Planning Application for Former Filling Station at 128 Herne Hill: Herne Hill Society Response
"Redevelopment of the site to provide a part 4, part 5, part 6 storey building with basement fronting 1 Herne Hill & Milkwood Road to provide a ground floor retail (Class A1-A5) unit and 32 residential apartments on upper floors comprising of (24 x 1 bed and 8 x 2 bed) of which 13 units would be for affordable housing with balconies and terraces with glass balustrade, with associated basement car parking for 10 vehicles, motor cycle store and cycle store."
This site, formally occupied by a filling station, occupies a prominent position in the centre of Herne Hill and is perhaps the most important development plot in the area. It presents a unique opportunity to enhance the area’s architectural environment and to improve the range and quality of accommodation and facilities available to local people. The site has been lying derelict for over two years and the Herne Hill Society would welcome its return to productive use. However, after having carefully considered the application, the Society has reached the view that that it must object to this proposed development. Our conclusion is based on the following considerations.
Latest (29/07/2009): Lambeth have rejected this application!
Design and Massing
We believe that it is sensible to devote the whole of the ground floor to commercial use, with access from both Herne Hill and Milkwood Road. We also accept that the overall design has some merit and that the proposed articulation on the frontage onto Herne Hill may be an improvement on some of the more monolithic facades seen elsewhere. However, in relation to its location, the proposed building is too massive and intrusive in relation to its neighbours to be acceptable in this Conservation Area. In addition, the proposed extensive use of timber is also out of place in this location, where the predominant building materials are brick and stone. We believe that any ecological benefits from the use of timber are minimal and certainly do not compensate for any perceived design benefits resulting from its use.
The proposed asymmetric design does not reflect the way in which articulation is addressed in the Conservation Area. Neighbouring buildings are characterised by their symmetry. The proposed building, however, would appear to want to emphasise the difference of its character from that of its surroundings. There will be contexts where this is appropriate; but we do not believe this is one of them. Policy 47 of Lambeth’s current UDP provides that “development proposals in a Conservation Area should preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area”. In our view, the proposed development fails to achieve this objective.
As seen from Milkwood Road, the proposed building presents a monolithic appearance unbroken by any redeeming architectural detailing. On its northern and southern flanks it presents a cliff-like structure, both intrusive and unacceptably dominating the local streetscape.
Impact on Neighbours
By virtue of its height and mass, the proposed building will present an unacceptable sense of domination, overlooking and enclosure to people in neighbouring properties such as Herne Hill Mansions, the houses opposite on Herne Hill and in Milkwood Road. This would be contrary to elements of Policy 33 “Building Scale and Design” of Lambeth’s current UDP. We note the applicant’s claims in paragraph 6.13 of the Planning Statement, relating to loss of daylight and sunlight. The applicant may feel that the impact of loss of daylight, sunlight and overshadowing is negligible. However, those nearby residents so affected and whose quality of life is significantly reduced by this development will not take such a dismissive and simplistic view.
Height
At six storeys, the proposed building is significantly higher than its neighbours and well above the general building line of the ‘western’ side of Herne Hill. ‘Stepping back’ the fifth and sixth storeys may reduce the impact of the building as viewed from street level. However, the upper stories will still be visible when seen from the opposite side of Herne Hill and particularly as one approaches from Carver Road – exiting on to Herne Hill immediately opposite the site. Indeed, the visibility of the upper stories is clearly seen in the illustration on the front cover of the Design and Access Statement. More acceptable would be a structure of comparable height to the nearby ‘Sainsbury’s’ building and Herne Hill Mansions. It is relevant that the former filling station, although by no means an attractive structure, presented an open aspect that gave a feeling of space to the area.
Building Alignment
We note the claim in Section 3.9 (i) of the ‘Planning Statement’ that the building line has been set back to reflect the neighbouring lines on Herne Hill. We acknowledge that this may in part be correct – i.e. the building line has been set back a little from the position proposed earlier. However, its new position does not reflect neighbouring building lines as represented by the former bank premises on the corner of Milkwood Road and Herne Hill; the block of flats on the old Post Office site, the ‘Sainsbury’s’ building – all of which have the same alignment - and Herne Hill Mansions.
The alignment of the façade of the proposed building is set back slightly from the front extension of the adjacent former Postal Sorting Office. However, this is not typical of the buildings along Herne Hill; and there is a strong case for any future development proposals for the Sorting Office to respect the main building line. The Society feels strongly that the proposed building should therefore be set back further to respect this line.
The pavement at this point is very narrow. An added advantage would be that the pavement could be widened to the benefit of pedestrians (and those waiting at what is a busy bus stop) and to make the location more attractive to potential users of the proposed ground floor commercial units.
Density
The density figure quoted in the application is 723 hrpa. The permissible ranges quoted in the London Plan are 200 to 700 hrpa for urban areas and 200 to 350 hrpa for suburban areas. Both these are applicable to locations with a PTAL of six. The proposed development therefore exceeds the upper limit of the higher of these two ranges. It may be argued the maximum density is exceeded by only an amount that may be regarded as de minimis. Such an argument may be valid for an area where high density accommodation is the norm. However, it is not valid for a location such as Herne Hill, a predominantly suburban area characterised by low density housing and properties of two or three stories.
Road Safety
Vehicles attempting to enter and/or leave the lower ground level car park will inevitably exacerbate the serious congestion already experienced at the south end of Milkwood Road, particularly at peak periods. As well as holding up traffic, vehicles manoeuvring to enter or leave this car park could well present a traffic hazard in the relatively narrow and busy confines of Milkwood Road.
Lambeth Transport and Highways Department are soon to start work on a zebra crossing over Milkwood Road, just a short way south of the proposed car park entrance. There is likely to be conflict between the access to the lower ground floor car park and the zebra crossing, to the detriment of vehicle users and pedestrians.
Environmental Issues
The application makes reference to the ‘green’ aspects of the proposed development. We have already commented above on the lack of ecological benefits from the use of timber.
A serious concern must relate to the proposed provision of parking spaces on the lower ground floor. The application refers to Herne Hill’s excellent public transport facilities. The railway station with frequent trains to central London and the City is within a few yards; the 68, N68 and 468 buses pass immediately in front to the site; the bus routes 3, N3, 37, 196, 201 and 322 are just a few yards further on; and Brixton underground station is less than 20 minutes walk or a ten minute bus ride away. In view of the range of public transport available, it is inappropriate to encourage greater car use by providing this parking facility.
We note that the refuse storage for the flats will also be provided on the lower ground level. However, no indication is given as to the procedures for emptying refuse bins. It will not be possible for refuse vehicles to access the lower ground floor. Hence bins will have to be brought up to ground level and left on the pavement ready for collection. There is already a problem in Milkwood Road resulting from refuse bins on the narrow pavement, making it difficult for pedestrians to pass. The bins also create an eyesore. An alternative means of refuse collection must be found that does not require bins to be left on the pavement.
Pedestrian Access
For many decades, the filling station site was used as a popular and much used pedestrian short cut between Herne Hill, Milkwood Road and the station. The long term uninterrupted use of this route was such that it may well have qualified as an established public right of way. In view of the significant local demand for reinstatement of a pedestrian route through the site, before any decision is made, this should be explored as a mechanism to generate planning gain from the development.
Summary
The building proposed in this application is overly monolithic, out of character and scale with its surroundings in this Conservation Area. Its architectural design qualities are of insufficient merit to warrant such a significant departure from the characteristics of nearby buildings in the Conservation Areas, both on the Lambeth Side and the immediately adjacent Stradella Road Conservation Area in Southwark. The building will have an unacceptable impact on neighbours. The proposals will also encourage increased car use with consequent detrimental impact on the environment. For these and the other reasons outlined in this letter, the Herne Hill Society urges that this application be refused.
