North Place Car Park

The virtue of developing sites that comprise sustainable locations with good access to public transport services is that the reliance on car use is greatly reduced. Indeed, none of the apartments will be afforded any car parking spaces and the townhouses will only benefit from a single parking space. Therefore, the development is unlikely to alleviate worsening traffic and highway conditions on the roads, as well as air pollution associated with vehicle use. We will, however, be ensuring that each dwelling is served by each dwelling will be provided with cycle storage provisions and will produce a Travel Plan which will encourage residents to utilise sustainable modes of transport within the area.

Wavensmere Homes is seeking to deliver 20% affordable housing as part of the development, the exact amount of which is currently being investigated to ensure the scheme can be delivered without becoming unviable. Please remember that viability is an important factor and a material consideration in determining applications for residential development as well as understanding whether such schemes can be delivered.

The principle of the loss of the existing car parking has already been established through the allocation within the Cheltenham Plan (Policy HD9). As such, the development of the site is in accordance with Cheltenham’s strategic plan for the progression of the town.

Fortunately, the North Place Car Park is relatively unconstraint from an environmental perspective. We are undertaking surveys with respect to contamination, trees, ecology, air quality and drainage. We are also undertaking a noise survey to ensure the amenities of future residents will be protected in this regard.

This application will not extend to the Portland Street Car Park because Wavensmere Homes does not own this land.

The height of the proposed apartment is similar to that for the retail supermarket approved under planning permission ref. 12/01612/FUL in 2013. Nevertheless, the busy and more built-up character of St Margaret’s Road (A4019) supports taller buildings. This is clear to see within the adjacent St Margaret’s Terrace, Brewery Quarter and Lewis Carroll Lodge. However, it is important the apartment block does not encroach nor detract from the significance of some of the historic buildings due to its height. For example, the Dowty House bell tower immediately to the west of the site. The 3 storey townhouses help the development integrate with the terrace housing to the north. Indeed, building heights steadily decrease from 4 storeys along St Margaret’s Road, to the 3 storey townhouses and finally to the 2 storey existing terrace houses along Northfield Passage. The townhouses are intentionally set-back from the existing terraces to provide breathing space and ensure they do not encroach or appear overbearing upon these buildings. The application will be support by a Townscape Visual Impact Assessment (TVIA) to assess the visual impact of the building from key site lines, including those perceived from the Listed Buildings and more sensitive parts of the Conservation Area.

A residential development on a highly sustainable brownfield site such as this has a variety of social, economic and environmental benefits. The social benefits primarily involve the delivery of new homes which have convenient access to town centre services and facilities. Other social benefits include the creation of new open amenity space, including a Regency style pocket park, for use by residents of the development. Well-designed and attractive buildings will enhance the aesthetic and set a standard for high quality development within the area. There are short-term economic benefits associated with the construction of the development and longer-term benefits through the collection of taxes. The reuse of underutilised brownfield land, thus reliving pressure to develop greenfield land as well as the local highway network and in turn, air pollution of the area. The proposals will also relieve pressure on the existing drainage network by incorporating a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) to catch all surface water within the site. The site will also deliver green and ecological benefits by providing a vast net increase in tree and species planting as well as biodiversity gains. Finally, the development will incorporate energy reduction features across the site. The benefits of the development proposal will be taken into consideration by the local planning authority in determining the application.

Construction activities and their resulting impact (including effect on the amenity of residents) are factored into the planning process. The Development Team will prepare a ‘Construction Management Plan’ following any grant of planning permission in order to reduce the impact construction will have upon the lives of residents.