Tove Valley Centre DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT. 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 1

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1 DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 1

2 CONTENTS Page 1.00 INTRODUCTION SITE Location Planning Context Views 1, Views Views Access Flood Risk and Drainage Strategy Services Ecology Landscape Environment Archaeology DESIGN Deign Brief Introduction Design Brief Accommodation Requirement Accommodation Schematic Building Form and Scale Proposed Plan Site Layout Landscape Size Access Materials Entrance Impressions Phasing CONSULTATION Design Access V1_03 Page 2

3 1.00 INTRODUCTION 1.01 This Design and Access Statement has been prepared by Allen Associates Architects Limited to accompany and explain the Planning Application to construct a new church community building for Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship (TVBF) The site of the proposed development is land adjacent to Northampton Road which forms part of the Shires housing estate. Detailed Planning Consent for a new building for Religious and Community purposes was granted March 2000 (ref. S990859P) and the land was acquired by the Baptist Union as part of a Section 106 Agreement. The Planning Permission was renewed in April 2010 (ref. S/2010/0267/EXT) and is current Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship has two congregations, one meeting in Towcester and the other in Weston. The Towcester congregation currently meets in Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School, their original building in Watling Street having been sold for redevelopment as residential use. The Church is now growing and following the appointment of a new minister in 2009 a review of the Northampton Road development was undertaken. The outcome of this review is a renewed commitment to the site however it was decided to reconsider the design of the development to better reflect current requirements and vision. This has lead to the present application Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship has a commitment to serve the community in terms of the Shires Estate, Towcester and the surrounding region. The proposed development seeks to facilitate this and there is now a strong vision and momentum to progress this project. 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 3

4 2.00 SITE 2.01 LOCATION The site is located to the south east corner of the Shires housing estate with the Northampton Road running along side the eastern boundary. It has an area of 0.93 hectares. The Site is uniquely situated in respect of both the Shires estate and Towcester town centre being located approximately 400 metres north along the Northampton Road from the crossroads with Watling Street. Proposals for the nearby Moat Lane redevelopment indicate new buildings and potential access to the east side of Northampton Road some 300 metres to the south of the site. THE SITE PROPOSED MOAT LANE REDEVELOPMENT Fig 01 SITE LOCATION (not to scale) Ordnance Survey Crown Copyright Licence Number NORTH 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 4

5 2.00 SITE (continued) 2.02 PLANNING CONTEXT The site has an extant planning consent for a new building for religious and community purposes. The application history is as follows: Original planning consent ref. S990859P March 2000 Application renewal consent ref. S/2005/0126/P March 2005 Current renewal consent ref. S/2010/0267/EXT April 2010 The use of the site for religious and community purposes is established by the current consent and the site is allocated in the Local Plan for community use. The Towcester Master Plan identifies the need for community facilities and acknowledges the role of the voluntary sector in contributing to this:.there is a view within the town that there is a lack of community facilities, which hinders the encouragement of social cohesion between the community, Such facilities are a key part of the town, providing an alternative evening and weekend venue when retail facilities are closed. The Towcester Masterplan Volume 1 page 104 The Masterplan makes specific reference to the site under Section 12 Community Services and Leisure Facilities: The Shires development off Northampton Road included land for a community use that has never been built. This land has been purchased by Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship for the purposes of building a community facility with the vision that it will serve the town and provide a focus for the life and work of the church. The has been designed in a V-shape that looks towards Easton Neston and the town. The Towcester Masterplan Volume 1 page 105 Proposals for the nearby Moat Lane redevelopment indicate new buildings and potential access to the east side of Northampton Road some 300 metres to the south of the site. (see Fig 1 Site Location). This reinforces the concept of the site relating directly with the town as well as to the Shires Estate. The current proposal was discussed at a meeting with the Head of Strategic Planning (Adrian Colwell) on 14 December 2010 and the response was generally supportive. It was established that there were no conflicts with SNC strategic policies. The current proposal has been subject to formal pre-application advise ref: P/2011/0219/PRM dated October The advice is broadly supportive of the application and amendments to the scheme have been carried out based on recommendations included in the Pre-application Report and further consultation with internal and external consultees. 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 5

6 2.00 SITE (continued) 2.03 VIEWS 1 Views from the meadow. When viewed from the Meadow the site is well screened by maturing hedgerow. The screening is maintained under the current proposals although the possibility of opening up limited glimpses into the site is proposed. This principle is shown on the currently approved scheme. Site Fig 02 VIEW FROM THE MEADOW PATH LOOKING WEST Site Northampton Road Fig 03 VIEW FROM THE MEADOW LOOKING NORTH TOWARDS THE SITE 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 6

7 2.00 SITE (continued) 2.04 VIEWS 2 Views from the Northampton Road. The site is screened from Northampton Road by mature hedging running along side a drainage ditch and including 3 mature trees protected by TPO s. There is currently a view onto the site at the position of the pumping station access. It is proposed to open views onto the site at the position of the new main site access. It is proposed that the existing hedgerow is generally maintained but with openings to allow glimpses onto the site. Site Fig 04 VIEW LOOKING NORTH UP NORTHAMPTON ROAD FROM SOUTH OF SITE Pumping Station Proposed Site Entrance Position Protected Trees Fig 05 VIEW LOOKING ACROSS NORTHAMPTON ROAD TOWARDS THE SITE 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 7

8 2.00 SITE (continued) 2.05 VIEWS 3 Views from inside the site. The north and west site boundaries of the site adjoin the Shires housing estate. The site backs onto the rear and side gardens of houses on Hunt Close and Surtees Way. Private gardens are screened by 1800 mm high close boarded fences and some indigenous hedge planting has grown up on the site in places particularly to the northern boundary. Since the houses are generally facing away from the site it is proposed to maintain, reinforce and extend the existing shrub screening along the whole of these boundaries thus improving screening and privacy. Possible pedestrian access from the Shires Surtees Way Possible pedestrian access from the Shires Hunt Close Pumping Station Northampton Road Fig 06 VIEW LOOKING NORTH FROM THE BOTTOM END (SOUTH) OF THE SITE Northampton Road Possible position of main access to Northampton Road Meadow beyond hedge Possible pedestrian access from the Shires Surtees Way Fig 07 VIEW LOOKING SOUTH FROM THE TOP END (NORTH) OF THE SITE 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 8

9 2.00 SITE (continued) B Potential pedestrian access from the Shires, Hunt Close C Potential pedestrian access from the Shires, Surtees Way Open up views and glimpses of site A Key Access point shown on original Planning Consent Open up views and glimpses of site Open up views and glimpses of site. D Possible pedestrian access from meadow E Key access from Northampton Road Open up views into site Key link to Towcester town centre Fig 08 KEY SITE ISSUES PLAN (NTS) Ordnance Survey Crown Copyright Licence Number NORTH 2.06 ACCESS A and E mark on Fig. 8 above mark potential vehicular and pedestrian access points from Northampton Road. Position A is shown on the current Planning Consent. A and E are positioned to avoid disturbance to the protected trees along this boundary. It will be necessary to form a culvert across the ditch which runs along the west side of Northampton Road. (continued) 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 9

10 2.00 SITE (continued) 2.06 ACCESS (continued) There is a foot path along the eastern side of Northampton Road and this is used by pedestrians walking between the Shires estate and Towcester town centre. It is proposed that pedestrians will access the site at the same position as the proposed vehicular access from Northampton Road. Pedestrian access is also possible from Hunt Close (B) to the north of the site although there is some uncertainty about the ownership of the land between the end of Hunt close and the site. Following advice from the Police Crime Prevention Advisor it has been decided not to peruse this route as a potential site access. Surtees Way acts as a spine road for the Shires development and pedestrian and cycle access to the site from the southern end of Surtees Way (C) is proposed. This gives a link to the Shires estate which avoids using Northampton Road. Position D indicates a potential pedestrian access from the meadow to the south of the site. Although not directly linked to the existing meadow footpath system this access would open up opportunity for more direct pedestrian and cycle links from the site towards the town centre, avoiding the Northampton Road FLOOD RISK AND DRAINAGE STRATEGY The site lies close to the River Tove and the Environment Agency have advised that the flood plain extends to include part of the southern end of the site. The Flood Zone 1 boundary level has been advised as m AOD and this is indicated on Fig 9 below. AKS Ward Limited have been appointed by Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship to provide a Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy to PPS25 in support of the planning application. A separate document Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy ref X is included as part of this planning application. Site levels below Flood Zone 1 are generally to be maintained and the new building located to the north of this level. In order to align with existing road levels and provide safe exit during flood conditions the proposed access drive and footway impinges on the flood level. This is offset by lowering the site level to the south west side of the site. The proposed surface water drainage strategy will utilise SUDS and the flow into the public sewer will be limited to the Greenfield runoff rate SERVICES A public foul water sewer serving the Shires estate crosses the site en route to the adjacent pumping station. See Fig 09 below. The position of this drain further constrains the location of the new building on the site. It is proposed that the new building connects to this drain and a drainage strategy is indicated on the documents submitted by AKS Ward Limited. An electric main serving the adjacent pumping station also crosses the site. Record drawings indicate that this follows the route of the foul sewer. See Fig 09 below. The position of this cable further constrains the location of the new building on the site. 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 10

11 2.00 SITE (continued) Protected Tree Zone 1 Flood plain line Protected Tree Protected Tree PUMPING STATION Fig 09 KEY SITE ISSUES PLAN (NTS) NORTH 2.09 ECOLOGY A Phase 1 Habitat and Protected Species Survey has been prepared by ERAs Consultancy in accordance with Natural England s Standing Advice. This is included as part of the planning application as a separate document dated 1 November No ecological issues have been identified which would adversely affect the proposed development and recommendations included in this survey have been incorporated into the scheme design LANDSCAPE There are 3 mature ash trees on the eastern boundary to Northampton Road. These are protected and will be retained. The hedging to this boundary will also be retained but with a section layed to allow views into the site. 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 11

12 2.00 SITE (continued) Existing hedge supplemented and additional screen planting Protected Tree Zone 1 Flood plain line Existing hedge maintained with opening Protected Tree Existing hedge maintained with opening Hedge screen around pumping station Protected Tree PUMPING STATION Fig 10 KEY SITE ISSUES PLAN (NTS) NORTH 2.10 LANDSCAPE (continued) The hedging to the south boundary will also be retained but with a section laid to allow views into the site. The boundaries to the north and west of the site back onto the gardens of houses on the Shires Estate. It is proposed that the boarded fences to these boundaries are maintained and a zone of screen planting introduced incorporating sections of existing hedge and shrubs. The wire mesh fencing around the pumping station is to be maintained and a zone of screen planting introduced. 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 12

13 2.00 SITE 2.11 ENVIRONMENT The existing extant planning consent includes a condition (16) relating to the provision of an acoustic appraisal for the purposes of defining construction that mitigates against noise breakout. An Environmental Noise Report was carried out by Acoustic Consultants Limited in December 2002 ref 2256/rr/SRP/sm which relates to the currently approved scheme. This report included field measured background noise data and proposed forms of construction which would achieve acceptable noise levels particularly appropriate to the adjacent housing. The Environmental Noise Report has been submitted to South Northants Environmental Protection Department and it is proposed that the field data and sound insulation levels included in this report are applied to the current proposal. Appropriate forms of construction will be developed to conform with the sound requirements. The main auditorium will be fully mechanically ventilated to ensure that it can operate without the need for opening lights. The proposed building shape and orientation differs from the approved scheme however under the present proposal the minimum distance between the building and the northern boundary is approximately equal to that shown currently approved scheme and the minimum distance to the western boundary is slightly greater. A further condition (20) of the existing Planning Consent requires that the building shall not be open before hrs. or used later than hrs. on any day with the exception of religious services. This condition would be appropriate to the presently proposed scheme ARCHAEOLOGY The existing extant planning consent includes a condition (15) relating to the provision of a programme of archaeological investigation work. This condition would be appropriate to the presently proposed scheme. Northamptonshire County Council have confirmed that the condition was applied due to the possible proximity of known remains ( lmordue@northamptonshire.gov.uk 21 October 2011). A copy of the local Monuments records and Events records have been obtained from Northamptonshire County Council. There are no records of any archaeological features and finds or investigative works on the site. The closest reference from Northamptonshire County Council Event/Activity Full Report to the site is on the corner of Hunt Close and Surtees Way - Ref ENN13020 no significant archaeological anomalies. There are other activity records for the Shires estate but no features or finds recorded. Eastern Neston Park is located to the east of Northampton Road and there are Activity Records, Monuments and Listed Buildings within the curtilage. The closest event records are ENN18679 (Grid ref SP ) and ENN18678 (Grid ref SP ) These appear to be watching briefs during works to drainage with nothing reported. Northamptonshire County Council Full Monument Report refers to the Neston Park estate wall (4770/0/11 Grid ref SP ) with bricks dating to circa Records 4770/0/10 refer to earthworks to the drive of Eastern Neston House which followed the line of Graham Hill Road across the Shires Estate. 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 13

14 3.00 DESIGN Design Brief and Use 3.01 DESIGN BRIEF INTRODUCTION Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship (formerly Towcester Baptist Church) has an association with Towcester dating back to 1784 and now has two congregations, one meeting in Towcester and the other in Weston. The Towcester congregation currently meets in Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School, their original building in Watling Street having been sold for redevelopment as residential use. The Church is now growing and following the appointment of a new minister in 2009 a review of the Northampton Road development was undertaken. The outcome of this review is a renewed commitment to the site however it was decided to reconsider the design of the development to better reflect current requirements and vision. This has lead to the present application. An important factor in developing the design is that the facility should serve not only the Shires Estate but also the wider Towcester community. The proposed design concept seeks to reflect this. A general statement has been prepared by the Church and this is included as part of the planning application as a separate document dated 5 December DESIGN BRIEF ACCOMMODATION REQUIREMENT The brief for the new accommodation is to provide the following: Auditorium to accommodate up to 300 people including a platform and full technical facilities. An entrance area, circulation spaces and toilet accommodation which is appropriate to the number of potential users and a space with character in its own right. A Hall seating 130 people. Kitchen Coffee Shop 4 x Multipurpose Meeting Rooms seating 25 people 1 x Multipurpose Meeting Room seating 50 people Crèche Administration Offices. Utility, Storage and Plant space. The brief calls for the external spaces to relate to the internal accommodation potentially being used for: Children s Play area Garden/Quiet area BBQ area The brief also calls for the development to: Relate to the town via access from Northampton Road and the adjacent meadow. Link with the Shires Estate by footpath links 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 14

15 3.00 DESIGN (cont.) 3.03 ACCOMMODATION SCHEMATIC The diagram below (Fig 11) is a pictorial representation of the accommodation requirements illustrating how the various spaces relate to each other. STAGE BAPTISTY HALL KITCHEN AUDITORIUM MEETING MEETING MEETING MEETING STUDIO CRECHE PLANT TOILET ENTRANCE FOYER OFFICE OFFICE Fig 11 BUILDING SCHEMATIC 3.04 BUILDING FORM AND SCALE The massing of the building has been broken down into elements that reflect the scale and shape of the required internal spaces. This enables the roofs on the lower elements to wrap around the larger elements reducing their impact and scale. Breaking the massing down into differing elements allows the building form to be articulated. A form has been developed whereby the building turns around the main auditorium space allowing the north and west elevations to align with the orientation of the housing to the north and west of the site. Smaller scale spaces are positioned within a crescent shaped pitched roof element around the proposed entrance piazza on the south east face of the building. The scale of this element is lower than the conventional two storey houses on the Shire s Estate. Sloping the roof down around the entrance area has the effect of lowering the scale of the building and lessening the impact of the auditorium space behind. The curved form at the entrance is designed to define an external entrance courtyard that gives a transition between the exterior and interior of the building and gives opportunity for external use such as public art. The fan shaped auditorium plan provides the focus required for both Church and more conventional theatrical use. This also acts as a pivot between the two wings containing the meeting rooms and hall. The auditorium rear wall is square as a convex curve would not work acoustically and allows a more straight forward constructional interface. (continued) 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 15

16 3.00 DESIGN (continued) 3.04 BUILDING FORM AND SCALE (continued) The larger scale spaces in the development (Auditorium and Hall) are expressed externally as features but with the smaller scale elements wrapping around them. The floor level of the building is set in relation to the flood plain and car park levels to the south east side of the site. This results in the building being built into the natural slope of the ground on the north and west sides further reducing impact to the housing on these sides of the site PROPOSED PLAN Platform AUDITORIUM Meeting Room Kitchen Entrance Foyer Meeting Room Hall Toilets Office Meeting Room Children External entrance space Defined by low curved eaves Meeting Room Fig 12 PROPOSED PLAN (NTS) see drawing 692/ Design Access V1_03 Page 16

17 3.00 DESIGN (continued) 3.06 SITE LAYOUT The plan form of the building has been developed to provide an open shape towards the main access to the site from Northampton Road and Towcester beyond. N Screen planting Screen planting Bank Protected Tree Bank Screen planting Auditorium Bank Foyer Entrance courtyard Parking Protected Tree Protected Tree Screen planting Parking Entrance from Northampton Road Access from the Shires Fig 11 PROPOSED SITE PLAN (NTS) see drawing 692/15b The main parking area (52 spaces) on the south east side of the site is situated away from adjoining properties on the Shires Estate, which back onto the north and west site boundaries. (continued) 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 17

18 3.00 DESIGN (continued) 3.06 SITE LAYOUT (continued) From the main site entrance on Northampton Road the parking area is landscaped with generous pedestrian zones clearly leading to an entrance courtyard in front of the building main entrance. he building main entrance position is clearly obvious from the main site access. The main site access point from Northampton Road is situated as far south as possible to reinforce the link with Towcester town centre. The access is positioned to avoid protected trees along the Northampton road boundary and is also situated away from the nearby properties on the Shires Estate. The location of the building takes account of services that cross the site and the flood plain. See Fig 10 above. A secondary entrance from the building, which links internally with the main entrance foyer, is located on the west side of the building. This links with proposed pedestrian route from Surtees Way on the Shires Estate. Provision for a secure play areas is located to the south of the Hall. Fig 12 ARTIST IMPRESSION Ariel view from South Design Access V1_03 Page 18

19 3.00 DESIGN (continued) 3.07 LANDSCAPE The scheme includes both formal and more informal natural landscaped elements. The existing trees and hedging facing the Northampton road are largely retain with some management of the hedge and ditch along this boundary. Natural hedging that has grown along the north boundary is to be managed but largely retained to provide screening to the rear of the houses backing onto this boundary. Similar hedging will be introduced along the western boundary to screen the houses backing onto this boundary. Hedging to the south boundary will be retained although it is proposed to remove an short length of this to allow views into the site from the meadow. This will be by agreement with the Local Authority who will have to open up hedging on the meadow side of the boundary. Natural hedge screen planting is proposed around the fencing to the pumping station on the south east corner of the site. The approach to the building from Northampton Road will be more formally landscaped. Parking areas will be permeable paved. The external entrance courtyard and adjoining pedestrian areas on the south east side of the building will be formally landscaped with paving and planted beds. The areas around the north and west side of the building are grassed incorporating a swale dry drainage channel. Fig 13 ARTIST IMPRESSION Ariel view from South Design Access V1_03 Page 19

20 3.00 DESIGN (continued) 3.08 SIZE The approximate site area is 0.93 hectares and the proposed scheme is for a building with gross internal floor area of 1068 sq. meters ACCESS Level access will be provided to the new building and the ground floor is on one level throughout. Disabled car parking spaces are located close to the main entrance and the route from these to the entrance and around the building is not ramped. The Church are developing a Green Travel Plan and this is included as a separate document as part of the Planning Application MATERIALS The walls will predominantly be clay facing brickwork with powder coat paint finished aluminium windows and doors. The roofs will be zinc or similar with concealed gutters. External walls around the stage end of the auditorium will be faced with a light weight powder coat finish aluminium panel system. Elevation toward entrance from South East Elevation from North Elevation from West Fig 14 ARTIST IMPRESSIONS Elevations (not to scale) See drawing 692/18a 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 20

21 3.00 DESIGN (continued) 3.11 ENTRANCE IMPRESSIONS Fig 15 ARTIST IMPRESSION View towards entrance Fig 16 ARTIST IMPRESSION View at entrance 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 21

22 3.00 DESIGN (continued) 3.12 PHASING The Church have been in possession of the site since 2000 and following the recent scheme review are anxious to utilise the resource and commence development at the earliest opportunity. Although there is already a planning consent it is felt that this revised proposal better serves the purpose of the development and better fits the wider Towcester context. It is likely that significant funding will be available however given the current economic situation it is unlikely that this will be sufficient to cover the whole development. It is proposed therefore to phase the project with phase 1 comprising a reduced building and parking area as indicated. Phase 1 Building Fig 17 Phase1 Site Plan (NTS) Fig 18 Phase1 Building Plan (NTS) 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 22

23 4.00 CONSULTATION 4.01 The Church have carried out a number of public consultations both formally and informally. These are scheduled in a separate document submitted as part of this planning application As part of the design development consultation has taken part with the following: South Northamptonshire Council Planning Department Pre-application advice reference P/2011/0219/PRM 5 October 2011 Northamptonshire County Council Northamptonshire Archaeology Liz Mordue; 21 October 2011 Katherine Daws; 7 November 2011 Northamptonshire County Council Highways Rob Sim-Jones; 1 November 2011 South Northamptonshire Council Environmental Protection John Penny; 21 November As part of the Flood Risk Assessment AKS Ward Limited have consulted with: The Environment Agency 692 Design Access V1_03 Page 23