Cremorne Wharf, 27 Lots Road, Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Planning Application No
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planning report PDU/2936/01 30 August 2012 Cremorne Wharf, 27 Lots Road, Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea planning application no. PP/12/02224 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 Redevelopment of site for a mixed use development comprising a 9-storey building and a 2-storey building to provide 1,500 square metres of B1 office floorspace and 48 residential units with associated access, parking and landscaping. The applicant The applicant is the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and the architect is Feilden Clegg Bradley. Strategic issues The redevelopment of this safeguarded wharf, designated waste management site and identified Thames Tideway Tunnel construction site is contrary to the London Plan and unacceptable in principle. Other strategic issues for consideration include contribution to the Blue Ribbon Network, affordable housing and housing mix, urban design, inclusive design, climate change mitigation and adaptation and transport. Recommendation That Kensington & Chelsea Council be advised that the application does not comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 100 of this report. Context 1 On 26 July 2012 the Mayor of London received documents from Kensington & Chelsea 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 5 September 2012 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 1C and 4 of the Schedule to the Order 2008: page 1 1C: Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building in respect of which one or more of the following conditions is met – (a) the building is more than 25 metres high and is adjacent to the River Thames. 4: Development in respect of which the local planning authority is required to consult the Mayor by virtue of a direction given by the Secretary of State under article 10(3) of the GDPO, in this instance as a safeguarded wharf 3 Once Kensington & Chelsea Council has resolved 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 Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 5 The 0.39 hectare site is located between Lots Road and the River Thames, with the Lots Road Power Station site to the south west and Chelsea Wharf to the north east. It occupies approximately 40 metres of river frontage and has a jetty measuring 24 metres by 12 metres. The north west boundary of the site is shared with the rear of the grade II listed Thames Water pumping station. 6 The site currently contains a double-height, corrugated metal clad depot building and ancillary staff accommodation. The previous use of the site was as a materials reclamation facility. It is now used by the Council as a local street cleaners’ depot and for storage of road salt and bulky items. 7 The area surrounding the site is predominantly residential in character, with some small scale business uses. The dominant form of development is 2 to 4-storey Victorian terraces. The adjacent Lots Road Power Station site has planning permission for redevelopment for residential mixed use development including two 25 and 37 storey residential towers. 8 Bus stops served by three routes (328, C3 and N31) are within walking distance of the development site, defined as a five minute walk or 400 metres. Imperial Wharf station is within approximately eight minutes’ walk, providing access to London Overground and mainline rail services. Chelsea Harbour Pier, offering access to River Bus services, is approximately 12 minutes’ walk from the site. Cremorne Road is on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) approximately 160 metres to the north east of the development, and the A308 King’s Road is on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) approximately 360 metres from the development site. These factors generate a Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) of 2-3 on a scale of 1 to 6, where 6 is the most accessible. Details of the proposal 9 The development comprises a 9-storey building and a 2-storey building to provide a total of 1,543 square metres of B1 accommodation and 48 flats. The ground and first floors are proposed for use by small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s), with seven storeys of residential accommodation above. Additional commercial space is provided in the separate 2-storey building along the north east boundary of the site. Two basement levels will provide car parking, bin storage and plant space. A total of 27 parking spaces are proposed, of which 26 are provided in connection with the residential accommodation and one for the commercial accommodation. page 2 Case history 10 A pre-planning application meeting was held on 13 April 2012 and an advice note was issued on 27 April 2012. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance 11 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Mix of uses London Plan Safeguarded wharves London Plan; London Plan Implementation Report “Safeguarded Wharves on the River Thames”; Safeguarded Wharves review Waste London Plan; the Municipal and Business Waste Management Strategies; PPS10 Blue Ribbon Network London Plan Housing London Plan; Housing SPG; Interim Housing SPG; draft Housing SPG; Housing Strategy; draft Revised Housing Strategy; Providing for Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation SPG; draft Providing for Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation SPG; Affordable housing London Plan; Housing SPG; Interim Housing SPG; draft Housing SPG; draft Affordable Housing SPG; Housing Strategy; draft Revised Housing Strategy Density London Plan; Housing SPG; Interim Housing SPG; draft Housing SPG Urban design London Plan; Access London Plan; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; Planning and Access for Disabled People: a good practice guide (ODPM) Transport London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; Crossrail London Plan; Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy Parking London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy Sustainable development London Plan; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG; Mayor’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy; Mayor’s Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Strategy; Mayor’s Water Strategy 12 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the development plan in force for the area is the Kensington & Chelsea Core Strategy 2010, the saved policies of the Kensington & Chelsea Unitary Development Plan 2002 and the 2011 London Plan. 13 The following are also relevant material considerations: The National Planning Policy Framework and Technical Guide to the National Planning Policy Framework The draft Revised Early Minor Alteration to the London Plan Principle of development 14 The site is subject to several strategic and local policy designations, which are outlined below. page 3 Safeguarded wharves 15 The site is designated as a safeguarded wharf in the London Plan Safeguarded Wharves Implementation Report 2005 and is subject to a Secretary of State safeguarding direction. The Safeguarded Wharves Review 2011/12 (consultation draft October 2011 and further consultation draft July 2012) proposes the continued safeguarding of Cremorne Wharf, on the basis of its potential to contribute to the identified shortfall in wharf capacity in West London, and that Cremorne Wharf is one of only a small number of wharves capable of making up the shortfall in capacity. London Plan policies 7.26 seeks to increase use of the Blue Ribbon Network to transport freight. It states that safeguarded wharves should only be used for waterborne freight handling use and that the redevelopment of safeguarded wharves for other land uses “should only be accepted if the wharf is no longer capable of being made viable for waterborne freight handling,” which should be assessed against the criteria set out in paragraph 7.77 of the London Plan. 16 The redevelopment of the wharf for mixed B1 and residential purposes conflicts with London Plan policy 7.26. In support of the application, the applicant has provided a “Safeguarded Wharf Status and Environmental Assessment Report” and has re-submitted detailed representations originally made to the GLA on behalf of the Council, in response the consultation draft Safeguarded Wharves Review (October 2011). These seek to address the criteria set out in paragraph 7.77 of the London Plan and to demonstrate that Cremorne Wharf is no longer viable, or capable of being made viable, for waterborne freight handling use and should be removed from safeguarding. 17 Following detailed consideration of all responses to the Safeguarded Wharves Review consultation draft, published in Oct 2011, including the applicant's submission, a further consultation document was published in July 2012. This confirms the recommendation for continued safeguarding of Cremorne Wharf and includes a Statement of Consultation with responses to all consultation comments. The GLA’s response to the applicant’s representations is set out in Appendix One to this report. 18 The information provided by the applicant is principally concerned with the environmental impact of using the site for waterborne freight handling, with reference to transport and access issues, noise and vibration and lighting.