Design & Access Statement

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Design & Access S t a t e m e n t

Incorporating Planning Statement and Heritage Statement

2 Nursery Road R i n g w o o d H a m p s h i r e B H 2 4 1 N G

Residential Development C o n t e n t s

1. Introduction

2. B a c k g r o u n d T h e S i t e

The Surroundings

Planning Policy

Planning History

3. Design Response U s e

A m o u n t

L a y o u t

S c a l e

A p p e a r a n c e

Landscaping

A c c e s s

4. Planning Case

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1 Introduction

D o c u m e n t t y p e : L o c a t i o n :

Design and Access Statement (required by Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015) Planning Statement and Heritage Statements

(required by Local List) T O W N CENTRE

S i t e A d d r e s s : 2 Nursery Road, Ringwood, Hampshire,

BH24 1NG

P r o p o s a l : Demolish existing buildings, conversion of retained building to detached house, erection of seven terraced houses

Application t y p e :

Full application

A r c h i t e c t :

A u t h o r : DW

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2 B a c k g r o u n d

T h e S i t e

S i t e a r e a 0.138 ha

T o p o g r a p h y The site is generally level.

U s e Currently vacant. Lawful use uncertain, last known use of the site is for sound engineers presumably comprising storage of sound equipment for hire (much of which external), probable workshop for repair and ancillary offices (probably Sui Generis use), previous use as builders’ yard

B u i l t f o r m Two storey building in northwest corner of site alongside Nursery Road; red brick Edwardian building with pitched roof. This building is attached to two large single storey pitched roof buildings along northern boundary

L a n d s c a p e The remainder of the site is gravel

A c c e s s Single point of vehicular and pedestrian access from Nursery Road.

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The Surroundings

C h a r a c t e r O v e r v i e w have a density of 45 dwellings per hectare (dph), Period character area on the edge of the town Barrows Mews to the northeast is at 61 dph, centre comprising Victorian properties built up similar high density along the adjacent part of around Ringwood railway station Hightown Road.

U s e L a y o u t Predominantly residential in the vicinity of the Nursery Road: eastern side except the site itself site including all surrounding properties to the is consistent pattern of Victorian semi-detached site except the pub The Railway to the south houses evenly spaced and consistent building east; more commercial uses nearby on the line; western side varied layout of detached and opposite side of Hightown Road semi-detached houses, with no consistent building line, orientation or spacing. Hightown A m o u n t Road has a strong curved built frontage on the Density varies but is typically relatively high northside. Barrows Mews northeast of the site based on a compact development form. The has a dense modern mews-style layout. semi detached dwellings north on Nursery Road

ALL RESIDENTIAL BLOCK EXCEPT APPLICATION SITE A N D P U B

TOWNGATE MEWS

T H E RAILWAY

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S c a l e Largely two storey development of modest height – sometimes full height eaves but often eaves level dropped such as the two storey building on the application site.

A p p e a r a n c e Victorian period architecture prevails but of relatively modest decoration; the predominant material is red brick with buff brick used in View of the entrance to Nursery decoration Road from Hightown Road

L a n d s c a p e Streets lack soft landscaping due to proximity of buildings to the street; soft landscaping largely restricted to garden areas

A c c e s s Foot: Excellent access to local shops and services to the northwest of the site in Ringwood town centre

Cycle: easy access via on-road routes around town and onto National Cycle Network route View south along Nursery Road 256 Castleman Trailway from the north end

Public Transport: Easy walk to nearby bus stops (on Christchurch Road and Castleman Way) providing frequent access around Ringwood and linking to routes beyond.

Car: Good existing access to highway network via Christchurch Road (B3347).

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Heritage Assessment

C o n t e x t On page 31 under the Street-by-street analysis it A Heritage Statement is required to accompany states: any application which is likely to affect a heritage Nursery Road. This cul-de-sac is most asset or its setting. The site forms part of a attractive with quite late 19th century houses designated Heritage Asset (as defined by the now complemented by new development that NPPF) namely the Ringwood Conservation Area. maintains well the scale of local building,

Conservation Area Further new development is likely on the old A p p r a i s a l builder’s yard.

A Conservation Area Appraisal (CAA) was The latter sentence of course refers to the produced in October 2003 by the LPA and present application site. adopted as supplementary planning guidance.

Map 3 of the CAA highlights points of interest within the CA including listed buildings, key/important unlisted buildings and areas of important open space. Map 5 also highlights green spaces and views. Map 6 identifies opportunities for enhancement. None of these features are identified on Nursery Road or in close proximity to the site.

Specific references to Nursery Road are as follows.

On page 25 talking about 19th century T o w n g a t e M e w s development in the conservation area, Nursery Road is listed amongst four road where new building was concentrated in the 1880s.

On page 28 when highlighting good aspects of “new developments” it states: “Behind Crescent House on Christchurch Road a small scheme blends successfully into an older setting, and includes a fine piece of contextual design looking onto Nursery Road.” This is referring to Towngate Mews and the semi-detached dwellings 3a and 3a and 3b Nursery Road 3b Nursery Road (see adjacent images).

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On page 36 in a section referring to building pair of semi-detached houses has been added materials a photo of the eastern side of Nursery just north of the application site.

Road (with the building at the front of the On the next 1:2500 map dated 1940 there has application site in the foreground) is shown been little change on the application site. Now a under the text “Buildings built by Barrow Bros, track is shown from the eastern end of the yard about a century ago are elegantly distinguished winding across to The Quomp to the northeast – by contrasting buff bricks in bands and in presumably the builders’ yard is now extended surrounds to door and window openings.” The into this area. There is new building opposite the caption to the image reads “Red-brick semi- application site on Nursery Road – this has since detached villas on Nursery Road with contrasting been replaced by 1c Nursery Road. detailing in buff brick.” The later maps of 1960s and 70s confirm that the

S i t e H i s t o r y builders' yard was extended to the northeast to Old OS Maps trace the history of Nursery Road. The Quomp – the extension site is now In 1871 the site is marked with rows of trees and redeveloped as Barrows Mews. Additional paths – presumably part of the nursery which development has begun on the western side of later gave the road its name. The frontage on Nursery Road with the bungalow 1a Nursery Hightown Road has begun and the gap which Road. became the entrance to Nursery Road is present. S i t e A s s e s s m e n t On the 1897 1:2500 map Nursery Road has been It is considered that the building fronting formed with its straight alignment and five pairs Nursery Road makes a positive contribution to of semi-detached villas on the east and one pair the character and appearance of the on the west. The yard which forms the conservation area – the building has interest and application site is present with ranges of merit in its own right but also has additional buildings on the north and south of the site. The value as visual and historic relationship with the building fronting Nursery Road is not yet built. Victorian semi-detached dwellings on Nursery It is understood that the yard was used by the Road. builders Barrow Bros referenced in the CAA and The age of the other buildings in the remaining responsible for the Nursery Road original northern building range is unclear. It is clear that houses. these are functional buildings which have been On the 1909 1:2500 map the building fronting altered, added to and repurposed over the years Nursery Road on the application site has been using a range of materials. It is not considered built. The north and south ranges on the that the rest of the range makes a positive application site have been extended such that contribution to the character and appearance of they run the full depth of the site a gap has been the CA and its retention is not considered formed into land to the northeast. An additional necessary.

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Planning Policy

National Planning Policy Framework (2019) case the figure should be based on the local housing need calculated with the NPPF’s

At the heart of the NPPF is a presumption in standard method. favour of sustainable development (paragraph Section 11 promotes the effective use of land, 11). As part of this presumption the NPPF giving substantial weight to the value of using actively encourages new residential suitable brownfield land within settlements for development in sustainable locations homes and other identified needs. This section (paragraph 103). The proposed scheme would also promotes and supports the development of provide additional high quality housing on a under-utilised land and buildings, especially if sustainable site close to local services and this would help to meet identified needs for amenities and transport links. housing where land supply is constrained and available sites could be used more effectively (paragraph 118). Section 5 of the NPPF sets out how LPA’s should significantly boost the supply of housing to ensure a sufficient amount and variety of land Paragraph 122 advises that planning policies and can come forward where it is needed and that decisions should support development that the needs of groups with specific housing makes efficient use of land, taking into account: requirements are addressed (paragraph 59). a) the identified need for different types of housing, and the availability of land suitable

To promote development of a good mix of sites for accommodating it; LPA’s should support the development of b) local market conditions and viability; windfall sites through their policies and decisions c) the availability and capacity of infrastructure – giving great weight to the benefits of using and services – both existing and proposed – suitable sites within existing settlements for as well as their potential for further homes (paragraph 68). improvement and the scope to promote sustainable travel modes that limit future car

Paragraph 73 sets out the requirement for use; Councils to demonstrate a supply of specific d) the desirability of maintaining an area’s deliverable sites sufficient to provide a minimum prevailing character and setting (including of five years’ worth of housing. This is to be residential gardens), or of promoting assessed against adopted policies, unless those regeneration and change; and policies are more than five years old, in which e) the importance of securing well-designed, attractive and healthy places.

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Section 9 relates to sustainable transport. paragraph 184 that “Heritage assets…..are an Paragraph 103 says that development should be irreplaceable resource, and should be conserved in focused on locations which are or can be made a manner appropriate to their significance”. sustainable through the need to travel, offering a genuine choice of transport modes to help 193 says that “when considering the impact of a reduce congestion and emissions and improve proposed development the significance of a air quality and public health. designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation (and the more Section 12 of the NPPF encourages good design important the asset, the greater the weight should through the planning system. Paragraph 124 be). This is irrespective of whether any potential states that the creation of high-quality buildings harm amounts to substantial harm, total loss or and places is fundamental to what the planning less than substantial harm to its significance”. and development process should achieve. It says that good design is a key aspect of sustainable NPPF Paragraph 196 states that “where a development, creates better places in which to development proposal will lead to less than live and work and helps make development substantial harm to the significance of a acceptable to communities. It advises that being designated heritage asset, this harm should be clear about design expectations, and how these weighed against the public benefits of the will be tested, is essential for achieving this. proposal including, where appropriate, securing its optimum viable use”. Part b of paragraph 127 of Section 12 makes it clear that decisions should ensure that Paragraph 200 says that “Local planning developments are visually attractive as a result of authorities should look for opportunities for new good architecture, layout and appropriate and development within conservation areas…..and effective landscaping. It goes on to say in part c within the setting of heritage assets, to enhance that development should be sympathetic to local or better reveal their significance. Proposals that character and history, including the surrounding preserve those elements of the setting that make built environment and landscape setting, while a positive contribution to the asset (or which not preventing or discouraging appropriate better reveal its significance) should be treated innovation or change. favourably”.

Section 16 relates to conserving and enhancing the historic environment. The NPPF sets out in

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The Development Plan comprises the Local Plan avoiding wherever possible or mitigating where 2016-2036 Part 1: Planning Strategy and Local necessary the direct and indirect impacts of Plan Part 2 Sites and Development Management development on the integrity of the New Forest, Development Plan Document (2014). The Solent, River Avon and other International Nature relevant policies to the proposed development Conservation sites, and on other areas, species or are as follows habitats of nature conservation value;

iv. Ensuring development contributes to a diverse

Local Plan 2016-2036 Part 1: Planning and thriving local economy providing an overall Strategy (adopted 2020) balance of uses, services and opportunities that

Policy STR1 - All new development will be are accessible by sustainable transport modes as expected to make a positive social, economic and well as by car, in order that reliance on the private environmental contribution to community and car is minimised; business life in the Plan Area by: v. Ensuring communities and workers are safe and

Meeting most development needs within feel safe, and the risks to people, places and to the settlement boundaries, in a manner that is environment from potential hazards including appropriate for and proportionate to the nature pollution, flooding and climate change effects are and size of the settlement, and where there is or minimised; will be sufficient supporting infrastructure and vi. Ensuring that new development is adaptable to services; the future needs of occupiers and future-proofed i. Ensuring that the housing needs of local for climate change and innovations in transport communities are addressed by locating new and communications technology residential development in sustainable and Policy ENV3- All development should achieve accessible locations, and ensuring that new high quality design that contributes positively to development provides a mix of types of home by local distinctiveness, quality of life and enhances size, tenure and cost to help to address the full the character and identity of the locality by spectrum of local housing needs at all stages of creating buildings, streets, places and spaces that life; are: ii. Taking a context and landscape-led approach • Functional: well connected to surrounding uses, to the siting and design of development to deliver and logically laid out so that different elements high quality design that maintains local work well together in a manner that is safe to distinctiveness, creates high quality new access, easy to navigate, convenient to use and landscapes and townscapes, safeguards the Green that makes effective use of both developed land Belt and AONB, sustains and enhances the and open spaces; heritage, scenic and amenity value of the Plan • Appropriate: sympathetic to its environment and Area, and has appropriate regard to and the context, respecting and enhancing local purposes of the adjoining New Forest National distinctiveness, character and identity; and

Park; • Attractive: visually appealing and enjoyable to iii. Achieving an environmental net gain and be in.

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New development will be required to: i. Create and buildings, streets and spaces which are vii. Enhance the sense of place by ensuring that sympathetic to the environment and their context buildings, streets and spaces are attractive to look in terms of layout, landscape, scale, height, at through good architecture, landscape and appearance and density and in relationship to street design. adjoining buildings, spaces and landscape features; ii. Avoid unacceptable effects by reason Local Plan Part 2 Sites and Development of visual intrusion or overbearing impact, Management Development Plan Document overlooking, shading, noise and light pollution or (2014) other adverse impacts on local character or residential amenity; iii. Create buildings, streets Policy NPPF1 (Presumption in favour of and spaces which are accessible to those with sustainable development) - When considering disabilities or of reduced mobility, that are safe development proposals the Council will take a and easy to navigate, and that minimise positive approach that reflects the presumption opportunities for anti-social and criminal in favour of sustainable development contained behaviour or other public threats; iv. Integrate in the National Planning Policy Framework. sufficient car and cycle parking spaces so that Planning applications that accord with the realistic needs are met in a manner that is not policies in the Local Plan will be approved prejudicial to the character and quality of the without delay, unless material considerations street, highway safety, emergency or service indicate otherwise. access or to pedestrian convenience and comfort; v. Incorporate design measures that improve resource efficiency and climate change resilience and reduce environmental impacts wherever they are appropriate and capable of being effective, such as greywater recycling and natural heating and cooling, and the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS); vi. Provide appropriately designed green spaces including sufficient planting, and where applicable: provision for play, sports and natural green spaces for recreational mitigation;

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Policy DM1 (Heritage and Conservation) - Part sites (the New Forest SAC; New Forest SPA; the a) of this policy sets out that development New Forest Ramsar site); or proposals should conserve and seek to enhance • the Solent Coast European nature conservation the historic environment and heritage assets, sites (the Solent Maritime SAC; Solent and Isle of with particular regard to local character, setting, Wight Lagoons SAC; Solent and Southampton management and the historic significance and Water SPA; Solent and Southampton Water context of heritage assets. In particular, all Ramsar). heritage assets will be protected in proportion to Policy DM16 (Within town centres, outside their significance. The more significant the Primary Shopping 45 Areas and Secondary heritage asset, the greater the presumption in Shopping Frontages Policy) - Within the town favour of its conservation. Development centre, boundaries outside the defined Primary proposals should conserve or enhance the Shopping Areas and other Secondary Shopping significance, character and appearance of Frontages, development for retail and heritage assets. appropriate non-retail uses will be permitted. Residential development will be permitted where Part b) states that in assessing the impact of a it does not result in the loss of retail, appropriate proposal on any heritage asset, account will be non-retail or other employment or business uses, taken of the impact of the proposal on the or sites which are capable of being satisfactorily heritage asset and its significance and the impact used for an alternative business or employment of the proposal on the setting of the heritage use appropriate to a town centre location; asset.

Other Development Plan documents include; Policy DM3 (Mitigation of impacts on

European nature conservation sites) - Housing Design, Density and Character SPD Development will only be permitted where the Ringwood Local Distinctiveness SPD Council is satisfied that necessary mitigation is Ringwood Conservation Area Character Appraisal included such that, in combination with other SPD developments, there will not be adverse effects Parking Standards SPD on the integrity of: Mitigation Strategy for European Sites SPD

• the New Forest European nature conservation

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P l a n n i n g H i s t o r y

Application 20/ 1 0 6 6 6 P r e - application A previous planning application for the Following the refusal, pre-application discussions redevelopment of the site for new houses was were held with the LPA including planning and refused in October 2020. The layout of the conservation officers which resulted in an proposal is shown below and comprised the improved layout to the scheme (based on the retention and conversion of the two storey sketch below by the conservation officer) and a building into one dwelling and the erection of reduction in number of units proposed. The seven additional dwellings in two terraces. present application results from the comments

Various reasons for refusal were put forward but made at the pre-application stage. generally the scale of development was considered too great.

Refused scheme layout

Conservation officer sketch

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3 Design Response

O v e r v i e w the previous application. It is considered that this underused brownfield A m o u n t site represents an excellent opportunity to create The amount of development has been arrived at new dwellings in an accessible location in the taking into account the following factors: town. • the need to safeguard amenity and the The building of conservation merit fronting character of the surroundings; Nursery Road is to be retained and converted whilst all other buildings will be removed and • the retention of the existing building; replaced with a scheme of six dwellings. • the need to create a viable scheme; • the need to provide a safe access and suitable U s e parking; and The proposed use of the site is for Use Class C3 • the need to maximise the use of brownfield residential. It is considered this is entirely land. appropriate given the exclusively residential use in the locality. The proposal is for seven small 2-bedroom dwellings which would give a density of 50.7 It is not considered that the site is suitable for dph. This is noted to be lower than the recent continued use as builder’s or other commercial Barrow Mews development to the northeast. yard due to the access along Nursery Road and onto Hightown Road. The use was accepted on

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L a y o u t reflects the adjoining development at Barrow The starting point for the layout was the desire Mews as well as others nearby such as Towngate to retain and convert the existing building Mews. adjoining Nursery Road and hence retain the The layout results in the provision of each position of the existing access. The next step was dwelling with a private rear garden as well as to make best use of the land to the south of the space for additional landscaping in the central access which involves a dwelling fronting courtyard area. Nursery Road but forming the start of a terrace The layout responds to the adjoining properties going into the site behind. A detached dwelling so as to avoid harmful overlooking. is positioned opposite with two semi-detached dwellings at the rear of the site. The layout which

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S c a l e parking area to reduce the visual impact from The scale of the development has been designed the hardstanding and to soften the overall to be reflective of the adjacent scale of dwellings appearance of the proposed arrangement. in the area. The level of amenity space provided for the The proposed dwellings have a modest two proposed dwellings is adequate to ensure a storey scale, reflecting the retained building on high-quality standard of living for future the site and the many cottage-style properties in occupants. the locality. The widths and depths of the new A c c e s s cottages again will reflect that found in the All the proposed dwellings will use the existing locality. access from Nursery Road. The proposed A p p e a r a n c e scheme provides 10 parking spaces for the seven The proposed new-build dwellings have been dwellings. This is considered appropriate in this designed with period detailing to reflect the highly accessible location in easy walking conservation area character. The main material distance of Ringwood town centre. will be red brick. Architectural features include, chimneys, decorative ridge tiles, arched brick headers (which could be in a buff brick to match the retained building), glazing bars, exposed rafter feet and brick corbels.

Landscaping The proposal represents an opportunity to improve the landscape character of the site which presently lacks soft landscaped areas.

As illustrated on the site plan, additional planting will be provided surrounding the proposed

Proposed Streetscene

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4 Planning case

If r e g a r d is to be h a d to t h e development p l a n f o r t h e p u r p o s e of a n y determination to be m a d e u n d e r t h e p l a n n i n g A c t s t h e determination m u s t be m a d e in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e p l a n u n l e s s m a t e r i a l considerations i n d i c a t e o t h e r w i s e . S e c t i o n 38( 6 ) P l a n n i n g a n d C o m p u l s o r y P u r c h a s e A c t 2004

H e r i t a g e I m p a c t therefore according with Policy ENV3.

The proposal has been carefully designed to The site would secure adequate on site car preserve and enhance the appearance of the parking in accordance with Policy ENV3 (iv). conservation area in which it lies. The existing The landscape design responds to the local building which makes a positive contribution to vernacular, which will positively contribute to the the character and appearance of the CA has vitality of the street frontage in accordance with been retained and following conversion and Policy DM2. refurbishment will become a detached dwelling. There would appear to be no other Development The design of new dwellings has been guided by Plan policies directly applicable to this proposal. the conservation area including a mews-style It is therefore considered that the proposal layout which has been deemed successful complies with the Development Plan. nearby. The design of the new dwellings themselves will be sensitive to the conservation M a t e r i a l Considerations setting with high quality detailing reflecting There are no material considerations which traditional design features found in the locality. would count against the proposal. The proposal would provide a valuable contribution towards Development P l a n the housing supply of the district in an accessible Local Plan 2016-2036 Part 1 location and on previously-developed land. The proposed development will locate additional housing development in a sustainable location C o n c l u s i o n and will encourage use of localised services and As the proposal complies with the Development transportation links, in accordance with Policies Plan and there are no material considerations STR3 and STR4. which indicate that it should be determined

The proposed development will positively otherwise, the proposal ought to be approved. contribute to the local distinctiveness of Nursery Road and will safeguard neighbouring amenity

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