London Borough of Hillingdon. Live / Work Accommodation Supplementary Planning Document

Transcription

1 London Borough of Hillingdon Live / Work Accommodation Supplementary Planning Document Hillingdon Local Development Framework Planning and Transportation Group April 2006

2 Contents Page 1. Introduction 3 2. What is Live/Work Development? Live/Work Planning Guidance National Guidance - Regional Guidance - Local Planning 4. Land use issues for Live/Work Appropriate employment activities for Live/Work - Appropriate locations for Live/Work - Protection of employment land - Size of Live/Work schemes - Configuration of Live/Work 5. Residential Amenity within Live/Work Affordable Housing and Live/Work Management of Live/Work Creating a support base for Live/Work development - Business Incubation and Business Clusters - Management checklist for Live/Work Development 8. Parking in Live/Work Development Planning Obligations Planning Conditions for Live/Work development Council Services and other information 20 Appendix 1: Relevant Development Plan Policies Appendix 2: Business Rates information 25 Appendix 3: Illustrative examples of Live/Work Development

3 Introduction 1.1 The Unitary Development Plan (UDP), adopted in 1998, is currently undergoing a process of review. The UDP will be replaced by a Local Development Framework (LDF) which is the new form of development plan under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act It is anticipated that a first set of LDF Development Plan Documents will be in place by December This Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) has been prepared in anticipation of the development of specific policies in the LDF Core Strategy. In the interim period, this SPD will we be taken into account by the Council in determining planning applications as supplementary to relevant policies in the adopted UDP. Relevant policies to which this SPD relate include Policies H8 and LE1, LE2, LE4, LE5, LE6 and LE7 of the UDP. These policies are set out in full in Appendix 1 of this document. 1.3 This SPD has been prepared to provide guidance for the development of Live/Work space in the Borough, including the effective planning and management of Live/Work development. The SPD will form a material consideration in the determination of planning applications for Live/Work development. 2.0 What is Live/Work development? 2.1 Live/Work space is defined as property that is specifically designed for dual use, combining both residential and employment space. It is regarded as Sui Generis rather than having a specific use class as defined in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order In order to change the use of a building to a Live/Work unit, planning permission will always be required. 2.2 The concept of Live/Work first developed in the 1990s in east London, in the London Boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets, where properties were converted into Live/Work spaces. More recently, Live-Work has become popular as a result of the increased cost of acquiring or renting housing and business premises, which are particularly high within the London region. By living and working within the same space, it is possible to reduce expenditure on both work premises and house prices. 2.3 A further benefit of Live/Work is the convenience of working at home and the alleviation of the need to travel to work. This has the triplewin benefit of saving time, money and contributing to a more environmentally sustainable way of life. The Live/Work format is also growing as technologies progress in IT through the advancement of 3

4 the Internet and Broadband telecommunications. This has made working away from an office environment more commonplace. 2.4 The Council acknowledges the benefits of Live/Work accommodation and will encourage its development, subject to UDP/LDF policy and the guidance set out in this SPD. 2.5 It should be noted that Live/Work is distinct from home working which usually comprises a residential unit with ancillary and often temporary or informal work areas. Such businesses do not normally require planning permission. Live/Work is a distinctive and formal division of residential and workspace floorspace within the same unit which does require planning permission. Should you be considering home working, you are advised to contact the Council to seek advise as to whether you require planning permission to run your business from home. 3.0 Live/Work Planning Guidance National 3.1 National level planning policy contains no specific guidance on Live/Work and Planning Policy Guidance Notes/Statements do not currently refer to on Live/Work. However, it is possible to apply certain aspects of national policy when considering Live/Work development, as set out in: - Promotion of mixed-use development (PPS1, Creating Sustainable Communities) - Promotion of mixed-use development and re-use of employment land (PPG3 and 2005 amendments to PPG3, Housing) - Promotion of small businesses and small scale commercial activity in residential areas (PPG4, Industrial, Commercial Developments and Small Firms) - Business Development in residential areas (PPG4, Industrial, Commercial Developments and Small Firms) - Promotion of mixed-use development (PPS6, Town Centres and Retail Development) - Reducing reliance on the car (PPG13, Transport) - Promoting land use measures which enable accessibility by public transport, cycling and walking (PPG13, Transport Regional 3.2 At the regional level, the London Plan promotes Live/Work spaces within its consideration of London s suburbs (paragraph 2.22) by 4

5 indicating that as employment uses become compatible with residential environments, there may be opportunities for local activities including home-working and Live/Work spaces. 3.3 There is further promotion of Live/Work in the cultural development chapter of the London Plan. The Plan acknowledges that the designation, development and management of cultural quarters can help address the need for affordable workspace for creative industries, including the provision of flexible Live/Work space (paragraph 3.234). 3.4 More recently Live/Work accommodation has appeared within Tomorrow s Suburbs, a document which forms a tool kit for making London s Suburbs more sustainable. The document indicates that Live/Work development can promote employment in suburban areas, promote mixed-use and reduce the need to travel. (tool sheet 6.04) Local 3.5 At the local level the Unitary Development Plan for Hillingdon, 1998 has no policy provision for Live/Work development. Live/Work developments that have been implemented have been assessed by way of other policies within the UDP, including the protection of employment locations, built environment criteria and environmental considerations. 3.6 Baseline research on the concept of Live/Work was undertaken in June 2004 examining the feasibility of producing a Supplementary Planning Document for Live/Work in Hillingdon. The research informed a subsequent report in November 2004 which emphasised the need for more adequate guidance for future Live/Work Development. 5

6 4.0 Land Use Issues for Live/Work Development 4.1 Live/Work development requires specific land use controls for a number of reasons, including the need to prevent subsequent use for purely residential or employment purposes. The following guidelines set out suitable class uses, locations and sizes of Live/Work developments. Appropriate employment activities for Live/Work Development 4.1 As a genuinely dual use, Live/Work is regarded as Sui Generis rather than having a specific use class as defined in the Use Classes Order. Consequently, planning permission will always be required for the change of use of any building or site to Live/Work and the range of employment activities to be undertaken within Live/Work will be limited to those uses compatible with a residential environment. 4.2 Live/Work has been successfully implemented for use by creative industries and IT related business and is considered to be suitable for class A2 (professional and financial services) and the full range of class B1 type activities, within the employment component of the Live/Work unit. However, owing to the need to maintain an appropriate level of residential amenity, including the living environment both within and around Live/Work, employment activities will be limited to these types of uses. Photo 1: An example of B8 activities (Storage and warehouses). B8 activities will be considered inappropriate as part of Live/Work development Key Point 1: Live/Work development will be limited to A2 and B1 activities. B2 and B8 activities will not be considered appropriate within Live/Work to ensure that the living environment within the development Appropriate Locations remains satisfactory for Live/Work and Developments that the workspace activity does not impact upon the amenities of occupiers of neighbouring commercial and residential properties. 6

7 Appropriate Locations for Live/Work Development 4.3 Suitable locations for Live/Work developments can vary according to the size and layout of the development. Live/Work can be satisfactorily accommodated as part of a large brownfield, mixed use developments or near to town centres as part of smaller development. They can also be considered in some remote or rural locations where it may be possible to overcome the absence of any business infrastructure through the provision of a small Live/Work development for the local population. The promotion of Live/Work in and around transport interchanges, including those located in town centres, may be appropriate and would be consistent with the Council s promotion of Transport Development Areas. Further advice on development in Transport Development Areas is set out in the Transport Interchanges section of the Hillingdon Design and Accessibility Statement SPD. 4.4 There is evidence to show that the most sustainable, long-term format for Live/Work is where it is developed on a reasonably large scale and as part of a business or research cluster with shared support services. Live/Work should therefore, where possible, be located in connection with or associated to other land uses. Key Point 2: The following locations are considered acceptable for Live/Work development, subject to satisfactory internal and external development layout: Town centres and Local centres, excluding the primary, secondary and core shopping areas. Town centres are considered to be suitable locations for Live/Work on the basis that they are well placed to support a range of uses and can provide good access to public transport. Mixed-use and residential areas outside of designated town and local centres. Mixed-use development can provide a supportive environment and employment linkages for Live/Work where business clusters can develop. These locations are considered to be an acceptable location where the work element would not necessarily affect other residential uses. Vacant employment sites outside of designated Industrial and Business Areas. Genuinely vacant, unviable or unsuitable employment sites represent an opportunity for regeneration and can provide Live/Work development with an established business location. 7

8 4.5 Live/Work linked to the education sector can offer affordable units to colleges and graduates and will be encouraged. The development of Live/Work in Hillingdon, off the main Brunel Campus, to support facilities at Brunel University will therefore be encouraged and supported, subject to other policies in the UDP and LDF. 4.6 Live/work should be located close to existing or proposed public transport services in order to meet with the Council s sustainability and transport objectives. Public transport accessibility will be assessed by a transport assessment and Transport for London s Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL). Nevertheless, the actual scale and density of Live/Work units will be considered on their own merits and subject to the capacity of a site and area, rather than using conventional density thresholds or limits. The Residential Density matrix set out in Table 4B.1 of the London Plan, which incorporates the use of PTALs, is intended to apply to residential development and is not considered appropriate for assessing the suitability of the density of Live/Work proposals. Protection of designated Employment land 4.7 The Council s employment policies seek to protect areas formally designated for Industrial and Business purposes. It is important to retain such areas for employment uses in order to retain jobs and meet the economic needs of the borough. The Council does not, therefore, promote or consider Live-Work as an appropriate form of development in any of the designated employment areas in the borough, including designated Industrial and Business Areas (IBAs) and the London Plan Strategic Employment Locations. 4.8 The Council acknowledges the need to consider the use of genuinely surplus suitable employment sites in the borough for housing purposes, in line with amended PPG3 (paragraph 42 (a)). The promotion of mixed use development on sites deemed to be genuinely surplus and unviable for employment-only development may, therefore, lead to the incorporation of Live/Work as part of any future land-use redesignation of vacant employment land. Example of a protected Industrial Business Area (IBA) Rigby Lane, Hayes 8

9 4.9 Live/Work units in designated employment locations may also be inappropriate for a residential environment given the proximity of industrial uses. On this basis, most protected employment sites in Hillingdon are likely to remain inappropriate for this type of development It is recognised, that some long-term vacant, designated employment sites may be sought for Live/Work, where those sites are considered genuinely unsuitable or unviable for employment-only development. Any proposals for Live/Work in a designated IBA or other employment areas will be regarded as a change of use of the land with the introduction of Live/Work and its inherent residential use. Proposals will need to meet the strict criteria set out below, in order for a change of use to be considered acceptable in principle. Key Point 3: Live/Work Development within designated Industrial Business Areas will be considered favourably only where: the existing site has been continuously vacant for at least 5 years it can be demonstrated that there is no demand for existing industrial and business uses in that location; the local area can provide a suitable environment for residential use; and the development takes account of the employment objectives of the adopted development plan for Hillingdon The following details will be required from applicants in order to demonstrate that there is no demand for existing employment uses within a designated industrial business area. - Evidence of continuous marketing over the period of vacancy - That the premises have been vacant for at least five years - Supporting information to demonstrate any fundamental environmental or highways constraints which prevent the re-use of the site for solely employment purposes. 9

10 The size of Live/Work schemes 4.12 Live/Work developments will vary in size and the scale of Live/Work schemes may be dependent on the location and size of site. However, the optimum size for a Live/Work development is considered to between 20 and 30 units; developments of this scale, in appropriate locations, will be looked upon more favourably as they have the potential to form a business cluster. Photo 2: An example Live/Work development Internal Configuration of Live/Work 4.13 The emphasis of Live/Work development should always be on the work element and this should be reflected in the percentage of floor space afforded to the workspace. Applicants will be expected to clearly set out the split between the employment and residential component of the developments. Nevertheless, the following minimum requirements should be met: Key Point 4: Live/Work developments should accord with the following size criteria: All Live/Work units will have at least 65% internal floor area devoted to work space and a maximum of 35% devoted to the residential element of the units. A minimum of 50 sq m of functional work space will be required to maintain an appropriate level of work-space within a Live/Work unit. A minimum of 35 sq m of liveable space will be required in all Live/Work units. 10

11 4.14 Live/Work proposals submitted to the council without a defined internal configuration are unlikely to be registered, including any applications for shell development. Planning applications should include a description of the breakdown of employment and residential floorspace within each unit with a detailed configuration shown on floorspace plans. Live space is most appropriate above the work space A minimum of 35 sq m of of liveable space will be required At least 65% of the floor space should be workspace A minimum of 50 sqm of functional work space will be required Figure 1: Conceptual model of live-work configuration 11

12 5. Maintaining Residential Amenity within Live/Work units 5.1 There may be difficulties in providing an appropriate residential environment for Live/Work developments in existing and active industrial areas. Consequently, the Council will not permit Live/Work in locations where surrounding land uses are unlikely to provide a satisfactory residential environment for those residing within the proposed Live/Work development. Key Point 5: Live/Work development will not normally be permitted close to B2 and B8 class uses and any other uses where: Operations are likely to be noisy Local Air Quality is inappropriate for a residential environment There are 24 hours of operation in close proximity Safety and security is compromised Adequate lighting and ventilation of living areas cannot be achieved. Example of Live/Work Development, Surrey, England Where Live/Work is considered acceptable, in principle, a suitable environment for residential use should be provided within the site. The design and internal configuration of individual Live/Work units will need to provide adequate living facilities within the units. Sound-proofing Given the mix of uses that will be combined in a Live/Work unit and the potential noise generation from employment uses, appropriate sound-proofing and insulation will be required above the usual Building Regulation standard. Environmental Health services will need to be contacted at the earliest stage of design for Live/Work developments. 5.4 Ventilation and lighting Both the employment and residential elements of Live/Work development will require adequate ventilation to ensure that the residential space is habitable. Natural Light for the living areas will be sought. This can be achieved through the implementation of double aspect properties. If this cannot be achieved the Live/Work units will need to be designed provided for the living to ensure an adequate amount of sunlight is space. 12

13 5.5 Maintaining Privacy Overlooking could be an issue with employment uses being mixed with residential. Live/Work units should be designed to ensure that privacy is retained. If this cannot be achieved it may be necessary to implement screening measures to minimise overlooking to an acceptable standard. 5.6 Servicing arrangements Some Live/Work units will require deliveries and collections to made at certain periods of the day. To ensure that these arrangements do not impact upon the residential amenity it will be necessary for servicing arrangements to be agreed alongside any development proposals. 5.7 Refuse storage Live/Work developments will require adequate facilities for the storage of household and commercial waste. To ensue that sufficient refuse storage is provided on a Live/Work site it will be necessary for siting, layout and design of refuse storage facilities to be agreed as part of an application. For appropriate refuse storage standards for refuse storage the Hillingdon waste strategy team should be contacted. 5.8 The residential part of a Live/Work unit is considered to be inappropriate for family accommodation and planning conditions may therefore be attached to permission to restrict the occupancy of units. Live/Work units should contain no more than two bedrooms and a total of three habitable rooms. Private usable amenity space will not specifically be required as part of Live/Work proposals. Key Point 6: To discourage Live/Work being used for family accommodation, Live/Work development should contain no more than two bedrooms and a total of three habitable rooms. Note: Bathrooms, kitchens, storage cupboards and hallways are excluded from the definition of habitable rooms. Habitable rooms exceeding 20 sq m are counted as two habitable rooms. 13

14 6.0 Affordable Housing and Live/Work The Council will seek some shared ownership or flexible tenures within Live/Work developments on larger schemes. This will allow companies and academic or other institutions to sell on some units whilst allowing a proportion to remain as affordable for purchase or rent, in accordance with the Council s normal affordable housing planning policies. Presently, the Council requires 25% of units to be provided as affordable on schemes of more than 25 housing units, as set out in Policy H11 of the UDP, along with a further 10% as intermediate in line with London Plan requirements for a 70:30 split between affordable housing tenures. These requirements will apply to all Live/Work schemes large enough to qualify for affordable housing, including the Live/Work proportion of any mixed use or residential scheme. Should the threshold be amended through the LDF Core Strategy, the revised threshold would apply to Live/Work Units. Live/Work units will not be considered as affordable housing in their own right. Only those units specifically provided as affordable either through subsidised rent, shared ownership or other flexible tenures will be considered as affordable for the purposes of meeting planning policy requirements. Key Point 7: On qualifying sites, Live/Work developments should incorporate 25% affordable and 10% intermediate units, in line with the Council s affordable housing requirements as set out in the UDP/LDF and the requirements of the London Plan. 14

15 7.0 Management of Live-Work How should Live/Work development be managed? Most Live/Work Developments require careful management in order to have a successful, sustainable future. A successful Live/Work unit will be one which helps to foster a prosperous business environment. Successful management and monitoring of Live/Work is best undertaken through a Housing Association and where properties remain rented or in shared ownership. A Housing Association will help ensure that both the employment and residential element within each unit is retained, helping to secure the long time viability of the whole Live/Work scheme. Successful management can also be achieved through academic, research or other institutions which have strong links with the Live/Work development or through private business management companies. Live/Work proposals which include details of management proposals will be considered more favourably. Developers should provide details of management arrangements including details of third parties who would have responsibility for management and maintenance arrangements. Creating a support base for Live/Work Development In most cases, there will be a need for some kind of business support or business incubation service for the various businesses operating out of a Live/Work development. Business support comes in various forms including business Incubation which provides shared property and financial services, technical and/or administrative and I.T. support to help nurture the business. A business support company may help occupiers to produce a realistic business plan and provide loan finance and subsequent mentoring. This may lead to the business growing and eventually moving on to larger premises. Business clusters can be created by Live/Work schemes. A business cluster is a mix of micro businesses benefiting from proximity to one another and works well in connection with academic or other institutions by offering graduates a link to like-minded businesses that may want to take them on as staff or subcontractors. Indeed, the official government definition of a cluster includes proximity to higher education agencies. Shared support services will often be most easy to provide in a development with strong links to an academic or other institution; businesses within these units will generally have similar support requirements and there may be increased scope for economies scale in the provision of support services. 15

16 Key Point 8: Management Checklist for Live/Work Development 1. Live/Work units will be considered most favourably where management arrangements are in place. Management can be achieved through a housing association or a private business management firm. 3. Occupiers will be required to pay business rates on the work element of their Live/Work Space (see appendix 2). 3. Where possible and where appropriate Live/Work developments should be linked to an academic or other institution, such as Brunel University. Note: The provision of Live/Work units in conjunction with Brunel University, will be subject to the provisions of UDP/LDF policies including UDP Policy PR22 which limits development on the Brunel University campus to development associated with academic learning and research. Brunel University is located in the Green Belt and Live/Work development associated with the University should be sited off campus. 8.0 Parking in Live/Work Developments 8.1 There is presently no specific parking standard for Live/Work in either the London Plan or the Hillingdon interim Parking Standards. In the absence of any prescribed standard, a standard for Live/Work is set out in this section as a guide for setting an appropriate, maximum level of off-street parking. 8.2 The Council considers it appropriate to allow parking for both the employment and residential elements of the unit, given that both can require separate vehicles. The total level of parking across a Live/Work scheme may, therefore, be slightly over and above the level of parking which is allowable in Hillingdon for a single use employment or residential development. In the interests of securing and providing the most appropriate level of parking for a Live/Work scheme, the following parking standards will be applied: 16

17 Key Point 9: - Each Live/Work unit should have a maximum of 2 car parking spaces per unit. - Up to an additional 20% of the total proposed parking across the Live/Work site can be created for visitor and service parking on site. - Cycle parking which may include secure communal spaces will be required in accordance with cycle parking standards for flatted schemes within Hillingdon s interim parking standards. (A minimum of 1 space for units with 1-2 Bedrooms). N Note: The car parking standards should be taken as a maximum and it may be appropriate to reduce on-site parking in locations with good access to public transport and an appropriate Public accessibility Level (PTAL) score Photo 3: An example of parking provision for Live/Work Units, Coppermill Lock, Harefield 17

18 9.0 Planning Obligations 9.1 A planning obligation is a legally binding agreement by a developer to undertake works or to meet costs in connection with their development to enable it to become acceptable. Planning Obligations are normally entered into under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act Where a planning obligation is considered appropriate for a Live/Work development, the Council will specify the use of contributions to ensure they are applied to the provision or improvement of specific services, facilities and/or infrastructures. 9.3 Hillingdon s principal policy framework relating to planning obligations is set out in the UDP and the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Guidance. Planning obligations may be to sought to achieve benefits under a range of land use requirements including: - Educational facilities - Community facilities - Transport accessibility and Movement - Town centres - Community safety - Economic development, Training and Employment - Environmental improvements 9.4 The priority areas listed above are not exhaustive and the Council may wish to negotiate other forms of obligations depending on the individual circumstances of a site and proposal, where obligations are relevant and directly related to the proposal in question. This guidance will be updated in line with the emergence of the Local Development Framework. 18

19 10.0 Planning conditions for Live/Work development 10.1 The appropriate use of planning conditions, to enable proposals which might otherwise be refused, is considered to be of paramount importance when assessing Live/Work development in the borough. The fundamental characteristics of Live/work development such as location and size can vary between any given scheme and therefore appropriate conditions will be considered in each case The use of planning conditions, as described in this section of the statement are considered to meet the main tests of need, relevancy and enforceability (as prescribed by Government Circular 11/95) for conditions In order to maintain the mix of uses within Live/Work development as intended, the Council will normally impose some or all of the following conditions which will be attached appropriately to planning permissions for Live/Work developments: The premises shall be used solely as a Live/Work space and for no other purpose including for residential or employment use. The work element of all Live/Work schemes shall only be used for purposes within class B1 and class A2 (Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2005, in association with the residential element of the unit. The residential element of each Live/Work development shall not be used or occupied other than in connection with the approved work element of the development Applicants will be required to provide further details of management supervision as part of their application. Applicants will be required to provide adequate access on-site, including car parking and facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and the disabled. The premises shall not be occupied by children between the ages of 12 months and 16 years of age. 19

20 11. Council Services and other information (i) Council Services PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION GROUP Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge Middlesex UB8 1UW Tel Web Policy & Environmental Planning Team Tel Fax Development Control Tel Urban Design and Conservation Team Tel Building Control Tel

21 Appendix 1: Relevant Development Plan Policies This SPD is supplementary to the policies in the adopted Hillingdon UDP (1998). It is intended that this Live/Work SPD will eventually supplement relevant policies in the Core Strategy of the LDF. In the interim period, the following UDP policies may be of particular relevance for applications for Live/Work Development. Applicants are, however, advised to refer to the Hillingdon Adopted Unitary Development Plan (adopted 1998) before submitting a planning application, to ensure that their proposals comply with the policies set out in the plan. All planning applications are determined in accordance with the provisions of the UDP unless other there are any other, overriding material considerations. Chapter 5: Built Environment Policy BE4 NEW DEVELOPMENT WITHIN OR ON THE FRINGES OF CONSERVATION AREAS WILL BE EXPECTED TO PRESERVE OR ENHANCE THOSE FEATURES WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR SPECIAL ARCHITECTURAL AND VISUAL QUALITIES; DEVELOPMENT SHOULD AVOID THE DEMOLITION OR LOSS OF SUCH FEATURES. THERE WILL BE A PRESUMPTION IN FAVOUR OF RETAINING BUILDINGS WHICH MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE CHARACTER OR APPEARANCE OF A CONSERVATION AREA. APPLICATIONS FOR PLANNING PERMISSION SHOULD CONTAIN FULL DETAILS, INCLUDING SITING AND DESIGN, OR REPLACEMENT BUILDINGS. APPLICATIONS FOR CONSENT FOR DEMOLITION WILL DEPEND UPON THE SUBMISSION AND APPROVAL OF SUCH DETAILS. Policy BE13 DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT BE PERMITTED IF THE LAYOUT AND APPEARANCE FAIL TO HARMONISE WITH THE EXISTING STREET SCENE OR OTHER FEATURES OF THE AREA WHICH THE LOCAL AUTHORITY CONSIDERS IT DESIRABLE TO RETAIN OR ENHANCE Chapter 6: Other Environmental Considerations Policy OE1 PLANNING PERMISSION WILL NOT NORMALLY BE GRANTED FOR USES AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES WHICH ARE, OR ARE LIKELY TO BECOME, DETRIMENTAL TO THE CHARACTER OR AMENITIES OF SURROUNDING PROPERTIES OR THE AREA GENERALLY, BECAUSE OF: i) THE SITING OR APPEARANCE; ii) THE STORAGE OR DISPLAY OF VEHICLES, GOODS, EQUIPMENT OR OTHER MERCHANDISE; iii) TRAFFIC GENERATION AND CONGESTION; iv) NOISE AND VIBRATION OR THE EMISSION OF DUST, SMELL OR OTHER POLLUTANTS. UNLESS SUFFICIENT MEASURES ARE TAKEN TO MITIGATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND ENSURE THAT IT REMAINS ACCEPTABLE. Policy OE3 BUILDINGS OR USES WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE NOISE ANNOYANCE WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED IF THE IMPACT IS MITIGATED WITHIN ACCEPTABLE LEVELS BY ENGINEERING, LAYOUT OR ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES. Chapter 7: Housing Policy H8 21

22 THE CHANGE OF USE FROM NON-RESIDENTIAL TO RESIDENTIAL WILL BE PERMITTED IF: i) A SATISFACTORY RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT CAN BE ACHIEVED; ii) iii) THE EXISTING USE IS UNLIKELY TO MEET A DEMAND FOR SUCH ACCOMMODATION IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE; AND THE PROPOSAL IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER OBJECTIVES OF THIS PLAN, HAVING PARTICULAR REGARD TO THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE EXISTING USE TO THOSE OBJECTIVES. Policy H11 WHERE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF 25 OR MORE DWELLINGS, OR OF SITES OF ONE OR MORE HECTARE IS PROPOSED, THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS AND WHERE APPROPRIATE LEGAL AGREEMENTS WITH DEVELOPERS TO OBTAIN THE HIGHEST ACCEPTABLE PROPORTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Chapter 10: The Local Economy Policy LE1 ALL PROPOSALS FOR INDUSTRY (B2), WAREHOUSING (B8) AND BUSINESS (B1) DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ASSESSED BY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OTHER POLICIES OF THIS PLAN AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS:- (i) WHETHER THE PROPOSAL CONFLICTS WITH THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY'S OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF SECURING THE DEVELOPMENT OR REGENERATION OF AN AREA; (ii) OUTSTANDING UNIMPLEMENTED PLANNING PERMISSIONS, DEVELOPMENT UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND VACANT FLOORSPACE ELSEWHERE IN THE PLAN AREA; (iii) THE AVAILABILITY AND CAPACITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT FACILITIES TO SERVE PROPOSALS FOR EMPLOYMENT INTENSIVE USES; (iv) THE ABILITY OF THE ROAD SYSTEM, AS EXISTING OR TAKING DUE ACCOUNT OF COMMITTED IMPROVEMENTS, TO ACCOMMODATE AT NORMAL PEAK HOURS THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC GENERATED; (v) WHETHER ANY PROPOSAL FOR MAJOR DEVELOPMENT WILL CREATE UNACCEPTABLE DEMANDS FOR OTHER LAND TO BE DEVELOPED (FOR EXAMPLE, TO PROVIDE FOR NEW HOUSING OR COMMUNITY FACILITIES); (vi) THE PROVISION FOR ACCESS BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OTHER ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES BOTH TO AND WITHIN BUILDINGS. Policy LE2 INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS AREAS (IBAs) ARE DESIGNATED FOR BUSINESS,INDUSTRIAL AND WAREHOUSING PURPOSES (USE CLASSES B1-B8) AND FOR SUI GENERIS USES APPROPRIATE IN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA. THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL NOT PERMIT DEVELOPMENT FOR OTHER USES IN INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS AREAS UNLESS IT IS SATISFIED THAT:- (i) THERE IS NO REALISTIC PROSPECT OF THE LAND BEING USED FOR INDUSTRIAL OR WAREHOUSING PURPOSES IN THE FUTURE; AND (ii) THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE USE DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH THE POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PLAN. (iii) THE PROPOSAL BETTER MEETS THE PLAN'S OBJECTIVES PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC REGENERATION. 22

23 LE3 NEW DEVELOPMENT IN DESIGNATED INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS AREAS HOULD, WHERE APPROPRIATE AND PRACTICABLE, INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF SMALL UNITS, PARTICULARLY WHEN EXISTING SMALL UNITS ARE PROPOSED TO BE Policy LE4 PROPOSALS WHICH INVOLVE THE LOSS OF EXISTING INDUSTRIAL FLOORSPACE OR LAND OUTSIDE DESIGNATED INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS AREAS WILL NORMALLY ONLY BE PERMITTED IF:- (i) THE EXISTING USE SERIOUSLY AFFECTS AMENITY, THROUGH DISTURBANCE TO NEIGHBOURS, VISUAL INTRUSION OR AN ADVERSE IMPACT IN THE CHARACTER OF AN AREA; OR (ii) THE SITE IS UNSUITABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF THE SIZE, SHAPE, LOCATION OR LACK OF VEHICULAR ACCESS; OR (iii) THERE IS NO REALISTIC PROSPECT OF THE LAND BEING USED FOR INDUSTRIAL AND WAREHOUSING PURPOSES IN THE FUTURE; OR (iv) THEY ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCIL'S REGENERATION POLICIES FOR AN AREA. Policy LE5 WITHIN THE DEVELOPED AREA SMALL SCALE BUSINESS, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND SIMILAR ACTIVITIES WILL BE REGARDED IN PRINCIPLE AS ACCEPTABLE PROVIDED THAT THE PROPOSAL ACCORDS WITH OTHER POLICIES OF THIS PLAN. Policy LE6 MAJOR OFFICE AND OTHER BUSINESS PROPOSALS IN TOWN CENTRES SHOULD WHERE APPROPRIATE, INCLUDE A MIX OF TOWN CENTRE USES SUCH AS SHOPS, BUILDINGS FOR ARTS, CULTURAL, ENTERTAINMENT, COMMUNITY USE, INDOOR SPORTS AND LEISURE, FACILITIES FOR THE CARE OF CHILDREN, AND SMALL UNITS FOR FIRMS APPROPRIATE TO A TOWN CENTRE LOCATION. PLANNING BRIEFS MAY BE PREPARED FOR MAJOR SITES BY THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY. Policy LE7 THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL WHERE APPROPRIATE, SEEK TO ENSURE THAT DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS FOR INDUSTRIAL, WAREHOUSING AND BUSINESS USES PROVIDE PLANNING BENEFITS RELATED TO THE SCALE AND TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT. Chapter 14: Accessibility and Movement Policy AM2 ALL PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST: (i) (ii) THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO TRAFFIC GENERATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON CONGESTION, PARTICULARLY ON THE PRINCIPLE ROAD NETWORK AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH OF THE PLAN, AND THE PRESENT AND POTENTIAL AVAILABILITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND ITS CAPACITY TO MEET INCREASED DEMAND Policy AM7 THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL CONSIDER WHETHER THE TRAFFIC GENERATED BY PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS IS ACCEPTABLE IN TERMS OF THE CAPACITY AND FUNCTIONS OF EXISTING AND COMMITTED PRINCIPAL ROADS ONLY, AND WILL WHOLLY DISCOUNT ANY POTENTIAL WHICH LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR AND ACCESS ROADS MAY HAVE FOR CARRYING THROUGH TRAFFIC. THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL NOT GRANT PERMISSION FOR DEVELOPMENTS WHOSE TRAFFIC GENERATION IS LIKELY TO: 23

24 (I) UNACCEPTABLY INCREASE DEMAND ALONG ROADS OR THROUGH JUNCTIONS WHICH ARE ALREADY USED TO CAPACITY, ESPECIALLY WHERE SUCH ROADS OR JUNCTIONS FORM PART OF THE STRATEGIC LONDON ROAD NETWORK; OR (II) (III) (IV) PREJUDICE THE FREE FLOW OF TRAFFIC OR CONDITIONS OF GENERAL HIGHWAY OR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY; OR DIMINISH MATERIALLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS BROUGHT ABOUT BY NEW OR IMPROVED ROADS; OR INFILTRATES STREETS CLASSES AS LOCAL ROADS IN THE BOROUGH ROAD HIERARCHY UNLESS SATISFACTORY TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES CAN BE INSTALLED TRAFFIC CALMING SCHEMES SHOULD, WHERE APPROPRIATE, INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS HARD AND SOFT LANDSCAPING, AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT IS FIRST USED OR OCCUPIED. Policy AM14 NEW DEVELOPMENT WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED WHERE IT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCIL S ADOPTED CAR PARKING STANDARDS AS SET OUT IN ANNEX 1. Chapter 15: Proposals PR22 BRUNEL UNIVERSITY CAMPUS SHALL BE RESERVED FOR DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY'S FUNCTIONING AS A CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC LEARNING AND RESEARCH. IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD THE FUNCTION AND OPEN NATURE OF THE GREEN BELT ACROSS THE CAMPUS, INFILL AND DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ENCOURAGED ON SITE 2 PROVIDING IT DOES NOT HARM THE ENVIRONMENT. DEVELOPMENT ON THE PREDOMINANTLY OPEN LAND ON SITE 1 WILL BE ACCEPTABLE WHERE (i) THE PROPORTION OF DEVELOPED TO UNDEVELOPED LAND IS SUCH THAT THE SITE RETAINS ITS OPEN CHARACTER; (ii)the LAND IS ABLE TO SUSTAIN ITS ECOLOGICAL AND NATURE CONSERVATION INTEREST; AND (iii) DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT DETRACT FROM RESIDENTIAL AMENITY. DEVELOPMENT OF SITE 3 AND SITE 5 WILL BE RESTRICTED TO OUTDOOR SPORT AND INFORMAL RECREATIONAL USES WHICH RETAIN THE EXISTING OPEN CHARACTER. IN CONSIDERING ANY PROPOSAL AT THE UNIVERSITY, THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT:- (i) TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE ECOLOGICAL INTEREST OF THE LAND INCLUDING ESTABLISHING NATURE CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE CORRIDORS; (ii) TO SEEK PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE CAMPUS WHERE THIS DOES NOT COMPROMISE THE UNIVERSITY'S OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE STUDENTS AND STAFF; (iii) TO PROVIDE BOTH ON AND OFF-SITE ROAD AND JUNCTION IMPROVEMENTS; (iv) TO AUGMENT EXISTING TREE BELTS ALONG THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN BOUNDARIES ON SITE 1 AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PLANTING AND LANDSCAPING WHERE APPROPRIATE ELSEWHERE; (v) TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ON-SITE CAR PARKING; (vi) TO ENHANCE THE EXISTING FOOTPATH NETWORK ON THE CAMPUS; (vii) TO PROTECT LOCAL RESIDENTIAL AMENITY. 24

25 Appendix 2: Business Rates Information The combination of residential and workspace floorspace means that the payable business rates and council tax on a Live/Work property is calculated differently. The Valuation Office (VOA) is responsible for banding all domestic property (in England and Wales) for council tax purposes. To calculate Live/Work property for business rates and council tax the VOA state that the part of the property used for work may be liable to Business rates whilst the remainder of the property will continue to be liable to Council Tax. To calculate business rates the VOA work out a rateable value for the part of the property that is used for non-domestic purposes. The rateable values are based on the annual rent for a building or part of a building if it was let on the open market at a fixed valuation date (Currently this is set at 1 st April 1998). 25

26 Appendix 3: Illustrative examples of Live/Work Development 26

27 3

28 If you would like a copy of this publication in large print, Braille or cassette tape please contact the Policy and Environmental Planning Team on Produced by Planning and Transportation Group London Borough of Hillingdon