Stage 2 Urban Design Study: Tall Buildings Submission version LDF evidence base May 2011 Wandsworth Stage 2 Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings Stage 2 Urban Design Study - Tall Buildings 1 Introduction 4 Background 4 Areas for further analysis 6 Methodology 7 2 Detailed Area Studies 8 Wandsworth Town Centre 8 Policy Context 8 Urban Characterisation 10 Transport 14 Development opportunities 14 Findings and policy recommendations 14 Clapham Junction Town Centre 18 Policy Context 18 Urban Characterisation 19 Transport 24 Development opportunities 24 Findings and policy recommendations 26 Putney Town Centre and Putney Wharf Focal Point 28 Policy Context 28 Urban Characterisation 29 Transport 33 Development opportunities 33 Findings and policy recommendations 34 Balham Town Centre 36 Policy Context 36 Wandsworth Stage 2 Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings Urban Characterisation 36 Transport 40 Development opportunities 40 Findings and policy recommendations 40 Tooting Town Centre 42 Policy Context 42 Urban Characterisation 42 Transport 46 Development opportunities 46 Findings and policy recommendations 46 Nine Elms near Vauxhall 48 Policy Context 48 Urban Characterisation 48 Transport 52 Development opportunities 52 Findings and policy recommendations 53 Wandsworth Riverside Quarter Focal Point and Wandle Delta Proposed Focal Point 55 Policy Context 55 Urban Characterisation 55 Transport 59 Development opportunities 59 Findings and policy recommendations 59 Ransomes Dock Focal Point 61 Policy Context 61 Urban Characterisation 61 Transport 65 Development opportunities 65 Wandsworth Stage 2 Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings Findings and policy recommendations 65 Battersea Power Station Proposed Focal Point 67 Policy Context 67 Urban Characterisation 67 Transport 71 Development opportunities 71 Findings and policy recommendations 71 3 Borough-wide tall building characterisation 74 4 Assessment of Tall Buildings Proposals 76 Introduction 76 Sustainable construction and credibility of design 76 Infrastructure 77 Effect on historic context, local environment, and relationship to context 77 Contributions to townscape and public space 78 Accessibility 79 Maintenance and Management 80 5 Policy Recommendations 81 Wandsworth Stage 2 Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings 1 Introduction 1.1 This report presents the second phase in the development of a strategy for Tall Buildings in Wandsworth. It builds on the work which was undertaken as part of the Stage 1 Urban Design Statement (2009), which identified broad areas where tall buildings may be appropriate. The Stage 2 Urban Design Study - Tall Buildings, further tests and refines the assessment of those areas where tall buildings may be appropriate, to provide locational guidance for tall building development within these broad locations. This work will feed into the consideration of a site's appropriateness for tall buildings in the Site Specific Allocations Document (SSAD). 1.2 In addition to the detailed analysis of areas that may be appropriate for tall buildings, this report considers the prevailing height of development in the rest of the borough, where tall buildings are likely to be inappropriate, in order to determine what will be considered a ‘tall building’ in different contexts. 1.3 Finally, the report sets out detailed considerations for the assessment of tall buildings, to raise the standard of tall building development in the borough. This will guide policy to be included in the Development Management Policies Document (DMDP). Background 1.4 Best practice guidance published by English Heritage (EH) and Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) advises that local authorities should carry out a detailed urban design study to inform the process of identifying locations where tall buildings would and would not be appropriate. Wandsworth’s approach has been to formulate Core Strategy policy for tall buildings on the basis of a high level urban design analysis. 1.5 The high level urban design analysis drew on a range of urban design material prepared by the Council and identified broad locations which may be suitable for tall buildings. The Stage 1 Study also supported the overall rationale that generally throughout much of the borough, tall buildings are likely to be considered inappropriate. 1.6 The tall buildings policy was debated at the Examination, and the Policy as amended by the Inspector's binding report, and now contained within the adopted Core Strategy, reads as follows: "Policy IS3 d. Tall buildings, that is those which are substantially taller than the prevailing height of neighbouring buildings and/or which significantly change the skyline, may be appropriate in the borough's town centres, Nine Elms near Vauxhall or Putney Wharf, Wandsworth Riverside Quarter, Wandle Delta, Ransomes Dock and Battersea Power Station focal points of activity (as illustrated on Map 16). Some locations 4 Wandsworth Stage 2 Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings within these areas will be sensitive to, or inappropriate for, tall buildings. Applications for tall buildings will need to justify themselves in terms of the benefits they may bring for regeneration, townscape and public realm and be of high architectural quality, respect local context and the historic environment. Tall buildings are likely to be inappropriate in other areas. Detailed criteria for the assessment of tall buildings, consideration of the appropriateness of tall buildings on individual sites, and the heights at which buildings will be considered 'tall' on individual sites will be contained in the Development Management Policies Document and Site Specific Allocations Document. e. Views of the Westminster World Heritage Site will be protected in accordance with the London Plan and the London View Management Framework." 1.7 The broad locations identified in Policy IS3 are further assessed in section 2 of this report. 5 Wandsworth Stage 2 Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings Areas for further analysis 1.8 The Stage 1 Urban Design Study identified the following locations as locations which may be suitable for tall buildings. There are some locations within these areas which may be sensitive to, or inappropriate for, tall buildings. Wandsworth Town Centre Clapham Junction Town Centre Putney Town Centre and Putney Wharf Focal Point Balham Town Centre Tooting Town Centre Nine Elms near Vauxhall Wandsworth Riverside Quarter Focal Point and Wandle Delta Proposed Focal Point Ransomes Dock Focal Point Battersea Power Station Proposed Focal Point Nine Elms Battersea Locations where Tall Buildings may be Appropriate Power near Vauxhall nStatio Ransomes Dock Town Centre Focal Point Proposed focal point Nine Elms near Vauxhall Wandsworth Riverside Putney Wharf Quarter Clapham Putney Wandle Delta Junction Wandsworth Balham Tooting 6 Wandsworth Stage 2 Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings Methodology Detailed Area Studies 1.9 The detailed area studies of the broad locations identified above have been carried out using the following methodology: Policy review - The relevant Core Strategy policies have been reviewed and summarised in relation to each area. The London View Management Framework and Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area Planning Framework have been reviewed for implications in relation to strategic views and building heights. Street level audits - Site visits of each of the broad locations were undertaken to analyse urban form and character and determine logical study area boundaries. The assessment included consideration of opportunities and constraints such as existing built form, listed buildings, conservation areas and other relevant considerations. Analysis of aerial photography and GIS data - Desk based analysis was used to complement information obtained from the street level audits. Borough-wide tall building characterisation 1.10 Core Strategy Policy IS3d states that in the remainder of the borough (i.e. outside the town centres, focal points of activity and Nine Elms near Vauxhall) tall buildings are likely to be inappropriate. It is necessary to have an understanding of what constitutes a tall building in the remainder of the borough, and this report provides this information which is not only based on a characterisation of prevailing heights, but provides an analysis of how past developments which have proved to be an unsatisfactory model, could potentially be improved by redevelopment. Tall Building Assessment Guidance and Policy Recommendations 1.11 The information obtained through both the detailed area studies and the borough-wide tall building characterisation exercise has informed development of the final phase of work, which includes application checklists and concludes with policy recommendations for inclusion in the DMPD and SSAD. 7 Wandsworth Stage 2 Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings 2 Detailed Area Studies 2.1 This section contains a Detailed Area Study for each of the areas identified as potentially suitable for tall buildings. The analysis begins with a description of the locality and its policy context. A detailed urban characterisation then describes the historic environment, including listed buildings and conservation areas, landmark buildings, open space, topography, proximity to residential areas and other relevant information. Transport to and from the area is then discussed, followed by development opportunities. The final section draws on the information in the urban characterisation to consider the form of development appropriate for the area, and whether sites