Squire and Partners Chelsea Barracks Phase 1 Design and Access Statement 11041 07 February 2014 2 Contents 1.0 Introduction 4.0 Design Principles and Evolution 6.0 Accessibility, Social Inclusion and Safety 1.1 Executive Summary 4.1 Development Brief 6.1 Introduction 1.2 Phasing Plan 4.2 Design Vision and Objectives ` 6.2 Transport 1.3 Content Of This Submission 4.3 Key Design Rationale 6.3 Approaches to Buildings 1.4 Overview and Structure of Document 4.4 Alternatives and Design Evolution 6.4 Approaches to Dwellings 1.5 Consented Masterplan 6.5 Circulation within Dwellings 5.0 The Scheme 6.6 Access for Emergency Vehicles 2.0 Site - Context and Appraisal 5.1 Overview of the Proposed Development 6.7 Safety and Security 2.1 Site Location 5.2 Quantum of Proposals 2.2 Site Description 5.3 Use 7.0 Appendix 2.3 Site Photographs 5.4 Scale, Height and Massing 7.1 Mayor’s Housing Standards 2.4 Surrounding Land Uses 5.5 Layout 7.2 Access Statement 2.5 Environmental Analysis 5.6 Site Access and Circulation 7.3 Visualisations 2.6 Prospect, Aspect and Legibility 5.7 Residential Mix 7.4 Relevant Previous Experience 2.7 Surrounding Scale, Character and Materials 5.8 Building Character and Appearance 7.5 Client and Professional Team 2.8 Site Constraints 5.9 Landscape and Public Realm 7.6 Drawing List 5.10 Parking, Servicing and Refuse 7.7 Planning Application Drawings 3.0 Consultation and Community Involvement 5.11 Site Management 3.1 Introduction 5.12 Highways and Pedestrian Realm Strategy 3.2 Statutory Consultation 5.13 Key Sustainability and Renewable Energy Commitments 3.3 Community and Stakeholder Consultation 5.14 Adherence to Parameter Plans 3 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Executive Summary 1.1.1 This document relates to the development of buildings 1, 2 and 3 within the proposed masterplan for the redevelopment of the former Chelsea Barracks. 1.1.2 The proposed buildings respond to the principles underpinning the masterplan concept and have been developed with reference to the parameter plans and design code approved by the hybrid planning permission. 1.1.3 The design was established by setting design principles and developing these into design concepts. The scheme evolved through consultation with the design team, the Local Authority, Statutory Consultees, key stakeholders and the local community resulting in the proposed development which is described in detail in this document. 1.1.4 Buildings 1, 2 and 3 are to be residential buildings providing a total of 74 private residential units. The buildings sit within landscape proposals already consented as part of the masterplan. Entrance to car parking and site servicing will be incorporated into Building 3. 1.1.5 The buildings occupy a location on the corner of the former Chelsea Barracks site at the junction of Chelsea Bridge Road and Pimlico Road. 1.1.6 The building designs have been developed in accordance with the principles of the masterplan. It also achieves the key requirements of the development brief for major new buildings for Project Blue in the UK. Fig 1 - Illustrative Image from Junction of Pimlico Road and Chelsea Bridge Road 4 1.2 Phasing Plan 1.2.1 Building 1, 2 and 3 will represent Phase 1 of the development. 1.2.2 Phase 1 and the remainder of the development phases as currently envisaged are shown on the Phasing Plan at Fig. 2 which has been submitted to Westminster City Council for approval. 1.3 Content Of This Submission 1.3.1 This Reserved Matters application will therefore be concerned with the siting, design, access and landscaping of Phase 1 to the extent not approved by the hybrid planning permission. 1.3.2 This application seeks approval for the following Reserved Matters in phase 1: - The siting, design and external appearance of the buildings; - Vehicular and pedestrian accesses to the buildings and the servicing and parking arrangements; - Details of the landscaping proposals immediately adjacent to and in-between blocks 1 and 2, and 2 and 3, where not approved previously. Fig 2 - Masterplan - Phasing Plan 5 1.4 Overview and Structure Of Document 1.4.1 This document explains and justifies the masterplan proposals for: • Three residential buildings providing a total of 74 units; • 26,250 square metres (m2) of residential floorspace including ancillary residential spa facility at basement level; • 272 square metres of Use Class A1/A2/A3 retail use in building 1; • 10,360 square metres of ancillary parking, circulation, servicing and shared plant. 1.4.2 This Design and Access Statement describes the design process for Phase 1 of the development of the Chelsea Barracks masterplan and adopts the format recommended by the Commission of Architecture and the Built Environment guidance, Design and Access Statements: How to write, read and use them (2006). 1.4.3 This document also complies with the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2010 (“DMPO”) and the guidance in the Department of Communities and Local Government Circular 01/06; as well Greater London Authority’s (“GLA”) documents: The London Plan, Accessible London: Achieving an Inclusive Environment of the London Plan Supplementary Planning Guidance (April 2004), the Mayor of London Access Statement Content Guidance. 1.4.4 It has also been written following Westminster City Council’s Guidance: Westminster City Council Guidance Note on Design and Access Statements, Westminster City Council Inclusive Design and Access Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Design and Access Statement. 1.4.5 In this document, Section 2.0 outlines the Site for Phase 1 and Building 1 Building 2 Building 3 its relationship to the masterplan and adjacent context. Section 3.0 outlines the approach to and process of statutory and public consultation. Section 4.0 describes the development brief, strategic aims and influences for the proposed buildings. Section 5.0 discusses layout, amount, appearance, use, landscaping and scale of the development proposals and is accompanied by an overview of issues such as typology, servicing and pedestrian movement. Section 6.0 incorporates an Access Statement prepared by Jayne Earnscliffe. 1.4.6 Please note all figures, computer generated images (CGI) and illustrations are for illustrative purposes only and only those drawings listed in appendix 7.6 are submitted for planning consent. Fig 3 - Illustrative Plan Showing Reserved Matters Application Within Masterplan 6 1.5 Consented Masterplan 1.5.1 The former barracks site is located on a 5.18 hectare (ha) triangular piece of land bordered by Chelsea Bridge Road, Pimlico Road, and Ebury Bridge Road, and its Northern boundary abuts residential gardens to houses on Bloomfield Terrace, Ranelagh Grove, and St Barnabas Street. 1.5.2 The site also includes 107A Pimlico Rd, which currently has sited on it a warehouse building accessible by Dove Walk. Taken together, the area of the hybrid planning permission boundary comprised 5.30 ha. 1.5.3 The site lies entirely within the boundary of Westminster City Council (“WCC”). Chelsea Bridge Road forms the boundary between WCC and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (“RBKC”). 1.5.4 The aim of the masterplan was to provide a scheme for the former Chelsea Barracks site that relates in a constructive and sympathetic manner to its location in the city. 1.5.5 The masterplan identified that London has had a distinctive growth pattern, leading to a loose structure broadly based around historic villages and the ownership pattern of the great estates. It is these great estates that have produced memorable domestic urban environments, usually centred on a garden square. 1.5.6 The structure of the traditional city makes use of a simple palette of public and private spaces – streets, squares, crescents, mews, courts, etc. 1.5.7 The site provides an opportunity to re-examine these distinctive urban elements and create a new, modern ‘great estate’ to make an environment that links to and repairs the surrounding areas. In order to do this, the masterplanners have examined the immediate context as well as codifying the urban types that might be relevant. Fig 4 - Illustrative View Of Masterplan 7 1.5.8 The proposed masterplan is intended to create a variety of streets and spaces accommodating a mix of uses and activities, which will seamlessly connect this area of London to the existing urban pattern. 1.5.9 The following list sets out the key aspirations identified by the Community masterplan team and agreed during the public consultation: Gardens Orchard Square • A permeable layout of streets and spaces • Diversity of scale and character Garrison Square • Balance between building height, footprint and viability • Recognition of the historic axis of Ranelagh Grove • Houses on the rear boundary • Retention of the Garrison Chapel • Views of St Barnabas’ spire Bourne Square Ebury Bridge • Orientation of public spaces to sun and wind Square • Water courses as a memory of the Westbourne river • Servicing and car access at street level • An exemplar of sustainable development. Bourne Walk Entry Square Garden Square Fig 5 - Illustrative Masterplan - Open Spaces 8 1.5.10 The Design Code was submitted as part of the planning application for the masterplan at Chelsea Barracks and contains descriptive and technical ‘rules’ for future development on the site. 1.5.11 The Design Code sets out a Design Vision for the masterplan as well as describing the ‘fixed’ aspects of the masterplan and the ‘flexible’ elements. 1.5.12 Subjects covered in the document include the layout of buildings, routes, open spaces, access points, scale of buildings, landscaping and appearance of buildings. 1.5.13 The parameter plans illustrate flexible constraints regarding the size and location of buildings within the masterplan using a variety of coded drawings.