1,500 new homes are to be delivered by Wates Developments and Redrow Homes in Wretchwick Green, Bicester. Cherwell District Council’s Planning Committee granted approval to the revised planning application, which includes housing of dwelling types, sizes and tenures to meet the range of local needs. “This is a great example
The construction of the 3750 ft² Lake House, a contemporary new build private residence situated on a man-made island in a flooded quarry in the Cotswolds, will be overseen by Boon Brown Architects. Having been Lead Consultant and Architect from design inception through to planning and full technical design, Boon
Planning permission to develop a new multi million pound Engineering building at the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol has been granted to AHR. The plans were approved by the South Gloucestershire Council and a 8,500 sqm building that will accommodate up to 1,600 people will be built
Recommending that the Crossrail 2 project should move forward to the construction phase as soon as is possible, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has urged for funding to be made accessible as soon as is possible to support the planned development. In line with this, it is also hoped that
It is expected that, by Autumn 2017, Bournemouth University will be able to commence its upcoming project to enhance and develop facilities available on campus through a £40m investment project. The arrangement, which has incorporates both the university and Threesixty Developments, looks to lay the foundations for a new 10,000
As an organisation which is dedicated to keeping up to date with all the latest changes in planning, policy and regulatory requirements, Robinson & Hall has released a report on the key industry changes from 2015 which businesses, in 2016, need to be aware of as well as those to
Final approval has now been granted for the construction of a brand new stadium for Tottenham Hotspur, with 61,000 seats for fans, at its present site. The stadium, which is valued at £400m will also have a retractable pitch so that it is able to play host to both traditional
1,500 new homes are to be delivered by Wates Developments and Redrow Homes in Wretchwick Green, Bicester. Cherwell District Council’s Planning Committee granted approval to the revised planning application, which includes housing of dwelling types, sizes and tenures to meet the range of local needs. “This is a great example of how large-scale developments can be brought forward successfully and sympathetically which local people will be proud of for years to come,” said a spokesperson for Wates Developments and Redrow Homes. “While we have changed significant aspects of the masterplan over time, the core ethos for the site has remained in place. We want to create a great place to live and work, with a strong identity of its own, but with equally strong links to Bicester and the surrounding area. Our aim now is to continue to work positively with all stakeholders allowing development to be brought forward swiftly and homes to be built to meet the urgent local need,” the spokesperson added. A key part of the ‘garden town’ plan for the area, the project ensures the amount of open space extends to 71.64 hectares, which equates to over 50% of the overall site. Over four hectares of sports pitches are also provided in one location. Adjacent to the shops and community facility, a new primary school is planned. Meanwhile, approximately eight play areas will be provided across the site including a destination play area which has been designed to be accessible to existing local residents, as well as new ones. In addition, up to 7 hectares of employment land provision has been included, which could provide around 750 high quality local jobs and a vibrant mix of uses within the scheme, together with creating a significant number of jobs through the development phase. The project team consulted with Historic England to redesign the area around the medieval village to the west of the site in order to better respect its setting.
The construction of the 3750 ft² Lake House, a contemporary new build private residence situated on a man-made island in a flooded quarry in the Cotswolds, will be overseen by Boon Brown Architects. Having been Lead Consultant and Architect from design inception through to planning and full technical design, Boon Brown will continue to work with the client to administer the build contract and ensure every detail of Lake House is delivered to specification. “Right from the outset, our client demanded a bold, high specification design with a strong visual connection with the lake. We applied our experience in bespoke residential design with commercial scale architecture to explore original solutions and create the architecture and language the client sought. The form, layout and technical detailing will deliver expansive views of the lake unhindered by the distraction of structural elements, window framing or railings,” explained Craig Jones, Architectural Director at Boon Brown. The new build’s reinforced concrete frame will enable large column-free spans whilst maintaining a slim flat-slab floor construction and low storey height. Exposed concrete is largely left fair faced internally in an honest expression of the structure. The elevational design expresses a light, modular clad ground floor with a high percentage of energy performance glazing and black glass spandrel cladding, allowing the first floor to visually float above a reflective base. The upper floor directs views over the lake, with the master bedroom having a stunning 6m by 3m frameless corner-glazed floor to ceiling picture window. The upper floor cladding incorporates larch vertical strips to the main form, matching surrounding buildings and being sensitive to the woodland setting, whilst the expressive parts are sheathed in black render. Meanwhile, the minimalist interior required exceptional design coordination with building services to ensure systems are discreet and complement the interior. A VRF refrigerant comfort cooling system serves fan coil units unobtrusively built into each habitable room and coordinated with fit-out furniture. The building fabric is highly insulated, and the underfloor heating is via water source heat pump, taking advantage of the lake setting. The central ventilation system incorporates heat recovery and tempered fresh air supply. Lake House is a family home at The Lakes by Yoo, a disused quarry site that has been flooded to create sculptured island plots for individual dwellings. The accommodation is divided over three floors, with all the principal rooms enjoying the south-westerly view over the lake. In addition to five bedrooms, living, dining and media rooms, there is a roof level reading room that connects to a terrace and hydropool.
Planning permission to develop a new multi million pound Engineering building at the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol has been granted to AHR. The plans were approved by the South Gloucestershire Council and a 8,500 sqm building that will accommodate up to 1,600 people will be built at the University’s main Frenchay Campus. “We are delighted to have received planning permission for this exciting project at UWE Bristol. The building’s expansive use of natural light, combining circulation with social learning spaces will promote openness and encourage an inclusive educational experience for a diverse range of student engineers. We are looking forward to delivering upon the University’s vision for 21st century, problem-based engineering,” said Gary Overton, AHR Director. The low energy, naturally ventilated building, created by AHR in collaboration with engineers Hydrock, provides long-term flexibility for the University, while also being designed to BREEAM Excellent standard. One of the biggest challenges faced by AHR for this building was to accommodate the large number of workshops requiring ground floor access. The issue was overcame by stepping the floors back around a central atrium, which provides natural ventilation and consistent north light, delivered through a vast 1,000 sqm saw tooth roof supported on a glulam timber structure. The central project spaces follow a vertical hierarchy, from heavy workshops and ‘making’ space on the ground floor, up to laboratories and ‘design’ space, and culminating in individual ‘touchdown’ space for quiet study at the top of the atrium. This project for UWE Bristol is not the first one for AHR, as the company had previously been involved in several projects across the University’s Frenchay Campus, Glenside Campus and Bower Ashton Campus.
Recommending that the Crossrail 2 project should move forward to the construction phase as soon as is possible, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has urged for funding to be made accessible as soon as is possible to support the planned development. In line with this, it is also hoped that the submission of a hybrid bill can then be placed in 2019, with the scheme then reaching the completion of construction by 2033. As a stated ambition, Crossrail 2, expected to cost some £32bn, is hoped to offer the city of London a brand new rail artery to effectively to provide a link between the south west and north east network lines. This will see the line operating through a new tunnel between Wimbledon and Tottenham Hale, which will expand the capacity for people to access London city centre by approximately 270,000 in morning peak times. This will effectively take a great deal of the strain presently on the London rail networks off, as well as facilitating extra capacity as a whole. When asked for its opinion on the scheme last year, the National Infrastructure Commission also suggested for the Department for Transport to property identify key proposals in a bid to maximise both the benefits and deliverability of the scheme. As part of this, a number of suggestions were made to reduce the costs of the scheme and improve affordability of it, as well as developing funding strategies and the placement of homes along the route to develop usage of the line itself. Lord Adonis, Chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission commented that: “By the 2030s London will be a megacity of more than 10 million people.” He then highlighted the importance for planning ahead for Crossrail 2 as early as possible as, even when considering planned investment and the addition of the east-west Crossrail line, the impact of reduced infrastructure in comparison to population density and commerce would be undeniable in holding the capital back.
It is expected that, by Autumn 2017, Bournemouth University will be able to commence its upcoming project to enhance and develop facilities available on campus through a £40m investment project. The arrangement, which has incorporates both the university and Threesixty Developments, looks to lay the foundations for a new 10,000 meters squared facility within which it will be able to host its Faculty of Health & Social Science in addition to a vast student accommodation totalling some 550 beds as a separate development. And for these developments, a joint planning application is on the books, with the view to having it submitted this spring, thus giving plenty of notice for the completion of the facility by 2018, and the complementing accommodation for students by 2019. As part of the deal, Threesixty Developments has agreed that its sister organisation, The Student Housing Company will be in charge of running the accommodation facet of the development, yet with a guarantee that the University will be able to benefit from a referral agreement to secure further student accommodation for those who need it most – most specifically, this entails international students coming over for their first year at the university. Commenting on the development, Christian Davis, Development & Transaction Director at Threesixty highlighted the time and effort put into ensuring that both parties have been able to come to mutual terms which will benefit both, whilst also taking the university another step along the road to creating further academic and accommodation assets on the campus. Though there is still more to confirm with regard to receiving planning permission and guaranteeing positive impacts on the local community, the project, at this stage, is generally well-anticipated by key stakeholders. Jim Andrews, Chief Operating Officer at Bournemouth University commented: “We are delighted that this complex commercial transaction is now complete and we can focus in delivering world class facilities.”
As an organisation which is dedicated to keeping up to date with all the latest changes in planning, policy and regulatory requirements, Robinson & Hall has released a report on the key industry changes from 2015 which businesses, in 2016, need to be aware of as well as those to look out for over the course of the year. Naturally, with policy and legislation being an ever-changing landscape, businesses are urged to take heed of these words. The following information has been provided by Robinson & Hall: The Happenings of 2015 Updates to the National Planning Practice Guidance including clarification on how permitted development rules for the conversion of agricultural buildings to residential should be interpreted. Requirements for developers to undertake community consultations on wind farms before submitting a planning application. Consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework issued in December 2015 relating to starter homes. One key issue relates to offering ‘starter homes’ at 80% of their market value to first time buyers. Amendments to the General Permitted Development Order since its introduction in 1995 were consolidated into one document in April 2015. Change of use from Class B1(a) offices to Class C3 residential; the conversion of agricultural buildings to Class C3 residential were included as permitted development highlighting the Government’s commitment to this type of development. The Housing and Planning Bill – reiterates increasing emphasis on the delivery of starter homes. The Government’s continued commitment to delivering Neighbourhood Plans has been reflected in appeal decisions for development in Neighbourhood Plan areas. Renewed commitments from the Government to infrastructure spending in the south east. Government seeking to require all Councils to have an adopted Local Plan in place by April 2017. The Government issued a consultation in the autumn about devolved planning powers to set planning application fees at a local level. The response has been mixed and no changes have been made as yet. Things to Look for in 2016 Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework with key issues of housing delivery, Green Belt erosion, a new approach for ‘starter homes’ and the delivery of strategic Local Plans. Outcomes and impact of the agreement made at the Paris Climate Change Summit in December 2015 relating to renewable energy support. The implications for resources at local authorities with the potential devolution of powers to set planning fees at the local level and the privatisation of planning services. Potential taxation penalties for developers of unimplemented planning permissions as a way to secure higher rates of housing delivery. Forthcoming adoption of Local Plans for Huntingdonshire, Bedford, Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale, and call for sites for Central Bedfordshire as they move towards a new Local Plan. We will continue to report on any changes to the planning system, and local and national policy. If you wish to discuss any of the above issues, then please get in contact with one of our planning experts.
Final approval has now been granted for the construction of a brand new stadium for Tottenham Hotspur, with 61,000 seats for fans, at its present site. The stadium, which is valued at £400m will also have a retractable pitch so that it is able to play host to both traditional football as well as American football games, of which it will host two per season. And while the project does highlight a great piece of news for fans, it forms part of a larger goal for rejuvenation in the surrounding area which will no doubt support the local community in the times to come. The project, which has been dubbed the Northumberland development project, will include a centre for sports and health, as well as a 180 bedroom hotel. Warmington House will also be transformed into the club’s own museum. Additionally, it has been confirmed that there will be 585 homes developed at the site, with a confirmed minimum amount of £48.4m granted from this side of the development for the improvements of the stadium itself. The goal is for the project to be completed in time for the start of the season in 2018. £28m has been invested directly by City Hall from the Mayor’s regeneration fund and the London Enterprise Panel as part of the goal to rejuvenate the surrounding area – this includes investment into Tottenham Hale station, employment, training and highway improvements. And nodding to the integral role of the stadium in the community, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, highlighted how the venue is steeped in history and that, through the development, it will be able to increase capacity by almost 100% as well as provide first-class facilities for football, sports events and concerts.
