPEAKING AT MEETINGS OF THE PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
1. In order to speak members of the public must have submitted written representations on the relevant planning application at least 14 days before the committee meeting.
2. There will be a maximum of 20 minutes’ public speaking time allotted to each planning application. This time is divided between the following categories:
(a) Objectors – 10 minutes in total (b) Applicants, agents or supporters – 10 minutes in total
3. No person may speak for more than 5 minutes each. If there are more than two persons wishing to speak from category (a) or (b) they will need to organise themselves by appointing up to two spokespersons or agreeing to share the allotted 10 minutes in shorter slots between more people to enable more speakers to participate from that category within the allotted 10 minutes. In rare circumstances where there is considered to be an exceptionally wide range of different issues, the Chairman may, at his discretion, allow limited additional time.
4. Anyone wishing to speak at Committee must register a request to do so with the City Planning Officer at least five working days before the meeting. This is to allow time for the City Planning Officer to alert those wishing to speak if it is necessary to organise themselves as set out in paragraph 3, and to allow time for such organisation.
5. All parties on registering a request to address the Committee must submit a written statement of their case in order that any factual or new points can be investigated prior to the meeting and to facilitate the organisation of speakers in accordance with paragraph 4 above . This should include any material to which they wish to refer in order to ensure that it can be appropriately displayed.
6. Persons will address the Committee after the City Planning Officer has presented the application to the Committee and Members have obtained any necessary information in respect of that presentation and the relevant Committee report.
7. Persons addressing the Committee will not be given the opportunity to question Members or officers of the Committee.
8. Persons addressing the Committee are expected to be available to answer questions in order to clarify points which they have made to Committee.
9. Committee cases will be taken in the order in which they are set out in the agenda unless it is felt expedient by the Chairman to do otherwise (eg. if there were a high level of public interest in a particular case).
Page 235 10
10. The Committee will not accept additional written representations in lieu of a person addressing the Committee unless they convey new points that had not been included in the original representation, which will already have been taken into account.
11. If there is any dispute as to whether it is appropriate for someone to address the Committee, the final decision rests with the Chairman or Deputy Chairman.
12. Representation on matters other than planning applications will be at the discretion of the Chairman.
Page 236 11 Appendix C
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MEMBERS IN RESPECT OF THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION’S LOCAL AUTHORITY, POLICE AUTHORITY AND NON-LOCAL AUTHORITY FUNCTIONS
You are a member or co-opted member of the City of London Corporation and hence you shall have regard to the following principles – selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
Accordingly, when acting in your capacity as a member or co-opted member -
You must act solely in the public interest and should never improperly confer an advantage or disadvantage on any person or act to gain financial or other material benefits for yourself, your family, a friend or close associate.
You must not place yourself under a financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence you in the performance of your official duties.
When carrying out your public duties you must make all choices, such as making public appointments, awarding contracts or recommending individuals for rewards or benefits, on merit.
You are accountable for your decisions to the public and you must co-operate fully with whatever scrutiny is appropriate to your office.
You must be as open as possible about your decisions and actions and the decisions and actions of your authority and should be prepared to give reasons for those decisions and actions.
You must declare any private interests, both pecuniary and non-pecuniary, that relate to your public duties and must take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest, including registering and declaring interests in a manner conforming with the procedures set out in the box below.
You must, when using or authorising the use by others of the resources of your authority, ensure that such resources are not used improperly for political purposes (including party political purposes) and you must have regard to any applicable Local Authority Code of Publicity made under the Local Government Act 1986.
You must promote and support high standards of conduct when serving in your public post, in particular as characterised by the above requirements, by leadership and example.
Page 237 Appendix C
Registering and declaring pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests
You must, within 28 days of taking office as a member or co-opted member, notify your authority’s monitoring officer of any disclosable pecuniary interest as defined by regulations made by the Secretary of State, where the pecuniary interest is yours, your spouse’s or civil partner’s, or is the pecuniary interest of somebody with whom you are living with as a husband or wife, or as if you were civil partners.
In addition, you must, within 28 days of taking office as a member or co-opted member, notify your authority’s monitoring officer of any disclosable pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest which your authority has decided should be included in the register.
If an interest has not been entered onto the authority’s register, then the member must disclose the interest to any meeting of the authority at which they are present, where they have a disclosable interest in any matter being considered and where the 1 matter is not a ‘sensitive interest’.
Following any disclosure of an interest not on the authority’s register or the subject of pending notification, you must notify the monitoring officer of the interest within 28 days beginning with the date of disclosure.
Unless dispensation has been granted, you may not participate in any discussion of, vote on, or discharge any function related to any matter in which you have a pecuniary interest as defined by regulations made by the Secretary of State. Additionally, your must observe the restrictions your authority places on your involvement in matters where you have a pecuniary or non pecuniary interest as defined by your authority.
1 A ‘sensitive interest’ is described in the Localism Act 2011 as a member or co-opted member of an authority having an interest, and the nature of the interest being such that the member or co-opted member, and the authority’s monitoring officer, consider that disclosure of the details of the interest could lead to the member or co-opted member, or a person connected with the member or co-opted member, being subject to violence or intimidation.
Page 238 Openness and transparency on personal interests
A guide for councillors
September 2013 Department for Communities and Local Government Page 239 © Crown copyright, 2013
Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with the Crown.
You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .
This document/publication is also available on our website at www.gov.uk/dclg
If you have any enquiries regarding this document/publication, email [email protected] or write to us at:
Department for Communities and Local Government Eland House Bressenden Place London SW1E 5DU Telephone: 030 3444 0000
For all our latest news and updates follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommunitiesUK
September 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4098--3604-9
Page 240 The Guide
This guide on personal interests gives basic practical information about how to be open and transparent about your personal interests. It is designed to help councillors, including parish councillors, now that new standards arrangements have been introduced by the Localism Act 2011 1.
Why are there new rules?
Parliament has abolished the Standards Board regime and all the rules under it. It has done this because that centrally-imposed, bureaucratic regime had become a vehicle for petty, malicious and politically-motivated complaints against councillors. Rather than creating a culture of trust and openness between councillors and those they represent, it was damaging, without justification, the public’s confidence in local democratic governance.
The new standards arrangements that Parliament has put in place mean that it is largely for councils themselves to decide their own local rules. It is essential that there is confidence that councillors everywhere are putting the public interest first and are not benefiting their own financial affairs from being a councillor. Accordingly, within the new standards arrangements there are national rules about councillors’ interests. 2
Such rules, in one form or another, have existed for decades. The new rules are similar to the rules that were in place prior to the Standards Board regime. Those rules, originating in the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, involved local authority members registering their pecuniary interests in a publicly available register, and disclosing their interests and withdrawing from meetings in certain circumstances. Failure to comply with those rules was in certain circumstances a criminal offence, as is failure to comply in certain circumstances with the new rules. Does this affect me?
Yes, if you are an elected, co-opted, or appointed member of:
a district, unitary, metropolitan, county or London borough council a parish or town council a fire and rescue authority a transport or other joint authority a combined authority or an economic prosperity board the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority the Broads Authority
1 The Guide should not be taken as providing any definitive interpretation of the statutory requirements; those wishing to address such issues should seek their own legal advice. 2 The national rules are in Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011 and in the secondary legislation made under the Act, particularly in The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1464).
Page 241 a National Park authority the Greater London Authority the Common Council of the City of London the Council of the Isles of Scilly How will there be openness and transparency about my personal interests?
The national rules require your council or authority to adopt a code of conduct for its members and to have a register of members’ interests.
The national rules require your council’s code of conduct to comply with the Seven Principles of Public Life, and to set out how, in conformity with the rules, you will have to disclose and register your pecuniary and your other interests. Within these rules it is for your council to decide what its code of conduct says. An illustrative text for such a code is available on the Department’s web site. 3
Your council’s or authority’s monitoring officer (or in the case of a parish council the monitoring officer of the district or borough council) must establish and maintain your council’s register of members’ interests. Within the requirements of the national rules it is for your council or authority to determine what is to be entered in its register of members’ interests. What personal interests should be entered in my council’s or authority’s register of members’ interests?
Disclosable pecuniary interests, and any other of your personal interests which your council or authority, in particular through its code of conduct, has determined should be registered.
Any other of your personal interests which you have asked the monitoring officer, who is responsible for your council’s or authority’s register of members’ interests, to enter in the register.
As explained in the following section, your registration of personal interests should be guided by your duty to act in conformity with the seven principles of public life. You should ensure that you register all personal interests that conformity with the seven principles requires. These interests will necessarily include your membership of any Trade Union. What must I do about registering my personal interests?
Under your council’s code of conduct you must act in conformity with the Seven Principles of Public Life. One of these is the principle of integrity – that ‘Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in
3 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/illustrative-text-for-local-code-of-conduct--2
Page 242 order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.’ 4.
Your registration of personal interests should be guided by this duty and you should give the monitoring officer who is responsible for your council’s or authority’s register of members’ interests any information he or she requests in order to keep that register up to date and any other information which you consider should be entered in the register.
All sitting councillors need to register their declarable interests – both declarable pecuniary interests, and other interests that must be declared and registered as required by your authority’s code, or your duty to act in conformity with the Seven Principles of Public Life, such as your membership of any Trade Union. Any suggestion that you should tell the monitoring officer about your pecuniary interests only in the immediate aftermath of your being elected is wholly incompatible with this duty, with which you must comply.
If you have a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not recorded in the register and which relates to any business that is or will be considered at a meeting where you are present, you must disclose 5 this to the meeting and tell the monitoring officer about it, if you have not already done so, so that it can be added to the register. You must tell the monitoring officer within 28 days of disclosing the interest. For this purpose a meeting includes any meeting of your council or authority, of its executive or any committee of the executive, and of any committee, sub-committee, joint committee or joint sub-committee of your authority.
If you have a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not shown in the register and relates to any business on which you are acting alone, you must, within 28 days of becoming aware of this, tell the monitoring officer about it, if you have not already done so, so that it can be added to the register. You must also stop dealing with the matter as soon as you become aware of having a disclosable pecuniary interest relating to the business.
When you are first elected, co-opted, or appointed a member to your council or authority, you must, within 28 days of becoming a member, tell the monitoring officer who is responsible for your council’s or authority’s register of members’ interests about your disclosable pecuniary interests. If you are re-elected, re-co-opted, or reappointed a member, you need to tell the monitoring officer about only those disclosable pecuniary interests that are not already recorded in the register.
What are pecuniary interests?
A person’s pecuniary interests are their business interests (for example their employment, trade, profession, contracts, or any company with which they are associated) and wider
4 http://www.public-standards.gov.uk/about-us/what-we-do/the-seven-principles/ 5 If the interest is a sensitive interest you should disclose merely the fact that you have such a disclosable pecuniary interest, rather than the interest. A sensitive interest is one which the member and the monitoring officer, who is responsible for the register of members’ interests, consider that disclosure of its details could lead to the member, or a person connected to the member, being subject to violence or intimidation.
Page 243 financial interests they might have (for example trust funds, investments, and assets including land and property). Do I have any disclosable pecuniary interests?
You have a disclosable pecuniary interest if you, or your spouse or civil partner, have a pecuniary interest listed in the national rules (see annex). Interests or your spouse or civil partner, following the approach of the rules under the 1972 and 1989 Acts, are included to ensure that the public can have confidence that councillors are putting the public interest first and not benefiting the financial affairs of themselves or their spouse or civil partner from which the councillor would stand to gain. For this purpose your spouse or civil partner includes any person with whom you are living as husband or wife, or as if they were your civil partner. Does my spouse’s or civil partner’s name need to appear on the register of interests?
No. For the purposes of the register, an interest of your spouse or civil partner, which is listed in the national rules, is your disclosable pecuniary interest. Whilst the detailed format of the register of members’ interests is for your council to decide, there is no requirement to differentiate your disclosable pecuniary interests between those which relate to you personally and those that relate to your spouse or civil partner. Does my signature need to be published online? Won’t this put me at risk of identity theft?
There is no legal requirement for the personal signatures of councillors to be published online. Who can see the register of members’ interests?
Except for parish councils, a council’s or authority’s register of members’ interests must be available for inspection in the local area, and must be published on the council’s or authority’s website.
For parish councils, the monitoring officer who is responsible for the council’s register of members’ interests must arrange for the parish council’s register of members’ interests to be available for inspection in the district of borough, and must be published on the district or borough council’s website.
Where the parish council has its own website, its register of members’ interests must also be published on that website.
This is in line with the Government’s policies of transparency and accountability, ensuring that the public have ready access to publicly available information.
Page 244 Is there any scope for withholding information on the published register?
Copies of the register of members’ interests which are available for inspection or published must not include details of a member’s sensitive interest, other than stating that the member has an interest the details of which are withheld. A sensitive interest is one which the member and the monitoring officer, who is responsible for the register of members’ interests, consider that disclosure of its details could lead to the member, or a person connected to the member, being subject to violence or intimidation. When is information about my interests removed from my council’s register of members’ interests?
If you cease to have an interest, that interest can be removed from the register. If you cease to be a member of the authority, all of your interests can be removed from the register. What does having a disclosable pecuniary interest stop me doing?
If you are present at a meeting of your council or authority, of its executive or any committee of the executive, or of any committee, sub-committee, joint committee, or joint sub-committee of your authority, and you have a disclosable pecuniary interest relating to any business that is or will be considered at the meeting, you must not:
participate in any discussion of the business at the meeting, or if you become aware of your disclosable pecuniary interest during the meeting participate further in any discussion of the business, or participate in any vote or further vote taken on the matter at the meeting.
These prohibitions apply to any form of participation, including speaking as a member of the public.
In certain circumstances you can request a dispensation from these prohibitions. Where these prohibitions apply, do I also have to leave the room?
Where your council’s or authority’s standing orders require this, you must leave the room. Even where there are no such standing orders, you must leave the room if you consider your continued presence is incompatible with your council’s code of conduct or the Seven Principles of Public Life. Do I need a dispensation to take part in the business of setting council tax or a precept?
Page 245 Any payment of, or liability to pay, council tax does not create a disclosable pecuniary interest as defined in the national rules; hence being a council tax payer does not mean that you need a dispensation to take part in the business of setting the council tax or precept or local arrangements for council tax support.
If you are a homeowner or tenant in the area of your council you will have registered, in accordance with the national rules, that beneficial interest in land. However, this disclosable pecuniary interest is not a disclosable pecuniary interest in the matter of setting the council tax or precept since decisions on the council tax or precept do not materially affect your interest in the land. For example, it does not materially affect the value of your home, your prospects of selling that home, or how you might use or enjoy that land.
Accordingly, you will not need a dispensation to take part in the business of setting the council tax or precept or local arrangements for council tax support, which is in any event a decision affecting the generality of the public in the area of your council, rather than you as an individual. When and how can I apply for a dispensation?
The rules allow your council or authority in certain circumstances to grant a dispensation to permit a member to take part in the business of the authority even if the member has a disclosable pecuniary interest relating to that business. These circumstances are where the council or authority considers that: without the dispensation so great a proportion of the council or authority would be prohibited from participating in that business as to impede the council’s or authority’s transaction of that business, without the dispensation the representation of different political groups dealing with that business would be so upset as to alter the likely outcome of any vote, the granting of the dispensation is in the interests of people living in the council’s or authority’s area, without the dispensation each member of the council’s executive would be prohibited from participating in the business, or it is otherwise appropriate to grant a dispensation.
If you would like your council or authority to grant you a dispensation, you must make a written request to the officer responsible for handling such requests in the case of your council or authority.
What happens if I don’t follow the rules on disclosable pecuniary interests?
It is a criminal offence if, without a reasonable excuse, you fail to tell the monitoring officer about your disclosable pecuniary interests, either for inclusion on the register if you are a newly elected, co-opted or appointed member, or to update the register if you are re- elected or re-appointed, or when you become aware of a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not recorded in the register but which relates to any matter;
Page 246 that will be or is being considered at a meeting where you are present, or on which you are acting alone.
It is also a criminal offence to knowingly or recklessly provide false or misleading information, or to participate in the business of your authority where that business involves a disclosable pecuniary interest. It is also a criminal offence to continue working on a matter which can be discharged by a single member and in which you have a disclosable pecuniary interest.
If you are found guilty of such a criminal offence, you can be fined up to £5,000 and disqualified from holding office as a councillor for up to five years. Where can I look at the national rules on pecuniary interests?
The national rules about pecuniary interests are set out in Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011, which is available on the internet here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/20/part/1/chapter/7/enacted and in the secondary legislation made under the Act, in particular The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 which can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1464/contents/made
Page 247 Annex A Description of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests
If you have any of the following pecuniary interests, they are your disclosable pecuniary interests under the new national rules. Any reference to spouse or civil partner includes any person with whom you are living as husband or wife, or as if they were your civil partner.
Any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain, which you, or your spouse or civil partner, undertakes.
Any payment or provision of any other financial benefit (other than from your council or authority) made or provided within the relevant period in respect of any expenses incurred by you in carrying out duties as a member, or towards your election expenses. This includes any payment or financial benefit from a trade union within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. The relevant period is the 12 months ending on the day when you tell the monitoring officer about your disclosable pecuniary interests following your election or re-election, or when you became aware you had a disclosable pecuniary interest relating to a matter on which you were acting alone.
Any contract which is made between you, or your spouse or your civil partner (or a body in which you, or your spouse or your civil partner, has a beneficial interest) and your council or authority – o under which goods or services are to be provided or works are to be executed; and o which has not been fully discharged.
Any beneficial interest in land which you, or your spouse or your civil partner, have and which is within the area of your council or authority.
Any licence (alone or jointly with others) which you, or your spouse or your civil partner, holds to occupy land in the area of your council or authority for a month or longer.
Any tenancy where (to your knowledge) – o the landlord is your council or authority; and o the tenant is a body in which you, or your spouse or your civil partner, has a beneficial interest.
Page 248 Any beneficial interest which you, or your spouse or your civil partner has in securities of a body where – o (a) that body (to your knowledge) has a place of business or land in the area of your council or authority; and o (b) either – the total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body; or if the share capital of that body is of more than one class, the total nominal value of the shares of any one class in which you, or your spouse or your civil partner, has a beneficial interest exceeds one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that class.
Page 249 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 250
Appendix E
City of London Corporation
Guidance to Members - Declaring gifts and hospitality
Only those interests defined as disclosable pecuniary interests in the regulations are required to be registered and/or disclosed in every case. However, in accordance with the Nolan Principles and the general duties set out in the Code of Conduct, Members are required to disclose any other interest at a meeting where it is felt, in relation to a specific item of business, that the interest warrants disclosure.
The Standards Committee considers that such a disclosure is likely to be necessary in relation to one-off gifts and hospitality to the value of £250 or more, and cumulative gifts and hospitality to the value of £500 or more from a single donor in a financial year i.e. ending on 31 st March.
If an item of business arises at a meeting that relates to such a donor, the Standards Committee would normally expect this interest to be disclosed. If a complaint were to be received in relation to non-disclosure by a Member, then (subject to hearing all of the facts) the Standards Committee may be minded to find that there had been a breach of the Code.
Therefore, the Standards Committee is introducing a local voluntary arrangement whereby Members are encouraged to register the receipt of all gifts and hospitality equalling or exceeding the above values. In the same way as for disclosable pecuniary interests, prior registration will constitute disclosure of the interest, meaning that a further disclosure at the meeting is not required. This will assist Members in complying with the Code. It will also provide transparency of Members’ actions to the public. The new arrangement will come into effect as of 1st April 2013.
A member’s participation in relation to an item in which they have such an interest will need to be considered by the member on a case by case basis. In the spirit of the Localism Act the Standards Committee would expect that a member would only be precluded from participation in exceptional circumstances e.g. where there is a real danger of bias. Members are encouraged to seek advice from the City Solicitor on such matters.
1 Page 251
Registering your gifts and hospitality
Your up-to-date register of interests, including any disclosed gifts and hospitality, is published via your Members’ page on the Corporation’s webpages. Where you wish to register any received gifts and hospitality, please contact the Committee and Member Services Team via email or on telephone: 020 7332 1427 or 020 7332 1434 specifying the following details:
• description of the gift or hospitality (i.e. tickets to a theatre performance; • the date it was received; • from whom the gift or hospitality was received; and • an approximate value (and cumulative value, if appropriate).
Please note that such declarations should be made within 28 days of receipt of the gift or hospitality.
Gifts and hospitality that do not need to be disclosed
Gifts and hospitality provided by the City Corporation, or received by a Member whilst acting as an official representative of the City Corporation, do not need to be disclosed – this will include:
• committee dinners • lunches associated with committee visits • any gifts or hospitality provided to the office of Lord Mayor or Sheriff (but not including gifts retained by the individual, as opposed to the City Corporation) • hospitality offered as part of City Corporation related events such as MIPIM (events approved by the Policy & Resources Committee) • local government dinners • garden parties at Buckingham Palace (if tickets via City Corporation) • tickets to sporting and cultural events (where the Member is the appointed representative of the City Corporation e.g. Olympics tickets in summer 2012) • tickets to events at the Barbican Centre, or Guildhall School of Music and Drama (if tickets via City Corporation).
In addition, a Member only has to disclose gifts or hospitality received by virtue of being a Member – this will not normally include gifts or hospitality received from friends or family. Members should apply honesty and common sense when they consider how receipt of a gift or hospitality might be interpreted. For example, if the Member is the Chairman of the Planning Committee, and a birthday present arrives from an applicant just before a planning application is due to be considered, then the Member should think about how this would be interpreted by a reasonable member of the public. If in doubt, the Member should disclose the interest.
As set out above, Members do not need to disclose gifts and hospitality that do not
2 Page 252
reach the £250 one-off threshold or £500 cumulative threshold. Some examples of gifts and hospitality that are unlikely to reach the £250 threshold are as follows:
• livery company dinners • drinks receptions (where only drinks and canapés are served) • standard commemorative gifts including pin badges, published materials, ties, paper weights, plaques.
Gifts and hospitality that are likely to require disclosure
Some examples of gifts and hospitality that are likely to reach the £250 threshold are as follows:
• overseas trips • exceptional evening dinner events (i.e. pre-dinner drinks, three course, silver service meals, all drinks) • bespoke gifts that have been sourced/ made specifically for the Member (e.g. an engraved crystal vase, or a gold picture frame with a signed limited edition print) • hospitality packages including lunch or dinner and tickets to a sporting or cultural event.
Caution should be exercised where the offer of any gift or hospitality is over and above what could reasonably be viewed as ancillary to the business being conducted, or is wholly unrelated to the business being conducted.
Particular caution should also be exercised by Members involved in determining regulatory matters (licensing, planning) and making decisions that affect the financial position of others.
Further information regarding Members’ declarations can be obtained from the Comptroller & City Solicitor or the Committee and Member Services Team.
3 Page 253 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 254 Appendix F
Seven Principles of Public Life
Selflessness —Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
Current descriptor
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.
Integrity —Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
Current descriptor
Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.
Objectivity —Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
Current descriptor
In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.
Accountability —Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
Current descriptor
Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
Openness —Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
Current descriptor
Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the
Page 255 wider public interest clearly demands.
Honesty —Holders of public office should be truthful.
Current descriptor
Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private i nterests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
Leadership —Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
Current descriptor
Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.
Page 256 CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION
PLANNING PROTOCOL
h:\committees\p&t\keep\protocol\planningprotocolfinaldec11.docPage 257 PART 1 INTRODUCTION
1. (1) This Protocol relates to the way in which the Planning & Transportation Committee exercises its functions on behalf of the City of London Corporation as Planning Authority for the City. The Protocol has been prepared to guide Members and Officers and to inform the public generally of the high standards of ethical conduct adopted by the City in the discharge of its statutory planning functions.
(2) The Protocol aims to, give effect to the recommendation of the Committee on Standards in Public Life that local authorities should have well-documented practices and procedures designed to avoid grounds for allegations of impropriety ensure that the Committee acts reasonably and openly in dealing with planning matters; to protect the Court of Common Council and individual Members from allegations of unfairness, findings of maladministration and legal challenge; and to preserve public trust in the integrity and fairness of the planning system.
(3) The Protocol takes account of the requirements of the Members’ and Officers’ Code of Conduct.
(4) In this Protocol, words importing the masculine gender include the feminine.
PART 2 PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
2. The Committee (1) The Planning & Transportation Committee is a Ward Committee comprising Common Councilmen for each Ward of the City together with four Aldermen.
(2) The Committee on Standards in Public Life recommended that members of planning committees should receive appropriate training. Appointment to the Planning and Transportation Committee effectively creates a requirement for Members to undertake such training, both on appointment and periodically thereafter. (The Town Clerk will draw this to the attention of the Deputies of the several Wards when seeking nominations from them) .The form of the training is to be agreed by the Committee and Members are advised not to accept nomination for appointment on the Committee unless they are prepared to accept this responsibility. Members should also familiarise themselves with this Protocol.
Page 258 1 3. General Principle Members of the Planning and Transportation Committee must consider all planning applications objectively on the basis of evidence presented to them. In any contact with applicants or objectors they should normally seek to avoid giving a firm view on a particular application. If they choose to do so before the Committee considers the application then they cannot vote on it.
PART 3 PRE-COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
4. Contact with Applicants and/or Objectors (1) Discussions between and lobbying from applicants, potential applicants or objectors is a normal and proper aspect of the political process. However, unless the parties concerned exercise care and common sense, lobbying can lead to the impartiality and integrity of Members being called into question.
(2) To avoid such problems, discussions should take place within the following guidelines :-
Members, and Members of the Planning and Transportation Committee in particular, should take care not to express opinions that suggest or indicate they have made up their mind on an issue before they have heard and/or read all the evidence. At the outset it should be made clear that discussions will not bind the Committee to make a particular decision and that any views expressed are personal and provisional. Members should confine themselves to factual matters and can refer the person(s) who they are meeting to the City Planning Officer, particularly if they wish to have their opinions included in the Committee report. (Members should not, of course, attempt to pressurise officers to bring forward particular recommendations). Members should make it clear that they will not be in a position to make a decision until they have heard and/or read all the relevant evidence and arguments at the Committee meeting. The Committee report may contain issues previously unknown to Members and other aspects, not previously evident, may arise during the Committee’s deliberations. Where a meeting between a Member and an applicant or objector can be foreseen, the Member can, at their discretion, ask for an Officer also to attend (and for a follow-up letter of the meeting to be sent to record the matter). Also, if there is a contentious telephone discussion, it may be helpful to make a note afterwards of what was said. Officers may give an indication of the recommendation that is likely to be made to the Committee, particularly in the light of the provisions of the Unitary Development Plan, but it must be made clear that this will not bind the Committee to make a particular decision
Page 259 2 (3) Members should be very cautious about accepting gifts and hospitality from planning applicants or objectors and notify any acceptance in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct. Unless there are special reasons, the presumption should be that gifts are refused.
5. Ward Members (1) A Member of the Planning and Transportation Committee who represents a Ward affected by an application may be placed in a difficult position if the matter is controversial. If the Member responds to lobbying by speaking publicly or campaigning in support of a particular outcome it will be difficult for that Member to argue later, when the Committee takes a decision, that he has carefully weighed all the evidence and arguments presented.
(2) A distinction can be drawn between pre-disposition and pre-determination. A Member could, both understandably and quite properly, be pre- disposed towards or against an application for a variety of good planning reasons. This is perfectly acceptable as long as the Member remains open to persuasion based on the evidence and arguments presented at the meeting. If, however, he approaches the meeting with a closed mind and has already reached a fixed view, then he could be deemed to have pre-determined the matter. Such ‘pre-determination’ can be a basis for judicial proceedings against planning decisions (see Richardson v. North Yorkshire County Council).
(3) Although not amounting to a personal interest, a Member who has a pre- determined attitude as described in paragraph 5(2) should make an open declaration at the Committee and not vote. Such a scenario could be viewed as a restriction on the Member’s duty to represent his electorate and, therefore, it underlines the importance of the advice set out in paragraph 4(4) that Members should await the presentation of all the evidence at Committee before expressing a set view and making a final decision.
(4) Notwithstanding the above, it should be possible for a Member of the Committee to assist members of the public in dealing with the planning process and explaining how to make their views known.
(5) The City of London Corporation’s Standing Orders permit Members who are not Members of the Committee to attend meetings of the Planning & Transportation Committee and, with the permission of the Chairman, to speak but not vote.
6. Site Visits (1) In terms of site locations, the presumption is that Members have a general knowledge of the City that can be supplemented, as necessary, by the site descriptions set out in the reports submitted to the Committee.
Page 260 3 (2) Site visits will be undertaken if Members or the City Planning Officer consider there are reasons for doing so. The decision to hold a Members’ site visit will be recorded in the minutes of the Committee meeting.
(3) Occasionally, Members may wish to hold site visits before the planning application is submitted to them for consideration. A decision to hold such a visit may be agreed in advance of the Committee meeting by the Chairman.
(4) Site visits will consist of an inspection by Members in company with the appropriate officers. Other than for reasons of access, visits should normally not be accompanied by applicants or objectors. If, however, the applicant or agent is present, Members should avoid making any statements that could prejudice consideration of the application.
(5) A site visit is not a formally convened meeting of the Committee and, therefore, decisions cannot be taken. A report on the visit should be made to the following meeting of the Committee.
PART 4 COMMITTEE MEETINGS
7. Interests (1) Responsibility for declaring interests lies with individual Members of the Committee. Personal interests in any application should be declared in accordance with Standing Orders and the Code of Conduct. A Member with a prejudicial interest should also make a declaration and withdraw from the meeting and not vote [but may make representations from the public gallery in accordance with paragraph 7(3) below before withdrawing from the room].
(2) The test for determining a prejudicial interest is whether a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard the interest as so significant that it is likely to prejudice a Member’s judgement of the public interest.
(3) A Member who acts as an agent for anyone pursuing a planning proposal within the City should play no part in the decision-making process for that proposal. Members with a personal and prejudicial interest can, however, address the Committee in accordance with the Code of Conduct.
(4) A Member of the Committee, or other Member attending the Committee, in the situation described in paragraph 7(3), should declare his position to the Monitoring Officer and to the City Planning Officer and, if it would otherwise be a delegated decision, ask for the planning application to be considered by the Committee. At the beginning of the Committee meeting the Member should formally declare his personal and prejudicial interest and may address the Committee from the public lectern before
Page 261 4 withdrawing from the meeting in accordance with the Code of Conduct and the procedure set out in Appendix C.
(5) A Member of the Planning & Transportation Committee who is, at the same time, a Member of a City of London Corporation committee responsible for a site or building that is the subject of an application does not, by that fact, have an interest that is disclosable under the Code of Conduct.
(6) A Member of the Planning & Transportation Committee who has a ‘public service interest’ (ie. who is a member of another authority, charity or lobbying body) would be regarded as having a prejudicial interest where they attended to make representations and the matter related to the determination of any approval, consent or permission in relation to the body or to the financial affairs of the body. However, the Member may attend a committee meeting considering the business in which he has a prejudicial ‘public service interest’ solely for the purpose of making representations, giving evidence or answering questions relating to that business provided members of the public are also allowed to attend the meeting for the same purpose. After the Member has made his representations in accordance with the procedure set out in Appendix C and given his evidence or answered the questions relating to that business, he must withdraw from the room where the meeting is being held.
8. Members’ Presence throughout Consideration of an Item (1) Committee Members should be present for the full discussion of an item in order to be able to vote on it, as their decision should be based on all the evidence presented to them, including the City Planning Officer’s introduction and any questions and discussion.
(2) The Chairman, in consultation with the Town Clerk and Comptroller and City Solicitor, would have the final judgement on whether a Member should vote if it was debatable whether that Member arrived in sufficient time to do so.
9. Contact with Applicants (1) It is for individual Members of the Committee to decide if contact with an applicant should be disclosed in any particular case.
(2) Where a Member of the Committee has had significant contact with an applicant, he should make this known to the Committee. Significant contact would not normally include contact with ward constituents on minor applications, unless this constituted a substantial lobbying exercise. It would include meetings, with or without Officers present, with applicants or agents other than in a formal committee or Court setting (see paragraph 9 (4)). As long as Members in this position have restricted themselves to the guidelines set out in Part 3 and have not openly declared their voting intentions, they may participate in the debate and vote.
Page 262 5 (3) If a Member has compromised his position by expressing views that indicate that he has pre-determined the issue before hearing all the evidence and arguments, he should not vote.
(4) Occasionally, briefings on major applications are arranged by applicants for all Members of the Common Council. Attendance at such a briefing would not compromise the ability of a Member of the Planning & Transportation Committee to participate in the determination of the application.
10. Development by the City of London Corporation Particular care must be taken with planning applications for the development of land or buildings owned by the City of London Corporation so as to demonstrate that the applications are not subject to preferential treatment; such applications must be subject to the same rigorous examination as other applications. If the nature of a Member’s participation in a meeting of another committee means that his consideration of an item before the Planning & Transportation Committee is not impartial (for example, because that other committee is the applicant for planning permission or that other committee has already reached a decision about the merits of a planning application under consideration), then he should not participate in the decision of the Planning & Transportation Committee.
11. Reports to the Planning & Transportation Committee (1) All planning applications considered by the Planning & Transportation Committee shall be the subject of reports by the City Planning Officer.
(2) Such reports will include:- the substance of the objections and views expressed by respondents to the consultations relevant Government advice, London Plan policies, Unitary Development Plan policies and supplementary planning guidance, site or related history, and any other material considerations including technical aspects that are material planning considerations on which other City of London Corporation departments may have commented a technical assessment which justifies the recommendation(s) a recommendation (unless, in rare circumstances, the reason for making no recommendation is explained in the report) reasons in the case of a recommendation for an approval or a refusal, and any necessary conditions (and reasons therefor) in the case of a recommendation for approval
12. Decisions Contrary to Officer Advice (1) When determining an application, the Committee is entitled to attach weight to the various relevant planning criteria. This can lead to a decision contrary to the recommendation(s) of the City Planning Officer.
Page 263 6 (2) In these circumstances, the City Planning Officer, or other appropriate officer, must be given an opportunity to explain the implications of a decision contrary to the recommendation(s) the reasons for refusal or approval, (and for conditions on any approval), must be set out in the minutes of the meeting. It is, therefore, essential that the reasons for a refusal or approval, and for the conditions to be imposed on a permission, are clear in the minds of Members. It may be possible for the Committee to be specific about their reasons and to record them in detail when the application is first considered. However, it is more likely that it will be necessary to defer an application for a further report to enable detailed reasons or conditions to be framed. For this reason, the Committee has agreed guidelines for handling these cases, which are set out at Appendix A to this Code the minutes must be clear when an application is deferred under the guidelines, as opposed to a deferment for any other reason
13. Public Participation (1) Applicants, agents and objectors have the right to address the Planning & Transportation Committee in accordance with the approved Procedure for Public Speaking set out at Appendix B.
(2) The operation of the Procedure will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it continues to operate in an effective way.
(3) The Committee will take account of the views expressed when reaching a decision.
Page 264 7 APPENDIX A
GUIDELINES
PLANNING APPLICATIONS/APPEALS
DETERMINATIONS CONTRARY TO RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY PLANNING OFFICER
1. These guidelines apply when a majority of Members wish to determine a planning application contrary to the City Planning Officer’s recommendation.
2. The City of London Corporation is required to process planning applications without undue delay. It will, therefore, be necessary to establish that there is a real prospect of the recommendation not being accepted before deferring the application.
3. If the Committee, having considered the report and advice of the officers, are satisfied that they have sufficient information to frame substantive and sustainable reasons for refusal or approval, and adequate conditions and reasons therefor in the case of approval, then the application may be determined at the same meeting.
4. If sufficient information is not available to the Committee to determine the application at the meeting, it is open to them to defer the application to the next meeting.
5. If the application is deferred, the officers will then consider the application in the light of the views expressed by Members and draft possible reasons for refusal or approval, (and conditions and reasons therefor in the case of approval), to reflect Members' views, and report further on the circumstances to the next or next practicable meeting of the Committee.
6. The original report of the City Planning Officer shall be re-submitted to the subsequent meeting, accompanied by a further report setting out reasons for refusal/approval (and conditions and reasons therefor in the case of approval) that reflect the Members’ views at the previous meeting. Any further information that has become available about the application or the intentions of the applicant shall also be submitted.
7. Before any presentation or debate, officers will explain the circumstances under which the application is being re-considered and the options available to the Committee.
8. The Committee shall take account of all relevant planning considerations in reaching its decision on the re-presented application. Although the views of Members at the previous meeting may have been clear, those views cannot restrict the options available to the Committee in reaching a decision.
Page 265 8 9. Opportunity will be given at the second meeting for public speaking as for a fresh application.
10. Where planning permission is refused and the matter goes to appeal, the normal convention will be that officers of the Planning & Transportation Department (and other Departments in appropriate cases) will act as expert professional witnesses to present the City of London Corporation’s case.
11. When appropriate, the Planning & Transportation Committee should identify a Member or Members to support the case at appeal. This is of importance in stressing to a Planning Inspector the strength of Members' views and the reasoning behind them. However, Members can only speak at appeals in a non-technical capacity. In exceptional circumstances, Members could be asked to appear as the only witness at appeal (eg. where the Members' decision is based solely on aesthetic or nuisance considerations) although, once again, Members could only speak in a non-technical capacity and they would be supported by the appropriate officers.
12. At the earliest possible stage after an appeal is lodged and a public inquiry is requested by the Appellant, the following issues should be determined:- a) whether it would be appropriate to engage external Counsel to advocate the City of London Corporation’s case; b) which officers should appear at the inquiry to support the City of London Corporation’s case; c) whether external consultants should be used to give evidence on behalf of the City of London Corporation.
13. Authority for determining the issues referred to in paragraph 12 above rests with the City Planning Officer and the Comptroller & City Solicitor and other appropriate service heads. In the absence of agreement, the matter would be referred to the Town Clerk to reach agreement in consultation with the Chairman of the Planning & Transportation Committee.
Page 266 9 APPENDIX B
RULES GOVERNING PUBLIC SPEAKING AT MEETINGS OF THE PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
1. In order to speak you must have submitted written representations on the relevant planning application at least 14 days before the committee meeting.
2. There will be a maximum of 20 minutes’ public speaking time allotted to each planning application. This time is divided between the following categories:
(a) Objectors – 10 minutes in total (b) Applicants, agents or supporters – 10 minutes in total
3. No person may speak for more than 5 minutes each. If there are more than two persons wishing to speak from category (a) or (b) they will need to organise themselves by appointing up to two spokespersons or agreeing to share the allotted 10 minutes in shorter slots between more people to enable more speakers to participate from that category within the allotted 10 minutes. In rare circumstances where there is considered to be an exceptionally wide range of different issues the Chairman may, in his discretion, allow limited additional time
4. Anyone wishing to speak at Committee must register a request to do so with the City Planning Officer at least five working days before the meeting. This is to allow time for the City Planning Officer to alert those wishing to speak if it is necessary to organise themselves as set out in paragraph 3. and to allow time for such organisation.
5. All parties on registering a request to address the Committee must submit a written statement of their case in order that any factual or new points can be investigated prior to the meeting and to facilitate the organisation of speakers in accordance with paragraph 4 above. This should include any material to which they wish to refer in order to ensure that it can be appropriately displayed.
6. Persons will address the Committee after the City Planning Officer has presented the application to the Committee and Members have obtained any necessary information in respect of that presentation and the relevant Committee report.
7. Persons addressing the Committee will not be given the opportunity to question Members or officers of the Committee.
8. Persons addressing the Committee are expected to be available to answer questions in order to clarify points which they have made to Committee.
9. Committee cases will be taken in the order in which they are set out in the agenda unless it is felt expedient by the Chairman to do otherwise (eg. if there were a high level of public interest in a particular case).
Page 267 10 10. The Committee will not accept additional written representations in lieu of a person addressing the Committee unless they convey new points that had not been included in the original representation, which will already have been taken into account.
11. If there is any dispute as to whether it is appropriate for someone to address the Committee, the final decision rests with the Chairman or Deputy Chairman.
12. Representation on matters other than planning applications will be at the discretion of the Chairman.
Page 268 11 APPENDIX C
RULES GOVERNING SPEAKING AT MEETINGS OF THE PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE BY MEMBERS WITH A PERSONAL & PREJUDICIAL INTEREST
1. In accordance with the Code of Conduct, any Member who has a personal and prejudicial interest (“the Member”) is entitled to make representations to the Planning and Transportation Committee before withdrawing.
2. A Member in this position should declare this interest at the beginning of the meeting. He should also inform the Town Clerk before the meeting as soon as he becomes aware of this interest and indicate whether he/she intends to speak on the item at the Committee.
3. Ideally, in keeping in the spirit of the Public Speaking Procedure that allows Members in this situation to address this Committee, the Member will submit to the Town Clerk as soon as possible a written statement of his case in order that any factual or new points can be investigated prior to the meeting, and so that it can be kept for the record. This statement should include any material to which he wishes to refer in order to ensure that it can be appropriately displayed.
4. When the Committee reaches the relevant item in the meeting, the Member should move to the public gallery and remain there during the City Planning Officer’s introduction.
5. The Member will then be the first person called upon to address the Committee, which the Member will do from the lectern used by the public speakers.
6. The Member can address the Committee for no longer than three minutes, monitored by the Town Clerk.
7. The Member will not be given the opportunity to question other Members or officers of the Committee on this item.
8. As soon as he has addressed the Committee, the Member will withdraw from the room for the duration of the consideration of that item.
9. If there is any dispute as to whether it is appropriate for someone to address the Committee, the final decision rests with the Chairman or Deputy Chairman, in consultation with the Town Clerk and Comptroller & City Solicitor.
Page 269 12 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 270 Agenda Item 13 By virtue of paragraph(s) 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.
Document is Restricted
Page 271 This page is intentionally left blank
Page 286