planning report PDU/2032/02 1 October 2008 Central Square Wembley in the London Borough of Brent planning application no. 07/3548 Strategic planning application stage II referral (old powers) Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Act 1999; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2000 The proposal This scheme proposes the development of 117 residential units to be provided in a part 13-storey, part five-storey building. The proposal includes retail and restaurant uses operating at ground floor with active frontage onto both Wembley Central Square and Wembley High Road. This is an amendment application for a residential block that forms part of the larger redevelopment of the Wembley Central Square site. The applicant The applicant is Sowcrest Ltd and the architect is Dexter Moren Architects. Strategic issues The principle of this residential led, mixed-use development at Wembley Central Square is in the interest of good strategic planning in London. However, previous comments on the scheme identified a number of strategic planning concerns, which included the proposed energy strategy, affordable housing provision, play space, access and transport proposals. Further information has now been provided and these previous concerns have been satisfactorily resolved. Recommendation That Brent Council be advised that the Mayor is content for it to determine the case itself, subject to any action that the Secretary of State may take, and does not therefore wish to direct refusal. Context 1 On 30 November 2007 Brent Council consulted the Mayor of London on an application for planning permission for the above uses at the above site. This was referred to the Mayor under Category 1C of the Schedule of the above Order, i.e. “Development which comprises or includes the erection of a building that is more than 30 metres high and outside the City of London.” 2 On 22 January 2008 the former Mayor considered planning report PDU/2032/01, and subsequently advised Brent Council that the proposal was broadly acceptable in principle with regard to strategic planning policy, but that further discussion on energy, transport, play space, housing and access was required. 3 A copy of the above-mentioned report is attached. The essentials of the case with regard to the proposal, the site, case history, strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance page 1 are as set out therein, unless otherwise stated in this report. Since then, the application has been revised in response to the Mayor’s concerns (see below). On 26 February 2008 Brent Council decided that it was minded to grant planning permission for the revised application, and on 24 September 2008 it advised the Mayor of this decision. Under the provisions of the Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2000 the Mayor may direct Brent Council to refuse planning permission, and has until 7 October 2008 to notify the Council of such a direction. This report sets out the information needed by the Mayor in deciding whether to direct refusal. 4 The Mayor of London’s decision this case, and his reasons, will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Update 5 This application is an amendment to a previous scheme for the complete redevelopment of Wembley Central Square, which was also considered by the former Mayor in May 2004 PDU/0898/01. The former Mayor previously stated that he was content for Brent Council to determine the application itself and that he did not wish to direct a refusal. Brent Council subsequently granted planning permission for that application. The previous application proposed the comprehensive redevelopment of Wembley Central Square, which included a number of land uses within four different buildings. The current application proposes sixteen additional residential units incorporated within two additional floors within building 1. This proposal increases the building height from eleven to thirteen storeys. Energy 6 On 22 January 2008 the Mayor commented that the energy proposal for this scheme was not in line with London Plan energy policies. Since these comments, discussions have been on going and the applicant has subsequently amended the proposed energy strategy to include a range of new energy measures across the whole building. 7 The applicant has now provided baseline-modelling work to demonstrate how the proposed energy efficiency measures for the building will achieve the minimum carbon dioxide reduction requirements as set out in Part L of the 2006 Building Regulations. 8 The application previously proposed to provide heat and power via electricity and individual gas fired boilers within each residential unit. Following the former Mayor’s previous comments, the applicant has now introduced a communal gas boiler to provide heat and power to each residential unit via a centralised energy plant. This system will be designed to allow the potential for future connection to a site wide district heating system should such a scheme be implemented in the surrounding area in the future. 9 The applicant has now introduced a site wide biomass boiler system. The applicant has now provided modelling work to demonstrate that the boiler has been sized accordingly and will achieve a minimum 10% reduction in carbon dioxide. The applicant has also provided updated basement plans to demonstrate there is sufficient space and access provided for the boiler. Housing provision 10 The previous Section 106 Agreement included a 33% provision of affordable housing across the whole application site, which equated to a total of 85 affordable units. These units are delivered as part of the first phase of the overall scheme and the building work on these units is near completion. 11 The Mayor previously commented that further information should be provided to justify the provision of 33% affordable housing and to clarify the impacts of delivering additional affordable page 2 housing units. Discussions between the applicant, the local planning authority and the Greater London Authority have been on going and further detail has been provided. 12 Brent Council has now agreed a ‘Deed of Variation’ with the applicant, whereby the proposed Section 106 Agreement for this application will require that the 33% proportion of affordable housing shall be applicable to this amended scheme. This will equate to an additional 4.8 social rented units being provided. Given that the affordable housing block is near completion, these social rented units can be provided off-site, or as a commuted financial sum. Play space 13 The Mayor previously requested that Brent Council include a financial contribution for amenity and play space requirements in line with the previous Section 106 Agreement. The Mayor also requested that the design of Wembley Central Square incorporate play space facilities. 14 Brent Council has included a financial contribution of £111,000 in the Section 106 Agreement for the delivery of education, transport, open space and sports regeneration. The Greater London Authority welcomes this financial contribution and would request that Brent Council ensure that sufficient play facilities are delivered within the Wembley Central Square area. 15 The applicant has now incorporated medium sized private residential balconies for all units, where technically feasible, which now provides an increased amount of private amenity space. Access 16 The applicant has not demonstrated how each of the residential units meet the 16 requirements of Lifetime Homes standards, which does not comply with the policy requirements of London Plan policy 3A.5. While the applicant has not carried out this assessment, the building design does include a range of satisfactory accessibility measures. • Two 8-person wheelchair access lifts. • The residential units are generously sized with adequate space to accommodate internal wheelchair-turning circles and would be easily adaptable for wheelchair use. • The fire escape routes incorporate wheelchair-standing points. • There are level gradients across the building. • There is a sufficient level of blue badge accessible car parking spaces on-site. 17 On balance, given the design will ensure that the building will achieve an environment accessible for all, the access proposals can be considered to be acceptable. Transport 18 TfL previously requested that the application should include one-for-one cycle parking. The local planning authority has included a requirement within the proposed Section 106 Agreement for sixteen additional cycle spaces to be provided, the application is in accordance with London Plan Policy 3C.22 Improving conditions for cyclists. 19 The previous Section 106 Agreement required the applicant to provide a detailed travel plan. TfL requests that the proposed Section 106 Agreement be amended to include provision of a full travel plan as defined in London Plan Policy 3C.2 Matching development to transport capacity. TfL would be pleased to provide further information in association with their best practice guidance on residential travel plans. 20 TfL previously commented on the appointment of the adjacent taxi rank as described in the submitted Transport Assessment. To ensure best practice guidance TfL would appreciate if the local authority discuss the design with TfL Public Carriage Office prior to implementation. page 3 London Development Agency’s comments 21 The LDA welcomes the contribution of £111,000 (£3,000 per additional bed unit) index- linked from the date of committee for education, sustainable transportation, open space & sports or other regeneration improvements for Wembley Town Centre. However, the LDA is disappointed to learn that the section 106 agreement has not included a requirement to provide an employment and training initiative. In order to comply with the Economic Development Strategy and the London Plan objectives with regards to London's economy, local planning authorities are encouraged to secure an employment and training strategy from the applicant to ensure that local residents and businesses benefit from the development. Response to consultation 22 The local planning authority received one letter of objection in response to their public consultation process.