74 Rivington Street Planning Statement JULY 2013 DP9 100 Pall Mall London SW1Y 5NQ Tel: 020 7004 1700 Fax: 020 7004 1790
CONTENTS Page 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Site Description 2 3.0 The Proposed Development 4 4.0 Planning Policy Considerations 5 5.0 Summary and Conclusions 7
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This Planning Statement has been prepared in support of an application for temporary planning permission submitted by The Office Group to the London Borough of Hackney (LBH). 1.2 The description of development is as follows: Erection of temporary office accommodation to form additional 1 to 2 storey reception and office floorspace (285 sqm) within the existing hardstanding including provision of ancillary bike storage and landscaping for a period of 10 years. 1.3 A temporary permission is sought for these works to facilitate the continued use of the building in the interim period prior to continued consideration of the wider redevelopment options for the site for which planning permission has already been granted. 1.4 This report should be read in conjunction with the plans and drawings and Design and Access Statement prepared by Buckley Gray Yeoman. 1
2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION Site Location 2.1 The site is located in the London Borough of Hackney. The nearest underground station to the site is Old Street (0.36 miles) and the nearest railway station is Liverpool Street (0.56 miles). 2.2 The current building is a late Victorian era industrial building. The North façade looks onto Rivington Street, with a railtrack site to the east, a 3 storey industrial building to the west and a 5 storey residential building to the south on Dereham Place. 2.3 The existing building on the site is part one storey (with a sunken basement), part three storey (with basement). The entrance to the building does not have a company presence, and there is no link between public and private realm. 2.4 The surrounding area is mixed in character and comprises a mix of uses. The surrounding buildings vary in height from two to nine storeys. 2.5 The site lies within the South Shoreditch Conservation Area. The building is not listed. The building is defined in the South Shoreditch Conservation Area Appraisal as a Building of Townscape Merit. However, LBH have subsequently granted planning permission for the building s comprehensive redevelopment. The site is located to the south of the rear of the Grade II listed Shoreditch Town Hall. The gunposts in front of the site to the north are Grade II listed. Numbers 18 to 26 and 37 to 38 Rivington Street are also Grade II listed. 2.6 The building falls into the Priority Employment Area; the Central Activities Zone; and an Archaeological Priority Area as identified in the Borough s Core Strategy. 2.7 Within the South Shoreditch Supplementary Planning Document (SSSPD) February 2006, the site falls within the Shoreditch Triangle Sub-District. This district aims to resist loss of employment. 2.8 The site is highly accessible by public transport with a PTAL rating of 6a and is surrounded by a number of underground stations and major transport interchanges. These include Old Street underground station (0.36 miles) and Liverpool Street railway station 2
(0.56 miles). The site is also served by a number of bus routes, extending throughout London via Shoreditch High Street. Planning History 2.9 Planning permission was granted in 2011 (ref: 2010/2306) for the demolition of existing building and erection of a 6-storey plus basement office building (Use Class B1 (a)) and associated hard landscaping and other associated works. This permission has not been implemented. 3
3.0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 3.1 This planning application seeks permission for the erection of temporary office and reception accommodation within the existing hardstanding to facilitate the continued use of the site in the interim period before redevelopment. Associated works of internal refurbishment will also be undertaken at the same time, but these works of refurbishment do not require planning permission. The temporary works include provision of a secure cycle store and ancillary landscaping to improve the entrance to the existing offices. 3.2 The proposals seek to make beneficial use of the site prior to the redevelopment options being further considered in order to attract short term business uses in line with The Office Group s objective of providing simple, flexible leases in unique design-led environments. 3.3 The proposed temporary extension would enable The Office Group to create the requisite enhanced reception/entrance space, provide key facilities for tenants including cycle storage facilities and create additional office floorspace without the need to make alterations to the existing buildings on site. The existing office reception is located in a corridor space between two buildings and lacks the presence or legibility required by modern office occupiers. 3.4 Above the new reception a new temporary office pod is proposed to form a two storey block. The additional space will provide individual offices, meeting rooms and break out spaces as well as a small kitchen and toilets. The total GEA of the proposed floorspace is 285 sqm. 3.5 The proposed temporary entrance structure would create a bold entrance to the building, enabling improved legibility of the office reception, improve security into the site, provide level access and create further opportunities to improve the immediate public realm including enhanced entrance gates and signage. 3.6 Secure cycle storage is proposed in the form of bicycle storage lockers within the existing front courtyard. 3.7 Full details of the proposed works are set out within the Design and Access Statement. 4
3.8 When the temporary period of consent comes to an end (or prior to that date) any works of external reinstatement and making good would be undertaken by the applicant to return the building to its current condition, and a planning condition is anticipated to that effect. 5
4.0 PLANNING POLICY CONSIDERATIONS 4.1 This section reviews the National, Regional and Local Policies that are most relevant to the proposals and provides an assessment of how the proposals comply with planning policy in respect of the following issues: Principle of Development Design and Heritage Amenity Principle of Development 4.2 The proposed works enable the site to be retained within its existing lawful use as B1 office floorspace. A temporary planning permission is sought to enable the site to be used within the interim period prior to redevelopment of the site for which there is an extant planning permission in place. 4.3 The additional floorspace proposed requires minimal intervention to the existing site and provides a temporary means of enhancing the site entrance to attract businesses to the serviced offices in the short term. 4.4 The proposals are therefore in line with Core Strategy Policy CSP3 for the South Shoreditch area and economic development policies CSP17 and CSP18. Design and Heritage 4.5 As stated above the site lies within the South Shoreditch Conservation Area. The building is not listed. The building is defined in the South Shoreditch Conservation Area Appraisal as a Building of Townscape Merit. However, LBH have subsequently granted planning permission for the building s comprehensive redevelopment. 4.6 The proposed temporary accommodation ensures there is no requirement to make significant alterations to the existing building and retains the site in its current office use. The proposals therefore create no harm or loss of significance of the undesignated heritage asset in line with NPPF policies. 6
4.7 The accompanying Design and Access Statement sets out in detail the design of the temporary structures and materials proposed. The structures proposed are temporary and seek to enhance the visual appearance of the entrance space when viewed from Rivington Street as well as improving accessibility and security, in line with Policy CSP24. Amenity 4.8 The proposals include works to improve accessibility and legibility of the site, including improvements to the front gates to enhance the presence of the site and legibility of the entrance. The proposals create 19 new secure bike locker storage for future tenants and propose enhancements to the immediate amenity space leading from the entrance gates to the proposed new reception. 4.9 As existing there are only 4 cycle spaces provided on site, therefore the proposals will significantly improve facilities to provide a total of 23 spaces. 4.10These measures aim to improve the appearance of the site when viewed from Rivington Street for the benefit of the local area and to attract new tenants. 7
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 5.1 The proposals create additional temporary office accommodation and reception facilities for a period of up to ten years to serve a proposed serviced office scheme offering flexible leases to business occupiers. The proposed floorspace totals 285 sqm. The proposals are in line with LBH s Core Strategy policy to encourage employment floorspace in Priority Employment Areas. 5.2 The new floorspace is proposed for a temporary 10 year period only, to serve as an interim solution to keep the site in use prior to its redevelopment for which there is an extant planning permission in place. 5.3 The proposals seek to enhance the entrance to site including accessibility and amenity features for future tenants including the provision of secure bike lockers. These proposals are in line with Core Strategy policies in respect of high quality design and amenity (CSP24). 5.4 The temporary works provide an efficient and sustainable means of ensuring the site remains in employment use in the interim period prior to redevelopment and are fully in accordance with national, regional and local planning policy. 8