Planning Statement CBRE March 2020 CANONS PARK STATION CAR PARK, HARROW, HA2 9SJ Catalyst Housing Limited and Transport for London Planning Statement March 2020 CONTENTS 1.0 Executive Summary ................................................................... 2 2.0 Introduction .............................................................................. 5 3.0 Site and Surroundings .............................................................. 7 4.0 Planning History ..................................................................... 11 5.0 Proposals ................................................................................ 13 6.0 Pre-application Advice and Consultation ................................. 19 7.0 Planning Policy Overview ........................................................ 29 8.0 Planning Assessment .............................................................. 32 9.0 Planning Obligations and CIL ................................................. 46 10.0 Summary and Conclusion ....................................................... 48 ............................................................... APPENDICES Appendix A: Relevant Planning Policies .......................................... 50 CBRE | CANONS PARK STATION CAR PARK, HARROW, HA2 9SJ 1.0 Executive Summary SITE The site is within the London Borough of Harrow (hereafter referred to as ‘LBH’). It is located directly to the north of Canons Park London Underground Station, on Donnefield Avenue, and is currently used as a commuter car park serving Canons Park Underground Station. The proposals comprise the redevelopment of the existing commuter car park to deliver 118 affordable residential units along with a proportion of retained commuter car parking, TfL Cycle Hub (for public use), landscaping improvements and associated public realm. AFFORDABLE HOUSING The proposals make a significant contribution to Harrow’s affordable housing need, providing 118 units in an accessible and sustainable location, with a high-quality design that has been developed through extensive engagement with LBH, the Council’s Design Review Panel, key stakeholders and the local community. All units are compliant with nationally described space standards and provide private amenity space. HERITAGE There are no listed buildings or assets on site. The site is adjacent to Canons Park, a Grade II Listed Park and Garden and designated Metropolitan Open Land, as well as the Canons 2 Park Estate Conservation Area, which is located to the north of the site and also covers the northern portion of the site. The design embraces and complements the heritage setting of Page the site, enlivening Donnefield Avenue and activating the entrance to Canons Park. RY TOWNSCAPE EXECUTIVE SUMMA The site and its surroundings are visible from both the Canons Park Conservation Area and the listed park and garden. The high-quality architectural design is sympathetic to its historic setting, while also providing passive surveillance to the improved public realm, new community amenity space and pocket park, providing a positive contribution to the area. ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN The design has evolved through extensive consultation with planning officers, the Council’s Design Review Panel and the Mayor’s Design Advocates (MDA’s), key stakeholders and community engagement. The proposals provide high-quality housing, cycle-parking and car parking, as well as considerable public realm improvements. The design is sympathetic and complementary to the historic context and adjacent Canons Park. The form of three separate buildings, with a horizontal emphasis and largely brick appearance, is responsive to, and celebrates the, historic character of the area. RESIDENTIAL AMENITY The community amenity space and pocket park will be implemented and maintained for the enjoyment of residents and locals, as detailed in the Landscape and Public Realm Strategy (prepared by Townshend Landscape Architects). CBRE | CANONS PARK STATION CAR PARK, HARROW, HA2 9SJ 1.0 Executive Summary These spaces will activate and enliven the public realm and approach to Canons Park, further enhanced by the play-on-the-way elements of the streetscape on Donnefield Avenue. TRANSPORT The proposals accord with the Mayor’s Healthy Streets Approach and the transport policies in the Draft London Plan (December 2019) in promoting a modal shift from private car use to more sustainable modes of transport, including walking and cycling. In addition to some re-provided public car parking spaces, the proposal includes a TfL Cycle Hub for public use. The residential development will be car-free, with the exception of blue badge parking, which will be provided at a policy compliant level of 3% active and 7% passive, based on the number of proposed residential units. The residential development will also benefit from a policy compliant level of cycle-parking. A car club space will also be provided on-site for the benefit of residents along with the provision of electric car charging points. The car park and the new TfL cycle hub will benefit from passive surveillance from the new residential units and will deliver safe, well-lit, well maintained assets for the station commuters to use. 3 WIDER SCHEME BENEFITS Page Sustainability The proposals are in line with the modal shift emphasised in planning policy, away from private car use and towards more sustainable methods of transport, through the reduction in car parking and the provision of the TfL cycle hub. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Public realm and connectivity to the park The proposals will activate the underutilised Donnefield Avenue and will provide an enhanced connection to the listed park. Connectivity to station The site is in a well-connected area, sitting adjacent to the Canons Park Underground station, which is served by the Jubilee Line. The proposals will create a new community in the station area, providing high-quality residential units for future occupiers as well as a safe and inclusive environment for locals and commuters. The car parking and TfL cycle hub will deliver safe, well-lit and well-maintained spaces for commuters to use. The proposals have been developed to ensure the protection of a designated Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (‘SINC’) which is located directly to the east of the site. Mitigation measures including consideration of the boundary treatment and complementary planting have been incorporated into the landscaping and public realm strategy to ensure the long-term integrity of the SINC. IN SUMMARY Overall, the proposals represent an exciting opportunity to redevelop this brownfield site and provide a significant contribution to Harrow’s affordable housing need, as well as securing key public realm improvements. This will be achieved through the high-quality CBRE | CANONS PARK STATION CAR PARK, HARROW, HA2 9SJ 1.0 Executive Summary architectural design of the buildings and landscaped areas and the efficient and optimised use of the site to provide a high standard of residential accommodation and amenity, as well as public car and cycle parking. The proposed development is consistent with the National, Regional and Local Planning Policy within the Development Plan relevant for this site. In accordance with the NPPF, the presumption in favour of sustainable development should be applied in full when considering this proposal. 4 Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CBRE | CANONS PARK STATION CAR PARK, HARROW, HA2 9SJ 2.0 Introduction This Planning Statement has been prepared by CBRE Ltd (‘CBRE’) on behalf of the applicants, Catalyst Housing Limited and Transport for London (‘the applicants’), in relation to an application for full planning permission made to the London Borough of Harrow (‘LB Harrow’ or ‘LBH’) in respect of the Canons Park Station Car Park, 229 Donnefield Avenue, Harrow, HA8 6RL, hereafter referred to as ‘the Site’. The Site is 0.64ha and currently comprises a 162 space public car park owned by Transport for London (‘TfL’) and operated by NCP. The car park provides car parking for the adjacent Canons Park Underground Station. The Site benefits from a site allocation which identifies the Site as being appropriate for residential redevelopment alongside the retention of a proportion of commuter car parking. The Site (along with two further sites in Harrow which are subject to separate planning applications) has been identified by TfL as a key opportunity to deliver housing in an accessible, sustainable brownfield location. Survey work undertaken by TfL identified that the sites would be suitable for a reduction in car parking. As part of the wider TfL portfolio, and as agreed with the Mayor, this Site has been identified as an opportunity to deliver high quality affordable housing and it will therefore deliver 100% affordable housing on site, providing a mix of London Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership properties in a mix of one, two and three bed properties. This application seeks full planning permission for the following works: “Redevelopment of existing public car park to provide new residential accommodation (Use Class C3) and flexible ground floor space and a public car 5 park along with associated works”. Page This document sets out the characteristics of the site and surrounding area; describes the consultation with stakeholders; and assesses the proposals in terms of relevant planning policy, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2019) and the INTRODUCTION Development Plan which, in this instance, comprises the London Plan (2016), Harrow