BELTON PARK TEMPORARY CATERING PAVILION Design, Access and Heritage Impact Statement Application for Temporary Planning Permission November 2017 Version 2 Rodney Melville and Partners Ltd. 10 Euston Place Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 4LJ T: 01926 881311 F: 01926 451766 E: [email protected] www.rmpuk.com Job No. 6099 CONTENTS Page No. Design & Access Statement 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Context of the application 1 3.0 Use 2 4.0 Amount 2 5.0 Layout 2 6.0 Scale 3 7.0 Landscaping 3 8.0 Appearance 3 9.0 Access 3 10.0 Consultation 4 Heritage Impact Statement 11.0 Introduction 5 12.0 Understanding the Site and the Heritage 5 12.0 Understanding the Significance 7 13.0 Impact Assessment of the Proposed Scheme 9 14.0 Justification 10 15.0 Mitigation 11 16.0 Conclusion 12 APPENDICES APPENDIX A Site Location Plan and Proposed Site Layout Plan APPENDIX B Proposed Temporary Kitchen & Dining Structure Drawings APPENDIX C Proposed Overhead Services Route Drawing APPENDIX D Arboricultural Impact and Mitigation Statement APPENDIX E Listing Text – Belton Park APPENDIX F Listing Text – Belton House APPENDIX G Belton House – Spirit of Place APPENDIX H Options Appraisal DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This Statement has been prepared to accompany an application for Temporary Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for a structure within Belton Park to provide catering facilities for the duration of 14 months. 1.2 This Statement has been prepared within the guidelines provided by CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment). 1.3 This Statement should be read in conjunction with the relevant application information and the associated drawings and documents included in the Appendices. 1.4 The temporary structure will be required to provide catering facilities during the rehabilitation and essential conservation works to the Stables Building which houses the current Restaurant at Belton House (Application no. s17/1674), during which time the Restaurant will be closed to visitors. 1.5 The proposed work to the Stables Building is discussed further in its own Application. The works are considered to be essential and enhance the significance of the Stable Building itself, along with the setting to Belton House. The temporary structures proposed to provide temporary catering will have a short-term impact on the heritage assets of the site but they will mitigated by the long-term benefits provided by the conservation works to the Stables Building. This is discussed further in the Heritage Impact Statement. 1.6 The temporary catering facilities are proposed as a unique occurrence, driven by the need to provide alternative catering provision during the Stable Building conservation works, with no intention to create a precedent for future use. All proposed temporary structures will be removed following completion of the Stable Building works and reinstatement of the Stables restaurant in its existing location. 2.0 CONTEXT OF THE APPLICATION 2.1 This application relates to a temporary structure providing catering facilities on the lawn, near the existing Cricket Pavilion at Belton House and the scaffolded, overhead service route to the structure from the Stable Yard. 2.2 Belton House is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 at Grade I (LBS no. 382844). The listing text is included in Appendix F. 2.3 The gardens and parkland at Belton House are registered in the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens at Grade I (RPG no. GD1429). The listing text is included in Appendix E. 2.4 The location of the proposal is to the south west of Belton House and falls within the boundaries of the registered parkland. 2.5 The existing restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Stables building. The existing restaurant is highly successful and provides an important source of income for the Estate. Belton House/Planning Permissions/ 6099 Temporary Catering Facilities, Design, Access and Heritage Statement Nov 17 v2 1 2.6 Once completed, the proposed rehabilitation work will provide a renewed and fit-for-purpose catering facility but during the works (which is estimated to take approximately 13 months) the existing restaurant will be closed. 2.7 The high-level service route with scaffold towers is required to provide an electricity feed to the temporary kitchen from the existing supply in the Stable yard. Drainage shall be provided via the existing provision in the Cricket Pavilions. 3.0 USE 3.1 The existing use of the site is parkland. The proposed use of the temporary structures shall be to provide kitchen, servery and dining space for visitors. Once the temporary structures are removed the area shall be repaired and once again be used as parkland. 4.0 AMOUNT 4.1 The footprint of the proposed temporary kitchen & dining structure is approximately 300sqm. 5.0 LAYOUT 5.1 The layout of the proposed structure has been given careful consideration in order to minimise impact on the setting of the Listed Building and registered park and gardens. 5.2 The chosen location was the result of an Options Appraisal, looking at possible locations which could be used to site a temporary catering facility. The Options Appraisal is included in Appendix I. 5.3 The proposed location was chosen as the preferred option as the impact on the important views of Belton House will be minimised as far as possible, whilst serving the required purpose of the temporary facility and considering practical issues such as access to toilet facilities and services. 5.4 In the chosen location there are already existing built structures, the Cricket Pavilions, whose drainage systems can be used by the temporary kitchen, and the area is largely masked by trees. 5.5 The proposed orientation was chosen to suit the existing contours of the site, minimise impact on nearby trees and take opportunity of the views of the significant historic Emes landscape for visitor engagement and interpretation. An aroboricultural impact and mitigation statement is included in Appendix D. 5.6 The overhead services route is required to provide power to the temporary structures. This shall be predominantly free-standing and supported of scaffold towers as shown on the drawing 11436/16. 5.7 In the location between the Brew House and the Wildlife Discovery Centre the ducting runs above a public route into the Stableyard and there is insufficient space to incorporate scaffold towers. In this location the ducting shall be supported below the existing building eaves using right-angle brackets as shown on drawing 11436/16. These shall be removed and fixing holes made good on completion. Belton House/Planning Permissions/ 6099 Temporary Catering Facilities, Design, Access and Heritage Statement Nov 17 v2 2 5.8 Where the ducting crosses over the access route between the Stableyard and the old Wood Yard it shall be supported off sections of timber which will bridge between the buildings as shown on drawing 11436/16. These timbers and their fixings shall be removed and fixing holes made good on completion. 6.0 SCALE 6.1 The scale of the proposals has been consciously kept modest to successfully provide an alternative catering facility to suit the existing provision and protect the valuable income for the Estate, whilst minimising the impact on the surroundings. 6.2 The current restaurant can accommodate 78 covers. The proposed temporary structures will provide a kitchen, servery and dining space for 70 covers. 7.0 LANDSCAPING 7.1 The design has been chosen to minimise impact on the landscape as far as possible. The dining/servery structure will be staked into the ground using 1m long stakes, at 3m centres around the external perimeter. These stakes will be retained in their position throughout the duration in order to minimise impact below ground. 7.2 The kitchen structure will be formed using pre-fabricated pods that will result in no disturbance to the existing ground surface. 7.3 Both the dining/servery structure and the kitchen structure will incorporate suspended internal floors to protect the external ground surface from damage. 7.4 In order to protect the surrounding external ground, an access trackway for visitors and deliveries will be laid over the existing grassed surface, connecting the structure to the existing pathways. 7.5 Following the removal of the temporary catering facilities and the associated trackway, the ground below will be repaired where required and returned to its existing condition. 7.6 An arboricultural impact assessment and mitigation proposal has been commissioned and is included in Appendix D. All recommended mitigation shall be carried out as specified in the report. 8.0 APPEARANCE 8.1 The temporary structure will remain in situ throughout the rehabilitation works to the Stables building and has been designed to withstand the weather conditions over this period. It is important that the fabric of the temporary structure is appropriately chosen to avoid deterioration in the external quality and appearance over time, which would have a detrimental effect on the historic setting. 8.2 The proposed design incorporates large amounts of glazing to help reduce the perceived massing of the structure. The large amounts of glazing will also add to the overall visitor experience and engagement with the landscape whilst using the space. Belton House/Planning Permissions/ 6099 Temporary Catering Facilities, Design, Access and Heritage Statement Nov 17 v2 3 8.3 The overhead services duct and associated scaffold towers are functional in their proposed appearance, clearly identifying their temporary and subservient nature. Their appearance shall be made as discrete as possible through the choice of colours and finishes, whilst paying attention to visual contrast and visitor safety. 9.0 ACCESS 9.1 The temporary servery and dining area will be fully accessible and incorporate Part M compliant, ramped access from the external ground level.