No. 38-48, Crwys Road, Cardiff Conversion and New Build Student Accommodation Development in Crwys Road, Cardiff
Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Site Analysis 3.0 Context 4.0 Planning History 5.0 Planning Policy Context 6.0 Community Involvement & Consultation 7.0 Access 8.0 Character 9.0 Landscaping 10.0 Community Safety 11.0 Environmental Sustainability 12.0 Movement
1.0 Introduction This statement is made in accordance with TAN 12 Wales and PPW Wales Design and Access Statements, When, What and How. This application proposes to convert and extend the existing building (No.38 48) fronting Crwys Road and construct three new student accommodation units to the rear on the existing car park area fronting onto Lucas Street. The building fronting Crwys Road is currently a two storey building with a pitched roof, with retail units at ground floor and offices above. The proposals seek to convert, and extend vertically, the building into a 4-storey student accommodation block by removing the existing roof and add two further storeys, one of which is a setback mansard type roof. Furthermore, the proposals seek to retain the existing retail units and restaurant at ground floor, and extend the restaurant. The existing retail units and restaurant are as follows:- No.38 Hairdressers (Hair by George) No. 40 Solicitors (Kruzins Solicitors) No. 42- Access to first floor offices No. 44 Nails (Nail Geeks) No. 46 E-Cigarettes (Zapp ecigs) No. 48 Chinese Restaurant (So Good) As part of the proposals, it is envisaged that the access space to the offices above, will become the new nails unit (No. 42) and Zapp E-cigs will move into No. 44. The Chinese restaurant will then extend into No. 46. Furthermore, a small plant area shall be constructed to the rear of No. 48, where currently, it is a bin storage area. The offices above will become the first floor of the student accommodation, within the existing building. Access to the upper floors shall be via a new dedicated lift and stair core to the rear of the building. Moreover, the proposals seek to alter the external appearance of the building by uplifting the material palette and giving the building a more modern look, in keeping with other recent developments in the close vicinity. The rear block proposals seek to develop a new block of three student units, containing up to 8 beds with communal amenity space. The proposals use a more traditional approach compared with the modern look of the front block. The units will sit on the existing car park and will face out onto Lucas Street. The new build proposal shall be separated from the front block to allow rear access to the retail units from Lucas Street. Part of the existing car park will remain, the proposals seek to retain 8 spaces for commercial users only, therefore no car parking is dedicated for the student residents, hopefully to encourage students to use sustainable modes of transport.
2.0 Site Analysis of the site. There are houses along Lucas Street, which front onto Daniel Street, that are red facing brick dwellings. Directly opposite the car park (site) on Lucas Street are single storey garages, sandwiched between the buildings fronting Crwys Road and the houses fronting Lucas Street. These garages are made up of different materials and currently look unsightly. On the opposite side of Crwys Road is a mixture of traditional two-storey buildings with a mix of uses. However there is a more modern development for a Christian Centre directly opposite, which is of no architectural merit. To the south-east of the site, on the opposite side of Crwys Road, is a recent student accommodation development, which also extends along the southern end of Woodville Road. In terms of topography, the car park is relatively flat. Vehicular access is via Lucas Street. Access to the car park is through a rising arm barrier. Access to the first floor offices is directly on Crwys Road (No. 42). Two external steel staircases located at the rear of the existing building, overlooking the car park, are fire escape stairs for the offices. Along with these staircases, numerous generators and plant extracts can be seen from the car park. Above: Aerial view of Crwys Road. The site is outlined in red The site is situated on the edge of Cardiff City Centre. The site lies in the heart of Crwys Road in Cathays, situated on a prominent corner position of Crwys Road and Lucas Street. Crwys Road has a diverse mix of uses commercial, residential, community centres, leisure and recreational facilities, and is served by regular transport links back into the city centre. In an immediate context the site is bound by Lucas Street to the north-west, The Crwys pub to the south-east, Crwys Road to the south, and then a lane and garden of properties of Daniel Street to the north. View north west along Crwys Road View from the car park towards the access barrier from Lucas Street Looking from the car park to the adjacent The Crwys pub and its beer garden View of the rear of the building whereby the offices at first floor are accessed via external staircases The Crwys public house abuts the site and is also a two-storey structure that sits on a prominent corner position. It fronts onto Crwys Road, completing the block along with the application site, and then extends north-east along Woodville Road (northern end). To the rear of the extended public house, is a beer garden, which shares the boundary with the application site. Beyond the existing car park, within the application site, and the adjacent beer garden to the north is a lane that connects Woodville Road to the east and Lucas Street to the west. This lane primarily serves access to the garden of the properties fronting Daniel Street but there is also a secondary access to the beer garden for The Crwys pub. Lucas Street is characterised by a small residential street with no through vehicular access to Daniel Street. The street is primarily residential, except for access to the car park. The houses are small two-storey pitched dwellings with stone and render finishes. All but one house front onto Lucas Street from the north-west. The only house fronting Lucas Street from the south east lies on the corner of Lucas Street and the lane to the north
3.0 Context In a wider context Crwys Road lies north of Cardiff City Centre and Cardiff Bay. The site is situated within the commercial and residential area of Cathays, which comprises a mix of small independent shops, supermarkets, cafes and restaurants, along with leisure and recreational facilities. In an immediate context the site is bound by Lucas Street to the north west, The Crwys pub to the south-east, Crwys Road to the south, and then a lane and garden of properties of Daniel Street to the north. Panoramic view of the front of building facing onto Crwys Road
4.0 Planning History The site has been subject of planning applications in the past. 97/0061/W 38-48 Crwys Road, Cardiff Conversion of 1 st Floor to five residential flats Permission granted May 1997 15/01137/MJR 38-48 Crwys Road, Cardiff Conversion and extension of the existing buildings on site to form a 4-storey development for student accommodation with the retention of the existing retail units and restaurant Permission granted February 2017 02/01017/W 40-48 Crwys Road, Cardiff Change of use from shops to public house at ground floor and first Withdrawn 02/01568/W 44-48 Crwys Road, Cardiff Change of use of first floor to form an extension to the existing ground floor A3 restaurant premises at 48 Crwys Road Permission granted October 2002 The S106 agreement that accompanies the latest consented application has been signed and contributions have been paid in commensurate with the number of units. Since permission was granted in February, CWA were approached by the applicant to consider the consented scheme in a different manner, albeit still student accommodation. The applicant aspired to retain the front block design approach by the previous architects, but felt that it needed further consideration internally. Therefore, after several iterations, the front block has been reconfigured internally with minor external alterations, and as a result, there has been a reduction in the number of units. Furthermore, the applicant aspired to re-visit the design of the rear annexe with a more traditional approach instead of the modern approach taken by the front block. Discussions were then had between CWA and and Chris Ellis at Cardiff Council on how to best move forward with these new changes. It was agreed that the conversion of the existing block could be amended and applied for under a Non-Material Amendment application, in the context of the consented rear annexe. This would minimise any delays in starting on-site for the front block. It was agreed with Cardiff Council that the re-designed rear element of the development needed a new full detailed application, along with the reconfigured front block. 05/02266/C Phoenix Garden Restaurant, 48 Crwys Road, Cardiff Install new shopfront Permission granted November 2005 10/00498/C 40 Crwys Road, Cardiff Retain change of use to A3 coffee shop Permission granted May 2010
5.0 Policy Context In terms of national guidance, of relevance these are:- Planning Policy Wales 7 th edition July 2004 (PPW) Technical Advice Note (TAN) PPW sets out the wider planning and sustainability aspects for developments within Wales. Headlines include the use of previously developed land, and considering historic environment. TAN notes, which annexes to PPW, of relevance are:- TAN 12 Design TAN 18 - Access Local Policy Context: The key document is the Cardiff Local Development Plan January 2006-2026. Relevant policies within the Cardiff Development Local Plan are: Policy R4 This will be subject to: District Centres (i) The proposal being of a scale appropriate to the particular centre; (ii) The location of business offices (Class B1) above the ground floor, (iii) Proposals not impeding the effective use of upper floors. (iv) Proposals for uses other than Class A1 being permitted at ground floor level if they would not cause unacceptable harm to the predominant shopping role and character of the centre, the vitality, attractiveness and viability of a specific frontage or group of frontages; Unacceptable harm should take account of: The existing level and nature of non-shopping uses within the centre as a whole The size of the retail unit in relation to the overall size of a centre or a specific group of frontages; and The distribution and proximity of non-shopping uses within a frontage. Proposals that result in, or add to a continuous stretch of nonshopping uses (3 or more units in non-shopping use) will be less favourably considered. Applications for changes of use that involve new non-shopping uses in vacant premises will be considered in light of the following: The vacancy rate in the surrounding area; and Whether, and for how long, the premises have remained vacant whilst being actively marketed for their existing or previous use. Policy KP5 Good Quality and Sustainable Design To help support the development of Cardiff as a world-class European Capital City, all new development will be required to be of a high quality, sustainable design and make a positive contribution to the creation of distinctive communities, places and spaces by: i. Responding to the local character and context of the built and landscape setting so that layout, scale, form, massing, height, density, colour, materials, detailing and impact on the built and natural heritage are all addressed within development proposals; ii. Providing legible development which is easy to get around and which ensures a sense of continuity and enclosure; iii. Providing a diversity of land uses to create balanced communities and add vibrancy throughout the day; iv. Creating interconnected streets, squares and spaces as distinctive places, which are safe, accessible, vibrant and secure and incorporate public art where appropriate; v. Providing a healthy and convenient environment for all users that supports the principles of community safety, encourages walking and cycling, enables employment, essential services and community facilities to be accessible by sustainable transport and maximises the contribution of networks of multi-functional and connected open spaces to encourage healthier lifestyles; vi. Maximising renewable energy solutions; vii. Achieve a resource efficient and climate responsive design that provides sustainable water and waste management solutions and minimise emissions from transport, homes and industry; viii. Achieving an adaptable design that can respond to future social, economic, technological and environmental requirements; ix. Promoting the efficient use of land, developing at highest practicable densities and where appropriate achieving the remediation of land contamination; x. Ensuring no undue effect on the amenity of neighbouring occupiers and connecting positively to surrounding communities; xi. Fostering inclusive design, ensuring buildings, streets and spaces are accessible to all users and is adaptable to future changes in lifestyle; and xii. Locating Tall buildings in locations which are highly accessible through walking and public transport and within an existing or proposed cluster of tall buildings.
Policy H2: Conversion to Residential Use The approximate walking distance from Crwys Road to the nearest train station, Cathays station on Senghennydd Road, is 700m. Woodville Road connects these two roads. Within the Central Business Area of the city centre, District and Local centres, as defined on the Proposals Map, the conversion of suitable vacant space above commercial premises to residential use will be favoured where: i. Adequate servicing and security can be maintained to the existing commercial use(s); ii. Appropriate provision can be made for parking, access, pedestrian access, amenity space, and refuse disposal together with any appropriate external alterations and; iii. The residential use does not compromise the ground floor use. Supplementary Planning Guidance - Access, Circulation and Parking Standards (adopted January 2010) - Waste Collection and Storage Facilities (approved October 2016) Emergency Access Emergency services can access the site directly from Crwys Road and Lucas Street. Car Parking There are 8 parking spaces to the rear of the site, which are dedicated for commercial parking. The site is in a very sustainable location, it is within 10 minutes walking distance of Cardiff City Centre, and numerous bus stops along Crwys Road which lead into the city centre. 6.0 Community Involvement and Consultation No pre-application enquiry was submitted and no community involvement was sought. 7.0 Access This section is prepared according to guidance in Tan 18, the DDA act and Part M of the Building Regulations. Highways The site is located on a prominent corner position in Cathays, fronting onto Crwys Road. Crwys Road runs on a north-west / south east-west axis connecting Roath to the south-east and Maindy to the north-west. Cycle Parking Shared secure cycle facilities storage facilities are located within the rear car park, adjacent to the pedestrian access to the student accommodation. Cycle provision is facilitated via the existing road network. Inclusive Access Access to the offices is via Trade Street, which is level. The central stair and lift core serves offices at all floors both front and back, and the stairs are designed to ambulant standards. A disabled WC is available at every floor level. Thresholds to all doors are level and door widths are designed to enable wheelchairs users to easily circulate the building. Pedestrian Access Access to and from the site back to the train station can be via the existing footpath network along Crwys Road. The existing footpath network is relatively flat from the site to the train station and bus stops. The site is within a short walking distance of a variety of local facilities and shops found along Crwys Road, Whitchurch Road, and City Road. Numerous university facilities are within close proximity and highly accessible and therefore this minimise the need for students to travel to these facilities by car. Public Transport The nearest bus stop is located immediately outside on Crwys Road going east and west bound. There are also numerous bus stops positioned along Crwys Road, which will lead back into the city centre.
8.0 Character The proposal is for No. 38-48 Crwys Road, which is a two-storey building containing a row of shops at ground floor with offices above, sits on the corner of Crwys Road and Lucas Street to be converted and extended into a 4-storey structure containing student accommodation as per the previous consented scheme. The car park behind, facing onto Lucas Street, is to be developed upon for additional student accommodation (newly designed) and some of the car park (8 spaces) is to be retained to allow parking for shoppers. block has retained the same design ethos as the consented scheme with converting and extending the existing building vertically to become a four-storey student accommodation block. However, rather than access the student accommodation, which are located on first to third floors, at ground level, via Crwys Road, as per th existing arrangement for the offices, students are now encouraged to access them to the rear of the front block using a dedicated stair and lift core, leaving only the commercial uses to be accessed directly from Crwys Road. Design Development Initial sketches for the back block with a simple traditional aesthetic Amount Within the conversion of the existing block, the previous scheme had consent for 37 beds over three floors. These were a mixture of bedrooms, studios and communal hubs. This application proposes to retain the architecture of the consented scheme but reconfigure the internal arrangement. Therefore, it proposes a 22 flats, resulting in a reduction of 15 beds. The rear annexe within this application has been redesigned and approached in a different manner compared to the consented annexe. However, the previous scheme accommodated a total of 24 beds, whereas this newly designed rear block proposes 21 beds, a reduction of 3 beds. Overall this is a total reduction of 18 beds. Layout The proposals split themselves into two distinct blocks, the front block, which is the existing block fronting onto Crwys Road, and the rear block which is hidden behind the front block but fronts onto Lucas Street. The front Design Development- Initial idea of positioning the car park behind the back block, allowing the back block to immediately front onto Lucas Street. However, it was deemed that the layout should follow the consented scheme in terms positioning and arrangement As discussed above, the number of student units within the front block has been reduced compared with the consented scheme, and therefore an internal reconfiguration is shown on the proposed drawings. However, the external appearance has been retained from the consented scheme see section Appearance for further details. The back block has been redesigned and has taken a more traditional approach and is more in keeping with the local vernacular in terms of character. Rather than a big block of flats, the design has a more residential and domestic look to it, and look more like townhouses rather a flatted development. To further enhance this, they have been divorced from the front block and look out towards Lucas Street and address the onlooker as they enter the site.
As per the consented scheme whereby the rear block sat back from Lucas Street to allow commercial parking, this proposal has adopted the same approach. Furthermore, the consented scheme allowed for a communal amenity area, which is the same here. Therefore, the new proposal, positionally, sits within the same footprint of the consented scheme In terms of internal layout, the back block has been split into three units of 5-8 bedrooms. Each unit has the domestic elements at ground level such as the kitchen, dining and living areas, and then all the bedrooms can be found above. Each bedroom has its own en-suite. Scale The height of the proposed development, in regarding to the block fronting Crwys Road, shall be in accordance with the consented scheme. The only difference is the introduction of a lift has meant that the core now extends vertically beyond roof level in order to accommodate the lift over-run, however as previously discussed, the lift and stair core is located to the rear of the front block and therefore its visual impact has been minimised. The newly designed rear student accommodation shall also accord with the front block and the highest ridge shall be level and not exceed this height. As per the consented scheme whereby the rear block stepped down when approaching the existing houses in Lucas Street and houses along the rear (northern) lane, the rear accommodation takes the same approach albeit with a pitched roof rather than a flat roof. Appearance The appearance of the front block has been slightly tweaked in order for it to work construction-wise. However, overall its appearance is still the same with the projecting colour contrasting window bays and the mansard-type roof for the top-storey, which is slightly set back to allow relief from Crwys Road. Typical 1-bed Student Flat Layout The appearance of the back block is treated differently in terms of appearance. The design form is traditionally shaped 3-storey houses with rooms in the roof. It has used traditional domestic elements such as pitched roofs, outshot gables, traditional looking window bays and materials to reinforce the traditional local vernacular. These townhouse type units can be treated differently due to separation with the front block and the local vernacular found within Lucas Street is a lot more domestic than Crwys Road where there is no distinct character or predominant vernacular. Typical 1-bed Student Studio Layout Design Development The applicant aspired to a more detailed traditional aesthetic, wishing to use icons such as bays and outshot gables giving it a more residential domestic appearance
9.0 Landscaping There is limited opportunity for any meaningful landscaping, however there are a couple of locations where low maintenances shrubs are envisaged between the parking area and the back block. Furthermore, it is envisaged the communal garden to the back block will be turfed. Commercial tenants will be able to store refuse to the rear of the units and present wheelie bins for kerbside collections along Lucas Street. 10.0 Community Safety Although the entrance to the front block is at the rear, the new units, the back block, offer passive surveillance to this part of the site. Both blocks have been designed with habitable windows positioned to offer natural surveillance of the entrances and parking. The re-use of the site will not cause the local community and change to their quantum in terms of safety. The car park at present could present and may attract an element of antisocial behaviour. 11.0 Environmental Sustainability Landscaping & Townscape Setting In terms of energy efficiency, the student units will achieve the latest statutory standards as laid down in legislature. The units are in a sustainable location with good links to public train and bus services in and out of the city, which in turn serves national links, good local facilities, schools and amenities. The site is brownfield and therefore re-use is positive. The re-use of the existing structure as much as possible could be seen as positive credit. As such the potential for a good carbon footprint are excellent. Of course the re-use of the front building is a good win in terms of overall sustainability and will bring down the carbon emissions of the construction process by virtue of the fact that the heavy lifting is already done. A construction waste management plan will be implemented, low energy use white goods will be used in the final construction stages. Low water use WCs and appliances will be considered in the development. Materials will be, where practical, sustainably sourced and will be detailed to ensure that an intense maintenance regime is not required. 12.0 Movement There will not be a major change in movement characteristics because of the proposals. A refuse store is located at ground floor level, to the northern side of the new build student units, is positioned here to enable occupants to easily present waste bins for kerbside collection in the lane.