Committee Date: 02/10/2014 Application Number: 2014/05637/PA Accepted: 07/08/2014 Application Type: Full Planning Target Date: 02/10/2014 Ward: Nechells Land at Cardigan Street / Belmont Row / Gopsal Street, Eastside, Birmingham, B4 7RJ Proposed realignment of Belmont Row and Gopsal Street, upgrades to Cardigan Street, new landscaping and demolition of lean to extensions at the Lock keepers Cottage Applicant: Agent: Goodman Eastside Locks (UK) Limited Arlington House, Arlington Business Park, Theale, Berkshire, RG7 4SA Recommendation Approve Subject To Conditions 1. Proposal 1.1. This application is for full planning permission for the infrastructure associated with the Eastside Locks development. The scheme is consistent with and a progression of the scheme approved at outline stage and proposes the following: Re-alignment and consequential stopping up of Belmont Row, Penn Street and Gopsal Street to provide development plots Formation of building plots on Plot C and provision of an interim landscaped solution Demolition of single storey elements of the former Lock Keeper s Cottage Creation of Arrival Square and Pound Square including lighting, landscaping and high quality street furniture Upgrading of Cardigan Street, Gopsal Street and Belmont Row footways 1.2. A Design and Access Statement and detailing drawings including hardworks plans, a lighting strategy, materials palette and details of the S278 highway works have been provided in support of this application. Proposed Layout Plan Pound Square Details 2. Site & Surroundings Page 1 of 7
2.1. The application site consists of the existing and proposed highways, part of Plot C and the Lock Keeper s Cottage (locally listed Grade B) within the 7.6 hectare Eastside Locks redevelopment. The site broadly slopes down from north to south and is currently partly occupied by the compounds and construction accesses for the Alumno student housing and BCU Campus schemes. 2.2. Within the wider Eastside Locks site there are a number of locally listed buildings/structures including the extensively fire-damaged Belmont Works (Grade A), Ashted Row Canal locks/basin/tunnel (all Grade B) and the Ashted Row Pumping Station (Grade C). The Warwick Bar Conservation Area runs through the centre/east of the wider site along the Digbeth Branch Canal, with some elements of highway changes and demolition works associated with the current application proposals within the Conservation Area. The Grade II listed Moby Dick Public House no longer sits within the Eastside Locks Development as this has been included within the BCU Phase 2 redevelopment. 2.3. The wider area is in a mixture of uses including BCU Phase 1 building (Birmingham Institute of Art and Design) to the west with Millennium Point beyond. A relatively newly constructed multi-storey car park is situated to the immediate north of the BCU building. The Eastside City Park connects the wider development site with the City Centre, passing in front of Millennium Point. The BCU phase two building is currently under construction between Plot C and Curzon Street to the south. Student accommodation is located on the corner of Lawley Middleway and Curzon Street with largely residential dwellings situated to the east of the Middleway. The site of the proposed City Centre Station for the new High Speed 2 rail link is situated to the southwest on the opposite side of Curzon Street. Location Street View 3. Planning History 3.1. 05.12.2008-2008/02942/PA Mixed-use redevelopment of land at Eastside Locks for up to 143,350 sq. m new floorspace comprising offices (including technology and Small-Medium Enterprises) (Classes B1(a) and B1(b)), residential with undercroft parking (Class C3), hotel with ancillary bar/restaurant, fitness suite and conferencing facilities (Class C1), retail/offices/restaurants/bars (Classes A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5), multi-storey car park (sui generis) creating a total of 1,653 car parking spaces within the development as a whole. Approved. 3.2. 05.12.2008 2008/05242/PA Demolition of buildings, walls and structures (either in part or in whole) within the Warwick Bar Conservation area within Eastside Locks, including the demolition of 76 and 78 Belmont Row, and north light shed sub-station building, walls and other minor demolitions at the former CWS engineering building (Co-op) Belmont Row and alterations and minor demolitions to the main building, in connection with outline application for mixed-use redevelopment of land for up to 143,350 sqm of new floorspace (C/02942/08/OUT). Approved. 3.3. 19.01.2009 2008/05241/PA - Reserved matters application for Plot B, regarding appearance, landscaping, layout and scale, in connection with the erection of a new hotel, the refurbishment/re-use of the Co-op building for Use Classes A1-A5, B1(a) and B1(b), (retail; financial and professional services; restaurants and cafes; Page 2 of 7
drinking establishments; hot food takeaways; business) associated internal courtyard and boundary railings/gates. Approved. 3.4. 05.05.2009-2009/ 00308/PA Section 73 application for variation of conditions B1, B3-5, B7-9, B11, B12, B14-17, C6, C7, C9, C10, C13, C16-19; and deletion of conditions B2, B6 and C3 attached to planning application C/02942/08/OUT. Approved. 3.5. 07.02.2014 2013/08194/PA Approval - Reserved Matters Application for the erection of a five storey office building (B1a) with associated basement car parking and a ground floor restaurant/café (A3) together with landscaping pursuant to outline application 2009/00308/PA. 3.6. 07.02.2014-2014/08196/PA Approval - Reserved Matters application for the erection of a four storey office building (B1a) with associated basement car parking and landscaping pursuant to outline application 2009/00308/PA 3.7. 21.03.2014 2013/09485/PA Approval - Development to provide student residential accommodation (Sui Generis), retailing floorspace (Classes A1 and/or A3) and commercial floorspace (Use Class B1) with associated car parking, landscaping, amenity space and highway works 4. Consultation/PP Responses 4.1. Transportation Development Raises no objection subject to conditions relating to the S278 agreement and the designs of the two squares. 4.2. Site Notices Posted. Ward Members and local occupiers consulted without response. 5. Policy Context 5.1. Birmingham Unitary Development Plan 2005; the draft Birmingham Development Plan; Places for All (2001) SPG and the National Planning Policy Framework 2012. The site is one of 26 designated sites within the City Centre s Enterprise Zone, partly within the Warwick Barr Conservation Area and contains locally listed buildings. 6. Planning Considerations 6.1. The key material considerations are design, heritage implications and highway matters. DESIGN 6.2. The proposals demonstrate how a high quality public realm, including two squares would be delivered. Pavements would be enhanced throughout Eastside Locks to a paved rather than tarmac finish. The fundamental design of the proposed public realm remains as per the consented outline 2009 scheme, but has been refined and developed further. 6.3. In addition, and on the recommendation of the City s Landscape Officer, I recommend further conditions to ensure that the quality of the public realm envisaged within the supporting documentation is delivered. 6.4. I therefore raise no design-based objections to the proposals. Page 3 of 7
HERITAGE 6.5. The site is partly within the Conservation Area and includes the demolition of part of the locally listed former lock keeper s cottage (a single storey kitchen structure and a single storey room on the canal-side elevation). The pumping station, glassworks and pillbox (on the monuments record) and the locally listed Belmont Works are not within the application site. 6.6. The demolition works would remove previous extensions/structures that detract from the appearance of the cottage and are of little historic merit. The demolition works, subject to a suitable scheme of making good, will have a positive impact upon the character of the Conservation Area. 6.7. In terms of the impact upon the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, the proposed road and square represent an evolution of the scheme consented in 2009. The design of Arrival and Pound Squares has responded to the completion of Eastside City Park with the use of granite and bespoke lighting columns. This would enhance the appearance of the Conservation Area and the setting of the adjacent locally listed buildings. I note that the Design and Access Statement makes reference to potential viewing platforms onto the locks. Whilst there may be benefits associated with limited visual connections between the street and the canal environment the distinct character of the canal environment which is very separate from the upper level must be carefully managed. I therefore recommend a condition requiring prior approval of all boundary treatments around the site. 6.8. I conclude that the proposals would have a positive impact upon the character and appearance of heritage assets within and around the site, subject to suitable safeguarding conditions. HIGHWAY IMPACT 6.9. The application provides a detailed scheme to support the stopping up of Penn Street and parts of Belmont Row and Gopsal Street to enable the realignment works. The scheme is as per the previous outline approval but adds further details necessary in order to undertake the stopping up of these roads. Transportation Development raises no objection in principle but recommends various conditions to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the highway. I note that additional details must be provided and additional work such as safety audits and a survey of underground services, which may result in minor changes to the scheme, need to be undertaken. I therefore raise no objections on a highway basis and have recommended suitable safeguarding conditions. 7. Conclusion 7.1. The proposals would deliver a high quality public realm, help form the development plots and create the realigned roads as enabling works for the wider Eastside Locks development. I therefore recommend that this application is approved subject to suitable safeguarding conditions. 8. Recommendation 8.1. I. That planning permission is granted subject to the following conditions Page 4 of 7
8.2. II. That no objection be raised to the stopping up of Belmont Row, Gopsal Street and Penn Street with a realigned highway layout, and that the Department for Transport (DFT) be requested to make an Order in accordance with the provisions of Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1 Requires the prior submission of hard and/or soft landscape details 2 Requires the prior submission of a landscape management plan 3 Requires the prior submission of a lighting scheme 4 Requires the development to be in substantial accordance with the Landscape Statement 5 Requires the prior submission of boundary treatment details 6 Requires the scheme to be in accordance with the listed approved plans 7 Requires making good details for demolition works to the Lock Keeper's Cottage 8 Requires the prior submission of steps/retaining structure details 9 Requires the prior submission and completion of works for the S278/TRO Agreement 10 Limits the approval to 3 years (Full) Case Officer: Nicholas Jackson Page 5 of 7
Photo(s) Figure 1. View of the former Lock Keeper s Cottage Figure 2. Aerial View prior to completion of Cardigan Street works. Page 6 of 7
Location Plan This map is reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Birmingham City Council. Licence No.100021326, 2010 Page 7 of 7