Collingwood, La Rue des Landes, St. Peter.

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A decision made (23/11/2007) regarding: Collingwood, La Rue des Landes, St. Peter.

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2008-0049		Application Number: P/2007/2254 (If applicable)
Decision Summary Title :	Collingwood, La Rue des Landes, St. Peter	Date of Decision Summary:		26 February 2008
Decision Summary Author:	Lawrence Davies	Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)		Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written	Person Giving Oral Report:		Lawrence Davies
Written Report Title :	Collingwood, La Rue des Landes, St. Peter	Date of Written Report:		13 November 2007
Written Report Author:	Lawrence Davies	Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)		Public
Subject: Collingwood, La Rue des Landes, St. Peter Demolish existing bungalow and construct 3 No. four bedroom dwellings. Create new vehicular access off La Rue Des Landes.
Decision(s): The application was approved as recommended. The Minister requested an additional condition requiring the applicant to install a geo-thermal heating system as part of the development. In the event that, upon investigation, geo-thermal heating proved not to be feasible, the application was to be resubmitted for further consideration.
Reason(s) for Decision: The Minister was satisfied with the scheme as recommended. The reason for the additional condition was that the Minister is keen for the development to serve as a benchmark in sustainable / environmentally-friendly development, setting a new standard of excellence in this respect.
Resource Implications: None
Action required: Notify Agent, Applicant and all other interested parties
Signature:			Position: Minister
Date Signed: 07 April 2008			Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed): 23 November 2007

Collingwood, La Rue des Landes, St. Peter.

Planning and Environment Department

Report

Application Number

P/2007/2254

Site Address	Collingwood, La Rue des Landes, St. Peter.

Applicant	C.D.S Holdings Ltd

Description	Demolish existing bungalow and construct 3 No. four bedroom dwellings. Create new vehicular access off La Rue Des Landes.

Type	Planning

Date Validated	26/09/2007

Zones	Built-Up Area Water Pollution Safeguard Area

Policies	G2 General Development Considerations G3 Quality of Design G15 Replacement Buildings H8 Housing in the Built-Up Area

Reason for Referral	Ministerial Call-In Size, scale and nature of development proposal

Summary/

Conclusion

Collingwood is a large 4-bedroom dwelling set within a large mature garden plot contained within the Built-Up Area. It is a sprawling 1950s bungalow which is set on a diagonal axis. Because of this orientation, the building occupies an unusually large footprint and therefore makes fairly inefficient use of the site.

In common with most of the neighbourhood, the building is unexceptional in terms of its appearance and evidently is of a poor quality of construction. In the circumstances, therefore, the principle redeveloping the site into a high quality housing development is considered acceptable subject to quality of design.

The scheme is for three detached family dwellings with garaging and reasonable sized gardens and the scheme also includes a decent landscape buffer zone to the main road. This is considered to be a suitable level of development in view of the size of the site.

The Architect’s design statement describes the scheme as offering “a fresh contemporary design, but using familiar and traditional building forms”. This is considered to be an apt description – the houses are traditional in terms of their general form, massing and proportions but the detailing and materials are very contemporary.

The elevational treatment includes horizontally-laid granite work (to the lower half of the building) with recessed joints providing a highly-textured surface. A steel channel will form a band around the centre of each building and then the upper floor will be a crisp, smoothly-rendered surface by way of contrast. Fenestration and rainwater goods are to be grey pre-powder coated aluminium and the roofs will be in slate.

In summary, this is an interesting and carefully-designed proposal for three much-needed family homes; the application is considered to satisfy all the relevant policy criteria and is therefore recommended for approval.

Officer

Recommendation

APPROVE

Site Description	The site is located to the west of La Rue des Landes, St Peter, between l’Avenue de la Reine Elizabeth II to the north with Rue Cappelain to the south, and is positioned immediately to the south of the main entrance to the Jersey Rugby Club complex. It forms part of the ribbon development that occurs along both sides of La Rue des Landes. To the north is the rugby ground and to the west is the hockey club (both within the Countryside Zone). The Built-Up area is fairly suburban and nondescript in character with a mix of single storey and two storey dwellings; as a result there is no defining character to the area. The existing pattern of development is generally tight knit along the road frontage with limited gaps in between. The only relief from this pattern of development is the range of traditional two storey buildings immediately to the south and the traditional two storey dwelling to the east. The buildings to the south, which occupy a similar sized plot to Collingwood, have been sub-divided to form 5 separate residential units. The Collingwood site itself is a large mature garden plot (1,513 m2) currently occupied by a sprawling 1950s bungalow which is set on a diagonal axis. Because of this orientation, the building occupies an unusually large footprint and therefore makes fairly inefficient use of the site. In common with most of the neighbourhood, it is unexceptional in terms of its appearance.

Relevant Planning History	PP/2006/0708 – Planning in principle application to “Demolish existing dwelling and construct 4 no. 4-bed, 2 storey houses with parking and service road”. This application was refused for the following reasons; The proposed scheme would result in a cramped over-development where the buildings would have a poor relationship with both one another and also surrounding buildings on adjacent sites. Therefore, the proposed development fails to satisfy the requirements of Policies G2, G3 and H8 of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002. The proposed development is not mindful of the context of the site and its surroundings and is therefore considered inappropriate; a low level of detail has been provided as to the style and design of the proposed houses but it would appear that they are intended to be near-identical large suburban style houses which is contrary to the character of existing development in the area. As a result of this, the proposed development fails to satisfy the requirements of Policies G3 and H8 of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002. The scheme fails to demonstrate that the existing building on the site 'Collingwood', is unable or unsuitable to be repaired or refurbished, or that the proposed new development would enhance the appearance of the site or its surroundings. Therefore, the scheme fails to satisfy the requirements of Policy G15 of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002. The scheme has not addressed the issue of waste management which is of fundamental importance for any development which would lead to the generation of a significant degree of construction waste. Therefore, the proposed development fails to satisfy the requirements of Policies WM1 and WM2 of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002. P/2007/0744 – Proposal: “Construct 4 bed dwelling in garden. Create new vehicular access off La Rue des Landes”. This application was withdrawn following discussions with the department which led to the submission of the current application (both have the same applicant).

Existing use of Land/Buildings	Residential

Proposed use of Land/Buildings	Residential

Consultations	TTS (Highways), in their letter dated 15th October 2007, state that the revised proposals meet the department’s visibility requirements. They also require a footpath to be incorporated along the site frontage. The Environment Department, in their consultation response dated 19th October 2007, state that they have no comment to make regarding the application. All consultations are attached with the background papers

Summary of Representations	One letter of objection has been received on the application from neighbours to the east of the site (on the opposite side of La Rue des Landes). They raise concerns with regard to overlooking from the new (east-facing) windows and loss of sunlight given that the proposal is for two-storey dwellings in place of an existing bungalow. This letter of representation is attached with the background papers.

Planning Issues	Policy Considerations The site is located within the Built-Up Area; as such there is no presumption against its redevelopment in principle. Policy G2 sets out key principles which every application must observe, including that developments will not unreasonably affect the character and amenity of the area, will not have an unreasonable impact on neighbouring uses and the local environment and provides a satisfactory means of access and adequate space for parking. Policy H8 reiterates these points and also states that proposals for new dwellings will normally be permitted within the boundary of the Built-Up Area provided that the proposal is appropriate in scale, form, massing, density and design to the site and its context and is in accordance with the required standards for housing as set by the Minister. Policy G3 calls for a high standard of design with all applications and requires the scale, form, massing, orientation, siting and density of development along with the relationship to existing buildings and the details, colours, materials and finishes of the proposal settlement form and character, topography, landscape features to be taken into consideration. Policy G15 allows for that the replacement of buildings where the proposed development would enhance the appearance of the site and its surroundings; replace a building that it is not appropriate to repair or refurbish, not have an unreasonable impact on neighbouring uses and involve the loss of a building that is unsympathetic to the character and amenity of the area. The existing dwelling on the site, is a poorly-constructed 1950s bungalow (inefficient in both its quality of construction and use of the site). In addition it is clearly of no especial architectural merit. In the circumstances the principle of the redevelopment of the site into a high quality housing development is considered acceptable, subject to the scheme meeting the above policy criteria. Land Use Implications The application proposes the redevelopment of a large Built-Up area site (currently a single dwelling) into three dwellings. Size, Scale & Siting The scheme is for three detached 2-storey 4-bedroom dwellings with garaging; however, this is a large plot and is considered capable of containing this level of development. The units are well sited in relation to one another and each has a reasonable sized garden (the smallest being 149m2). The development is set back from the road and the scale of the buildings is considered to be comparable to others in the immediate vicinity. Design & Use of Materials The Architect’s design statement describes the scheme as offering “a fresh contemporary design, but using familiar and traditional building forms”. This is considered to be an apt description – the houses are traditional in terms of their general form, massing and proportions but the detailing and materials are very contemporary. The elevational treatment includes horizontally-laid granite work (to the lower half of the building) with recessed joints providing a highly-textured surface. A steel channel will form a band around the centre of each building and then the upper floor will be a crisp, smoothly-rendered surface by way of contrast. Fenestration and rainwater goods are to be grey pre-powder coated aluminium and the roofs will be in slate. Impact on Neighbours The impact on neighbouring properties is considered reasonable. To the north and west of the site is open sports fields and a car park, to the east is the main road, La Rue des Landes, whilst the traditional group of buildings to the south has its driveway access adjacent to the Collingwood site. Therefore, there is not considered to be any significant issue with regard to overlooking or loss of privacy. Access, Car parking and Highway Considerations As noted, TTS Highways are satisfied with the proposed new access onto La Rue des Landes as it meets with their full requirements. In addition, because the roadside boundary is being completely reconstructed, Highways have requested that a footpath be incorporated into the scheme as a form of planning gain. It is proposed to condition this as part of the approval. Foul Sewage Disposal To mains drains connection Landscaping issues A significant landscaped buffer zone is to be incorporated as part of the development – this will enhance the setting of the development within the streetscape. More generally, it is anticipated that standard domestic landscaping will occur. Other Material Considerations In the interests of green ‘eco-development’, the new houses will incorporate recessed / integral solar panelling.

Officer Recommendation	APPROVE

Conditions/ Reasons	1.3m wide footpath to be constructed along the roadside (to TTS specification) as part of the reconstruction of the roadside boundary. This is to be undertaken at the applicant’s expense and the land ceded to the States of Jersey. Permitted Development rights removed owing to the nature of the scheme. Prior to commencement, large-scale constructional details are required to be submitted and approved which show key elements (detailing and junctions for instance) of the development. Visibility splays to be maintained in perpetuity – all planting to be kept below 900mm. Granite roadside walls to be formed. Full details of all areas of external hardstanding to be agreed in writing prior to being laid.

Background Papers	1:2500 Location Plan Architect’s Design statement 2 consultation responses 1 letter of objection

Endorsed by:

Date: