CABINET OLD TOWN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY REPORT OF:

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1 DRAFT ITEM NO:C1(a) DECISION - MAKER: CABINET DATE OF DECISION : 16 TH FEBRUARY, 2004 SUBJECT: OLD TOWN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY REPORT OF: LEADER OF THE COUNCIL AUTHOR AND CONTACT DETAILS: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CONTACT DETAILS: DANIEL WISEMAN, CITY DESIGN PLANNER tel: daniel.wiseman@southampton.gov.uk LORRAINE BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & SUSTAINABILITY tel: lorraine.brown@southampton.gov.uk A. RECOMMENDATION(S) To note the comments received from a wide number of individuals and organisations during the consultation exercise undertaken on the Old Town Development Strategy. To endorse the Strategy incorporating the recommended amendments as listed at Appendix 4. To delegate to the Head of City Development & Economy, in consultation with the Leader, approval of the final version of the Strategy prior to publication. To approve the use of the finalised version for development control purposes pending the adoption of the local plan and the adoption of this advice as Supplementary Planning Guidance B. REASONS FOR REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS The consultation process is now complete. Officers have considered all responses received. The final version of the Strategy needs to be approved in order that it supplements the emerging Policy MSA 1 (11.8) of the Revised Deposit Version of the Local Plan and eventually can be adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Local Plan. C. ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED To approve the Strategy without amendment. To not approve the Strategy, thereby not achieving the requirement of emerging policy MSA1 (11.8). This lack of planning status would result in a piecemeal and uncoordinated approach to the delivery of The Old Town Development Strategy within the City Centre. VERSION NUMBER: 2.0 DATE LAST AMENDED: 21 January 2004

2 D. WARDS /COMMUNITIES AFFECTED: The Old Town lies within the Bargate Ward, however its future development impacts on all citizens and communities of Southampton. SUMMARY 1. The purpose of this report is to consider the issues raised by the consultation exercise and in the light of comments received to recommend where the strategy should be amended. Copies of the Strategy are in the Members Rooms and are available on request from the author whose details appear on the front of this report. BACKGROUND & REPORT DETAILS 2. The City Centre Urban Design Strategy (CCUDS), adopted in November 2000, identified the need for urban design frameworks, or quarter strategies for the Character Areas. Urban design frameworks are described as a key element of the planning toolkit in By Design (DETR/CABE 2000), a government report published in November 2000 to promote higher standards in urban design. The Old Town Character Area was identified as a high priority, due to the high level of developer interest in the area. The Strategy was commissioned under the Strategy and Economic Development Portfolio in 2000 and is the first quarter strategy to be prepared. 3. The Old Town Development Strategy establishes a vision for the future development of the Old Town over the next 10 years, resulting from a detailed analysis of the existing development form and policy context. A number of objectives have been defined and illustrated in a proposed urban design framework. The document identifies key development sites and enhancement areas, and sets out urban design principles for their development. It also sets out a series of recommendations for achieving the vision. 4. The Old Town Development Strategy has been prepared taking into consideration the five priorities of the City Council, in particular, to improve the street scene and the environment. 5. The Strategy is a key feature of the City Centre Vision, providing a unifying link of memorable places and reconnecting the City with its waterfront. 6. Significantly, the document inter-relates and cross references with a number of other policy documents, both adopted and under preparation; the Old Town Character Appraisal, the City Centre Development Design Guide, the North/South Spine Strategy for City Centre Pedestrianisation, the Streetscape Manual and Development Briefs for the Royal Pier and West Quay Phase 3.

3 7. The Strategy provides a basis for the City Council s expectations of developer partners with regard to the quality of required public realm works, and in particular as identified as key enhancement areas which relate to those identified in the North South Spine Strategy, i.e. The Bargate, Albion Square, Holy Rood Place, St Michael s Square and the Watergate/Town Quay (some of the public spaces identified in the key development sites of West Quay Phase 3 and Royal Pier). 8. The Strategy is designed to demonstrate to developers where Section 106 agreement funding public realm enhancements within the city centre would be spent. This would be set within the context of on-going work to prepare Supplementary Planning Guidance on Section 106 contributions for city centre projects. POLICY FRAMEWORK IMPLICATIONS 9. The proposals in this report and the Old Town Development Strategy are consistent with and do not conflict with any elements of emerging policy MSA1 (11.8) of the Revised Deposit Version Local Plan, the Local Transport Plan and the City Centre Urban Design Strategy. The strategy lies within the framework of asset management and is included in the corporate Asset Management Plan , recommendations concerning individual properties in Council ownership will be brought before the Corporate Asset Group in the usual way. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS 10. The Strategy will form a material consideration to inform development control decisions pursuant to section 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 pending the adoption of the local plan and the adoption of this guidance as Supplementary Planning Guidance. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 11. The Commission is funded through the Leader s Portfolio revenue allocations. Printing costs have been allocated this year for the printing the approved Strategy. It is intended that the approved document will be reworded as the final document, following adoption to the new Local Plan. This will be done by use of a sticker to keep printing costs to a minimum, and this small cost will met within the 2004/5 budget estimates.

4 CONSULTATION AND CONCLUSIONS 12. The Old Town Development Strategy (Draft Consultation Report) was approved for full public consultation by the Cabinet Member for Strategic and Economic Development on 15 March Consultation commenced in July 2002 and was to be completed in September However, this was extended to March 2003 at the request of Counsel to coincide in with the end of the consultation period for the Local Plan Review. 13. The Strategy was developed in consultation with internal officers and English Heritage. Following the decision to consult, the Strategy was circulated to Members, the Planning and Rights of Way Panel, Officers, local residents, Old Town Residents Association, amenity groups, developers, architects, urban designers, landscape architects, planners, English Heritage, CABE, statutory bodies, police/emergency services, City Centre Management, Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, transportation groups, bus companies, taxi drivers, access groups and Shopmobility. A full list is attached at Appendix 1. The following events were hosted as part of the public consultation exercise; Publication of the Strategy in paper format and CD Rom, and publication of a summary leaflet and website at Launch of the Strategy and the City Centre Development Design Guide at the Design : Southampton event at the Harbour Lights in Ocean Village to architects and developers in September 2002, Presentation of the Strategy to a public meeting with Old Town Residents and Businesses, An exhibition in West Quay Shopping Centre and the Civic Centre Foyer, Presentation of the Strategy to the City Centre Management Board, Presentation of the Strategy to the Southampton Property Forum, Presentation of the Strategy to the Central Area Neighbourhood Partnership. 14. The Old Town Development Strategy has received widespread support from English Heritage, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), the South East Economic Development Agency (SEEDA), Hampshire County Council, the Southampton Federation of Residents Association, the City of Southampton Society and the Old Town Residents Association. 15. No substantial criticism or objection has been received, however some minor textual, photographical and graphical changes have been identified to take into consideration some of the comments made, in particular, where the text is either ambiguous or needed strengthening, or to take into consideration the passage of time since this document was originally published. Appendix 2 sets out the list of respondents and Appendix 3 summarises the comments made, groups them together in common topic areas and sets out a response to issues raised.

5 16. English Heritage were closely involved in the preparation of the Old Town Development Strategy and in commenting upon the strategy they welcome the document and the vision set out for the future development of the Old Town. However, English Heritage suggested a number of minor amendments to the document, these suggestions have been taken into account and are listed in Appendix 3 of this report. 17. Building Heights The only issue that was raised through the consultation process is that of building heights. Comments received identified a discrepancy between the Old Town Development Strategy and the City Centre Development Design Guide on the proposed building heights for new development in the Old Town. The Old Town Development Strategy shows greater detail on the proposed heights and has generally proposed lower building heights in the north of the area than the Development Design Guide. The inconsistency has been considered and amendments proposed for East Street and Albion Place (amending heights from 2 or 3 storey to 3 to 4 storeys) and areas adjoining the Old Town boundary on Bargate Street, Hanover Buildings and Queen s Way (amending heights from 3 or 4 storeys to 3 to 4 storeys or 4 to 6 storeys). The proposed amendments are necessary to reflect the existing gradual increase in building heights from the south of the Old Town northwards to the commercial centre. The proposed amendments to the plan of Proposed Building Heights also includes the addition of the Key Development Site boundaries to enable the sites to be easily viewed in context with their surroundings. Appendix 5 shows the existing plan showing proposed building heights (p39 of the document) and a new plan showing proposed amendments. 18. It should be noted that some comments received identified a lack of car parking generally in the Old Town. Policy for car parking standards is led by Government policy at a national level, where there is a preference for supporting cycling, walking and public transport use. The Old Town Development Strategy does not propose any alterations to current City Council parking standards as they are set out by the Local Plan Review and the Local Transport Plan. 19. It is proposed to restructure the document by placing Chapter 3 - Setting the Scene and Chapter 4 - Analysis at the back of the final document as appendices. The restructure will improve the presentation, appearance and clarity of the final document. 20. Following a decision the final version of the report will be amended accordingly, in consultation with the Leader, prior to publication. Appendices: Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 Appendix 5(a) & (b) List of consultees List of respondents Comments and responses Proposed Amendments Existing and proposed building heights plan

6 Documents in Members Rooms: Old Town Development Strategy (draft consultation report) BACKGROUND PAPERS Title of Background Paper Relevant Paragraph of AIP Rules allowing document to be Exempt/ Confidential (if applicable) Revised Deposit Version Local Plan Local Transport Plan 2001/2 to 5/6 City Centre Urban Design Strategy Medium Term Plan City Centre Development Design Guide (consultation draft) North South Spine Strategy (consultation draft) The Royal Pier Development Brief West Quay Phase 3 Development Brief By Design (DETR/CABE) Documents available for inspection at: City Design Team, City Development and Economy, floor 3, Marland House

7 ITEM NO:C1(a) - APPENDIX 1 Old Town Development Strategy List of Consultees Old Town and Local Residents/Land Interests Castle House Tenants Association Church Commissioners City of Southampton Society Crown Estates Office Friends of Old Southampton Old Town Residents Association Oxford Street Area Resident Association Southampton Commons and Parks Protection Society Southampton Federation of Residents Association Old Town and City Centre Businesses Associated British Ports Chamber of Commerce City Centre Management Steering Group Southampton Commercial Property Forum Old Town and City Centre Businesses VERSION NUMBER: 2.0 DATE LAST AMENDED: 21 January 2004

8 Local Developers and Architects Local Developers and Architects House Builders Fed RIBA Southern Region Planning Assoc Surveyors Assoc Internal Consultations Leader Cabinet Members Ward Members Members Room Chief Executive Executive Directors Programme Managers City Housing Management Community Involvement Community Regeneration Cultural Services Development Control Education Services Health Development Policy Highways Infrastructure Legal Services Marketing & Information Nature Conservation / Environment Planning Policy Property Public Art Social Special Events Team Transportation Government Agencies DETR Government Office for the South East (GOSE) SEEDA Neighbouring Authorities Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) Hampshire County Council (HCC) Hythe & Dibden Parish Council Isle of Wight Council (IoWC) Marchwood Parish Council New Forest District Council (NFDC) Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) Nature Conservation / Environmental Countryside Agency English Nature VERSION NUMBER: 1.0 DATE LAST AMENDED: 20 January 2004 Completion of all sections of this form is MANDATORY. Sections must not be omitted without the prior agreement of the Solicitor to the Council.

9 English Heritage Environmental Agency Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust RSPB Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) Statutory Undertakers & Miscellaneous BAA BT Global Challenge Bus Operators (FS, SBL, W&DBC) CAA Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment Cycling Groups (Forum) (HCTC, Sustrans) Destination Southampton Disability Groups Emergency Services (Police, Fire, Ambulance) English Partnerships Ferry Companies (Red Funnel Ferries & Red Jets, Hythe Ferries) Freight Transport Association Health Authorities Highways Agency House Builder's Federation Housing Corporation (through GOSE) Hythe Ferry Users Group Jubilee Sailing Trust National Playing Fields Association Pedestrians Association Police Architectural Liaison Officers Post Office Property Holdings Railtrack PLC Rail Companies & the Rail Freight Group Road Haulage Association Royal Yachting Association Sea Fisheries Agency Shopmobility (Castle Way, WestQuay) Southampton Action for Access Southampton Geothermal Heating Company Southampton Institute of Higher Education Southern Electric Southern Tourist Board Southern Water Sport England Sustainability Forum Telecommunications (BT, NTL, Telewest, Energis, Fibrenet, Redstone Communications) Training and Enterprise Councils Transco University of Southampton Volvo and other similar event organisers VERSION NUMBER: 1.0 DATE LAST AMENDED: 20 January 2004 Completion of all sections of this form is MANDATORY. Sections must not be omitted without the prior agreement of the Solicitor to the Council.