3D view of Field House from the High Street

Former St. Aubyns School

ROTTINGDEAN

APPLICATION REFERENCE: BH2015/03108 Site redevelopment to provide 48 residential dwellings and a care home (mixture of new build and conversion) and the provision and transfer of open space for public use.

Introduction Our proposals will deliver Linden Homes and the Cothill Educational Trust (C.E.T.) have now submitted proposals for the redevelopment of the former • A total of 48 residential homes (down from 105 at the St Aubyns School, Rottingdean to Brighton and Hove City public exhibition) - 38 new build / 10 conversion; Council (BHCC). This follows months of extensive consultation • A balanced range of homes (1 & 2 bed apartments and with local residents and stakeholders, which included a 2, 3 & 4 bed houses); well-attended public exhibition and individual meetings with Rottingdean Parish Council and other community groups. • A 62 bed care home, providing vital services within the The feedback we received from the local community has community and creating new employment opportunities proven invaluable and has enabled us to evolve our plans at the same time; in a way which we believe will deliver a sensitive redevelopment • The retention and conversion of the Grade II listed of the site and substantial benefits for local residents. school building (Field House) to provide 6 apartments; We know from our conversations with residents and local • The retention and conversion of Rumneys and stakeholders that there is a desire to see as much of the existing curtilage listed cottages to provide 4 private playing field retained as possible and made available new homes; to the community. While it is essential that limited residential • 1.6 hectares of green space for community use, development is brought forward on the southern section of the which would be transferred to BHCC with a 10 year playing field to ensure the viability of the scheme as a whole, maintenance fund; the submitted proposals now retain two thirds of the former playing field and, importantly, open it up for public use. • The retention of the chapel, war memorial, sports pavilion and water fountain; and This newsletter provides you with more details of what has been submitted, our responses to feedback received, an • Significant funding for BHCC through S106 analysis of the benefits that the proposals can deliver and contributions and the Government’s New Homes Bonus. further information on next steps and timescales.

www.lindenhomes.co.uk/community/rottingdean The proposals in more detail: New community open space The provision of publicly accessible community open space is an important benefit School campus section of these proposals. The submitted planning application retains 2/3 (1.6 hectares) of the private playing field and opens it up for public/community use. This green space will be accessible for both existing and future residents and can accommodate At our exhibition, many people commented that they were happy to see a sensitive a range of pitch options, including football, rugby and cricket. To ensure it remains redevelopment of the former school campus to the west of The Twitten. Our latest plans accessible in perpetuity, Linden Homes and C.E.T. are proposing to transfer this area for the school campus feature: to BHCC with a 10 year maintenance fund. • 28 (1,2 & 3 bed) new build homes with associated on-site parking; Some development of the private playing field is essential; without it, the redevelopment • Conversion of the Grade II listed school building into 6 apartments and retention of the site is not viable and the many benefits outlined in this newsletter cannot of the listed boundary wall fronting the High Street; be delivered. • Retention and conversion of the Rumneys and the curtilage listed cottages into 4 residential homes; Highways and parking • Retention of the chapel; • Green courtyard areas with all protected trees retained; A ‘Transport Assessment’ has been submitted as part of the planning application, • Access via three points: Steyning Road (serving 27 properties), High Street (serving which assesses the suitability of access and parking arrangements for the site and the six apartments) and Marine Drive (serving five houses); and development’s predicted impact on local highways. The document concludes that the redeveloped site will generate fewer person and vehicular trips when compared to the • New residential link to and from The Twitten to improve connectivity for new residents lawful school use. and the existing local community. A total of 122 car parking spaces are proposed. 94 of these will be provided for the Private playing fields section residential homes through a mixture of private parking courts and on-plot car ports and garages. Nine dedicated residential visitor spaces are proposed throughout the development to avoid visitors to the site having to park on surrounding roads. An Residents were unequivocal in their feedback that they wanted to see as much green space additional 28 spaces are included for the care home, including four disabled spaces. retained as possible and that it should be made available to the community. Our latest plans A sustainable transport strategy has been put forward to take advantage of the site’s for the private playing fields feature: sustainable location close to local facilities and bus routes and to further encourage • 10 (3 & 4 bed) new build homes with associated on-site parking; use of sustainable travel modes. This includes a travel pack for residents (with a £250 • 62-bed care home with associated on-site parking; sustainable transport voucher which could be spent on public transport season tickets or cycling equipment) and a travel plan at the care home, which would aim to achieve • 1.6 hectares of green space retained with the ability to accommodate various playing a 10% reduction in travel to the site by car during the first five years of operation. pitch options; Linden Homes and the C.E.T. also aim to promote sustainable travel by incorporating • The green space to be handed over to BHCC for public/community use with the support cycle storage for each home, providing electric vehicle charging points and contributing of a 10-year maintenance fund; Proposed site layout towards wider transport improvements. • Retention of the existing sports pavilion, war memorial and water fountain; and Air Quality • Access via Newlands Road.

The sustainable travel initiatives outlined above will also help BHCC to comply with Design, materials and landscaping its Action Plan for the Rottingdean Air Quality Management Area. An Air Quality Assessment has been submitted as part of the planning application, which considers this matter in more detail. The document concludes that the proposed development Linden Homes and the C.E.T. appointed award-winning architectural practice, Fluid, to is considered to be acceptable in terms of air quality and future residents will not be help us design and evolve the scheme, taking into account the heritage and associated exposed to unacceptable poor air quality. It also explains that, with the adoption of planning and physical constraints, alongside local styles and characteristics. The final appropriate mitigation measures during construction, dust emissions should not cause designs take cues from the local architectural context and utilise traditional materials any significant off-site effect. found in Rottingdean. As the 3D views in this newsletter show, the proposed materials mainly include flint, Heritage brick, tile hanging and clay tiles, which have been carefully selected to continue the visually distinct nature of the village through the development. Key features are Respecting the heritage of the site has been a major consideration throughout the design defined by bay windows, chimneys and porches. process. Through identifying the key features on the existing site and listening to local The building heights for the proposed development are predominantly two storeys, feedback, Linden Homes and the C.E.T. have evolved the scheme so that it enhances the with some buildings at two and a half storeys (accommodation in the roof space). character and appearance of the Listed Buildings and Conservation Area. The submitted The scale and mass of the proposed dwellings and care home positively respond to proposals will: the change in levels across the site whilst protecting the amenity of existing • Secure the long-term use of Field House (Grade II listed building); properties, thereby resulting in a scheme that is sensitive and fits comfortably • Retain other important buildings and features upon the school campus, including the within its surroundings Chapel, the cottages and the flint walls; A comprehensive landscaping scheme is proposed for the site, creating an attractive, • Retain the existing sports pavilion, war memorial and water fountain; green setting for the development. All protected trees will be retained along with the • Minimise the impact on views from surrounding properties and reduce the visual impact majority of the existing vegetation around the former playing field. In addition to the of the development through the sensitive positioning and scale of new buildings; and large area of public open space on the playing field, green courtyard areas will provide attractive amenity space within the school campus section of the development. • Respect the local context through the use of attractive design features and traditional 3D view of proposals from Steyning Road materials found in Rottingdean. Community benefits

The redevelopment on this site would provide a number of benefits to the wider community, including:

• The provision of new homes on a vacant site, making an important contribution to BHCC’s and Rottingdean’s housing stock;

• A range of homes from 1 to 4 3D view showing open space within the proposed development bedrooms (mix of apartments and houses);

• Long-term future of Field House (a Grade II Listed Building) secured; • 1.6 hectares of the private playing field opened up for public use and transferred to BHCC; • A significant number of new jobs created on-site during the construction phase, primarily with local contractor, and also within the proposed care home 3D view from Steyning Road • Opportunities for local people Response to feedback seeking apprenticeships in the building industry;

The submitted plans have evolved through months of public consultation, including a • A New Homes Bonus payment public exhibition and meetings with Rottingdean Parish Council and other community of over £373,000 to BHCC over groups. In addition, Linden Homes and the C.E.T. have sought advice from BHCC officers six years; and from an early stage. • A package of S106 financial As a result of this dialogue and the feedback provided, a number of important changes contributions to BHCC to be have been made to the scheme, including: invested in local infrastructure • A reduction in the total number of new homes across the site from 105 down to 48, and service provision. with the inclusion of a 62 bed care home; • The revision of the plans for the private playing field so that only a limited amount of the total area is developed; • The retention of 2/3 of the private playing fields as open space for community use Next steps (land to be transferred to BHCC with a 10 year maintenance fund); • The removal of any means of access from St Aubyns Mead; There is now an opportunity to comment on the proposals during • The removal of the previously proposed car park and vehicles access adjacent to the the Council’s statutory consultation sports pavilion in order to improve its setting and to maximise the amount of publicly period. The proposals are likely to accessible open space; and come before BHCC’s Planning Committee later this year. • A reduction in the number of homes on the school campus section of the site from 41 to 38.

If you would like any further information about the submitted plans or have any questions, please call James Atterbury or Steve Houkes on freephone 0800 298 7040 (between 8.30am and 5.30pm). Alternatively, you can visit our website: www.lindenhomes.co.uk/community/rottingdean.