Land Adjacent to West Quay Road and Holes Bay (Barclays)

Item No:1

Case Officer:Mr D Evans

Site:Land Adjacent To West Quay Road And Holes Bay (Barclays).

Application No:07/39675/000/F

Date Received:15th November 2007

Agent:R P S Planning Park House Greyfriars Road Cardiff CF10 3AF

Applicant:McLagan Investments Ltd/Marsh Life Ltd

Development:Erect 1 x 5 storey and 1 x 7 storey office building with basement and podium car parking accessed off Lifeboat Quay (amended plans received 22nd January 2008)

Ward:C 030 Poole Town

Site Description

The site is land between the Asda supermarket, the Hunger Hill roundabout and Holes Bay Road. Lifeboat Quay forms its northern boundary, beyond which is Holes Bay, which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Ramsar Site and a Special Protection Area under the Birds Directive. The ‘Aqua’ development is nearing completion to the north west of the application site. The site is currently vacant and laid to grass.

The site forms part of a larger area of former industrial land previously occupied by a range of buildings including a grain silo, warehouses and chemical stores, builders’ merchants and a bus and coach depot. All of these buildings were demolished and the site cleared and subject to appropriate remediation prior to the construction of the Asda store.

Relevant Planning History

2003 - Outline planning permission for a mixed use development, with access from Hole Bay Road, including:

• A food store.

• 64 affordable residential units above the store and an 11-storey tower.
• A multi-storey car park of up to four levels together with surface level car parking.
• A 96 flats waterfront residential development.
• A waterfront restaurant.
• A 100 bedroom hotel.
• A 9000 sq.m. office development.
• A public park fronting Holes Bay.

This permission was subject to a Section 106 Agreement that secured the payment of contributions in respect of recreational facilities, public art, highway infrastructure and transportation provisions. Detailed approval was given in respect of the access arrangements, the food store and the affordable housing. The current application site was shown as accommodating the hotel and office development.

2003 – Approval of reserved matters in respect of revised proposals for Asda food store with residential above, including a multi-storey car park.

2005 – Approval of reserved matters for 96 flats and a restaurant with associated parking (Aqua building).

Current Proposal

This proposed office development comprises two phases of construction:

Phase I:

• A 10,770 sq.m. office building on the eastern half of the site occupying the Holes Bay frontage with its main entrance off Lifeboat Quay.
• The four floors of office accommodation would incorporate a full height glazed atrium facing Holes Bay and a central atrium. The roof would accommodate plant rooms and an extensive range of external plant and equipment, all of which would be enclosed behind a storey-height louvre screen.
• A basement level would extend across the whole of the application site, extending beyond the footprint of both of the proposed buildings. The basement would accommodate 194 car parking spaces (including 10 accessible spaces), 20 motorcycles and 119 bicycles. Access would be from Lifeboat Quay at the western end of the application site. The basement would also accommodate staff changing facilities and lockers, plant and equipment.
• The access would also serve a ground level service access to an area at the rear of the ‘phase one’ building. This incorporates a vehicle turning area, an emergency access from Holes Bay Road and 12 car parking spaces.
• The area between the service access and the phase I building would be laid out temporarily as a private amenity space in the event that phase II does not immediately follow phase I.

Phase II:

• A 5,711 sq.m. 6-storey office building comprising 5 floors of office accommodation above a podium level. The roof would accommodate a plant room and storey-height louvre screen.
• The temporary amenity area would be covered by the podium deck to provide enclosed parking for 48 cars (including 5 accessible spaces), 20 motorcycles and 47 bicycles. The building would be raised on columns a further storey above the service access. The podium level would be laid out as a private amenity area.

While they are neither the owners of the site nor the applicants, it is understood that the proposals have been designed to meet the specific operational requirements of Barclays to facilitate their proposed relocation from their existing town centre offices.

Representations

Head of Strategic Planning Services:

• Welcomes the application as supporting the goals of the Regional Spatial Strategy and Regional Economic Strategy, which recognise Poole as having particular potential for achieving net gains in office accommodation in town centre locations. This is seen as key in helping to achieve urban renaissance and securing and enhancing the utility, viability and economic performance of town centres. The importance of the financial services sector is highlighted.

• The saved policies of the Poole Local Plan First Alteration Adopted 2004 (as amended by Secretary of State Direction September 2007) and the Central Area Masterplan support the proposed use. The Local Development Framework is unlikely to include any fundamentally different approach to the development of the site.
• The adopted Raising The Game strategy document highlights the need to provide for high quality employment uses to increase the opportunities for employment in knowledge-based high paying sectors. The creation of more and better jobs is incorporated into the council’s Striving for Excellence corporate strategy.
• National regional policies of the late1960’s/early1970’s first prompted major employers, such as Barclays, to relocate to Poole. Without the incentives of such policies and with office rent levels not bringing forward the highest quality accommodation required to attract similar high quality employers, there are substantial barriers to attracting employers with high value jobs to locate in Poole.
• There are nevertheless encouraging signs of such moves and, most importantly of all, Barclays have been persuaded to retain nearly 1000 people in Poole, by the offer of high quality accommodation regarded by the local market as Grade A+. With the option of further floorspace later, their decision is a significant boost for the local economy.

Head of Transportation Services

• The submitted Transport Assessment is fully compliant with the scope set by Transportation Services. It is supported by an Interim workplace Travel Plan based on the active Travel Plan operated by Barclays at their existing premises. The highway improvements required to cope with this proposal were provided by ASDA in 2004 and no further engineering works on the highway are considered necessary. Sufficient traffic capacity can be provided within the signal timing arrangements.
• The vehicular access point to Lifeboat Quay is on the inside of a bend, and the full details of the design, including street furniture, must be agreed before construction. The first access point to the ASDA car park must be changed from one-way egress to one-way ingress to ensure the safety of the new office access. This would also assist circulation of the Route 1 bus service around the ASDA site.
• The servicing arrangements and motorcycle and cycle parking provision are satisfactory. 242 car spaces are proposed, whereas the maximum car parking guideline for this floorspace in Parking Zone 2 is 198 spaces. This nevertheless represents a significant pro-rata reduction in car parking provision relative to the current Barclays office, which has twice the guideline spaces/sq.m. Given also Barclays current and proposed Travel Plan arrangements, there is no objection to this higher parking provision. This level of provision would not conflict with the national car parking maxima set out in PPG13. However, it would be prudent to condition that the podium level parking (@48 spaces) is not provided until the Phase 2 office building is constructed.

• The site has excellent access to bus and rail services and the main cycle route network, and thus its development for a high density employment use is fully in accord with objectives of the Local Transport Plan.

Environment Agency: no objection subject to appropriate conditions to secure the provisions of the submitted Flood Risk Assessment; to address the potential risk to the water environment of contaminants on the site; to secure the efficient use of water resources and to secure sustainable design and construction.

Wessex Water: No objection. Adequate foul drainage, sewage treatment and water supply capacity exists. Surface water should drain directly to the harbour.

Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection Services: no objection subject to appropriate conditions to address that the site comprises or is adjacent to made-up ground and may also contain residual contaminants associated with its’ former uses. Particular note is made of the excavations and spoil movements associated with the basement car parking, the need to protect against landfill gas and the need to cap landscaped areas. WW II ordnance was also discovered in association with previous works on the application site. All of these matters should be addressed in a detailed remediation strategy

Natural England: have raised a holding objection subject to an appropriate construction methodology and surface water drainage issues being resolved prior to development. These should be secured by condition. Contribution should be secured towards proposed measures intended to mitigate additional disturbance to wildlife from staff using the footpath/cycle route along the east side of Holes Bay and towards bird monitoring.

South West of England Regional Development Agency: supports the proposals as providing much needed employment space; helping to secure the future in the area of a key employer in the financial services sector; contributing to the ongoing regeneration of the wider Town Centre area and helping to maintain the role of Poole as one of the main centres of economic activity in the region. Good practice sustainability measures should be adopted in the development.

Barclays: support the application as meeting their operational requirements and providing a prestigious office development on an important gateway site. Barclays have sought to ensure a sustainable development of the highest standards of design.

Letters of objection have been received from three residents, who express the following concerns:

• The existing light controlled pedestrian crossings across Holes Bay Road do not have the capacity to accommodate the peak pedestrian flows that the proposals will generate. Most particularly the ability of the central pedestrian refuge to accommodate the flows associated with the arrival of a peak-time train.
• Inadequate car parking provision is made given the likely numbers of employees. The existing offices have more than 1000 spaces and cause no problems.
• Inadequate provision of changing rooms/showers for level of cycle space provision.
• ‘Flexi-time’ provisions should be incorporated in the travelplan to reduce peak traffic volumes.
• More ‘green’ measures should be included.

Relevant Planning Policy

The following policies of the Poole Local Plan First Alteration Adopted 2004 (as amended by Secretary of State Direction September 2007) are relevant to this application: -

BE1 Design Code

BE2 Landscaping

BE9 Public Art

BE11 Energy Efficiency

NE1 Pollution and Noise

T2 Cycling Provision in New Development

T3 Provision for pedestrians in new development

T11 Car Parking Maxima

T13 Traffic Generated by Development

T14 Access to the Highway Network

CA1 Holes Bay Basin – Urban Design

CA2 Holes Bay Basin – Delivery Mechanism

CA3 Land to the East of RNLI, West Quay Road

NE15 Sites of International Importance

NE16 Sites of Special Scientific Interest

The Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) in respect of the Poole Bridge Regeneration Initiative includes the application site (‘Welcome to Poole pt.1: by road’). Its requirements for this area, as they relate to the current proposals, include:

• A high proportion of offices showroom and other commercial uses.
• Simple and direct pedestrian connections to the High Street and New Quayside
• On-site parking to be concealed within blocks or below buildings in such a way that active frontages are maintained at street level.
• Covered communal and secure parking for two-wheeled transport.
• Servicing from side streets or in rear courts.
• Distinctive looking buildings, spaces and features overlooking the north facing shoreline and around Hunger Hill and a combination of high quality, eye-catching buildings and spaces.
• A variety of building heights, scales and forms, especially in views from Holes Bay Road, generally between 3 and 5-storey high fronting Holes Bay, elsewhere 3 and 4-storey.

Planning Considerations

• The Regeneration Initiative SPG sets out the role of this area as a principal gateway to the town centre and recognises that the scale and form of development should create a clear ‘edge and gateway’ to the town centre as the ‘Business Gateway Quarter’ is approached along Holes Bay Road. These buildings fulfil this role and would create a highly visible and dramatic approach to the town centre in combination with the existing adjacent buildings.
• The colours, materials and design of the proposed building would complement the character and scale of the adjacent Asda and Aqua buildings. The proposals reflect the evolving character of the area, are of an appropriate scale to their surroundings and are in keeping with the SPG.
• The prominent entrance atrium to the phase I building and glazed entrance feature to the Phase II building create a strong visual presence and active frontage to Lifeboat Quay, the principal route into the site, in accordance with the aspirations of the SPG.
• The prominent staircase towers and striking geometry of the Phase II building together with appropriate materials would create a building that is wholly appropriate to its location. The largely inactive western boundary of the site is in part mitigated by the potential for a personnel access and enlarged public area around the staircase tower adjacent to the secondary entrance to Asda.
• Car parking is provided in accordance with the aspirations of the SPG.
• The approximately 16,500 sq.m. of office accommodation proposed represents a similar scale of development to that envisaged by the previous outline planning permission for 9,000 sq.m. of office accommodation and a 100 bed hotel.

The proposed buildings therefore provide an appropriate response to the policies and aspirations of the SPG and Poole Local Plan and the constraints imposed by a previously polluted and environmentally sensitive waterside location potentially at risk of flooding and wholly enclosed by public realm.

The implementation of the Phase II building within an appropriate timeframe following the occupation of the Phase I building should be secured since, without both buildings, the objectives of the SPG would not be realised by the proposals. This should be secured by a ‘Section 106’ agreement, as also should be the implementation of a travel plan and a contribution towards the provision of public art.

The proposals have been the subject of very recent revision in respect of matters of detailed design. Any resolution to give planning permission should therefore make provision for the resolution of any such matters of detailed design that might remain outstanding following receipt of these revised drawings and that cannot adequately be addressed by appropriate conditions.

RECOMMENDATION

GRANT subject to a Section 106 Agreement securing:

1. A financial contribution of £50.000 (index linked from June 2003) (plus administration fee) towards the provision of Public Art in accordance with Policy BE9 of the Poole Local Plan First Alteration (Adopted 2004).

1. The operation of a Workplace Travel Plan.

1. Appropriate measures to secure the implementation of the Phase II building within an appropriate timeframe following the occupation of the Phase I building.

1. A financial contribution of £10,000 towards SPA monitoring.

Subject to the following condition(s)

1 - GN150 (Detailed Permission - Time Expiry 3 Years (Standard) )

2 - GN030 (Sample of Materials - Submission of Details Required )

3 - HW100 (Parking/Turning Provision )

The access, turning space, car parking, motorcycle / cycle parking and changing / shower / locker facilities shown on the approved 'Basement Plan' and 'Landscape Plan - Phase I Temporary proposal' (or such other provisions that might first have been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority) shall be constructed, laid out and made available for use prior to the 'Phase I' accommodation hereby permitted first being occupied. They shall thereafter be retained and kept available for those purposes at all times. The additional such provisions shown on the approved 'Ground Floor Plan' shall be constructed, laid out and made available for those purposes upon the occupation of the 'Phase II' accommodation and not before then.

Reason -

In the interests of highway safety and in accordance with PolicyT13 of the Poole Local Plan First Alteration Adopted March 2004 (as amended by Secretary of State Direction September 2007).

4 - LS020 (Landscaping Scheme to be Submitted )

No development shall take place until proposals for the landscaping of the site (including proposals for the treatment of the site in the event that the approved 'Phase II' accommodation is not built at the same time as 'Phase I') have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The landscaping scheme shall include provision for landscape planting, walls, fencing and other means of enclosure and any changes in levels.

Upon approval:

a) the approved scheme shall be fully implemented with new planting carried out in the planting season October to March inclusive following occupation of the building(s) or the completion of the development whichever is the sooner, or in accordance with a timetable to be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority;

b) all planting shall be carried out in accordance with British Standards, including regard for plant storage and ground conditions at the time of planting;

c) the scheme shall be properly maintained for a period of 5 years and any plants (including those retained as part of the scheme) which die, are removed or become damaged or diseased within this period shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and the same species, unless the Local Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation; and