En-Plan have obtained planning consent for a mixed use resindetial and retail development in the High Street at Oakengates - Application Reference: TWC/2015/003
PROPOSAL
This is a full planning application for the change of use of the first and second floors of Nos. 54 to 62 Market Street from a business and storage use (Use Classes B1 and B8) to four Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO – Use Class C4) comprising of two three-bedroom HMOs and two Four-bedroom HMOs. The proposal also includes the subdivision of the rear of the property to provide two additional retail units (Use Class A1).
The subdivision of the existing retail units would result in a total of six retail units being provided at ground floor level with two being accessed directly from the rear of the property.
The first floor would provide three of the HMOs with the fourth being provided within the roofspace at second floor level. No additional windows would be provided within the front or rear facing elevations however rooflights would be added to the front and back of the property and some additional side facing windows would be inserted.
The existing two-storey flat roof rear extension would be extended, rendered and treated with timber cladding in order to improve its visual appearance.
SITE AND SURROUNDINGS
The application site consists of a number of attached properties that are located at the Eastern end of the Oakengates District Centre. The properties front onto Market Street and back onto a road that serves the rear of the properties along Market Street and a car park that is situated to the South West. Uxacona Way runs to the North West of the site and the A442 (Queensway) is located beyond that at an elevated level from the application site.
The ground floor is currently occupied by a number of retail units and the submitted floorplans show that the first and second floors are currently vacant.
SUMMARISED CONSULTATIONS
Standard consultation responses
Oakengates Town Council: No Objection but with concern over the red lined area, which appears to encroach onto land owned by Telford and Wrekin Council.
Environmental Services (Highways): No objection.
Public Protection (Pollution Control): No objection subject to Conditions.
Shropshire Fire Service: Request that an Informative be added to the Decision Notice.
Shropshire Council (Policy and Environment Sustainability Group): No comment.
Neighbour consultation responses
No representations have been received. dwellings.
RELEVANT HISTORY
TWC/2014/0851: Application for prior approval for the change of use from Use Class B1 to Use Class C3. Withdrawn.
TWC/2014/0927: Application for prior approval for the change of use of the ground floor from Use Class A1 to Use Class C3. Withdrawn.
Applications TWC/2014/0851 and 0927 were withdrawn as they did not satisfy the requirements of the prior approval process.
TWC/2014/0438: Subdivision of retail unit to 4no. units and alterations to shop fronts with change of use from retail (Use class A1) to mixed use retail and professional services (Use class A1 & A2) (Retrospective): Approved 11/07/2014.
PE/2014/1346: Conversion of first-floor of existing properties and erection of a three-storey rear extension to provide HMOs and retail units. Confirmation was given that the proposed mix of uses was broadly acceptable however concern was raised regarding the size of the proposed three-storey rear extension.
RELEVANT POLICIES
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
Core Strategy:
CS2: Jobs
CS3: Telford
CS5: District and Local Centres
CS9: Accessibility and Social Inclusion
CS10: Community Facilities
CS15: Urban Design
S1: Service Centre Hierarchy
S17: Oakengates Secondary Zone
UD2: Design Criteria
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
The principle of development
Design and appearance
Residential amenity
Highways matters
Other considerations
The Principle of Development
Policy CS3 relates to development in Telford. This states that Telford will accommodate the majority of new homes, jobs and services. The application site is located within Telford and so the principle of the development of the site would accord with the aims of Policy CS3.
The application site is also located within the Secondary zone of the Oakengates District Centre as designated in the Wrekin Local Plan. The Local Plan states that this centre performs an important local role providing shopping and a range of services. A flexible approach is set out within Policy S17 which relates to the Secondary Zone which allows for non-retail uses that would lead to an improvement in the centre’s trading position. This specifically states that housing, including hostels and hotels will be permitted subject to their size, design and the overall impact on the environmental capacity of the centre.
The NPPF (Section 2: Ensuring the vitality of town centres) states that Local Planning Authorities should recognise that residential development can play an important role in ensuring the vitality of centres.
It is considered that the proposed mix of uses, retail at ground floor and residential at first floor, is acceptable in principle within this District Centre subject to detailed consideration relating to design and appearance, residential amenity, highways matters and other relevant material planning considerations.
Design and appearance
Policy CS15 of the Core Strategy states that the design of development will assist in creating and sustaining safe places, strengthening local identity and projecting a positive local image. Saved Local Plan Policy UD2 provides more detailed design guidance and states that in considering whether or not a development proposal is of an appropriate design quality, and relates positively to is context, the Council will assess it in relation to its scale, massing, form, density, orientation and layout, proportions, materials, landscape elements, access and spatial quality. A number of urban design principles are set out against which applications will be assessed.
At the pre-application stage the applicant proposed to replace the existing two-storey flat-roof extension with a three-storey extension. Concern was expressed about the bulk and appearance of the development and the impact that it would have on the appearance of Market Street. The proposal has since been scaled back with the applicant proposing to render and clad the existing rear extension which would result in a significant improvement in the appearance of this part of the building.
The proposed change of use and subdivision of the existing retail units would result in minimal alterations to the external of the appearance with the most significant change being the introduction of rooflights to provide light for the second floor accommodation.
It is considered that given the design and external appearance of the proposed development is acceptable and that it would not result in a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the application properties or the wider streetscene.
Residential Amenity
As stated above the NPPF recognises that residential development can play an important role in ensuring the vitality of centres. The NPPF also states that a good standard of amenity for all existing and future occupants of land and buildings should be sought. At the pre-application stage the applicant was encouraged to include a sitting out area for residents given the lack of easy access to public open space within the immediate area. Whilst no such space has been provided as part of the development it is considered that it would be difficult to do so in this instance as the area to the rear of the site, which is the only space that could reasonably be used for such an area, is overlooked from the road and the footpath that runs along the Eastern boundary of the site. As this property, and the neighbouring properties, is also likely to be serviced from the rear it is not considered that this would be an attractive area to use by residents and therefore the lack of amenity space is not considered to be a justifiable reason to refuse the application.
During the course of the application further information and some minor amendments were requested regarding the internal layout of the residential accommodation. This information related to the access of bedrooms from communal staircases and confirmation that the accommodation satisfied the minimum requirements set out in the Local Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation (February 2006). This information has been submitted and the Council’s Well Being and Public Protection Officer is satisfied with the proposal.
There is currently no car parking associated with the application properties and none is being provided as part of the application. Whilst the introduction of residential accommodation has the potential to increase the demand for parking in the area the Council’s Highways Engineers have considered the proposal and due to the fact that this is a sustainable location and as there are public car parks in close proximity to the site they have not raised any objections to the application.
Other matters
The Town Council representation made reference to the application site boundary including a section of land owned by the Council. This was queried with the applicant and the Council’s Surveyors and it was confirmed that a small section of Council owned land had incorrectly been included within the application site boundary. A revised plan was submitted removing this land from the application.
Conclusion
It is considered that the principle of new residential and retail development within this District Centre location is acceptable. The design and appearance of the proposed development, including the loft conversion, would have a positive impact on the character and appearance of the application properties and the wider streetscene. Although there is no private amenity space for future occupiers it is considered that this is acceptable in this instance. The site is located within a sustainable location and it would not result in a detrimental impact on highway safety. As such it is considered that the application is acceptable.
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