QUOD Planning Statement Land adjacent to Cockfosters Underground Station June 2021 Contents Executive Summary _______________________________________________________ 1 Introduction _____________________________________________________________ 7 Site Description and History ________________________________________________ 8 Consultation ____________________________________________________________ 14 Description of Proposed Development ______________________________________ 20 Planning Policy Context __________________________________________________ 27 Planning Considerations _________________________________________________ 45 Conclusions ___________________________________________________________ 103 Appendix A: Housing Design Standards Checklist ________________________________ 105 Appendix B: Draft Heads of Terms _____________________________________________ 108 Appendix C: Education Impacts _______________________________________________ 109 Appendix D: Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion _________________ 110 Quod | Land adjacent to Cockfosters Underground Station | Planning Statement | June 2021 1 1 Executive Summary Introduction 1.1 Connected Living London (Cockfosters) Ltd (the ‘Applicant’) is submitting a full planning application to the London Borough of Enfield (LBE) on land adjacent to Cockfosters London Underground Station (the ‘Site’) for the following: ‘A residential-led mixed use scheme comprising residential dwellings (Class C3), a flexible ground floor unit (Class E and/or uses previously Class A4 (Sui Generis)), replacement Train Drivers’ Accommodation (Sui Generis), cycle parking, public realm and open space, car parking, hard and soft landscape works, access and servicing arrangements, plant, and associated works’ (the ‘Proposed Development’). 1.2 Connected Living London (CLL) is a partnership between Transport for London (TfL) and Grainger plc, the UK’s largest listed provider of private rental homes. This partnership will boost the number of new homes available across London, whilst also generating revenue, which TfL will invest in the capital’s transport network. 1.3 The Proposed Development would provide housing that would make a significant contribution towards the Mayor of London’s strategy for increasing the supply of new housing, in line with both national and local policy. Support in the London Plan for the redevelopment of car parks and public sector owned sites makes this location suitable for housing to contribute towards LBE’s projected housing need of 1,246 homes per year over the next 25 years. 1.4 The Proposed Development would positively influence the health of Londoners by improving the environment in which they live, providing well designed healthy homes, promoting active travel, improving air quality and contributing to vibrant neighbourhoods. 1.5 The Proposed Development has embedded sustainable design and is consistent with LBE’s Climate Action Plan (2020) and the National Planning Policy Framework (2019) (NPPF). The Proposed Development would contribute to local green infrastructure through new planting, green roofs and a net gain in tree coverage which all support biodiversity and reduce the urban heat island effect. The layout of the Proposed Development employs passive design strategies to reduce energy consumption and seeks to connect to the local District Heating Network which is an efficient system for minimising energy demand whilst also using solar photovoltaics as a source of energy. The Proposed Development would be resilient to anticipated severe weather and long-term climate change impacts through measures such as a drainage strategy which includes extensive use of sustainable drainage features. The homes target a 4 Star Home Quality Mark, ensuring the Proposed Development secures best practice sustainability standards. 1.6 The Proposed Development accords with the objectives of the Development Plan and the NPPF as well as other relevant material considerations in relation to sustainable development by: • redeveloping a public sector brownfield site, currently occupied by surface car parks with poor quality public realm; Quod | Land adjacent to Cockfosters Underground Station | Planning Statement | June 2021 2 • providing homes that are highly accessible and directly adjacent to existing public transport connections and easily accessible to local amenities and by sustainable travel modes; • providing a range of housing to support a mixed and balanced community; • respecting the local natural and built environment by providing buildings that appreciate the heritage setting, increase the amount of open space and vegetation and are sensitively designed in response to the local context. Site Overview 1.7 The Site is located to the east and south of Cockfosters London Underground Station (the ‘Station’) and the Piccadilly Line railway tracks in the London Borough of Enfield (LBE). It comprises two car parks and a London Underground Ltd (LUL) staff and Train Drivers’ Accommodation (TDA) building. The Site is currently in use as a public car park and car wash, providing 407 spaces, 37 of which are for LUL staff and train drivers and 12 of which are for Blue Badge holders. The Site extends to 1.36 hectares (ha) and comprises two triangular shaped areas; one to the east of the station (Site A) of 1.15 ha and one to the south (Site B) of 0.21ha. 1.8 The A111 Cockfosters Road lies adjacent to the west of the Site and vehicle access is located at two points, one either side of Cockfosters London Underground Station. Site A 1.9 Site A is approximately 1.15ha in size and is located to the east of the Station and the Piccadilly Line railway tracks (which are orientated northwest-southeast). Site A is currently in use as a car park providing 322 spaces and 12 spaces for Blue Badge holders. An additional 25 spaces are provided for LUL associated staff. A two-storey LUL staff and Train Drivers’ Accommodation building is located along the western boundary within Site A. A triangular vegetated area within the northern section of Site A is designated as Priority Habitat (deciduous woodland) and Local Open Space. Vehicle, cycle and pedestrian access is provided from the A111 Cockfosters Road just to the north of Cockfosters London Underground Station. Site B 1.10 Site B is located adjacent to the south of the station and fronts onto the A111 Cockfosters Road, opposite an existing parade of shops. It is approximately 0.21ha in size and is currently in use as a hand car wash and a car park. The car park contains 48 spaces, 12 of which are for LUL staff. Vehicle, cycle and pedestrian access to Site B from the A111 Cockfosters Road is located towards the south of Site B. Site Surroundings 1.11 The context of the area surrounding the Site is mixed in nature, with the commercial and residential centre of Cockfosters extending to the south and west of the Site and open space to the north. 1.12 The Station is Grade II listed, and the boundary of Trent Park Conservation Area - which excludes the Station - runs through Site A. Site A sits within an Area of Special Character associated with Trent Park and an Area of Archaeological Importance. Adjacent to the Site and demarcated by the northern and eastern boundaries is designated Green Belt which Quod | Land adjacent to Cockfosters Underground Station | Planning Statement | June 2021 3 incorporates Trent Park. The historic landscape of the Grade II registered Park and Garden of Trent Park lies around 150m north of the Site. 1.13 Site A is bound to the north and east by belts of mature trees along the boundary of the adjacent cemetery and within Trent Park. To the east of Site A is an area designated as a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, and to the south west of Site A, running along the edge of the railway tracks is a designated Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. A wildlife corridor runs along the railway tracks near to the Site. Two trees with Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) are found to the north of the entrance to Site A, within the garden of 120 Cockfosters Road. Along the northern boundary runs the London Outer Orbital Path (LOOP), a footpath extending the perimeter of outer London. The access to this footpath is taken from within Site A, opposite the northern entrance to the station. 1.14 Development along the A111 Cockfosters Road generally comprises office development interspersed with ground floor retail use with residential properties above. The Station building and Site B form part of the Cockfosters Local Centre designation which incorporates the high street along Cockfosters Road. The buildings along the high street are predominantly between two and five storeys in height interspersed with taller elements. Adjacent to the south west of the Site is a nine-storey building known as Blackhorse Tower. There is a resolution to grant planning permission for proposals to extend Blackhorse Tower by an additional storey, bringing it up to ten storeys (31.5m above ground level) and for additional floorspace fronting Cockfosters Road. The Blackhorse Tower application has been considered cumulatively in the context of the Proposed Development. Proposed Development 1.15 The Proposed Development would comprise 351 units of Build-to-Rent accommodation in four buildings. The Pavilion (Block 1, Site A) would comprise 88 units, Station Mansion (Block 2, Site A) would comprise 94 units, Trent Mansion (Block 3, Site A) would comprise 107 units, and Station House (Block 4, Site B) would comprise 62 units.