planning report PDU/2292a/01 7 July 2010 Tottenham Hotspur Football Stadium in the London Borough of Haringey planning application no. HGY/2010/1000 Strategic planning application stage 1 referral (new powers) Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 The proposal A revised hybrid (part detailed and part outline) application for the demolition and comprehensive mixed-use redevelopment to provide a new football stadium, a hotel, retail uses, a museum, offices and housing; and associated facilities, including the construction of new and altered roads, footways, public and private open spaces, landscaping and related works; with details of the ‘external appearance’ and ‘scale’ of the proposed residential and hotel buildings reserved for future consideration. The applicant The applicant is Tottenham Hotspur Property Company Ltd, and the architects are KSS and Make. Strategic issues The principle of the redevelopment of White Hart Lane is supported. It would stimulate regeneration, contribute to London’s world city role, and accord with London Plan policies on sports facilities and hotels. The application is acceptable in relation to access/equal opportunities and climate change, although further information is required. The design of the new stadium and associated public realm is supported. The retention and refurbishment of statutory and locally listed buildings previously proposed for demolition, and their full integration into the revised scheme, is particularly welcome and would overcome one of the principal concerns over the previous application. Revisions have been made to the design of the supermarket. Transport for London considers that unless substantial mitigation is provided to provide the additional transport capacity that is necessary to support this development, it remains unconvinced that the proposed mode shift can be achieved. Recommendation That Haringey Council be advised that from a land use point of view, with the exception of page 1 transport matters detailed in paragraphs 53- 106 of the report, the application complies generally with the London Plan, but that adjustments are required to make it fully compliant, in particular that adequate transport mitigation should be provided. Context 1 On 4 June 2010, the Mayor of London received documents from Haringey Council notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site for the above uses. Under the provisions of the Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 the Mayor has until 15 July 2010 to provide the Council with a statement setting out whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan, and his reasons for taking that view. The Mayor may also provide other comments. This report sets out information for the Mayor’s use in deciding what decision to make. 2 The application is referable under Categories 1A, 1B and 1C of the Schedule to the Order 2008: 1A- “Development which comprises or includes the provision of more than 150 houses, flats, or houses and flats.” 1B- “Development (other than development which only comprises the provision of houses, flats or houses and flats) which comprises or includes the erection of a buildings or buildings….outside Central London and with a total floorspace of more than 15,000 sq.m.” 1C- “Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building….more than 30 metres high and is outside the City of London.” 3 Once Haringey Council resolves how it intends to determine the application, it is required to refer it back to the Mayor for his decision as to whether to direct refusal; take it over for his own determination; or allow the Council to determine it itself. 4 The environmental information for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 has been taken into account in the consideration of this case. 5 The Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 6 The application site boundary encompasses a rectangular area of 11.5 hectares in the north-eastern corner of Haringey in north London. It comprises the existing Tottenham Hotspur Football Stadium in its south-eastern corner; the land between the western side of the stadium and the A1010 High Road (Tottenham); and all land to the north as far as Northumberland Park, and bounded on the west and east by High Road and Paxton Road/Worcester Avenue respectively. 7 The site is bounded on its northern side by Northumberland Park; on its south by Park Lane; and on its east by Paxton Road, which runs north into Worcester Avenue. On the west, the existing stadium is setback and separated from by the A1010 Tottenham High Road by a variety of buildings. An extension of Paxton Road traverses the site from east to west along the northern side of the stadium. 8 The surrounding area is predominately residential in character, though there is a significant amount of retail, commercial and industrial use within the vicinity of the site. page 2 9 With a present capacity of 36,300, the existing stadium sits on the southern portion of the development site and is defined along its immediate north and east elevations by Paxton Road. The northern portion of the site contains a number of buildings fronting Tottenham High Road; the N17 Studios estate, light industrial buildings and offices on Wingate Trading Estate; further light industrial buildings between Wingate and Northumberland Park, and terraced homes to the west side of Worcester Avenue. 10 The new stadium would be sited in a more central location than the existing facility, encroaching on the northern half of the site. 11 The High Road is part of the strategic road network (SRN) and the other roads are borough roads. The nearest part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) is the A10 at Bruce Grove. In addition the site is about 1km south of the A406/Fore Street junction, which is also part of the TLRN. 12 There are ten bus routes serving this area: routes 149, 279, 259, 341, 476, 123, 243, 318, W3 and 349 with bus stops on the High Road and on Northumberland Park. There are two national rail stations within reasonable walking distance of the site. White Hart Lane station is approximately 450m to the west and provides access to services on the Seven Sisters branch of the Lea Valley Line. Northumberland Park station is approximately 600m to the east and provides access to services on the Tottenham Hale branch of the Lea Valley line. 13 The nearest underground station is Tottenham Hale on the Victoria Line, approximately 2.2 km to the south-east. Although Seven Sisters is actually further away, at 2.3m to the south, it is perceived as being more accessible to this area, given the short bus interchange on Tottenham High Road and the direct walking route. Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale also provide interchange opportunities between national rail services from White Hart Lane and Northumberland Park with the Victoria Line. 14 Information submitted with the assessment indicates that the site has a public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of 4 on a scale of 1 to 6, where 6 is classed as excellent. Details of the proposal 15 This is a landmark development designed to transform the heart of Tottenham and kick- start the regeneration of one of the most deprived areas of London. 16 The proposals are a revised version of a scheme named the ‘Northumberland Development Project’, for which an application for planning permission was considered by the Mayor in December 2009. A copy of that report, referenced PDU/2269/01, is attached for ease of comparison. The amendments have been made principally to retain four key heritage assets that were previously intended for demolition. 17 The development is associated with the submission of the following four applications to Haringey Council: A hybrid planning application for the development described above. An application for Conservation Area Consent. An application for Listed Building Consent for the demolition of 774 High Road (Fletcher House). page 3 An application for Listed Building Consent for alterations and demolition of the later additions to 744 High Road (Warmington House). 18 As with the initial proposal, the development can be analysed as three distinct but closely interlinked phases i.e. the northern development, the stadium redevelopment and the southern development: The northern development 19 The principal land-use of the northern development remains a food store/supermarket complex with a gross external area of 22,009 sq.m. The building would offer a net retail sales area of 7,201sq.m. Its ground floor facade, to the south side of Northumberland Park, is now designed to contain active uses along its entire length, including a customer cafe/restaurant in the north- west corner, a taxi drop-off/waiting area in the north-east corner, 401 car parking spaces, an entrance lobby and escalators to the first floor. 20 The principal sales area would be retained at first floor level, but a new second floor club office and hospitality area (8,517 sq.m. in size and ancillary to the stadium) would be introduced in place of a ceiling void above the sales area of the store. 21 Above that, a third floor ‘Sky Bar’ (2,602 sq.m. in size) would be introduced near the southern edge of the roof, with a sheltered access link to the main stadium. page 4 The proposed stadium 22 The capacity of the new stadium would be maintained at 56,250. The main changes to it are a reconfiguration of its west-facing main entrance, to improve its relationship with Tottenham High Road; the inclusion of a raised podium, accessed by a series of stairs and lifts, to link the stadium to the northern and southern developments; and internal alterations to improve access for people with impaired mobility.