PLANNING BRIEF Land at junction of London Road and Station Street Nottingham 1. Location and Description: This is a 0.63ha site located within the Station Conservation Area. It is in two ownerships (see plan). A 6-7 storey office building presently occupies the west of the site and a single storey premises is located to the east at the junction of Station Street and London Road. There is a marked difference in levels between Station Street and the Canal side levels dropping towards the Canal. 2. Background: The Panel Report on draft Regional Planning Guidance recognises that Nottingham has very few sites available for quality office employment. The City Council is committed to providing accessible City Centre sites for new B1 uses as an alternative to out of centre locations, in line with Government Guidance. This is a prominent site located within the City Centre within an area which has recently been improved through the Southside investment strategy. It is close to the Midland Station and will be served by the NET tram. The Southside area has been recognised as an important emerging area for high quality B1 uses in the Draft City Centre Review and this site provides an important development opportunity for high quality office accommodation. DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES 3. Comprehensive Scheme: The site is within two ownerships. The two sites should be developed comprehensively to ensure the best use and layout of land. Independent schemes will be considered provided that development on one site does not prejudice development on the other. 4. Use and Local Plan Policy: Existing offices occupy part of the site and Policy E5 of the Local Plan seeks to retain appropriate employment sites. The City Council is eager to provide quality, accessible sites to support the growth of employment uses in this area. B1 office development is the preferred use. Proposals for the site should be predominately B1. Other complementary uses such as residential development, small scale retail, leisure and catering uses may be acceptable particularly adjacent to the canal. 5. Distribution of uses over the site : There are opportunities to maximise the Canal side location and provide casual supervision with the introduction of A3 and catering uses. It may be appropriate to locate
new B1 uses adjacent to existing B1 activity to complement and extend this employment cluster. 6. Residential Use/Affordable Housing: Developers including elements of residential development within a scheme should note that the City Council, in line with Government Guidance, has approved Supplementary Planning Guidance on affordable housing. The City Council will expect 20% of residential units to be affordable or the payment of a commuted sum for off site provision where appropriate. The City Council s Policy Team can be contacted for further information. Residential development should be provided at densities to maximise this accessible City Centre location. 7. Design and Layout: This is a prominent, highly visible site which demands a creative high quality approach to the design and layout of buildings. Generally new build should be to the back edge of footpath to continue the street form. The layout and fenestration should provide for casual supervision of the street and any open spaces within the development. Opportunities exist to maximise the potential of the canalside location with active uses overlooking the towpath. Key views into and out of the site should be maximised. The form of development should, where possible, allow for glimpsed views through the site to the canal, City Centre and the Lace Market. The overall height of new build adjacent to Trent House on the Station Street elevation should be no greater than 7 commercial storeys (including plant) with upper floors of lighter construction set back from the main elevation. New build fronting the canal should be no higher than 4 commercial storeys/5 residential storeys, again with upper floors being of lighter construction and set back. There are opportunities for double height units directly fronting the canal. Higher elements which provide high quality features in keeping with the overall design may be considered on the London Road/Station Street corner. Developers will be expected to demonstrate the impact/massing of new development in any planning application through the use of perspectives (see plan). Development should make provision for elements of private amenity space (such as courtyards/sitting out areas) for occupiers/residents to ensure the long term flexibility of the building. Nottingham District Heating Mains/Utilities An operation and maintenance wayleave currently exists for the passage of utilities over the site (location of services is indicated on attached plan). Removal of services is possible but extremely costly and it is likely that the design and layout of new build will need to make provision for retention of services. Proposals which include retention of the utilities must have regard to access and servicing requirements. Detailed requirements and contact details for the services can be obtained from the Development and Environmental Services Department.
8. Community Safety, Sustainable Design and Landscaping: Development should be designed in accordance with the advice contained in the City Council s Community Safety Design Guide and Design Guide for Industrial, Commercial and Retail Development. Quality, durable hard and soft landscaping must be provided. 9. Parking, servicing and accessibility: This is a highly accessible City Centre site, within easy walking distance of the train station and frequent bus services. Construction of the Nottingham Express Transit System (operational in 2003) will further enhance public transport accessibility. The Line One Terminus and a tram/bus interchange will be located around 500m away from the site at Trent Street/Middle Hill respectively. The City Council will encourage parking to be provided at substantially lower levels than the maximum parking levels set out in the Nottingham Local Plan and Draft Regional Planning Guidance. The City Council has policies to encourage sustainable travel through the use of Commuter Plans. The developer/occupier will be expected to demonstrate their commitment to encouraging modal shift away from the car, through commuter plan activities. The final layout of the development will determine detailed servicing arrangements but vehicular access or servicing must not take place from London Road and subject to design implications for the development, servicing should take place off the highway. Developers should note that a right of access exists to Trent House and this should be considered and protected in development proposals. The canalside location allows for convenient access to the cycle network. The existing pedestrian bridge will provide a direct link to Canal Street. Provision must be made for secure supervised cycle storage for both occupiers and visitors. New uses should incorporate cycle storage, changing and showering facilities at the design stage. Pedestrian access to the development should be safe, well lit and direct. Developers will be expected to ensure that suitable footpath surfaces are provided around the curtilage of the site following completion of the development including convenient access from the canal towpath. The development should be fully accessible for disabled people. Southern Relief Route Improvements to the London Road/Station Street and Canal Street signal junctions are underway and include pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities and a signalled right turn from London Road into Station Street. A left turn only restriction will be introduced out of Station Street onto London Road. Further improvement work will be undertaken at the London Road/Canal Street gyratory junction in 2002/03. 10. Archaeology and Conservation: The site lies within an archaeological constraint area. A desk top study will be required as part of any planning application for the site. Depending on the results of the study further investigation may be necessary and potentially modification of development proposals. The site is located within a Conservation Area and Conservation Area Consent will be required for the demolition of any buildings. It will normally be necessary for the
developers to have a contract in place for a development scheme in advance of demolition work. 11. Environmental: Air The proximity and relative discharge height of the CHP facility must be considered early in the planning process to avoid potential impact of the emission plume upon any part of the development. This will limit the acceptable height of any development. The site is located in an area identified by the Air Quality review and assessment process as likely to experience an exceedance of an Air Quality Objective, and will probably lie within an Air Quality Management Area. Energy use, and if applicable generation, within any future development on the site will need to take into account the site's location within a probable Air Quality Management Area. Contaminated Land Previous uses on and adjacent to the site may have caused contamination of the soil and ground water and will require full investigation and assessment. Noise Noise from road and rail traffic, and adjacent industrial processes impact upon the site. Consideration must be given to measures to protect future occupants of buildings on the site against environmental noise.
Appendix 2 Consultation Responses Consultee Comment Response Nottingham Help the Homeless Association Ltd Agree with broad aims of brief but set out a need for selfcontained support units for single people. Query whether part of new development sites can be earmarked for this type of Housing needs reported to Housing Dept and Policy. Affordable housing requirement included in brief although majority of site British Waterways Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners on behalf of Capital One accompanied by Commercial Assessment prepared by Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) accommodation. Supportive of brief with major exception strongly support a larger proportion of mixed use development. See non 9-5 uses as vital in the regeneration of the canal corridor. Reference to bridge in brief needs clarification whether this existing or proposed. Points out that the statement the canalside location allows for convenient access to the cyclic network should not be construed as British Waterways long term tolerance of the use of the towing paths by cyclists. Brief requirement for two-thirds office development inconsistent with recognised need to protect employment sites. Loss of important B1 sites potentially damaging to continuing regeneration of Nottingham s economy. Strategic approach to B1 sites needed to continue to attract major employers. Advised by LSH that there is a current shortage of employment sites in City to accommodate large office requirements and that there is no evidence to suggest that the commercial demand for B1 floorspace in Nottingham will not continue. Believe City should develop area as a high quality canalside business quarter to build on existing uses, retain existing employment sites and maximise the physical and accessible characteristics of the site. Brief conflicts with Policy 2/8 of the Notts Structure Plan and Policy E5 of the Nottingham Local Plan and is inconsistent with required for offices. Brief amended to encourage predominantly office use but still opportunities for mixed use. Brief sets out most appropriate location for A3 as adjacent canal frontage. Noted and amended Noted
emerging RPG and emerging Nottingham Local Plan. B1 use on site will create significant economic benefits in terms of direct and indirect job creation. Granting of planning permission for residential could create an undesirable precedent for other employment sites. Residential use unsuitable due to environmental issues of noise and pollution and lack of convenient facilities. Ref to higher elements should be deleted in the absence of strategy for tall buildings. Concerns expressed over servicing and access - separation of B1 and residential access would be difficult to achieve. Should be noted that Trent House has a right of access brief should require this to be protected Specifically request; Ref to mixed use scheme to be deleted, only small scale retail and A3 to complement a predominantly B1 use to be considered; Need to elaborate strategic context of site local plan, RPG and Southside Regen Zone; Ref to residential use should be removed; Design advice should be added stating site offers opportunities to provide build with large flexible floorplates; Accessibility of site and therefore its suitability for B1 use should be elaborated; Ref to higher elements should be deleted and impact of Lace Market Cliff from south be seen as critically important, taller elements not to be considered in the absence of a wider strategy for tall buildings; Additional text needed on access and servicing to ensure development makes adequate provision for Trent House. Brief has been amended to require a predominantly B1 scheme, however other mixed uses on part of the site are still appropriate. Adequately covered in brief Brief amended to require predominantly B1 scheme, other mixed used still appropriate Design advice does not preclude this and encourages flexible design Accessibility of site adequately covered in brief Higher elements may be acceptable depending on detailed design, impact, environmental implications. Noted and amended
Antony Aspbury Associates on behalf of Priory Rose Properties Amended text required to describe H block 7 storeys with ½ storeys rooftop plant No reference in Panel Report of Draft RPG to there being a shortage of sites for high quality office development in Nottingham, although there is a ref to Strategic High Quality Employment Sites point out that this not the same thing, SHQES do not encompass small sites such as Station Street and are regarded as sites of at least a few hectares. Castle Marina and Island still have capacity and are more typical of SHQES. Opps for SHQES exist at ROF and within Eastcroft and Riverside. Support comprehensive scheme Objects to requirement for two-thirds office floorspace for a mixed use site this dilutes and constrains mixed-use principle. Requirement unreasonable and inhibits commercial discretion in determining a viable and sustainable mix of uses. Need for office floorspace should be based on realistic requirements. No shortage of sites suitable for and capable of accommodating B1a office development within the City provided the requisite demand exists. Brief misdirects itself with respect to Panel report on RPG, and Knight Frank Report submitted with planning application for the site demonstrates that demand for office floorspace is comparatively limited and there is no demonstrable shortage of suitable sites to meet foreseeable demand. Suggest that within an overall mixed-use context requirement for two-thirds office space should be changed to a significant proportion and comprise Classes B1a, B1b and A2. Residential use/affordable housing supported. Design and layout maximum building heights too prescriptive, no compelling architectural or townscape need to adhere to particular building height. Council documents refer to the site as a gateway site with potential for a landmark building restrictive building heights are inappropriate. Noted and amended Roger Tym and Partners in the SHQES Market Demand Study recommended a floorspace figure of 15,000sqm for SHQES. Existing office block is just below this floorspace fig. Total floor-space for office accommodation likely to be significantly greater. EMRLGA recommends the potential of smaller sites be recognised. Majority of existing site is occupied by offices Policy E5 of the Local Plan seeks to retain quality sites for existing and future demand.
Priory Rose Properties have commissioned BDP to undertake a tall buildings study assume this will inform the brief. Brief should not preclude at least one tall building but should encourage this subject to design criteria/key views. Community safety, sustainable design, landscaping brief supported, more robust comments supported. Parking servicing and accessibility supported. Environment studies related to specific issues already submitted. If the Council dissents from the comments made then it is requested that the comments on the brief be submitted to the Strategic Board in full. Max building heights included to ensure appropriate massing in the context of the existing building and canal side location. Brief does not preclude higher elements subject overall design, impact and environmental factors Adequately covered in brief. Common practice is to summarise responses for members consideration.