Planning, D esign and Access S tatement LUTHERS, SEWARDSTONE ROAD, CHINGFORD, E4 7RF 9 3 6 LONDON OFFICE: HERTFORDSHIRE OFFICE: ARCHITECTS REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS 9 DEVONSHIRE SQUARE . LONDON . EC2M 4YF 25 TUDORADDRESS HALL . BREWERYSEWARDSTONE ROAD ROAD . HODDESDON . HERTFORDSHIRE . HERTS . EN11 8FP INTERIOR DESIGNERS CHINGFORD PARTY WALL SURVEYORS T : 0207 9792026 F : 01992 469002 T: 01992 469001 E4 7RF F: 01992 469002 E : [email protected] E : [email protected] TOWN PLANNING CONSULTANTS W : www.dpa-architects.co.uk W : www.dpa-architects.co.uk Rebuild of lost coach house to form 2 x 2 bedroom dwellings Luthers Sewardstone Road Chingford E4 7RF REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS ADDRESS SEWARDSTONE ROAD CHINGFORD E4 7RF The Site and Surrounding Area 1 Contents Planning Policy Context 2 The Planning Case 3 Conclusion 4 REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS ADDRESS SEWARDSTONE ROAD CHINGFORD E4 7RF 1. The Site and Surrounding Area Surrounding area 1.1 The site is located Sewardstone Road, within Waltham Abbey area in the administrative boundaries of Epping Forest District Council. The area has scattered development, within a predominantly rural setting. The King George V Reservoir and Sewardstone Marsh form the boundary to the west. Sewardstone Road is lined with trees and established hedges. Within the wider setting there is a Grade II Listed Building, Sewardstone Lodge, however the proposal site is not considered to be part of the setting for this designated heritage asset. 1.2 Most of the neighbouring buildings are modern domestic houses or agricultural buildings. To the north of the site, and just visible form the courtyard is a 1950s bungalow. The prevailing pattern of development is with properties facing the road, unlike Luthers which sits side on with its amenity garden lying to the south and the rear courtyard lying to the north, where ther are existing cottages and a large garage capable of housing 3-4 cars. Image 1 - Aerial View REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS ADDRESS SEWARDSTONE ROAD CHINGFORD E4 7RF The Host Property and Grade II* Listed Building 1.3 The main house is an attractive, two storey dwelling set within its own grounds. Attached to this are later additions, including a pool house, and another single storey extension which connects to an older circa 19th century two storey brick built building which was part of the original listed farmstead. This two storey building contains two cottages, which are permanently legally demised to remain within the ownership of the Luther Farm estate. 1.4 The main building Luthers within the property is large two storey dwelling with the attached outbuildings described above form a type of courtyard to the rear of the host property, but will in essence from the front courtyard for the proposed development and the existing cottages. The listed building description provides the following summary: 1.5 ‘Substantially early C19. Colourwashed brick, hipped Welsh slated roof. Incorporates earlier house on lower site, now built up. 2 storeys, wide eaves cornice, 5 sash windows with glazing bars in reveals with blind shades, Doric porch in centre, half glazed 2 fold door with octagonal fielded panels. Shutters, louvered, to 1st floor windows. Largely unaltered interior with carved marble (? Italian) chimneypieces, Said to retain some timber framework from an earlier house on this site.’ 1.6 The property is set within a large garden which lies to the south of the main house, and has its own vehicular access also to the south/east. There is another vehicular access on the north side of the house which serves as access to the other buildings within the site, the central courtyard, and the proposed development. 1.7 To the west of the main house a Walled Garden and a small orchard previously existed. This means the west side of the plot was not considered to be a private garden reserved only for the use of the main house Luthers, and was historically a working area that was used by all members of the working farm staff and its owners. This is relevant to the design and location of the openings that are facing towards the west and that part of the garden in the proposed development. The walls of the garden removed around the 1930s. REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS ADDRESS SEWARDSTONE ROAD CHINGFORD E4 7RF The Lost Coach House Building 1.8 The former coach house founded part of the working farms central collection of buildings. It was taken down due to structural failure in the 1990s, in particular bowing walls and the collapse of part of the roof. It can be evidenced that the building was sited at the gable end of the two-storey building and the foundations and part of the walls also remain (for further details please see the Heritage Statement by Janice Gooch). The oldest OS map indicates that the coach house building also overlooked the Walled Garden to the east of the farm buildings, this was the working part of the garden. the use of the building was residential at first floor level with ancillary storage of vehicles/horse and cart at ground floor level. 1.9 It was a two storey building with a walk through arch in the middle and windows facing into the front courtyard and some openings towards the west. Unfortunately, there are no reliable historic photographs that provide a full elevation to allow replication of the lost structure. Image 2 - Listed Building Maps REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS ADDRESS SEWARDSTONE ROAD CHINGFORD E4 7RF REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS ADDRESS SEWARDSTONE ROAD CHINGFORD E4 7RF 2. Planning Policy Context 2.1 There are a number of national and local planning policies relevant to this planning application. These are set out below. Section38(6) of the town and Country Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) states that if regard is to be had to the development plan for the purpose of any determination to be made under the planning Acts the determination must be made in accordance with the plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Adopted Local Policy 2.2 The adopted Development Plan currently comprises; Epping Forest District Council Adopted Local Plan (1998) and Alterations (2006) 2.3 The relevant policies are set out below: CP1 - Achieving sustainable Development Objectives CP2 - Protecting the Quality of the Rural and Built Environment DBE1 - New Buildings DBE2 - Effect on Neighbouring Property DBE4 - Design in the Green Belt DBE9 - Neighbouring Residential Amenity GB2A - Development in the Green Belt GB7A - Conspicuous Development HC10 - Works to a Listed Building HC12 - Development Affecting the Setting of a Listed Building LL10 - Landscape Retention REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS ADDRESS SEWARDSTONE ROAD CHINGFORD E4 7RF 2.11 Paragraph 134 sets out the five purposes of the Green Belt: it indicates that the fundamental aim of Green belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of the Green Belts are their openness and their permanence. a) To check the unrestricted urban sprawl of large built up areas, b) To prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; c) To assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment d) To preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and e) to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land. 2.12 Paragraph 136 sets out that once established, Green Belt boundaries should only be altered where exceptional circumstances are fully evidenced and justified, through the preparation or updating of plans. 2.13 Paragraph 138 goes on to state that when drawing up or reviewing Green Belt boundaries, the need to promote sustainable patterns of development should be taken into account. Strategic policy-making authorities should consider the consequences for sustainable development of channelling development towards urban areas inside the Green Belt boundary, towards towns and villages inset within the Green Belt or towards locations beyond the outer Green Belt boundary. Where it has been concluded that it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give first consideration to land which has been previously-developed and/or is well-served by public transport. They should also set out ways in which the impact of removing land from the Green Belt can be offset through compensatory improvements to the environmental quality and accessibility of remaining Green Belt land. 2.14 With regard to defining boundaries paragraph 139 states that plans should: a) ensure consistency with the development plan’s strategy for meeting identified requirements for sustainable development; b) not include land which it is unnecessary to keep permanently open; c) where necessary, identify areas of safeguarded land between the urban area and the Green Belt, in order to meet longer-term development needs stretching well beyond the plan period; d) make clear that the safeguarded land is not allocated for development at the present time. Planning permission for the permanent development of safeguarded land should only be granted following an update to a plan which proposes the development; REBUILD OF LOST COACH HOUSE TO FORM 2 X 2 BED DWELLINGS SITE LUTHERS ADDRESS SEWARDSTONE ROAD CHINGFORD E4 7RF Emerging Local Policy 2.4 EDFC are currently in the later stages of preparing and adopting a new Local Plan.