Design and Access Statement 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA 626.P.101.01 rev P3 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA Design and Access Statement Rivington Street Studio Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Executive summary 3.0 The brief and context 4.0 Existing site and buildings 5.0 Consultation 6.0 Development proposals 7.0 Environment and sustainability 8.0 Transport 9.0 Accessibility 10.0 Appendices Revisions: P1 14.08.14 Draft issue for comment P2 15.08.14 Report updated P3 15.08.15 Section 6.5 updated to reflect LBR comments of 22.09.14 P4 11.09.15 Report updated to reflect revised submission scheme Rivington Street Studio 23 Curtain Road Shoreditch London EC2A 3LT T: 020 7739 8945 E: [email protected] W:www.rivingtonstreetstudio.co.uk 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA Design and Access Statement Rivington Street Studio Aerial view of the site and its surroundings, site boundary marked in red 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This document accompanies, and is an integral part of, the planning application to redevelop the site of the former British Queen public house, at: 63 New Wanstead London E11 2SA 1.2 The proposal detailed in this planning application is to renovate, extend and convert the existing pub into four self-contained flats; and to construct a new building containing a further eight self-contained flats. 1.3 This report has been prepared on behalf of the applicant by Rivington Street Studio Architects. Rivington Street Studio is a medium size RIBA chartered practice based in Shoreditch, East London. It has a portfolio of award winning projects in the housing and education sectors and an exemplary record in securing planning permission for clients in many London boroughs. 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA Design and Access Statement Rivington Street Studio 2.0 Executive summary 2.1 This application follows on directly from application 2908/14, which was recommended for approval by officers in May 2015 but subsequently rejected at committee. The proposals are substantially the same as those recommended for approval, however elevational treatments have been redesigned to address members’ concerns voiced at the committee meeting. 2.2 The site of the application is currently occupied by a Victorian pub building and car park. The surrounding area is residential. The restaurant business occupying the pub is in commercial difficulties, and the continuing A3 use of the site is unpopular with neighbours and has accrued negative planning history. 2.3 The application proposes regeneration of the site via change of use to residential to match its surroundings. 2.4 The existing pub building is not Listed but is of architectural interest, being characterful and rich in historic detail. It is to be retained, sensitively restored to modern standards and adapted into residential units, protecting it for future generations. 2.5 Street frontage adjacent the pub is currently interrupted by a Tarmac car park to its side. It is proposed to complete this frontage with a new residential building of high quality, which makes a positive contribution to the surrounding streetscape. 2.6 The new building will use height, setback and materials derived from neighbouring buildings to resolve differences in scale and appearance between them, while retaining its own integrity as a contemporary building. 2.7 The proposed development is in line with latest industry best practice and statutory design standards in all categories of environmental performance, accommodation and accessibility, and aims to provide a desirable, safe and friendly living environment for its future inhabitants. Planning proposals map, site ringed in red at top centre 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA Design and Access Statement Rivington Street Studio 3.0 The brief and context 3.1 aims and objectives 3.1.1 Redevelop an unviable commercial site into high quality residential accommodation which makes a positive contribution to the surrounding street environment and residential area 3.1.2 Improve quality of street frontage, by filling an incongruous gap and mediating between differences in scale, material and massing of neighbouring buildings to each side 3.1.3 Preserve a characterful Victorian building for future generations through sensitive restoration and conversion 3.1.4 Utilise a simple palette of attractive, high quality materials, detailed carefully to be durable and age gracefully; 3.1.5 Provide internal spaces that are well proportioned with good natural daylighting and ventilation; 3.1.6 Create a sustainable development that is “lean, green and clean”, by reusing and upgrading existing building fabric, and following latest industry best practice in new fabric design, services strategy and materials use 3.1.7 Improve the site’s ecology value by introducing carefully-designed landscape planting and wildlife habitats Legend for map, left 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA Design and Access Statement Rivington Street Studio 3.2 planning context 3.2.1 The site is not in a Conservation Area, Architectural Priority Zone or Area Action Plan zone. 3.2.2 The Central Line railway cutting at the rear of the site is designated as a Green Corridor. 3.2.3 The site is adjacent to the SN09 housing development opportunity site (which has already been developed). 3.2.4 The British Queen is not locally or nationally Listed. 3.2.5 Planning history and proposed change of use – the proposed development will require a change of use for the site from A3 (Restaurants and café) to C3 (Dwelling house). Recent years have seen much negative planning history, with enforcement actions and refusal of A3 development proposals, including: • 2013 - Planning enforcement - E0567/13 – Operational Development • 2007 - Planning enforcement - E0321/07 – Operational Development • 2006 - Full planning application - 0457/06 - Planning refusal The site’s car park has been the subject of three enforcement injunctions for operational development in the last 7 years. A proposal to expand the public house was refused due to neighbour complaints and concerns over intensification of its A3 use. Coupled with ongoing commercial difficulties being suffered by the site’s operators, it is considered that the current use of the site is incompatible with its off-pitch/ residential context and is limiting wider attempts to regenerate the area. However a residential-led redevelopment does appear to be both consistent with local planning goals and viable. 3.2.6 Loss of community facility – the site is currently designated as a “community facility”. The change of use entailed by this application would necessitate loss of this facility. This issue has been fully discussed and a Statement of Justification provided as part of the pre- application process – please see appendix for further details. Panoramic street view of the site showing existing pub, gap in frontage, and neighbouring buildings 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA Design and Access Statement Rivington Street Studio Satellite photograph of site and surroundings 4.0 Existing site and buildings 4.1 New Wanstead leads from the A12 Leytonstone roundabout directly into the centre of Wanstead itself. It is a wide and busy road. The built context is heterogeneous, featuring buildings of a variety of building ages and styles which address the street with a variety of setbacks and rooflines. 4.2 The L-shaped site is approximately 960 m2 in total and consists of the original pub building (now the Queens British Steakhouse), outbuildings and car park to the side. It backs onto the LU Central Line railway which passes in an open cutting. 4.3 The original pub is a fine two storey Victorian red brick building with a pitched clay tile roof. It is rich in characterful detail, featuring half-timbered gable ends and a symmetrical front elevation, with bay windows sitting underneath swooping roof overhangs, along with a side elevation canopy. 4.4 Having recently passed through a number of hands, the former British Queen pub is now operating as a steakhouse restaurant. It is laid out with customer area and open kitchen on the ground floor, with customer WC’s to the rear. The first floor accommodates a prep kitchen, office, WC and 2-bed staff flat. Total internal area is approximately 220 m2. 4.5 There is a shared vehicular access to the north of the property (East Row) which provides access to the rear of the steakhouse (with some small outbuildings/ extension), a four unit, two storey social housing block at the rear of the site and access to the neighbouring property at no.61. 4.6 The car park occupies the deepest part of the site, and has an existing vehicular crossover at the southern corner. It is flat, surfaced in Tarmac and bounded by a brick wall. 4.7 The south edge of the site faces a three storey block of flats (Mapperley Close), which has bathrooms and habitable rooms behind a rendered elevation with a flat roof. 4.8 The site is surrounded at the rear and side by large mature trees, although none reside within its demise. 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA Design and Access Statement Rivington Street Studio View south along New Wanstead with existing pub in foreground Panoramic view from existing pub car park of Mapperley Close building adjacent and mature trees to the rear of the site Existing rear elevation of the pub with utility outbuildings 63 New Wanstead, London E11 2SA Design and Access Statement Rivington Street Studio 5.0 Consultation 5.1 Proposals for redeveloping the site were discussed with LB Redbridge at three formal pre- application meetings. Following each meeting the design was