Victoria Street, Buckingham Gate and

Palace Street Site, SW1

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Document title: Victoria Street, Buckingham Gate and Palace Street Site, SW1 – Draft Planning Brief

Version: 7

Date: 8 March 2007

Status: Draft for public consultation

Filepath: j: D_City Planning Group/H drive group/David Parker/Planning Briefs/Victoria Street/070111_Draft Planning Brief_v7_Victoria Street_public consultation.doc

Produced by: Planning & City Development Department, City of Westminster Council, City Hall, 64, Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP

Contact: David Parker Email: dparker@westminster.gov.uk; Tel: 020 7641 7922

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Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ............................................................ 5 2.0 Background and planning brief objectives ......... 7 3.0 Site description and context ............................... 11 4.0 The statutory planning framework for the site .. 17 5.0 Potential land uses .............................................. 19 6.0 Transport, highway and parking ......................... 25 7.0 Public realm........................................................... 31 8.0 Design and conservation .................................... 35 9.0 Sustainable design .............................................. 41 10.0 Planning obligations ............................................ 43 11.0 Construction management ................................. 45 12.0 Contacts and further information ....................... 47 Appendix 1 Maps .......................................................... 49 Appendix 2 Listed building statements ..................... 60 Appendix 3 Short term proposals .............................. 64

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1.0 Introduction 1.1 This draft planning brief considers matters pertaining to a potential

redevelopment site at 54-74 Victoria Street, 107-151 Victoria Street, 51-57 Palace Street, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60 Buckingham Gate, Spenser Street and above the London Underground District railway line corridor. For the purpose of this draft planning brief, the site is divided into seven development parcels.

1.2 Some of the development parcels which are identified in this draft planning brief cut across existing land ownership holdings. The development parcels identified in this draft planning brief are intended to encourage discussion / debate among landowners, potential developers and other interested parties as to the boundary of a future major redevelopment site.

1.3 This draft planning brief provides a site specific supplement to the provisions of Westminster City Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and the matters which would be required to be addressed in a formal planning application for the development of the site. Accordingly, it provides information for potential developers and their consultants and representatives, surrounding landowners, residents and other stakeholders of Westminster City Council’s expectations to be met through the redevelopment of the site.

1.4 This draft planning brief does not take a position on how many development parcels should be included in any future redevelopment scheme. Instead, it identifies a possible strategic approach to development over the entire site in order to maximise development opportunity, minimise site fragmentation and provide the fullest range of townscape, access and land use benfits from these sites. The City Council expects that any new development on the site will complement and enhance the existing townscape qualities of the surrounding area and be of high quality sustainable design in its own right.

1.5 Once planning approval for a major development scheme is issued by the City Council, this planning brief will cease to operate. Should any remaining development parcels be redeveloped at a later date, then they will be considered separately to this draft planning brief and in accordance with all relevant City Council planning policies.

1.6 At this stage this is a draft brief for consultation, the results of which will be considered by the Planning and City Development Committee before the final version is adopted.

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2.0 Background and planning brief objectives

Site Background

2.1 54-74 Victoria Street and 107-151 Victoria Street are owned by Land Securities Group PLC which also owns the recently completed Cardinal Place development (comprising office and retail floorspace located on Victoria Street between Palace Street and Bressenden Place). The success of the Cardinal Place development is likely to bring forward a proposal for the redevelopment of the 54-74 Victoria Street and 107-151 Victoria Street site.

2.2 In view of the possible short / medium term redevelopment of the 54-74 and 107-151 Victoria Street site, the City Council has considered the development potential on this part of Victoria Street. Taking into account the attributes of surrounding sites, the City Council has identified five other development parcels which could also be redeveloped. Although these sites are currently owned by a variety of interests, the draft planning brief encourages that a more comprehensive view is considered with regard to the redevelopment potential of these sites. Depending on owner agreement, proposed landuse and design justification, it might also enable the development of the air rights over the District Line Railway Corridor and on Spenser Street.

2.3 The number of development parcels eventually developed as part of a comprehensive scheme is dependent upon the aspirations of existing landowners and how they interact with the City Council’s formal policies and the adopted version of this Draft planning brief.

Adopted Victoria Area Planning Brief

2.4 The site is also located close to the area around Victoria Station which is subject to the City Council’s Adopted Victoria Area Planning Brief (April 2006.) It identifies five principles for all major developments within the Victoria Area Planning Brief area: A. Pedestrian movement around sites and within the transport

interchange should be given the highest priority. B. Proposed development must take account of, and as far as possible

address, the transport requirements at Victoria. C. Proposals must not harm the residential amenity of the Victoria

Area, and the integration of developments with the local community should be facilitated.

D. New buildings in Victoria must be designed and built to the highest quality, and the negative impacts of construction activity should be ameliorated. The height, bulk, form, scale and use of facing materials of new buildings will be assessed against policies DES 1,

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DES 3, DES 9, DES 10, DES 12, DES 15, DES 16 and RIV I and the Supplementary Planning Guidance “Design Matters in Westminster”. Further, building heights will be assessed against the general height guidelines in Figure 3 of this [Victoria Area] planning Brief.

E. City of Westminster, TfL and the GLA will work together to support and develop the strategic and long-term objectives for Victoria.

2.5 The area described in the Victoria Area Planning Brief (see Map 2) is likely to be the subject of major redevelopment schemes primarily comprising:

• The redevelopment of Abford House (planning permission has been granted by Westminster City Council subject to a legal agreement).

• The Victoria Station Upgrade Scheme by Transport for London (TfL) with an estimated completion of 2012.

• Development at Victoria Station by Network Rail.

• The possible future redevelopment at the Victoria Coach Station site (a planning brief is currently in preparation for this site).

• The redevelopment of Land Securities PLC properties at Bressenden Place, including transportation improvement in conjunction with TfL and London Underground Limited (LUL). A planning application by Land Securities is expected to be lodged with the City Council in 2007 for this scheme.

2.6 These development and transportation initiatives will result in a significant amount of new development in the Victoria Station area and the upgrading of public transportation infrastructure at, and adjacent to, Victoria Station. Mindful of the wider impacts of future development at Victoria Station, the Victoria Area Planning Brief identifies other redevelopment sites in Victoria which, although are outside the formal planning brief area, may require a similar approach to development. The proximity of the City Hall site to the Victoria Station area and the likely redevelopment of the site will take a similar approach to the relevant matters from the Victoria Area Planning Brief, such as implementation mechanisms and Section 106 matters.

2.7 It is possible that further development proposals will emerge in the city blocks to the east of Buckingham Gate, namely, 50 Victoria Street, 68 Buckingham Gate sites and the New Scotland Yard site. A separate planning brief will be prepared for these sites taking into account City Council plans and policies, the Victoria Area Planning Brief and this Planning Brief.

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Draft Planning Brief Objectives

2.8 The key objectives in preparing this draft planning brief are to:

• Encourage the creation of new development of the highest quality of architectural design to enhance the townscape of Victoria Street, Buckingham Gate, Palace Street, Wilcox Place, Howick Street and Westminster Cathedral and Piazza.

• Encourage any future development proposals to adopt best practice sustainable development design.

• Outline the City Council’s expectations for future land use on the site, specifically in relation to mixed-use proposals in relation to quantums and location of uses.

• Improve open space opportunities in the Victoria area and the public realm in and adjacent to the site. The City Council will expect improved pedestrian permeability through the site and that the environmental amenity of surrounding residential dwellings be maintained and preferably enhanced.

• Meet City Council policy for the amount and location of affordable housing to be provided on site.

• Encourage discussion / debate among landowners of the Development Parcels identified in this draft planning brief and developers to consider a comprehensive redevelopment proposal for the site.

• Minimise adverse construction impacts upon surrounding residents, community facilities and businesses.

• Provide a framework for local and stakeholder consultation.

• Identify the categories of planning obligations which may be sought by Westminster City Council as part of the redevelopment of the site.

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3.0 Site description and context

Site description

3.1 For the purpose of this draft planning brief, the site is divided into seven potential Development Parcels, labelled A to F on Map 1. Also see the aerial photograph of the site below:

Aerial Photograph of Site

Boundary of the draft planning brief site (see Map 1 for the detailed boundary)

3.2 Potential Development Parcel A: The principal frontage of the draft planning brief site is located on Victoria Street and site comprises three office buildings, namely:

• Kingsgate House, occupied by the Department of Trade and Industry, 13 ground floor retail units occupied by a variety of tenants (66-74 Victoria Street);

• Westminster City Council City Hall, One Stop Shop and St. James’s Public Library, (62-64 Victoria Street);

• Selborne House, occupied by the Department of Constitutional Affairs, (54-60 Victoria Street); and

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• A portion of public highway (previously part of Spenser Street) located between the Selborne House and City Hall, Spenser Street and Seaforth Place.

54-74 Victoria Street General View

Westminster City Council City Hall, 62-64 Victoria Street

Selborne House 54-60 Victoria Street

Kingsgate House 66-74 Victoria Street

3.3 Potential Development Parcel B: The Westminster City School site is located at 51 to 57 Palace Street. It comprises three principal buildings: 51 and 57 Palace Street comprising gatehouses, with the main school building at 55 Palace Street. The nineteenth century school buildings on the site date from the 1875. The site also comprises an outdoor playground space and out buildings.

3.4 The Westminster City School is a non-diocesan, voluntary aided boys’ school with a mixed sixth form component and is managed by a board of governors. There are currently 798 pupils on the school roll.

3.5 Under the £152,000,000 Building Schools for the Future programme (BSF), Westminster City School has been selected as a school for capital investment. A Business Case was agreed by the Department for

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Education and Skills in July 2006 allowing the City Council to commence a procurement process through the publication of a OJEU notice. Two consortia have bid for the project to work up proposals for three schools, including the Westminster City School. The design phase to develop specific designs for additional school accommodation commenced on 6 November 2006. It is proposed to lodge a planning application with Westminster City Council for these proposals during 2007.

3.6 If this site is retained in educational use then the impacts of its retention upon Potential Development Parcel A will require further explanation in this draft planning brief.

3.7 Should the Westminster City School site not be retained for educational use then the City Council will expect that the height and massing of any new proposed development on Potential Development Parcel B will retain existing light levels to the rear elevation of the Crowne Plaza St James Court Hotel building.

Westminster City School, 51-57 Palace Street

3.8 Potential Development Parcel C: This site contains a 1970’s office building with 18 ground floor retail frontages at 107-151 Victoria Street and is known as Ashdown House.

Ashdown House, 107-154 Victoria Street

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3.9 Potential Development Parcel D: This site comprises one nineteenth century building and three late twentieth century office buildings at 57, 58, 59 and 60 Buckingham Gate.

59 and 60 Buckingham Gate 56 Buckingham Gate (right) 57 and 58 Buckingham Gate

3.10 Potential Development Parcel E: This site is currently used for transportation use as it comprises the London Underground District Line railway corridor. The roof of the tunnel is at ground level through most of the site. 56 and 57 Buckingham Gate is constructed over the tunnel.

3.11 There is a right to light licence between the owners of 66-74 and 62-64 Victoria Street and London Underground Limited (dated 26 July 2001) providing light and air to the north-west walls of the buildings through the District Line railway corridor.

London Underground District Line

Railway Corridor looking west towards Cardinal Place and

Portland House

Seaforth Place

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3.12 Potential Development Parcel F: Comprises an office building at 56 Buckingham Gate located between the Crowne Plaza - London St James Hotel and Seaforth Place.

3.13 Potential Development Parcel G: This site comprises a small residential building facing Seaforth Place and beside the District Line railway corridor at 3-5 Seaforth Place.

Listed Buildings and draft Conservation Area Audit Boundary

3.14 Potential Development Parcels A, B, D, E, F, G are not located within a City Council Conservation Area and there are no listed buildings on the site (see Map 5). Potential Development Parcel C is located within the Westminster Cathedral Conservation Area. The nearest listed building (Grade II listed) is the Albert Public House (1865-67) located on the corner of Victoria Street and Buckingham Gate. The Blewcoat School building (1706) is located in Caxton Street and is a Grade I listed building. It is visible from the eastern boundary of the draft planning brief site. Potential Development Parcel C is located adjacent to Westminster Cathedral 1895-1903 which is a Grade I listed building. (See Appendix 2 for the listed building statements for these buildings.)

3.15 A Conservation Area Audit for the Birdcage Walk Conservation Area is currently being prepared by the City Council. The City Council, as part of preparing the draft Conservation Area Audit, is reviewing the boundary of the Birdcage Walk Conservation Area. Two options are being considered to extending the conservation area to between Wilfred Street and District Line railway corridor / Seaforth Place which either include or exclude the Westminster City School site

3.16 The nearest public open space is Seaforth Place located at the rear of the site (which is currently used for motorcycle and motor scooter parking), Christchurch Gardens is located on the corner of Victoria Street and Broadway. St. James’s Park is also located within walking distance of the site.

3.17 Brick planter boxes and seating are located in the public footway outside Kingsgate House on Victoria Street and were erected by the British Property Association to commemorate the Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977.

Site Context

3.18 Surrounding buildings on Victoria Street are predominantly late twentieth and early twenty-first century buildings and are predominantly used for office uses with ground floor retail. The House of Fraser department store is located opposite Selborne House. The House of Fraser department store is a key retail anchor in this part of Victoria Street and the City Council will continue to support a department store in this location as it provides a diverse retail offer to surrounding residents and office workers. A public house, The Albert, is located on

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the corner of Victoria Street and Buckingham Gate. There are two tall buildings to the south of the site, 50 Victoria Street and 65 Buckingham Gate.

3.19 The Grade I listed Blewcoat School building (1709) is located opposite the draft planning brief site on the corner of Caxton Street and Buckingham Gate. The City Council will expect that any new development on the draft planning brief Potential Development Parcels E, F, and G improves the setting of this listed building.

3.20 Immediately behind the site is the Crowne Plaza - London St James Hotel and apartments (54 and 52 Buckingham Gate respectively). There are residential dwellings located on Castle Lane. The new development opposite the site on Palace Street is the recently completed Cardinal Place development which comprises offices and ground floor retail shops. These buildings are designed in a contemporary architectural style.

3.21 107-153 Victoria Street is located adjacent to Westminster Cathedral Piazza. The Piazza was created as part of the development scheme for 107-153 and 155-171 Victoria Street. Westminster Cathedral is a Grade I listed building designed by J F Bentley and built between 1895-1903. The City Council will require that any new development on the 107-153 Victoria Street site improves the setting of the Cathedral.

3.22 There are currently existing public realm and management matters in and around Cathedral Piazza relating to anti-social behaviour and rough sleeping. Accordingly, a number of public realm design issues will need to be addressed as part of any major scheme for the area.

3.23 Accordingly the surrounding area is quite diverse in terms of building types, public realm provision, architectural styles and the materials utilised. In broad terms, the planning brief area comprises predominantly nineteenth century brick buildings behind Victoria Street and twentieth century office / retail structures using metal, glass or stone cladding on Victoria Street.

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4.0 The statutory planning framework for the site

4.1 There are national, regional and borough planning policies which apply

to the Victoria Street site. Respectively, these comprise:

• Planning Policy Guidance notes issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG);

• the Spatial Development Strategy ‘The London Plan’ issued by the Mayor of London; and

• Westminster City Council’s Unitary Development Plan and City Plan.

There are also Westminster City Council supplementary planning guidance documents and other policies which apply to the site.

4.2 The DCLG Government Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) notes which are primarily relevant to the site comprise:

• PPG 3: Housing

• PPG 13: Transport

• PPG 15: Planning and the Historic Environment

• PPG 16: Archaeology and Planning

• PPG 23: Planning and Pollution Control, including PPS23 Annex 2: Development on Land Affected by Contamination.

4.3 The Mayor of London, The London Plan Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London (February 2004). This is a regional strategic document which applies to Greater London and sets out an integrated social, economic and environmental framework for the development of London until 2020.

4.4 The principal Westminster City Council plans which apply to the site comprise:

• The City of Westminster, Unitary Development Plan, (Adopted by Full Council, 24 January 2007).

4.5 Westminster City Council also has programmes, plans and supplementary planning guidelines and policies which apply to the site. The primary documents to be consulted include:

• The Civic Renewal Programme, September 2001

• The City Plan, 2006

• City of Westminster Supplementary Planning Guidance:

- Victoria Area Planning Brief, London SW1, April 2006 - Sustainable Buildings, March 2003

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- Design Matters in Westminster, October 2001 - Access for All, February 1995 - A Guide to the Siting of Security Cameras and other Security

Equipment, 1995 - Public Art in Westminster, 1994 - Waste & Recycling Storage Requirements, March 2005 - Shopfronts, Blinds and Signs – A guide to their Design, May

1993 - Trees and Other Planting on Development Sites, August 1996 - Guidelines for the Placing of Tables and Chairs on the Highway,

March 2005 - Westminster Way – A Public Realm Manual for the City, 2 vols.,

April 2004, (draft) - Draft SPG on Planning Obligations, February 2006

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5.0 Potential land uses

Introduction 5.1 This section stipulates the range and types of uses which are likely to

be acceptable to Westminster City Council in the area considered by this draft planning brief. The uses included are not exhaustive and all submitted development schemes will be judged on the overall balance of uses proposed and the effect on the townscape and amenity of nearby residential communities. All redevelopment proposals should accord with the relevant criteria as set out in the Adopted Unitary Development Plan (UDP).

Location within Central Activities Zone

5.2 The site is located within the Central Activities Zone (CAZ) as defined in the UDP (Map 1.1). Accordingly the City Council anticipates a development scheme consistent with permitted CAZ uses on the site.

Offices

5.3 The use of the site primarily for office space is consistent with the CAZ land uses. The City Council wishes to support CAZ uses yet minimise adverse amenity impacts upon residential areas. The UDP ‘Policy COM 1: Provision for Office Renewal and Growth’ is applicable to the site.

5.4 The City Council would expect that the provision of office space is consistent with the character and function of the area. This not only includes late twentieth century office buildings on Victoria Street but existing nineteenth century buildings adjacent to and opposite the site. Accordingly, any redevelopment scheme on the site will need to demonstrate that it will not adversely impact upon the amenity of the existing hotel and housing located at the rear of the site as described at 3.13 (above).

Housing

5.5 A primary aim of the UDP is to both support and protect the residential environment of existing housing, increase the amount of housing stock and to seek affordable housing within the City Council area (Policy STRA 14).

5.6 As the site is located in the CAZ, if an increase in commercial floorspace is proposed on the site then the City Council will require an equivalent amount of residential floorspace to be provided under UDP “Policy COM 2: Offices and mixed use development in Central Westminster". The City Council will expect that this housing is provided on site.

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5.7 However, where it is clearly not practical to provide residential dwellings on site then the provision of residential dwellings are to be provided on another site.

Affordable Housing

5.8 Under UDP Policy ‘STRA 14: Protecting and Providing Housing’ and Policy ‘H4: Provision of Affordable Housing’ of the UDP, Westminster City Council will require affordable housing units to be provided by the developer as part of any development on the site. As the site is located in the CAZ the number of affordable units provided shall be in accordance with UDP Table 3.1 whose provisions are summarised as follows:

• Where the number of additional units is proposed falls within the range from ten to 24, the proportion sought is stepped from 10% to 30%;

• Where the number of additional units proposed is 25 or more, 30% of the additional units should be affordable.

5.9 Of the affordable housing on the site, the City Council will expect 80 per cent of the affordable housing to comprise social rented dwellings and 20 per cent intermediate housing.

5.10 The developer of the site is recommended to contact relevant City Council officers such as the Housing Association Supply Manager and possible RSL partners at the earliest stage in the development planning process. This is because the developer should have entered into an agreement with an RSL partner prior to the signing of a section 106 agreement with Council as the section 106 agreement will need to include all the details of the affordable housing provision and on-going management as their provision will be linked to other elements of the development scheme.

Key worker housing

5.11 Westminster City Council will require key worker housing to be provided as part of the affordable housing component in any new development. As a general guideline, where 30% of affordable housing is provided on site, 5% of this housing will comprise key worker housing. In developments where the percentage of affordable housing is greater than 30%, the allocation of affordable housing units will be based on a housing needs assessment to be conducted in the context of the Housing sub-regional framework. The housing needs assessment will be undertaken to ensure that the mix of affordable housing will meet immediate and longer term needs of households requiring housing, including key workers.

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Housing sizes and family housing

5.12 Westminster City Council wishes to encourage families to live in Westminster. Accordingly, a range of housing sizes is necessary to ensure larger households, especially families, will not lose that chance to live in central London, where smaller accommodation is normally provided. UDP ‘Policy H 5: Providing a Range of Housing Sizes’ requires a range of housing sizes to be provided as part of new development, namely, 33 per cent of housing units to be family sized (3 or more bedrooms) and 5 per cent of this family housing to have five or more habitable rooms. This requirement will also be applied to private housing on the development site. In relation to the affordable housing component, Westminster City Council will require 42 per cent of affordable housing to have 2 bedrooms, with 33 per cent of housing units to have 3 or more bedrooms and 5 percent of the affordable housing on-site to comprise 4 bedroom units.

Mobility Housing

5.13 In accordance with UDP ‘Policy H8: Provision of Homes for Long Term Needs’, all new housing units must meet the Lifetime Homes Standard and that in a housing development of 25 or more units that 10 percent of the dwellings should be designed to be wheelchair accessible or easily adaptable for residents who are wheelchair users. This percentage applies to both the market and affordable housing elements of the scheme. Dedicated off-street parking spaces must be provided in association with these units. New dwellings are required to have access and facilities for disabled people under Part M of the Building Regulations. Westminster City Council expects dwellings to be designed to the Lifetime Homes Standard to provide housing that is more flexible and adaptable than that required under Part M and so is more suitable for older or disabled people. Further information can be found in the Joseph Rowntree publication Meeting Part M and Designing Lifetime Homes (1999).

Density

5.14 The UDP Proposals Map identifies the site as being located in Zone 1 for the purpose of controlling housing density. Under the UDP between 400 and 850 habitable rooms per hectare is permitted in Zone 1.

5.15 Compliance with density controls is not the primary means by which Westminster City Council will assess development proposals for the site. Primary significance will be placed upon the specific characteristics of the proposed development such as: height; bulk, layout, access, design quality and impacts on the surrounding streetscape.

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Open Space / Playspace

5.16 Under UDP Policy H10 the City Council would expect the provision open space or amenity space. Under UDP Policy SOC 6, the City Council will require the provision of children’s playspace and associated facilities in any new housing developments which contain 25 or more family units.

Retail / entertainment facilities

5.17 The City Council will expect ground floor land uses to provide a balance of A1, A3 and A4 uses which meets the needs of Victoria area office workers and residents.

5.18 The provision of ground floor A1 retail units will be required by the City Council consistent with UDP ‘Policy SS 1: Protecting retail use’. A proportion of A2 uses will also be supported at ground level.

5.19 The City Council will consider an element of ground floor A3 and A4 uses subject to assessment by the planning applicant of the potential amenity impacts upon the surrounding area and future occupiers of the development site. However, the City Council is unlikely to support concentrations of these land uses and will require their location on parts of the site where passive surveillance from building users and passing pedestrians can be demonstrated. In particular, A3 and A4 uses must not result in adverse environmental impacts, such as noise and light, upon adjacent residential dwellings and hotel. Off street servicing provision will need to be provided consistent with UDP Policy ‘SS15: Servicing’.

Hotels

5.20 As the site is located within the CAZ area the use of all or part of the site for hotel use will be consistent with UDP Policy ‘TACE 2: New Hotels and Extension to Hotels’. Any proposal for this use will be required to demonstrate that no adverse environmental and traffic effects will be generated. Furthermore, a hotel proposal containing significant amounts of accommodation must contain adequate on site facilities for off site picking up and setting down of pedestrians by coaches and taxis, and provision for vehicular servicing.

Social and community facilities

5.21 The provision of community facilities on the site will be in accordance with UDP Policy ‘SOC 1 Community Facilities in General’. The City Council’s Director of Specialist Social Care Services & Development has advised that there is a need for accommodation for voluntary sector groups in the Victoria area. Accordingly, the City Council may require the provision of floorspace for the accommodation of voluntary groups as part of the development scheme for the site.

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5.22 At the present time the St. James’s Library is located on the mezzanine level in 62 Victoria Street. Under the UDP ‘Policy SOC 1: Community Facilities in General’, the Westminster City Council will require that this facility should be rehoused in any new development on site or relocated to the Council’s satisfaction. There may also be an opportunity to amalgamate the existing Victoria and St James’s libraries in a new facility on this site.

Educational facilities

5.23 In view of the use of part of the site for educational facilities, namely, the Wesminster City School at 51-57 Palace Street, the provision of modern educational facilities on the site is encouraged. This could take the place either in the form of the replacement of the existing facilities with modern facilities or the retention of existing facilities consistent with the UDP Policy SOC 3: Educational Facilities.

Leisure activities

5.24 Small-scale leisure activities primarily to serve local residents and workers may also be acceptable on the site, subject to any amenity impact.

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6.0 Transport, Highway and Parking

Relevant Policy

6.1 Westminster City Council seeks to co-ordinate land-use and transportation policies so to reduce the need to travel and ensure that the most appropriate means of transport is used for each journey. In pursuit of this objective, the transport policies as set out in Chapter 4 of the UDP, seeks to increase accessibility, enhance and improve the environment, and maintain and improve the efficient operation of London’s road and rail networks so as to ensure the continued attractiveness and economic viability of Westminster.

Current Situation

6.2 The subject site is located near the Victoria national rail, bus and London Underground stations. It is also located near St James’s Park Underground Station (Palmer Street entrance). Accordingly the site is very well serviced by public transport infrastructure. Furthermore, regular bus services use Victoria Street and a bus stop is located outside the subject site. Subject to Transport for London (TfL) advice, the redevelopment of the site may provide an opportunity to create a bus stop lay-by to minimise traffic delays on Victoria Street caused by buses stopping in a traffic lane.

6.3 A railway corridor for the District Line Underground service runs through Development Parcel D. The railway line is located in a tunnel of cut and cover construction with the roof at approximately ground level. Any development proposals either on or near the corridor will need to demonstrate that it will not impact upon the safe and efficient functioning of this infrastructure. The developer of the site will need to consult Transport for London / London Underground Limited and receive their approval (in the form of recommended designs / actions, or TfL conditions placed on the planning approval).

6.4 There is existing underground car parking on the site comprising approximately 80 car parking spaces and 10 motor cycle spaces. There is also additional street level car parking on the Selborne House site accessed via Spenser Street comprising approximately 20 car parking spaces plus additional motor cycle and bike spaces.

Highway and car parking issues

6.5 The City Council expects that redevelopment proposals will result in improved pedestrian access through the site on all three frontages (assuming that all development parcels will be redeveloped). In particular, a pedestrian crossing may be required to improve pedestrian safety across Palace Street from Cardinal Place should Development Parcel B be the subject of redevelopment. Pedestrian access across

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Victoria Street may also require a pedestrian crossing or another safe means of crossing the Street.

6.6 At the present time, pedestrians wishing to cross Buckingham Gate from Seaforth Place are faced with a difficult street crossing resulting from right hand turn traffic movements from Caxton Street, two way traffic on Buckingham Street and pedestrian guard railings on the corner of Buckingham Street and Caxton Street which restricts access. Any redevelopment proposals on the draft planning brief site will be expected to include a proposal for better pedestrian access across Buckingham Gate at this point and provide funding for the improvement of this intersection for pedestrians.

6.7 Other intersections at Victoria Street / Buckingham Gate and Victoria Street / Palace Street may also require improvement as a result of the redevelopment of the site and the possible increased pedestrian flows which result. Consideration will also need to be given to a pedestrian crossing point between Wilcox Place and the draft planning brief site.

6.8 The current UDP parking requirement for non-residential development permits 1 car parking space for each 1,500m² of gross floorspace. The entrance to any underground car parking facility would be accessed via Spenser Street (same as the current arrangement) or Palace Street (although needing to avoid the District Line railway corridor). The draft planning brief will require the provision of motor cycle and bike storage and the provision of disabled car parking spaces. The amount of car parking spaces and other on-site car parking requirements will be considered primarily in relation to Policies TRANS 21-25 of the UDP.

6.9 Westminster City Council will expect that the off-street parking be provided for residential uses on the site. Under UDP Policy Trans 23: Off Street Parking: Residential Development Westminster the City Council will require the following off-street car parking to be provided:

• One car park space per unit of residential accommodation containing two bedrooms or less.

• One or two car spaces per unit of residential accommodation comprising three bedrooms or more, providing that the aggregate provision does not exceed 1.5 spaces per dwelling.

• Should special needs housing be provided on-site, then a parking standard of 1 space per 10 units will normally be applied, however, this standard may be varied to suit particular cases.

6.10 A parking standard of 1 space per 10 residential units will normally be applied for special needs housing (eg. sheltered housing and housing for people with disabilities) but this may be varied to suit particular cases. All parking spaces should be designed in such a way as to be accessible to retail uses.

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6.11 Should off-street parking be provided for non-residential uses on-site, then UDP (‘Policy Trans 24: Off-street Parking: Mixed Development’) specifies that a separate car parking entrance is to be provided to separate residential and non-residential use parking facilities.

6.12 All servicing for the site such as deliveries, servicing and waste management must be able to be undertaken on-site and underground to minimise impacts on the public realm.

6.13 Cycle parking facilities shall be provided on-site to meet Westminster City Council standards in accordance with the requirements contained in the UDP Policy Trans 10: Cycle parking standards’ and ‘Appendix 4.2: parking Standards Matrix, 2. Cycle Parking Standards’. These facilities shall be designed in such a way to ensure they cannot be used by motor vehicles or motor bikes.

Highway improvements

6.14 The City Council will consider proposals to improve the public highway in Victoria Street or other streets adjacent to the draft planning brief site. Any proposals to reduce highway capacity will need to be carefully justified using detailed traffic modelling and assessment of impacts on bus services of the potential impact on the surrounding road network and justified against City Council policy.

6.15 As pedestrian flows are very high on Victoria Street, there is the presumption against reducing existing footway width (kerb to building line). Any proposals to alter footway widths will need to be carefully justified using detailed pedestrian modelling. The City Council will require footway widths to accommodate existing and future pedestrian footfall. There will be a presumption against the temporary placement of tables and chairs on Victoria Street in order to maximise footway capacity.

6.16 Proposals to improve the public highway by tree planting will require detailed justification with reference to the City Council’s emerging Tree Strategy, historic precedent in Victoria Street, visibility / motor vehicle safety and pedestrian safety.

Victoria Area Transport Schemes

6.17 The Adopted Victoria Area Planning Brief outlines a specific transport implementation scheme in the Victoria Station Area, Victoria Area Transport Schemes (VATS) which is managed by the Victoria Stations Review Group (VSRG). VATS has the purpose of addressing public transport requirements at Victoria Station and street level motor vehicle traffic and parking.

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Victoria Stations Review Group (VSRG)

6.18 The VSRG has been put forward by the City Council as an implementation mechanism for transportation requirements in the Victoria Station area. The transportation requirements which will be considered as part of VSRG are outlined in Chapter 7 of the Victoria Area Planning Brief. The VSRG constitutes a Steering Group comprising representatives from the City Council, the Greater London Authority, Transport for London and specific developers. The Steering Group was established in December 2005.

6.19 The purpose of the Steering Group is fourfold: a) Maintain a list of transportation projects of various sizes to be

undertaken in the short, medium and long term. b) Taking into account the extent to which particular developments

directly address identified transport proposals at Victoria, consider the amount of financial contribution or in kind benefit appropriate for specific development proposals.

c) To consider which transport improvements should be funded by financial contributions from each development.

d) Consider how and when contributions should be spent.

6.20 The VSRG will also provide a forum for discussion about projects, programmes and priorities and will inform the planning application process. However, the City Council and GLA will retain all Statutory Planning Powers, making planning decisions and probity.

6.21 The City Council will be paid and hold any financial contributions collected towards the Victoria Area Transport Schemes consistent with their section 106 powers. Accordingly, the City Council will be responsible for monitoring the expenditure of the contributions and will have final say over issues of probity. The City Council will also monitor the in kind benefits provided as part of development proposals to ensure that the section 106 obligations are met.

Victoria Area Traffic and Environmental Management Schemes (VATEMS)

6.22 VATEMS seeks to improve the public realm and street environment in the area surrounding Victoria Station by primarily addressing traffic and parking matters. It is expected that the site specific programmes will be developed and priority will be given to schemes which are linked to VSRG or Conservation Area Audits. In both cases schemes will be expected to adhere to the approach set out in Westminster Way – City of Westminster Street Design Manual.

6.23 Examples of the types of actions which will concern VATEMS are: a) Agree and implement an incremental de cluttering strategy for the

public realm.

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b) Review all parking, loading, bus stop and stand provision. c) Review traffic / pedestrian signing strategies and signs. d) Review all street lighting. e) Review traffic signal timings for vehicles and pedestrians and

provision of pedestrian crossings on Victoria Street, Buckingham Gate and Palace Street.

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7.0 Public realm and management

Public Realm Improvements

7.1 New development on the draft planning brief site will be required to make provision for environmental improvements such as improved pedestrian facilities, street furniture, and improved street lighting. Any new hard or soft landscaping works should be carefully designed, using traditional materials, and be of high quality.

7.2 Developers should refer to Westminster City Council’s emerging guidance on street furniture The Westminster Way (draft 2004). This document establishes principles for the design, location of street furniture and hard surface materials in the public realm which are appropriate to the city. The document is currently being applied as a design guide but will be re-issued to form part of a wider public realm strategy. Any proposals for public realm / access to the site will be required to conform with the principles contained in this emerging guidance.

7.3 Development proposals will be required to create a useable and enjoyable public realm which is well used and valued by users. Accordingly, public realm proposals for the site must be accompanied by a thorough analysis of the proposal including sun / daylight exposure, micro-climate, overshadowing impacts, and demonstrate avoidance of ‘wind tunnels’ or overshadowing in order for the City Council to fully understand the benefits and drawbacks of proposals and to enable a sound basis on which negotiate improved solutions.

7.4 The City Council will expect high quality public realm improvements to be undertaken in the vicinity of the site including Palace Street, Buckingham Gate, Victoria Street, Cathedral Piazza and Howick Place to improve public realm amenity.

Pedestrian routes

7.5 The City Council will require the provision of well designed public space within the site to be served by improved pedestrian access through the site. Such open spaces should be meaningful, wide, linear and coherent linkages through the site which should, where possible, ensure unobscured views through the site. The redevelopment of all or part of this draft planning brief site provides a significant opportunity to link it to the Cardinal Place development and the emerging Bressenden Place (Victoria Transport Interchange) development proposal to the west, but also to consider indicative potential linkages to the east of Buckingham Gate.

7.6 There will be a requirement that before any redevelopment proposal is formulated, the prospective applicant should commission a thorough study to assess existing and proposed pedestrian desire lines through

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and around the site. Existing pedestrian desire lines should be identified and accommodated, opportunities should also be sought to create new pedestrian access through the site with consideration to the requirements of this draft planning brief and the analysis of the study.

7.7 With regard to Potential Development Site A, the City Council considers it desirable to better use the existing pedestrian link through Seaforth Place to provide a clear connection to Victoria Street. A new pedestrian link should visually connect with Wilcox Place (which is currently pedestrianised). The junction between this link to Wilcox Place and Seaforth Place should take the form of a generous pedestrian open space to encourage legibility and visual connection between Buckingham Gate and Victoria Street. This would provide an improved pedestrian link to Buckingham Gate and to St James’s Park London Underground Station on Palmer Street.

7.8 There is also scope to connect the existing pedestrian routes from surrounding recent redevelopment, for example Cardinal Place crossing Buckingham Street. In addition a secondary route running parallel to Victoria Street along the line of the existing Spenser Street and the rear servicing street appears desirable especially if it links up with Butler Place revealing views of the mature trees of Brewer’s Green. This route could be connected to Victoria Street by two or three pedestrian routes along the Victoria Street frontage which may assist in addressing the unbroken monotony and impermeability of the existing Victoria Street frontage formed by Kingsgate and Selborne House.

7.9 The City Council will expect that the location and types of ground floor frontages helps to stimulate public realm activity by providing meaningful land use proposals, including appropriate social and community uses.

7.10 The ongoing management of the public pedestrian routes and open space on the site will be critical for the ongoing success of these areas. Ongoing cleansing, security and maintenance will need to be addressed as part of the planning application process. The City Council will require that a section 106 agreement will document the use and management of the space and secure public access at the site.

Public Art

7.11 Public art can play a valuable role in enhancing the fabric of the physical environment and in promoting the cultural image of the city. Policy DES 7(A) of the UDP encourages the provision of suitable public art in development schemes and Westminster City Council’s booklet, Public Art in Westminster (1994), should be referred to for guidance. Works of public art should be integrated properly into the architectual design of the public facades of new buildings. Accordingly, architects and artists are encouraged to work together from the start of any project. Works of public art may include decorative stone, metal, brick or terracotta work. Free-standing statues or sculptures are unlikely to

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be appropriate, unless they form an integral part of any new public space. Westminster City Council’s Public Art Advisory Panel should be consulted on the commissioning and use of public art.

7.12 A memorial to the Queen’s Silver Jubilee presented by the British Property Federation is located on the public footway in Victoria Street outside Selborne House. The memorial comprises seven brick planter boxes with public seating. It is highly likely that this memorial will need to be removed (and possibly relocated in part or full) when redevelopment of the site occurs. This could take the form of the relocation of the plaque only, or the relocation of the all or part of the planters and seating in a different position on the development site. The developer is advised consult the British Property Federation to obtain their agreement for the removal and/or relocation of the memorial.

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8.0 Design and conservation

Introduction 8.1 Owing to the size and prominent location of the site, the City Council

will expect to receive a redevelopment proposal for a well-resolved, high quality architectural design for both the building design and any open space on the site.

Retention / demolition of existing buildings

8.2 Most of the buildings on site are considered to be of little historic and townscape interest. The exception are the Victorian parts of Westminster City School (51-57 Palace Street). Not withstanding their merit, a case could be made for the replacement of the school buildings by a redevelopment scheme of exceptional quality. Other exceptions are Nos 56 and No 58 Buckingham Gate which contribute positively to the surrounding townscape and in particular to the setting of the adjacent listed Blewcoat School building. The loss of these buildings unless replaced by buildings of a higher architectural quality is likely to be contentious.

Site Layout

8.3 At the present time, Spenser Street is effectively used as a service road and access to off-street car parking facilities at Selborne House and the Westminster City Hall building. This means that on Development Parcel A, pedestrian access through the site is either unclear or is shared with motor vehicle use. For example on Spenser Street the underground car park entrance and roadway diminishes the quality of the pedestrian experience when crossing the site between Victoria Street to Buckingham Gate via Seaforth Place. The new site plan should seek to separate pedestrian access from motor vehicle access to the site.

Spenser Street (from Buckingham Gate)

Spenser Street looking towards the rear of Selborne House (50 Victoria

Street in background)

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8.4 The existing early 1960s development scheme comprising most of Development Parcel A resulted in much of the existing development frontage being set back from Victoria Street. This design approach is not encouraged as part of any redevelopment scheme. Instead, the building line of any new development scheme should roughly align to the front edge of the overhanging ground floor entrance canopy to Selborne House to ensure a building line which relates satisfactorily with the Cardinal Place redevelopment whilst ensuring a generous width of footpath pavement. Careful consideration should be given to the building line of the new development with the existing Victoria Street building line of the Grade II listed Albert Public House.

Existing building setbacks (looking towards The Albert Public House)

Existing Building setbacks (looking towards Cardinal Place)

Ashdown House with existing building line an pedestrian colonnade at ground level

Westminster Cathedral and Piazza

8.5 Any new development adjacent to or over the District Line tunnel / rail corridor will need to ensure that the structural integrity of the tunnel and safety of the railway service is not compromised in any way as a result of any new development. Advice shall be sought from Transport for London as to the design and engineering requirements required to be met as part of the design and consequent physical redevelopment of the site.

Height, bulk and scale

8.6 The proposed design will need to demonstrate that it responds to the surrounding townscape context in terms of height, mass, form and materials utilised. In particular any proposal should be assessed in terms of its impact on views from surrounding Conservation Areas such

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as Royal Parks, Birdcage Walk, Broadway and Christchurch Gardens, Westminster Cathedral and the wider townscape context including Buckingham Palace in the context of policies DES 9 (conservation areas), DES 10 (listed buildings), DES 12 (parks, gardens and squares) and DES 15 (metropolitan and local views).

8.7 Any proposal for a tall building on the site will be required to comply with the criteria contained in ‘Policy DES 3: High Buildings’ contained in the City of Westminster UDP and the EDAW ‘City of Westminster High Buildings Study’ (2000). It is considered that any scheme should realise a significant reduction in the height of the existing City Hall (20 storeys, 76m) but that there is potential for a build up in height from the existing parapet heights of the adjacent developments of Cardinal Place and Buckingham Gate towards the junction of Victoria Street with Buckingham Gate. It is considered, however, that the existing Windsor House (70m high) should be regarded as the tallest building in the townscape composition. Further, it will be important that both the spaces between the new buildings and their floor plates are articulated so that if these buildings are seen on the skyline they will not merge to give the appearance of a single building mass.

8.8 Development proposals for the site shall respect the existing townscape along each of its frontages and demonstrate that the height of any new buildings is related to the existing surrounding townscape.

8.9 Any new buildings proposal on the site must not result in a loss of existing environmental amenity, such as sunlight and daylight to the occupiers of residential dwellings adjacent or nearby the site, including the Crown Plaza – London St. James Hotel on Buckingham Gate. The same requirement shall apply to the Westminster City School on Palace Street and playground, should this site not be redeveloped. In this regard attention is drawn to the provisions of the UDP ‘ENV 13: Protecting amenities, daylight, sunlight and environmental quality’. Any new development proposal shall also demonstrate compliance with the recommended standards contained in the Building Research Establishment (BRE) document Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight (1991) for both existing residential dwellings and new development located on the site.

Adjacent listed buildings

8.10 As previously stated, there are two Grade I listed buildings located adjacent to the site, namely, Westminster Cathedral and the Blewcoat School building. There is a Grade II listed building ‘The Albert’ public house located adjacent to the site. The City Council will expect any new buildings to respect the setting of all adjacent listed buildings with regard to the siting of new development, the location of pedestrian routes through the draft planning brief site, views and façade materials.

8.11 With regard to Westminster Cathedral, new building height on the 143-153 Victoria Street must not exceed the current façade height of the

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Westminster Cathedral Piazza frontage (Ground floor and three upper storeys). Furthermore, façade materials must be harmonious with Westminster Cathedral and the building line set back in line with eastern frontage of the Cathedral to better reveal the principal façade of the Cathedral when viewed from Victoria Street / Cardinal Place.

8.12 Although not forming part of this draft planning brief, the Westminster Cathedral Piazza frontage of 155-171 Victoria Street will be required to reflect the opposite frontage of the 107-153 Victoria Street with regard to building height, façade proportions and façade materials to provide a visually harmonious setting for Westminster Cathedral. The City Council may require the dedication of land on the 155-171 Victoria Street site to improve the setting of Westminster Cathedral subject to a detailed assessment of impacts on the western part of the site and surrounding area of an increased building height.

8.13 With regard to Blewcoat School, any new development on the Buckingham Gate frontage of the site will be required to improve the setting of this building, especially when viewed from the corner of Victoria Street / Buckingham Gate / Artillery Row. Development proposals on the corner of Victoria Street / Buckingham Gate adjacent to ‘The Albert’ public house will be required to improve the setting of this building.

Design and materials

8.14 The City Council will expected a well resolved, high quality design with careful consideration being given to the choice of materials used on the external cladding and facades. There is a diverse range of materials used on surrounding buildings and the materials proposed as part of any new development should be chosen with a view to be visually harmonious with the surrounding townscape. Convincing, dynamic, high quality contemporary design approach may be appropriate for the site providing such an approach is sympathetic to the setting of adjoining listed buildings (see Map 5).

8.15 Development proposals for the site will be required to avoid undifferentiated areas of glass or cladding. Furthermore the City Council will expect that the visual impact of the design at the skyline from local views and ground floor treatment design and materials are of high quality and highly resolved in design terms. Further advice can be found in Westminster City Council’s supplementary planning guidance Development and Demolition in Conservation Areas (1996) and Design Matters in Westminster (2001).

Archaeology

8.16 The western boundary of the Lundenwic & Thorney Island Area of Archaeological Importance is located adjacent to the site. Owing to the disturbance on the site of previous development, it is unlikely that significant archaeological remains are present on the site. However,

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developers are advised to contact English Heritage for advice about potential archaeological remains which may be present and undertake any evaluation and investigative work which is recommended.

Access for All

8.17 The design of any new development must ensure that it is fully accessible be fully accessible to all, including people with disabilities, elderly people and carers with children in buggies and prams. Access should be considered from the outset and a person qualified to advise the design team shall be included at project inception stage. It should be remembered that disabilties can be sensory as well as physical. Good provision should include not only access and car parking but also internal circulation, lighting, signing, and surface and colour choices.

8.18 Planning applications for the redevelopment of the site will need to conform with the following requirements:

• An Equality Impact Statement will be required to be submitted with any planning application under the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.

• British Standard BS8300: 2001 – Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people – Code of Practice and The Building Regulations 2000: Access to and use of buildings, Approved Document M set out the minimum standards for access and facilities for people with mobility and sensory disabilities.

Further information and advice can be found in the following documents:

• The Westminster City Council document Inclusive Design and Access – Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (May 2006), Supplementary Planning Guidance A Guide to Improving Access for Alll (1995) and the Department of Transport document Inclusive Mobility (2002).

Crime and Security

8.19 Westminster City Council will seek to ensure that the design of the building integrates high standards of security and crime prevention measures into any development (in accordance with Policy DES 1). Attention should be given to the opportunities for natural surveillance and lighting, particularly of entrances and pedestrian routes. Westminster City Council’s booklet Designing out Crime in Westminster (1997) should be referred to for guidance. Westminster City Council will also have regard to the advice of the Metropolitan Police Crime Prevention Design Advisor when considering any proposals for the site and will seek to incorporate the Advisor’s recommendations into schemes where appropriate.

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Building Mechanical Plant and Telecommunications Devices

8.20 The location of any mechanical plant such as air conditioning and ventilation services should not be visible from the street or any adjoining dwellings or businesses.

8.21 The City Council wishes to avoid the ad hoc or unsightly installation of telecommunications infrastructure which might mar the physical appearance of buildings on the site. Accordingly, the roof design should incorporate space to place all anticipated building plant, services and telecommunications equipment out of sight.

Site servicing and motor vehicle access

8.22 The redevelopment of the site will require the reorganisation of access for deliveries, refuse disposal and underground car parking to and on the site. This will comprise motor vehicle access to any underground car parking on site, access for delivery vehicles to loading dock(s) and refuse disposal trucks. Access via Victoria Street is not acceptable. Consequently, access to the site for motor vehicles for underground parking purposes or servicing, deliveries or refuse disposal should be accessed via Buckingham Gate or Palace Street.

8.23 Access routes and off-street facilities for services / underground car parking facilities on the site will be required to minimise amenity impacts to surrounding buildings and of users / visitors to the site. This access should be separated from the public access spaces on the site. Careful consideration and justification must also be given to the design of on-site loading / unloading facilities and rubbish / recycling and waste storage to limit noise, odour and visual impacts upon adjacent dwellings, offices and shops.

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9.0 Sustainable design 9.1 The site represents an excellent opportunity to demonstrate best

practice in the design and construction of new buildings which utilises sustainable design and construction principles. Westminster City Council has stated a clear policy aim to promote the efficient use of materials and the reduction of energy and water consumption in the UDP (Policy STRA 33: Sustainable design, construction and management of buildings). Accordingly, Westminster City Council will strongly encourage that best practice sustainable development principles are adhered to in the design and construction of any future development on the site.

9.2 The development of the site should conform to all relevant aspects of the City of Westminster Supplementary Planning Guidance on Sustainable Buildings (2003). Accordingly the design and construction of the development should conform with each section of the guidance, namely: design, energy, air, water and drainage, land, landscape and wildlife, transport, waste, materials, noise and site practices.

9.3 New commercial development on the site will require appropriate independent environmental appraisals to be carried out as part of the design and construction of the development using a well recognised environmental assessment methodology, such as the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). This appraisal is to achieve an ‘Excellent’ or equivalent rating.

Water conservation

9.4 The design of new development should incorporate the installation of a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) to minimise rainwater run-off. The SUDS could either ensure that rainwater run-off either soaks away on-site or is re-used. A ‘green roof’ could partly re-use rain water on-site.

9.5 The development should achieve a high standard of potable water conservation through proven technology such as low flush or dual flush toilets, water saving taps and shower heads and grey or black water recycling on-site.

Energy use

9.6 New development on the site should seek to use energy efficiently throughout design, construction and throughout the estimated life of the building. Accordingly, the City Council will expect that any planning applications are accompanied by an assessment of the energy demand of the development in accordance with Policy 4A.8 of the London Plan. Furthermore, the City Council encourages the use of renewable energy

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solutions for new development consistent with UDP Policy ‘ENV 1: Sustainable and resource-efficient buildings’.

Waste and recycled storage

9.7 The Westminster City Council will expect that the design of the building will allocate sufficient space for the temporary storage of recycled materials and domestic refuse on-site for collection. The main requirements regarding this matter are set out in the UDP Policy ENV 12: Waste and Recycling Storage and more detailed requirements are contained in the Westminster City Council booklet Waste & Recycling Storage Requirements (March 2005). These measures will improvement the amenity of the public domain (that is, no refuse placed on the public footpath and to encourage recycling among building occupants)

Noise Transmission

9.8 The development should be planned and designed to minimise noise transmission and breakout between dwellings in the development and surrounding area. Noise standards to be met are set out in UDP Policy ENV 6: Noise Pollution and ENV 7: Controlling Noise from Plant, Machinery and Internal Activity. These standards are intended to prevent increases to ambient noise levels and to enable a reduction in ambient noise levels over time, to ensure liveability for those who work or live in the area. In particular any development over or adjacent to the District Line London Underground service will need to be designed and constructed to mitigate the noise and vibration generated by this frequent underground rail service.

Land contamination

9.9 Westminster City Council has a duty to bring to the attention of developers that the site may suffer from land contamination and that mitigation works may be required to be undertaken as part of the development process. The Westminster City Council will treat any land contamination in accordance with relevant statutory and planning guidance provisions, namely, the Environmental Protection Act 1995, the Contaminated Land Regulations 2000 and the Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control (PPS23) including PPS23 Annex 2: Development on Land Affected by Contamination.

9.10 Westminster City Council will expect that the site undergo testing to ascertain whether or not the site is contaminated. Should the site be contaminated, then remedial works will need to be undertaken and in granting planning permission, the Westminster City Council may impose remediation requirements as condition(s) of a planning approval.

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10.0 Planning obligations 10.1 Under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Westminster City Council has the statutory power to levy planning obligations to mitigate the impacts of new development. Westminster City Council’s policies in relation to the levying of planning obligations comprise Policy STRA: 7: Planning Obligations and Benefits of the UDP, other policies contained in the UDP, supplementary planning guidelines and this draft planning brief.

10.2 Westminster City Council’s draft supplementary planning guidance on Planning Obligations is being revised in light of the DCLG Circular 05/2005 and will include formulae for calculating contributions and arrangements for pooling contributions from developments. This supplementary planning guidance may have been completed at the time of planning for the redevelopment of the site. Developers or their agents are recommended to contact Council to ascertain the status of the draft supplementary planning guidance on planning obligations.

10.3 Accordingly, Westminster City Council will require planning contributions to compensate for the loss of, or mitigate the increased demand, for these services / facilities. The matters which will be subject of a Section 106 agreement are consistent with the provisions of the draft Planning Obligations SPG (February 2006) and the Victoria Area Planning Brief. Accordingly, planning contributions for new facilities or features will be required by Westminster City Council for the following matters:

• Affordable housing.

• Works to improve the surrounding public realm.

• Dedication of floorspace for a new public library facility to replace the existing St James’s Library.

• Dedication of floorspace for a City Council One Stop Shop.

• Funding contribution or in-kind works for Victoria Area Transport Schemes (VATS). VATS will be established and operated by the Victoria Stations Review Group (VSRG) constituting a Steering Group comprising representatives from TfL, the GLA, City of Westminster and specific developers involved in development proposals. which will be managed by a Steering Group and used towards public transport improvement works in the Victoria Station area.

• Funding contribution or in-kind works for the Victoria Area Traffic and Environmental Management Schemes (VATEMS) which will improve the street level environment in the Victoria area including improvements to the street environment for pedestrians, street parking and motor vehicle movement.

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• Funding contribution or the provision of in-kind facilities (such as social or community facilities) to the Victoria Social and Community Fund with the purpose of mitigating the impacts and improving the integration of new development into the local community, including education.

• The implementation of the Code of Construction Practice and funding towards the works of the Environmental Inspectorate.

• Facilitation or funding for the employment and training initiatives in the Victoria area, namely, SW 1st.

• Education contribution.

• Management plans for new public and private open space including maintenance, cleaning, security and surveillance (CCTV).

• Funding or provision of public lavatories and cleansing / management plans.

• Children’s playspace.

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11.0 Construction management 11.1 The Westminster City Council Code of Construction Practice is

intended to define environmental standards and outline procedures pertaining to major construction works. It covers the environmental, public health and safety aspects affecting the interests of local residents, businesses, the general public and the surroundings in the vicinity of proposed construction sites. Activities and impacts covered by the Code include:

• Site set-up and servicing arrangements;

• Management of construction traffic and highway works;

• Site management;

• Public safety;

• Noise and vibration;

• Hours of working;

• Dust and air pollution;

• Waste disposal; and

• Protection of water quality and urban ecology.

11.2 The Code is intended to clarify for development and their contractors their responsibilities and requirements, as well as providing assurances to residents and others about the standards that they can expect during construction.

11.3 As the construction associated with the development of the Victoria Street site will constitute a significant construction project, the City Council will expect the developer and their contractors to conform to the Code of Construction Practice. The Code is a two part document with Part A comprising generic matters which are applicable to all developments. Part B is site-specific and is drafted by the City Council usually at tender stage and refined once a main contractor / construction managers have been appointed.

11.4 Developers will be expected to consult with the City Council regarding their construction programme at an early stage. Funding towards the actual cost of using Council’s Environmental Inspectorate to monitor the work will also be required (UDP Policies ENV 5-6).

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12.0 Contacts and further information • For further information about Westminster City Council's UDP policies and

this draft planning brief, please contact David Parker (020) 7641 7922. • To discuss specific development proposals for the site or to obtain

information of a development control nature, please contact David Horkan (020) 7641 2501.

• For advice on conservation and urban design and listed buildings matters,

please contact Mike Gray (020) 7641 2931. Other useful contacts are: Rebecca Cloke Open space (020) 7641 3433 Fergus Coleman All housing issues (020) 7641 2129 Rachel Yorke Highways (020) 7641 2625 Emilia Heskell Contaminated land (020) 7641 1317 Tony Benton Schools (020) 7641 3222 David Ruse Libraries (020) 7641 2496 Vivienne Lukey Social, community & health facilities (020) 7641 1964 Brent Turton Code of Construction Management & (020) 7641 2581 Environmental Inspectorate Hannah Berriman Victoria Area Planning Brief & (020) 7641 2418 Victoria Coach Station Draft Planning

Brief The following documents are available for view from One-Stop Services at City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, SW1E 6QP between 9.00am and 5.00pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 9.00am to 6.00pm Tuesday and Thursday or on the Westminster City Council website: • City of Westminster, Unitary Development Plan, (as agreed by Full Council

on 24 January 2007).

• City of Westminster, Standards for Residential New Building, Conversion and Rehabilitation Schemes, 1991.

• City of Westminster, Design Matters in Westminster, October 2001.

• City of Westminster, A Guide to the Siting of Security Cameras and other Security Equipment, 1995.

• City of Westminster, Shopfronts, Blinds and Designs – A guide to their Design, May 1993.

• City of Westminster, Trees and Other Planting on Development Sites, 1996.

• City of Westminster, The Westminster Way, 2004, (draft).

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• City of Westminster, A Guide to Providing Access for All, February 1995.

• City of Westminster, Mobility Guide, 1989.

• City of Westminster, Public Art in Westminster, 1994.

• City of Westminster, Designing out Crime in Westminster, 1997.

• City of Westminster, Building Regulations Part M, 1988.

• Central Government Standard BS 5810 - Disabled Access.

• City of Westminster, Draft SPG on Planning Obligations, February 2006.

• City of Westminster, Waste & Recycling Storage Requirements, 2005.

• City of Westminster, Inclusive Design and Access – Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance, May 2006

Further information can also be obtained from the internet through the following websites:

• City of Westminster: www.westminster.gov.uk

• Mayor of London – The London Plan: www.london.gov.uk

• English Heritage: www.english-heritage.org.uk

• Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (for national planning advice): www.DCLG.gov.uk

• Building Research Establishment (for BREEAM information): www.breeam.org

Other documents to be consulted are:

• Centre for Accessible Environments, Designing for Accessibility - An Introductory Guide, 1993.

Appendix 1 – Site Maps Map 1 Planning Brief Boundary

Map 2 TfL Road Network (TLRN) and Key Sites

Map 3 Ground Floor Land Uses per Property

Map 4 Main Land Use per Street Block

Map 5 Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas & Strategic Views

Map 6 Local Views 1

Map 7 Local Views 2

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51

52

53

54

55

56

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Appendix 2 – Listed Building Statements

Listed Building Statements for:

• Westminster Cathedral

• the former Bluecoat School building

• The Albert Public House

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TQ 2979 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTER ASHLEY GARDENS SW1 99/15 The Metropolitan Cathedral Church

of the Most Precious Blood (Westminster Cathedral)

GV I the address shall be amended to read: “ASHLEY PLACE (south side) – Westminster Cathedral” and the description shall be amended to read as follows: Roman Catholic Cathedral. Commissioned by Cardinal Vaughan: built 1895-1903 to the designs of J F Bentley; consecrated 1910; interior fitting-out continued by John A Marshall of Bentley’s office. Red brick, Portland stone bandings and dressings on Cornish granite plinth, with concrete foundations and vaults. Saucer domes of brick and concrete, three over nave and one over sanctuary. Narthex flanked by bapistery and porch, aisled 3-bay nave with 4 aisle chapels to (liturgical) north and three to south, where western one is substitued by base of 284ft campanile; narrow two-bay transcepts beyond which the apsed choir and sanctuary is flnaked by apsed and aisled chapels. Sacristry to rear. Free Byzantine style. Complex west façade stepping forward in lower stages with central entrance in semi-circular arch with decorative voussoirs, columned jambs and mosaic by Robert Anning Bell in tympanum and sculptured medallions of 12 Archbishops of Canterbury. Blind round-arched arcading to upper tier, flanked by ploygonal towers with corner buttresses supporting domes. Two-storey wings to either side with round-arched arcading and plate tracey. Further domes over the ploygonal corner turrents to the banded bulk of the nave. Square campanile with ploygonal buttressing at top supporting cupola. Side elevations with Diocletian windows, paried round-arched and plate traceried windows divided by angular buttresses in each bay; these rise behind flat roof from less moulded ground-floor aisles, and similarly the gabled trasncepts are shallowly moulded. Sanctuary towers are ploygonal with shallow, blind arcading and onion domes over corners butresses. Three-bay sacristry with Diocletian windows to ground floor, round-arched lancets above. The interior has never been completed, yet it is magnificant – the nave for its volume and (especially) the chapels for their wealth of enrichment, most of it mosaic in keeping with Bentley’s intention and much of it to his own design. The walls lined with veined marble in cream and green to springer level. The brickwork above left rough for future masaics where not yet installed. Narthex, for which Bentley left complete design, with columns of Norwegian Granite and marble floor. Organ by Henry Willis and Sons over. Nave has broad galleries over aisles, supported at the centre of each bay by paired monolithic columns, the Carrara marble capital of each being of a different design. Stations of the Cross by Eric Gill, 1913-18. Pulpit remodelled and enlarged 1934 by LH Shattock. Rood by Christian Symons. Statue of St Peter copied from that at St Peter’s, Rome, c.1900. Pendant lights of 1909. Aisle chapels separated by further single columns of rare marble. The Chapel of the Holy Souls completed to Bentley’s fully worked out designs, in black and white

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marble and with carefully overseen mosaics by Christain Symons 1902-3. Altarpiece shows Christ enthroned. Arble floor 1906, bronze gilt grille 1908. Chapel of St George and the English Martyrs, also developed as a war memorial from 1915; largely designed by Marshall with alterpiece by Eric Gill, 1946. Figure of St George by Linsay Clarke. Shrine to St John Southworth (15-92-1654), reinterred here in 1930. Apsed chapel of St Joseph with fine alter by Marshall, and monolithic panels of c.1992. On south side, from the west the baptistery with font by Bentley. Statue of St John the Baptist. Marble screen and steps lead to the Chapel of St Gregory and St Augustine, with alterpeice by Henry Holliday set into design by Bentley (drawn up in detail by him and which he later simplified) with mosaics by Clayton and Bell 1902-04. Chapel of St Patrick and the Saints of Ireland, clad in Irish marbles with memorials to the Irish regisments of 1914-18, deisgn by Marshall in the 1920s; the alter is also by him, 1910; statue of St Patrick by Arthurs Pollen. The green hue of this chapel is in contrast to the blue and white of the neighbouring Chapel of St Andrew and ther Scottish saints, the gift of Lord Bute and the work of R Weir Schulz 1910-14. Lean openwork screens of white metal by W Bainbridge Reynolds; sculpture by Stirling Lee, stalls by Ernest Gimson (considered amongst his finest works) with kneelers by Sidney Barnsley, reliquary by Harold Stabler and later cards by Graily Hewitt. Chapel of St Paul simiar to Marshall’s work for that to St Joesph, 1913-17. Trancepts with doors and confessionals by Bentley and Marshall, the latter a standard design for the Cathredal also found in St Patrick’s Chapel and elsewhere. Moasic of St Joan of 1909-12 by Christian Symons in north transcept, where also is a Chapel of St Thmas of Canterbury – the Vaughan Chantry. Effigy of Cardinal Vaughan by Marshall and carved by Henry McCarthy; Marshall’s also the marble and mosaic decoration, as deisgned by him in 1907. Sanctuary has marble and jasper aracdes supporting arcaded tribune above. High alter of Cornish granite, with baldacchino of Veronese marble on Marble floor, designed by Bentley in 1901 and executed by Farmer and Brindley in 1905-06. Bas relief by Lindsay Clark; mosaic in tympanum over high alter by Glibert Pownall, of Christ in Glory. Fittings by Marshall, 1908-10. Sacristy to rear not seen. Crypt under sanctuary dedicated to St Peter, with tombs to Cardinal Wiseman by E W Pugin and to Cardinal Manning by Bentley (but only partly carried out) and mosaics by Christan Symons. Bentley left designs for the marble work. The northernmost of the aisles to the apsed chapels either side of the Sanctuary forms the shrine of the Sacred Heart and St Michael. Black Panderma marble installed by Farmer and Brindley with contrasting white marbles and rosso antiquo highlights; mosaic of the Holy Face the last work of Christian Symons, 1910. Alabaster statue of the Sacred Heart by Farmer and Brindley and bas relief of St Michael on alter frontal completed by 1919. Silver lamp before statue by Osmond Bentley and JA Marshall, who also designed the electric light pendants. Linked by screens is the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, marble clad between 1904 and 1909, enclosed by grilles and gates 1907 by Marshall, above which is represented

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the ‘Pelican in her Piety’. Alter rail 1908, tablernacle and suspended canopy 1909, all by Marhsall. Mosaics by Boris Anrep, completed in 1962. The Lady Chapel is clad in richly-coloured rare marbles, completed in c.1914. White marble altar with mosaic of Our Lady with the Holy Child by Anning Bell executed by a Miss Martin, who also did those to the apse recesses. Other mosaics by Gilbert Pownell, C15 Nottingham alabaster statue installed 1955, marble floor 1956. Sources: Winegride de L’Hpotial, Westminster Cathedral and its Architect, vol. I, 1919. Westminster Cathedral, Popular Guide, n.d. Westminster Cathedral Bulletin, July - August 1993.

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Building Details: Building Name: BLUECOAT SCHOOL (NATIONAL TRUST) Parish: WESTMINSTER District: CITY OF WESTMINSTER County: GREATER LONDON Postcode: SW1H 0PY Details: LBS Number: 209056 Grade: I Date Listed: 15/05/1954 Date of Last Amendment: Date Delisted: NGR: TQ2948179360 Listing Text: TQ 2979 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTER CAXTON STREET, SW1 98/26 (south side) 15.5.54 Bluecoat School (National Trust) [Formerly listed as No 25 (Christ Church, Blew Coat Room)] - I Former Blue Coat school, now shop. Built 1709 (rainwater heads dated). Brown brick, red dressings; roof not visible. Freestanding oblong building, of 3 bays to each side; 2 tiers of windows. Centre bays set forward slightly; pilastered corners. To Caxton Street main entrance in fluted Doric pilastered porch, with niche over containing statue of Blue Coat Scholar; segmental split pediment to parapet with clock below. Square headed windows, flush framed sashes, glazing bars, gauged heads, keystones. Dentil cornice in brick; parapet; subsidiary entrance to west. Other 3 sides with similar architectural treatment. Fine interior forming single tall space with pilasters and niches to walls, entablature and coved ceiling; four fluted Corinthian columns mark entrance; fireplace to opposite end, etc. London Vol I. N. Pevsner. Listing NGR: TQ2948179360

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Building Details: Building Name: THE ALBERT PUBLIC HOUSE Parish: WESTMINSTER District: CITY OF WESTMINSTER County: GREATER LONDON Postcode: SW1H 0NP Details: LBS Number: 207423 Grade: II Date Listed: 31/10/1973 Date of Last Amendment: Date Delisted: NGR: TQ2951779298 Listing Text: TQ 2979 SE CITY OF WESTMINSTER VICTORIA STREET, SW1 100/15 31.10.73 The 'Albert' Public House II Corner public house. 1865-67. Yellow brick with red brick dressings and stucco trim, slate roof. 4 storeys. 3 windows wide to Victoria Street, 5-window return with 2 storey 3-window extension. Original, canted public house ground floor frontage with central panelled and glazed doors and flanking windows framed by granite pilasters carrying fascia, cornice and balustrade with ball finials, returned, with coupled pilasters and small pediments above them over the cornice, across the full extent of the ground floor; all the bar windows and glazed doors have excellent cut, engraved and frosted glass. The upper floors have grouped recessed glazing bar sashes linked by ornate iron balconettes on 2nd and 3rd floors; similar fenestration to return. Moulded stucco string over 1st floor; prominent stucco main entablature with very deep cornice and lions' head modillions; one stucco moulded parapet upstand to centre of both fronts with "THE ALBERT" incised on them. Interior retains some c.1900 bar fittings. The pub originally adjoined the former Artillery Brewery. Listing NGR: TQ2951779298

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Appendix 3 – Short Term Proposals Westminster Cathedral Piazza The West End Team of Westminster City Council is currently working with key stakeholders to prepare a draft Cathedral Piazza Action Plan. The draft Action Plan will have the purpose to address anti-social activity in the area and provide an appropriate setting for Westminster Cathedral. Accordingly, it is proposed to comprise three broad themes: Design, Management and Activity. With regard to public realm design, the draft Action Plan will contain detailed designs which propose new pavement materials and design, new street furniture and street lighting. The draft Action Plan might also recommend highway improvements and ground floor alterations to buildings adjoining Cathedral Piazza. At the present time it is estimated that the draft Action Plan will go out to public consultation later in 2007.