Committee Date: 19/09/2013 Application Number: 2013/02378/PA Accepted: 03/05/2013 Application Type: Conservation Area Target Date: 28/06/2013 Consent Ward: Ladywood 34 Carver Street, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, B1 3AL Conservation Area Consent for demolition of existing building Applicant: Agent: Recommendation Defer Churchgate Investments Ltd 14 Alvechurch Highway, Lidgate Ash, Bromsgrove, B60 1PA PBC Architecture 173 Lower High Street, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 1TG 1. Proposal 1.1 The application seeks Conservation Area Consent for the demolition of the warehouse building that currently occupies the site in association with planning application 2013/02379/PA which proposes its redevelopment with a scheme of 24 apartments and one B1a office building which is reported elsewhere on this agenda. Conservation Area Consent for the demolition of this building was originally agreed under application 2006/03631/PA in July 2007 and was subsequently renewed under application 2011/07069/PA in March 2012. 1.2 The existing building comprises of a two storey brick structure previously used as a warehouse with ancillary offices fronting Carver Street and dates from the 1950's. It has been vacant for some years and was formerly occupied by Bakkavor, a food processing company. Street Scene 2. Site & Surroundings 2,1 The building lies within the Jewellery Quarter Conservation Area fronting the south west side of Carver Street within a row of similar vacant two storey high buildings of an industrial character and scale. The windows are now boarded up and there are three large metal roller shutter doors fronting Carver Street. To the rear of the site the land has been largely cleared following demolition of the buildings previously fronting Pope Street 2.1 The surrounding area is occupied by a mix of uses including the commercial buildings at 92-95 Carver Street occupied by Jones and Palmer Limited Printers and other vacant industrial buildings which were also last used by Bakkavor. There are a number of recently built residential developments in the vicinity including The Quarter development at the corner of Carver Street and Warstone Lane, which also includes a new health centre, and a development of 5 storey apartments and ground floor commercial uses known as the Boxworks at the junction of Carver Street and Tenby Page 1 of 6
Street North. The area is identified as "Industrial Fringe" within the Jewellery Quarter Conservation Area Management Plan. Site Location Street View 3 Planning History 3.1 02/02/2007 2006/03628/PA Planning permission granted subject to a Section 106 Agreement for the erection of 24 apartments and one retail/commercial A1/A2 unit and parking for 24 vehicles. 3.2 02/02/2007 2006/03631/PA Conservation Area consent granted for demolition of existing building. 3.3 22/06/2012-2011/07054/PA Planning permission granted subject to a section 106 Agreement for the erection of 24 apartments and one retail/commercial A1/A2 unit and parking for 24 vehicles. 3.4 22/03/2012-2011/07069/PA - Conservation area consent granted for demolition of the existing building. 3.5 2013/02379/PA Current planning application for demolition of existing warehouse and erection of 24 apartments and one B1a commercial unit at ground floor with associated parking. Reported elsewhere on this agenda 4 Consultation/PP Responses 4.1 English Heritage Comment that the application should be determined in accordance with national and local planning guidance and on the basis of the Council s specialist conservation advice. 4.2 The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country - Recommend that a survey and assessment is undertaken for Black Redstarts and Bats before demolition and development of the site commences. Also comment that the development should include biodiversity enhancement measures. 4.3 MP, Local Councillor, residents and businesses notified of the application, press and site notices displayed. No comments received. 5 Policy Context 5.1 Adopted Birmingham UDP (2005), Draft Birmingham Development Plan (2010), NPPF (2012). Jewellery Quarter Conservation Area Design Guide (2005), Jewellery Quarter Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan (2002), 6. Planning Considerations 6.1 Conservation Area consent has been granted on two previous occasions in 2007 and 2012 for the demolition of the existing building on the grounds that is has no architectural or historic merit. The most recent consent granted was in conjunction with the application 2011/07054/PA which proposed to redevelop the site with 24 apartments and a commercial unit and could still be implemented. However since Page 2 of 6
that application was determined the NPPF has been published and this application needs to be assessed against this new guidance. 6.2 The NPPF requires Local Planning Authorities to identify and assess the particular significance of any heritage asset that may be affected by a proposal and then to take this into account when considering the impact of a proposal in order to avoid/minimise conflict between the heritage asset s conservation and any aspect of the proposals In determining planning applications, the following should be taken into account :- the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets and putting them to viable uses the positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic vitality; and the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness 6.3 The applicants have submitted a Heritage Statement with the application which concludes that the existing building is of no historic or visual merit and its outmoded design and appearance makes it unsuitable for conversion or reuse as an employment building. It has also now been empty for several years and has fallen into disrepair, The applicants contend that the new building proposed will positively enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and would provide good quality living accommodation and a commercial unit which would encourage the regeneration of the area Officers agree that the building does not make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and the Conservation Officer does not objection to its removal. 6.4 It is considered that there has been no material change in circumstances which would justify retaining the building and its demolition is acceptable. The existing demolition consent is subject to conditions to ensure the removal of the building occurs in conjunction with the implementation of the associated planning application. Therefore this new consent would need to be tied to associated application 2013/02379/PA subject to it receiving approval. The new redevelopment proposals are considered to provide an appropriate replacement building which would enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. 6.5 It will be noted that the Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country have made comments regarding the possibility of bats and/or black redstarts using the buildings and the ecological reports submitted with previous applications have not found any evidence of protected species using the site. It is however recommended that a condition be imposed to require a precautionary approach to demolition in the unlikely event that protected species are found during the work. The redevelopment proposals include provision of bat bricks within the new building and conditions have been recommended on the planning application to require further ecological enhancement measures. 7.0 Conclusion 7.1 The existing buildings to be demolished are of no historic interest or visual merit and consent for their demolition has previously been granted in 2007 and 2012. No objection is therefore raised to this new demolition application which is required to tie the development into the new redevelopment scheme for the site proposed under application 2013/02379/PA. Page 3 of 6
8. Recommendation 8.1 That subject to the approval of application 2013/02379/PA and completion of its associated of a planning obligation conservation area consent be granted subject to the following conditions - 1 Prevents demolition taking place before a contract is in place for the approved redevelopment 2 Requires a precautionary approach to the demolition. 3 Requires the scheme to be in accordance with the listed approved plans 4 Limits the approval to 3 years (conservation/listed buildings consent) Reason for Approval 1 Birmingham City Council grants Conservation Area Consent subject to the condition(s) listed below (if appropriate). The reason for granting consent is because the development is in accordance with: Policies 3.27 & 3.28 of the Birmingham Unitary Development Plan 2005; the Birmingham Conservation Strategy 1999, which has been adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance; and the National Planning Policy Framework. Case Officer: Lesley Sheldrake Page 4 of 6
Photo(s) Figure 1: Application building Figure 2: View to rear of the application building Page 5 of 6
118 50 54 48 77 Location Plan 125.6m 95 Lion Court 100 PH Warehouse LB 108 109 Sta El Sub 110 60 The Quarter 116 115 117 Garage 120 Mill and Foundry MORETON STREET CARVER STREET 37 38 Warehouse 35 36 30 to 34 87 93 92 41 42 43 44 136.2 POPE STREET 95 28 26 24 132.0m 1 to 12 14 to 64 Sapphire Heights 77 The Boxworks 10 12 Wexler Lofts 98 100 100 133.2m 200 POPE STREET Factory Warehouse 109 1 to 9 10 111 El Sub Sta 137.2m 120 This map is reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Birmingham City Council. Licence No.100021326, 2010 Page 6 of 6