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ST. KIERNANS GFC CLUBHOUSE KING GEORGE V PLAYING FIELDS, Contents BARNET EN5 2DN. APPLICATION DESIGN PROPOSALS 1.00 Introduction 2.00 Project Background 3.00 Sequential Test for Alternative Sites 4.00 Site Location 01 Site Context 02 Sports Masterplan 5.00 Constraints 01 Green Belt 6.00 Opportunities 7.00 Justification and needs for the Sports Clubhouse. 8.00 Application Design Proposals 01 Schedule of Accommodation/ Amount 02 Clubhouse Design 9.00 Massing and Scale 10.00 Materials Appendix A Sequential Test for Alternative Sites 11.00 Transport Statement

Appendix B Masterplan 12.00 Energy & Sustainability

Appendix C Justification and Needs Report 13.00 Hard & Soft Landscaping Appendix D Aerial Photographs 14.00 Bins/Refuse Appendix E Existing buildings nearby 15.00 Drainage Appendix F Transport Statement 16.00 Summary

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1.0 Introduction 3.00 Sequential Testing of Alternative Sites This document has been prepared as part of the full plans submission St Kiernan’s GFC have undertaken a site search and evaluation exercise for the design of a new Gaelic football clubhouse/changing rooms at on 12 alternative sites within the Borough to determine if the St George V Playing Fields ,28 Barnet lane, EN5 2DN clubhouse/changing rooms could be located elsewhere. All the alternative sites listed below are all existing open green spaces which 2.0 Project Background have the required space for playing pitches.

St Kiernan’s have had pitches in Barnet for many years. Firstly, at Montrose Recreation Site No 1 Montrose Recreation Ground, Edgware, London NW9 5tf Ground since 1985 and then at Copthall Leisure Centre in 2006 before vacating due to redevelopment works. St Kiernan’s have lost the use of the pitch at Montrose Recreation Site No 2 Barnet Copthall/ Rugby Clubhouse, London NW4 2EQ Ground and at the start of 2017 moved the training venue from Copthall Leisure Centre to Rugby Club entering into an agreement for the temporary use of their Site No 3 Hendon Rugby Club, Greenlands Lane, London NW4 1RL facilities. Site No 4 Buttonhole Lane and St Vincent’s Lane, Mill Hill St Kiernan’s have been in discussions with the with regards to the relocation of a new home as consequence of the redevelopment of their pitches at Site No 5 Copthall Playing Fields, Champions Way. London NW4 Copthall Leisure Centre, Mill Hill and Montrose Recreation Park, Colindale. Barnet Council are required to relocate St Kiernan’s by conditions attached to the grants of Site No 6 West Hendon Playing Fields, Edgware, London NW9 7EZ planning consent for these sites. Site No 7 The Hive Playing Fields, Camross Ave, Edgware, London

The Council subsequently identified an alternative site which is King George V Playing Site No 8 Lyttleton Playing Fields, Kingsley Way, London N2 0DQ Fields, Barnet Lane, Barnet, London. An overall new sports hub masterplan has now been produced by the council in which the new Gaelic pitches and clubhouse/changing roomA Site no 9 Byng Road Playing Fields, Barnet EN5 4NP have been incorporated. Please refer to the masterplan in Appendix B. In addition, Barnet Council have commissioned Agrostis Sports Surface Consulting to prepare a new Site No 10 Old Elizabethans Memorial Playing fields, Barnet EN5 2AG pitch development specification and tender documentation. Works have now been completed on site. Site No 11 Oakhill Park, Parkside Gardens, Barnet EN4 8JS

A Pre-Planning Application submission was made to Barnet Council in December 2019. Site No 12 Rowley Lane Sports Ground, Rowley Lane, Barnet EN5 In their response Report (reference 19/8569/QCE) they requested that a sequential testing of alternative sites be submitted to weigh up the nature of the very special See Appendix A for full details of all the above sites. circumstances. See Section 3.00 and Appendix A.

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4.00 Site Location

The site is known as King George V Playing Fields located on Barnet Lane EN5 3DN in the London Brough of Barnet.

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4.02 Site Context

The site for the new clubhouse/changing rooms is located along the boundary with Barnet Lane and sits within Green Belt (see section 5.01 for more detail.) There is an existing vehicular and pedestrian access onto an area of tarmac hardstanding for servicing and a car parking area for 54 cars. A sports clubhouse once occupied the site and although now demolished, the footprint of the floor slab is clearly visible and would have covered an area of

480m2. The extent of the site, including the new Gaelic sports playing fields, are bordered with extensive planting of shrubbery, mature trees, and hedges. The Dollis Brook stream sits beyond the northern boundary running west to east. Immediately to the north is the Barnet Table Tennis Centre, a single storey brick building with a pitched corrugated metal roof. There is a large area of hardstanding for 69 car parking spaces. (see photographs in Appendix D) There are further extensive sports areas to the north known as the Barnet Playing Fields and a new School Arts Academy which has replaced the site of the Barnet football club. It should be noted that Barnet Council have produced a masterplan for all these areas including a new building for a community sports hub including the new Site Context Gaelic football club Pavilion noted as No 7 of the legend

of this plan. (see Appendix B) Immediately to the north west of the site is a housing development known as Dollis Valley Estate comprising 4.02 Sports Hub and Masterplan predominantly of two storey terraced housing with Barnet Council have produced an overall masterplan for the combined playing field area rendered and tile clad walls and pitched tiled roofing (see identifying the King George V Playing Fields as the site for the new Gaelic pitches and the Appendix C for photographs) GFC clubhouse (see Appendix B) Immediately to the south on the boundary with Barnet Lane is the Stables Horse Activity entre which is a group of single storey stables and two storey outbuildings with pitched roofs. On the south east boundary is the South Herts golf course.

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Extent of Green Belt Site

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5.00 Constraints

Greenbelt

The King George V Playing Fields is an existing recreation / sports site which is located within the Green Belt. Any new proposed facility for outdoor the existing vehicular access off Barnet Lane and for continued use of the sport and recreation must be mindful of Central Government Advice and existing tarmac hard surface for parking. the Local Plan Policies. There once was a sports clubhouse/changing rooms adjacent to the car parking These include: area and although demolished after fire damage (date not known) its footprint is  NPPF and National Planning Guidance clear to see from the remaining floor slab. Planning archive research reveal that  Mayor’s London Plan 2021 approval was granted for the erection of a Sports Pavilion. Planning approval  Barnet’s Local Plan 2012 was also granted for the extension to the Pavilion to provide changing and  Barnet’s relevant Core Strategy Policies shower facilities.  Barnet’s relevant Development Management Policies Paragraph 145 of the NPPF states that a local planning authority should regard as inappropriate the construction of buildings in the Green Belt.

Exceptions to include: 6.00 Opportunities b) the provision of appropriate facilities for outdoor sport d) the replacement of a building provided the new building is in the same and Barnet Council are required to relocate St Kiernan’s by conditions attached to not materially larger than the one it replaces. the grant of planning consent for its redevelopment of the Copthall Leisure Centre and the Montrose Recreation Ground. As a result, the identification of It would be the intention to replace the building with one of a similar size and the King George V Playing Fields as the location for the new Gaelic pitches and use. clubhouse (as part of the new sports masterplan hub) has provided a tremendous opportunity for the Policy DM15 of the London Plan states the following: The construction of new continuation of Gaelic sport and culture within the Borough of Barnet. The King building within the Green Belt or MOL, unless there are very special George V Playing Fields covers an area of approximately 11.47 acres and is circumstances, will be inappropriate. ideally suited to the layout of 2 Gaelic football pitches and the provision of clubhouse facilities in connection with the proposed sports use (the site area for It would be the intention to demonstrate these” very special circumstances” in the clubhouse/changing rooms would be 1.32 acres.) There is also the Section 7.00 and Appendix C) of the statement. opportunity to use

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7.00 Justification and Needs for new clubhouse and changing rooms.  The club is used by children and adults as St Kiernan’s GFC have youth teams for both girls and boys for the following age St Kiernan’s GFC have produced a “Justification and Needs Report “ groups; nursery, under 7, under 9, under 11, under 13, under (Very Special Circumstances)—See Appendix C for full Report. See abbreviated version below: 15, under 17, under 12 girls, under 14 girls and under 16 girls. The club also has three adult teams. All teams partake in This report outlines the justification and needs of St Kiernan’s GFC for new training during the week and have games at weekends during clubhouse/changing facilities at the King George V Playing Fields, Barnet Lane. the Gaelic Football season which spans from February to October each year. Barnet Council in conjunction with St Kiernan’s GFC have recently completed the  works to the new playing pitches and a clubhouse/changing facility are required The older non-playing members and parents always meet up for the pitches to be fully utilised which would be a benefit to the wider at the training sessions throughout the year and many get community within the London Borough of Barnet. their exercise in by going for walks around the playing pitches while their kids are training. The proposed walkway around  St Kiernan’s GFC is a community-based volunteer club promoting Gaelic the playing pitches will provide an excellent provision for games, culture and lifelong participation which have been active within parents and members of the public to maintain a healthy the London Borough of Barnet since 1985. St Kiernan’s GFC provides an lifestyle. environment for both children and adults to play Gaelic Football and this fits in with Barnet Council actives kids programme as our provision of  St Kiernan’s GFC have been operating for over 30 years youth Gaelic football within the Borough of Barnet has the following within the Borough of Barnet having been based in Montrose benefits to the children; Park and Barnet Copthall and have over 180 children involved. The catchment area for the club is the whole Healthy Bodies and Health Minds. Borough of Barnet as the majority of the children who play Social Skills. Gaelic football live within the Borough of Barnet and go to Self-Esteem the following schools within the borough and some schools in Skill Building the adjoining boroughs; Tolerance. Creates a since of Identity. Primary Schools. 17 in number Sports clubs help children with a since of identity and belonging which is very important in modern society. Secondary Schools. 15 in number

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 From the list of schools, you can see that St Kiernan’s GFC main This is a former sports pitches site situated in the north-west catchment area lines within the Borough of Barnet and the club corner of the wider NIMR redevelopment site. Barnet Council needs to maintain its presence within the borough and that experienced issues with creating an access route into the is why the King George V Playing Fields venue is essential to the new proposed pitch site and were unable to come to an very existence of the club. agreement with the adjoining owners. The Council subsequently identified an alternative site which is King  St Kiernan’s have had pitches in Barnet for many years. Firstly, at George V Playing Fields, Barnet Lane, Barnet, London. An Montrose Recreation Ground since 1985 and then at Copthall overall new sports hub masterplan has now been produced Leisure Centre in 2006 before vacating due to redevelopment by the council in which the new Gaelic pitches and works. St Kiernan’s have lost the use of the pitch at Montrose clubhouse\changing rooms have been incorporated. Please Recreation Ground and at the start of 2017 moved the training refer to the masterplan in Appendix B. In addition, Barnet venue from Copthall Leisure Centre to Hendon Rugby Club Council have commissioned Agrostis Sports Surface entering into an agreement for the temporary use of their Consulting to prepare a new pitch development specification facilities. and tender documentation Works are now completed.

 St Kiernan’s have been in discussions with the London Borough of  The King George V Playing Fields is an existing recreation / Barnet with regards to the relocation of a new home as sports site which previously had a building which was burnt consequence of the redevelopment of their pitches at Copthall down and in 2015 Barnet Council demolished the remaining Leisure Centre, Mill Hill and Montrose Recreation Park, Colindale. structure whilst leaving the ground floor slab in position to make the area safe for members of the public. It can be Barnet Council are required to relocate St Kiernan’s by conditions argued that the previous building burnt down could be attached to the grants of planning consent for these sites. replaced because the re-provision of the building was not  Barnet Council had previously located a new site for St Kiernan’s abandoned by Barnet Council, but re-provision has been which was located off Buttonhole Lane and St Vincent’s Lane, Mill curtailed by available funding to date. The club in partnership Hill, London with Barnet Council are now seeking to re-provide the previously burnt down building.

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 The King George V Playing Fields covers an area of approximately The clubhouse/changing facilities will be situated on the location of 11.47 acres and is ideally suited to the layout of 2 Gaelic football the previously existing clubhouse/changing rooms to and the pitches and the provision of clubhouse/changing rooms in existing ground floor slab remains on site. If you refer to J B connection with the proposed sports use. There is also the Architecture Proposed Site Plan drawing you will see the existing opportunity to use the existing vehicular access off Barnet Lane footprint of the ground floor slab outline is red. and the existing tarmac hard surface for parking. The area of the existing ground floor slab is 480m2.  The provision of a clubhouse/changing facility will be an essential The area of the new proposed clubhouse/community centre is facility for the existing lawful use of the site as sports fields. 523m2.

 The provision of a clubhouse/changing facilities will significantly The proposed clubhouse/changing facilities consist of the following improve sporting access for the local community, the large Irish and rooms; those with Irish heritage community in Barnet. Changing Rooms – 4no.

The changing rooms are sized to accommodate 30 people maximum  The provision of sporting facilities is an essential part of the health as a Gaelic Football match day panels consists of 26 players and the agenda central and local government support. management team. Therefore, in line with the design criteria for clubhouses 1sq m/person has been allowed.  The provision of the clubhouse/changing facility will bring back the use of an important sporting facility. Shower Area within each Changing Room. Each changing room has its own shower area with 6 showers at 2 sq.  St Kiernan’s GFC have over 180 children playing Gaelic football and m/person and this is what has been allowed. 70 adult playing members, so the meeting room area needs to be There is an allowance for 2 number urinals, 1 number wash hand sized to accommodate these numbers. basin and 1 number WC within each changing room.

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Referee Room Equipment Storage Areas. In line with the design criteria for the clubhouse a referee’s room has been The storage requirements of St Kiernan’s GFC have been sized in line with the requirements and this space will double up as a first considered for the sizing of the storage areas within the club. aid and treatment room for the physios operating on behalf of the club. Plant Room. Male and Female Toilets. A plant room is required to accommodate the equipment to heat The male and female toilets have been sized to suit the overall capacity of and provide hot water to the clubhouse/changing facilities. the clubhouse. For the newly developed playing pitches to be utilised correctly, Meeting Room. changing facilities are basic provision required for the children and The meeting room has been designed to consider the needs of St Kiernan’s adults to have an area that is safe to use and provide protection. GFC as this area needs to fulfil many different activities for St Kiernan’s GFC The new proposed clubhouse/changing facilities will provide this such as the following. provision for St Kiernan’s GFC and the wider community. An area for players meetings. An area where parents can wait and collect their children after training. An area for club meetings. An area for presentations after youth underage games blitzes throughout the playing season.

Office. An office has been sized in line with the needs of St Kiernan’s GFC and this space will be used for club community meetings.

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. the 8.00 Application Design Proposals 02 Clubhouse Design

01 Schedule of Accommodation/Amount The design of the clubhouse/changing rooms has been generated by the following factors:  4 changing rooms --each to accommodate 26 players and 4 in the (a) Its location on site to sit closely on the outline of the slab of the previous management team. building on site.  Shower area and toilets in each changing room b) maintaining the same vehicular and pedestrian access  Referee and first aid room c) maintaining the tarmacked surface area for parking-originally 54 spaces, now  Male and Female toilets 47 spaces due to the incorporation of 4 disabled bays  Disabled toilet d) Servicing  Meeting Room e) Viewing orientation towards the pitches  Meeting room store  Kitchen  Kitchen Store 9.00 Massing and Scale  Office The proposal is for an L shaped layout like that previously on site and designed  Club Shop as a single storey building with pitched roofing. The length on the elevation  Cleaners’ cupboard facing the pitches is 33.40 M, the length on the short L shape is 21.70M and the short wall length is 8.55 M.  Sports equipment store The height to the eaves is 2.8M and 4.8M to the ridge.  Plant Room Barnet Council stated in their Pre-App Report that the pre app proposal should  Bin Store be reduced in height, scale, bulk, and appearance. This has now been taken on

board and the new proposal is simplified in layout, form and the use of brick and The total GIA area is 523 M2 which is marginally bigger than the previous slates. See site sections showing the relationship with the adjoining Barnet table Building on site (480 M2) tennis Centre and in its context.

Barnet Council were sent these proposals for comment in January 2021, and we are now advised that are happy with this design approach and a full planning application should be made.

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10.00 Materials 12 00 Energy and Sustainability

It is proposed to use a simple palette pallet of brickwork, timber stained windows and doors and slate roofing,  The building will incorporate passive measures to minimize the energy demand, including high levels of insulation and airtightness.  The scheme will satisfy all requirements set out in planning policy CE1 (climate change) of the London Plan and achieve an improvement in carbon 11.00 Transport Statement dioxide emissions in respect of Part L1 of the Building Regulations 2013. Summary  Onsite parking has been reused.  The proposal will be constructed incorporating carbon dioxide emission  The majority of the club’s members already live within a proximity to reduction measures which achieve an improvement of not less than 6% in use sustainable transport modes. carbon dioxide emissions when compared to a building constructed to  Journey planning methods are already in place within the club. comply with the minimum Target omission Rate requirements of the 2013  The Club’s current trip generation is already in place on Barnet’s Building Regulations. Highway network  Daily and weekly trip generation levels by the site are likely to be less  The proposed building will have 100% of its water supply through water than the existing use. meters.  All vehicles can enter and exit in a forward gear.  The proposal will incorporate water saving and efficiency measures that  Cycle parking will be provided to London Plan standards. comply with Regulation 36(2)(b) of Part G 2 of the Building Regulations.  There are no existing or proposed road safety issues associated with this application.  Photovoltaic panels are located on the flat roof area.  The proposals are fully compliant with all relevant sections of Barnet policy DM17.

See Appendix F for full Transport Statement.

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13 00 Hard and soft Landscaping 16 00 Summary

33.5% of the site area is existing hard surfacing previously used for car King George V Playing Fields is, by its name definition, used for the playing of sports parking and a concrete area which formed the floor slab of the previous games. The allocation of this area by Barnet Council within its sports hub masterplan sports pavilion. It is intended to reuse the existing surface for car parking. (because of planning conditions on previous sites used by St Kiernan’s) is an appropriate site the new building in the approximate area of the existing slab. Part of continued use for the two new Gaelic football pitches, the re-use of the existing vehicle the existing slab will also be used for the siting of the bicycle stands. The access and existing parking. remainder of the site is grass with existing hedges and trees on the Barnet Lane boundary. There are trees and scrubs on the brook boundary and the The footprint of the new Clubhouse is located approximately on the concrete slab of the southern boundary. previous sports pavilion. The new building is single storey and simple in layout and form. It is proposed to include additional trees, hedges and scrubs as shown on the Landscaping drawing. Section 7.00 and Appendix C “Justification and need for the Sports Clubhouse” sets out the very special circumstances for the location of the building and the Cultural and Health benefits it will bring.

14 00 Refuse Whilst providing for the continued use for Gaelic sport and culture within the Borough it

will provide facilities for a variety of Community uses and the provision of clubhouse Refuse storage comprises of: facilities in connection with this use. 1 x 1200 litre waste bin 1 x 1200 litre bin for recycling Overall, the use, location within the Borough, and the provision of the appropriate clubhouse facilities in connection with the existing use of the land is an opportunity to be supported.

15 00 Drainage

It is intended to connect the foul drain to the existing last manhole before it connects to the main sewer in Barnet Lane. It is intended to connect the storm drain into the existing drain run before it enters the brook.

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