Draft PLANNING BRIEF FOR 170 ARTHUR Rd., WIMBLEDON PARK HALL.

Prepared by London Borough of Merton following consultation with local residents, and published on this website with permission, to assist in public consultation.
To comment on this brief follow contact details at the bottom of the page.

PREAMBLE
This brief accompanies the Unitary Development Plan (UDP, 2003 ) which was adopted in October 2003 .When it has been finalised after public consultation it can be adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance to the UDP and will be taken into account by the Council in determining planning applications. (policy LD3 refers). Please note that all reference to UDP policies in this document relate to the approved UDP.

1. INTRODUCTION.
The property is in Council ownership, situated in Arthur Rd Local Centre and occupies a site extending to 0 . 04ha. It has been identified as presenting an opportunity for redevelopment and the provision of a community facility meeting the present and future needs of the local community. It is presently occupied by a single storey brick building and yard to the rear at a lower level than the Arthur Rd frontage.
Arthur Rd. has a mixed – use frontage with two and three storey A1 retail / A3/ residential development mixed with four storey B1 office development and two / three storey houses.

2. PLANNING STATUS.
The lawful use of the site is D2 ( Assembly and Leisure) UCO, 1987and there are no extant planning consents affecting it.

3. POLICYCONTEXT.
The site is subject to the provisions of UDP Policy S1 "LOCAL CENTRES" which provides for the maintenance of a wide range of uses to support its vitality and viability except major increases in shopping floorspace.
The site does not fall within a conservation area and the public hall is not a listed building. The site is part of a controlled parking zone where the Council is under increasing pressure to issue more parking permits. Arthur Rd. is a designated cycle route, leisure walking route with a mid range public transport accessibility ( PTAL) level of 2 or 3/6 and is affected by traffic congestion. It is 200m from Wimbledon Park tube station and less than 100m from Durnsford Rd which is a major bus route. Arthur Rd is a local distributor and subject to an area lorry ban.

As a " brownfield " site it represents an opportunity to secure a sustainable, mixed use redevelopment scheme which meets the needs of the local community at medium density and car-free in terms of the residential component (policies LU2, LU4 , PK6 refer).

4. OBJECTIVE.
The objective for this site is to achieve redevelopment for low/ medium density mixed uses in accordance with the Council’s policy for promoting sustainable development and to secure a local community resource as part of the site.

5. ASPIRATIONS.
In any redevelopment scheme the Council would wish to see :

- The site redeveloped according to the principles of sustainable development.
- an enhancement to the local environment with land uses and community facilities supportive of the local centre.

6. REQUIREMENTS
In any redevelopment scheme the Council will require :
- a local community resource centre to be provided at ground floor with frontage on Arthur Rd.
- enabling (cafe) development to form part of the scheme open to the public.
- land to be dedicated to the Council for highway improvements and a local recycling facility provided at the rear of the building
- the building line on Arthur Rd to be maintained.
- a s106 agreement to be executed in association with a planning consent securing funding for local community benefits, public highway and transport improvements in the area.
- the residential part of the scheme to be occupied on a car-free basis and separately accessible from the rest of the development.

7. PROPOSALS.
It is proposed that in view of the site’s medium public transport accessibility level and local centre location it be redeveloped for low/medium density mixed use purposes comprising :
- a community resource centre (D2 Use Classes Order 1987) of @475sq.m.) incorporating a cafe ( A3 , Use Classes Order 1987)of @ 100sq.m.GFA open to the public.
- four storeys of residential accommodation ( C3, Use Classes Order 1987).
- a recycling facility, storage including bicycle storage and building servicing facilities on the lower ground floor.
- separate pedestrian entrances should be provided : for the flats on The Crescent frontage with pedestrian entrances for the café/community resource centre on the Arthur Rd frontage.
- vehicular access for building servicing to be taken from the rear service lane off The Crescent.
- one parking space for the community facility / café development.
- public parking facilities for bicycles and public highway improvements (Arthur Rd/ The Crescent junction ) .

Redevelopment of the site should provide, on the ground floor, a community facility and café and entrance lobby to the flats. Building servicing, storage and a recycling point should be provided on the lower ground floor/ basement (excavated ) with four floors of flats above. The residential accommodation should be provided at a density of 300 – 450 habitable rooms per hectare providing 10 -12 flats of varying sizes on a car- free basis. This level of housing accommodation would not generate an affordable housing requirement but proposals of 15 units or more would require 30% of the total to be provided as affordable housing.

The geometry of the road junction between The Crescent and Arthur Rd. (west-side ) should be improved with land taken from the site and dedicated to the Council to achieve this. Cycle parking for four bicycles should be provided on the footpath on the Arthur Rd frontage. Service vehicle access to the site should be taken from the rear lane off The Crescent and the junction with The Crescent improved for this purpose. Operational car parking space should be provided for the community facility / café at the rear.

Community Facility

The proposed community use should comprise a hall similar in size to the existing hall. Meeting rooms/conference facilities with IT and Internet facilities , café also capable of providing a catering service for events / functions with associated toilet and cloakroom facilities. The design of the building and facilities will be of a high standard enabling integration of facilities to provide maximum flexibility.
(Policies HP4, BE16, BE25, BE31, PK2, PK3,PK6, WC4, WC1, PE11,PE13, RN2, RN3, RN5, RN7, S7, L14, refer).

8. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
In addition to the aspects of sustainability relating to land-use proposals, traffic and transport and the reuse of brownfield land, developers will be encouraged or required to include the following sustainability features in development proposals :
- The Council will encourage all dwellings to be built to the BRE eco –homes standard (good ), for which accreditation will be required, providing a low level of carbon dioxide emissions.
- The Council will require the habitable rooms in residential development to be orientated ( in a southerly direction as far as possible )to maximise passive solar gain.
- The Council will require new development to incorporate renewable energy infrastructure eg. photovoltaic panels.
- The Council will encourage recycling of building materials as far as possible and any timber used in new development should be derived from renewable sources.
- The Council will require site planning to enable convenient access for service vehicles to be achieved.
- The Council will require external lighting to minimise light pollution while providing adequate illumination to help reduce the fear of crime and enhance the sense of security of a place.
- The Council will require flatted residential development to be provided with secure bicycle storage facilities.
- The Council will encourage new dwellings to facilitate home-working by providing adequate space capable of dedication for work purposes and suitable telecommunications infrastructure.

9. URBAN DESIGN.
The scale and massing of the redevelopment scheme should be consistent with that of adjoining and neighbouring properties and the proposed roof line should reflect the slope of Arthur Rd. The redevelopment scheme should provide a contemporary design solution and a building that can adapt to changing circumstances, with an overall height not exceeding five storeys on the Arthur Rd. frontage. The prominent location on the corner (realigned ) of The Crescent and Arthur Rd makes it appropriate for a feature entrance to be provided here marking a clear transition from public street to private space. The entrance should also be designed to minimise opportunities for anti-social behaviour thereby reducing the fear of crime. The residential accommodation should be built for long life and to a high quality design with living rooms facing south as far as possible to maximise solar gain and the design should seek to minimise heat loss. Ground and upper storeys can oversail the sub-ground floor / basement level void at the rear if necessary. External finishing materials should be of a high quality but not necessarily those traditionally used in the area. New building should be stepped back at the rear to avoid encroachment on the minimum separation distances of residential properties on The Crescent and Crescent Gardens.
(policies BE16, BE22, HS1, HS2, HN3, refer ).

10. PLANNING APPLICATION and s106 AGREEMENT.
A full planning application may include a Sustainability Statement, a Transport Statement and Statements on Urban Design and Building Design setting out how the proposals will meet the Council’s sustainability objectives, an assessment of public and private transport impacts and how they will address building design and urban design issues. Council guidance documents are available on these matters.
The Council will expect a developer to enter into a s.106 agreement in association with a planning permission to develop the site which will provide financial contributions towards :
- the provision and equipping of the community resource centre
- enhancement of local community facilities
- the provision of improved educational facilities locally including implementation of the Council’s "safe routes to schools" programme.
- The provision of enhanced transport regime in the local area and highway improvements.
- Drafting and monitoring compliance with the agreement.
- Undertaking an assessment of energy use and gas emissions.
- Providing a recycling facility and
- Facilitate the occupation of the residential accommodation on a car - free basis.
(policies C18, BE22, PK6,LU3, LU4, LU5 refer ).

Point of Contact
Further information on this planning brief is available from:
Ian Bremner, Sites and Projects, Environmental Services Department, London Borough of Merton.
Tel: 0208 545 3818, Fax : 0208 545 3326
Email: ian.bremner@merton.gov.uk

P/igb/plnbrfwimpkhl
April 2004