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PlanningThe Future of Raynes Park Centre
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~7 Jul 2008~
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In March 2005 Merton Council started an on line service for development control. You can view recent planning applications and decisions at:
http://planning.merton.gov.uk/mvm/online/pl/home.aspx
There were 52 residents at the RP Forum - a record as the number is usually about 10.
A show of hands was taken at the end of a fairly lively discussion with most people not supporting the scheme as proposed. The vote was 47 against 4 in support, very different from the very small majority in favour reported from the earlier consultation. As a result, Rod Scott, Derek Frampton and Pat Keith all spoke against at the scheme at the Highways Committee the following night where it was agreed that the recommendation should be made to the Cabinet that the scheme should be reviewed: a. Because it was not continuous and did not provide a solution b. Cost (Between £750,000 and £1 M) c. Because of the loss of trees.
There was a presentation from the architects (Devereux), who were introduced by the developer UK Properties and Land Ltd. If built, it will be a 3 storey building at the southern end of Lambton Road, incporporating the site now occupied by the printers and extending back behind the shops. It will provide GP and a wide range of other medical services e.g. dentists, physios, occupational health. There will be a pharmacy incorporated and a cafe. The building will also be available for other use e.g. in the evenings and weekends. However there will be no parking other than 2 disabled bays and 22 spaces at the rear exclusively for staff. There will be a drop-off arrangement in and out of the RP one way system. It is assumed that the Amity Grove Clinic will close, though some services may go to the Nelson Hospital. No light was shed on the future of the AG site, even though many questions have been asked.
The developers are said to be almost ready to submit a planning application, and have been asked to hold a public meeting prior to the submission, in conjunction with the alleged supermarket operators, Waitrose. They wanted to have a private meeting with just Ward Councillors and Cllr Rod Scott has tried to insist that a public meeting is held prior to this.
A lot of talk, but not much actual progress to report. The Council is costing the various proposals and will revert to the Forum "in due course". The "Groundwork" document that sets out options will be put on the web, and will also be available at the Library.
Groundwork (a Merton based organisation) has been asked by Merton Council to consult with the local community in Raynes Park. The aim of the consultation is to produce an Action Plan (with priorities) for future developments of Raynes Park Local Centre. This was as a result of the previous Public Meetings called by the Raynes Park Association in 2007. Groundwork held a Consultation Meeting at the Meeting Room at Raynes Park Library on Saturday 19 January 2008. It was a 'drop-in' session where local people were asked their opinions on a range of topics.
Some of the topics raised by residents at earlier meetings include:
Traffic and parking (poor traffic management, inadequacy of parking, the cycle tack and concerns about proposals to extend to the skew arch)
Redevelopment of redundant sites (Elf Filling Station, Thames Water depot and car park)
The station and associated land (need for improved amenities, adverse impact of advertising hoardings)
Flood plain (flooding of roads during heavy rain)
RAWW, together with the Raynes Park Association has campaigned for an holistic approach to the Raynes Park area when the currently vacant and other potential development sites are considered. At RAWW's AGM, Councillor Diane Neilmills stated that the new Council will be considering redevelopment of town centres Mitcham, Wimbledon and Raynes Park as part of the studies for the emerging Local Development Framework which will, in due course, replace the UDP.
At the public meeting on 24th March, Councillor Diane Neil Mills announced that the Council would be undertaking a development appraisal for Raynes Park. Members of the public will be invited to participate shortly in consultation on the future of the town centre. Discussions are taking place on the form of the appraisal and how we may participate. The appraisal should include the Elf site, Thames Water site and other proposed development sites. General amenities and infrastructure, including Raynes Park Station, parking provision, schools and open spaces should, we believe, be subjects for consideration and analysis in the Rayes Park Development Appraisal.(RPDA). With the help of our local Councillors, a meeting has been planned for 19 June, at which Ged Lawrenson, Head of Plans and Projects in Merton will explain to Ward Councillors and representatives of the Raynes Park Association (representing the Residents’ Associations and business to the north and south of Raynes Park) the proposed design of the RPDA and how it relates to the LDF. Residents’ Associations will liaise with their membership and in November it is intended that a further public meeting at which the theme will be “reports back” on these and other matters discussed at the 24 March meeting.
The meeting on 24th March packed the large church hall to standing room only. Henry Goodman made a keynote opening speech to encourage keeping Raynes Park as a place where "real people" live, shop, travel and meet one another, although being able to retain their privacy in their own homes. Call to engage the newer communities moving into the area from South Africa, Korea and other parts of the world and an annual event, such as a carnival to celebrate the local identity, an idea taken up enthusiastically by the conference. Stephen Hammond made opening and closing speeches. Ward Councillors, Cabinet Member Diane Neilmills attended and announced that she had initiated a study by the Council of the needs and development potential of Raynes Park and this study would be ready by September. There is to be a Farmer's market in Raynes Park on Saturdays, probably starting in June.
Local people appreciated the library although the community hall charges are too expensive, enjoyed local shops but deplored lack of parking to help keep shops alive. There was lively discussion about the proposed new medical centre in Worple Rd. to provide good facilities for two doctors' practices and functions of Amity Grove Clinic, but lack of parking and style of architecture were criticised. People sought improvements to Raynes Park Station in terms of safety at night (staffing of the station and better illumination and cleanliness of the tunnel).
There was a call to use the area in front of the station as a piazza with coffee tables, etc.
Stephen Hammond said that the council will be taking on board points raised at the meetings and will come back to another public meeting in November to report back on the action that the Council will be taking.
You can read the notes of the meeting here.
The site is comprised of the area of the current car park, close to Raynes Park Station, the Thames Water “depot” and the disused petrol station site facing West Barnes Lane. The site is identified in the UDP for redevelopment as a food store plus car park and flats.
The land has been purchased by a development company, who plan to submit a planning application within a few months. . There has been a public exhibition of the draft proposals and these are for a 1500 sq.m supermarket, a short-stay public car park with 80 parking places at street level, a public concourse in front of the supermarket facing Coombe Lane and a development of 100 flats on three further storeys above the supermarket. The flats would offer studios, one and two bedroom flats. There would be only 17 parking places allocated to the flats (probably sold as specific to particular units) cycle parking and a car club. At present, it is proposed that the delivery vehicles and exit/entry to the car park would use a new entrance on West Barnes Lane, with the exception of vehicles travelling from Worple Road direction, these could enter but not exit from Coombe Lane.The detail of the design is at this stage provisional. The name of the retailer likely to use the supermarket space is not known.
The issue of possible use of local streets for displaced commuter parking and cars owned by the residents of new flats has yet to be addressed, together with the need to study the impact on local shops of the proposed supermarket. Revision of kerb-side provision of parking to assist use of local shops remains an important issue, together with reconciliation of confusing street signage and clutter from street furniture.
Between the Thames Water site and neighbouring Milburn House, under separate ownership, is a small area used as an electricity sub-station. Permission has been granted for redevelopment of this site to 14 flats, with a new transformer and four parking places to the rear.
There are proposals to extend the cycle path on the south side of Coombe Lane, so that it continues on the footway (between the Station exit and the bus stop), up to the railway arch, where it would cross the traffic with specially adapted traffic signals and through the adjacent skew arch and then onwards to Wimbledon along Kingston Road. The scheme, which appears to be well advanced in design, was shown at the Raynes Park public meeting in November and consultation on the proposals is scheduled to appear shortly.
This site was recently granted planning permission for a four-storey building to house the functions of two local doctors’ surgeries and some aspects of work of the Amity Grove clinic. It was scheduled to provide a new Health Centre for the area. Because the building met a perceived, urgent social need special concessions were granted to allow a very large, 4-storey building which did not comply with the building line, nor did it take into consideration the adjacent Conservation Area and amenity of neighbouring properties. It was subsequently found to be too small to accommodate the planned activities and we do not believe that any new development of the site should be allowed to use the former, special permission as a precedent..
There are no known current proposals for this empty site.
An alternative site for the Health Centre has not been announced. At a consultation meeting, Doctors involved in the development expressed an aspiration to use some of the space above the new supermarket, but stated that they feared that it would be too expensive.
The areas which currently act as station car park, Thames Water Depot and flats were scheduled, in the UDP, for redevelopment as supermarket, car park for shoppers only and flats.
Following publication of a planning brief for the site, a developer has been in discussion with council planners, seeking advice on development of a four storey building above a single-storey supermarket, providing 95 flats. The site would be combined with the adjacent Electricity Sub-Station site, on which permission is already granted for four storeys of flats. The developer of this whole site will also be asked to explain the proposals at a public meeting in due course, car parking is important here and it is likely that surveys will take place to determine the optimum mix for the residents of the flats, shoppers and others.
A proposal was submitted to Merton for a new electricity sub-station to be installed just beyond the rear boundary of the Raynes Park car park, close to the Coombe Lane/West Barnes Lane footpath. The application also proposes installation of a new pumping station close to the Coombe Lane boundary of the Works area. Planning Application 06/P2240). RAWW has enquired about this application because approval was granted for construction of flats on the electricity sub-station site, which is in separate ownership; this application has not been implemented and the site has remained vacant. In addition, the previous Council administration approved a Planning Brief for the Thames Water site which proposed use of much of the the car park area and the former petrol station site in West Barnes Lane for construction of a supermarket, extending to 1500 sq metres (approx the size of Sainsbury in Wimbledon) and three stories of high density flats above. It proposed car parking for residents but minimal car parking for shoppers (and none for commuters).
The planning application for a building which could be used either as a medical centre or as mixed retail and flats was refused by the Planning Applications Committee and the refusal upheld at appeal, since the proposed building was too large and dominant for this site adjoining the Lambton Road Conservation Area. The developer is now said to be resubmitting plans for a medical centre which, it is hoped, will address the issues which led to its refusal, since the proposed building was too large and dominant for this site which abuts the Lambton Road Conservation Area (UDP Policy BE3). The centre would seek to provide new accommodation for two local GP practices which have outgrown their current premises. Initial plans sought to incorporate also, the functions of the Amity Grove Clinic and led to an unacceptably large structure. Meanwhile, the immediate future of this site is unknown. When the new application is submitted, the Council will seek to ensure the developer calls a public meeting to explain the proposals.
Appeals have been lodged against refusal of both planning applications. At RAWW's AGM, Councillor Margaret Brierly stated that she supported the concept of providing a joint surgery and supporting sevices for two Raynes Park GP practices and it is expected that a further application for this site will be submitted.
RAWW is pleased to say that both applications were rejected.
There are 2 new planning applications for 213 Worple Road, the former Elf Petrol Station site. One is for a new primary care health centre with basement car parking. (05/P2616).
In the same list of applications, appears (05/P2620) for erection of part four part five storey building with 14 two-bed residential units, a single financial and professional services unit (Class A2) at Ground floor with basement storage for flats and parking and ground floor parking. Either of the proposed developments would have a major impact on the appearance of that section of the road and would be yet another major development in Raynes Park without any vision or coherent plan for the town centre. RAWW wrote to object to the applications.
An application in summer 2006 proposed change of use from launderette to betting office. This application followed an earlier unsuccessful one in 2004 for a change of use from launderette to amusement centre which RAWW and many local residents objected to as inappropriate for the location. Despite many objections the planning application for change of use from launderette to betting office (02/P2164) was granted permission in September 2006.
RAWW is one of three local residents organisations that founded LUNG in 2002. LUNG was set up to protect the 17 acres of open land surrounding the hospital and to ensure appropriate redevelopment of the parts of the site occupied by the hospital and nurses home. It was thought best to set up an ‘independent’ action group specifically focused on protecting this major site. Details of the campaign and planning applications can be found on the LUNG site.
The August 2005 revised application was approved by the Merton Planning Committee and in November the site was put on the market.
St Georges NHS Trust submitted a revised application to build 94 dwellings on the site.
This forms part of two semi-detached properties within the Durham Road Conservation Area and close to the junction with Durham Road.
Application approved.
Proposal for four, terraced houses with front garden car parking – vehicles would be required to reverse on this dangerous corner and into the bus route. It would develop much deeper into the site than the existing house, with pair of fan-shaped, glazed structures to the rear, with overlooking and loss of privacy to neighbours and gardens.
Application approved.
Number 26 is located close to and opposite the junction with Pepys Road and bus stop. The application is to replace the existing house with three, flat-roofed, four-storey terraced houses with tiny staggered rear terraces and gardens. Daylight and privacy of neighbours would be adversely affected. Three garages and a communal parking yard in front would create a serious traffic hazard.
Despite many objections the planning application for change of use from launderette to betting office (02/P2164) was granted permission.
The application proposes change of use from launderette to betting office. This application followed an earlier unsuccessful one in 2004 for a change of use from launderette to amusement centre which RAWW and many local residents objected to as inappropriate for the location.
Merton council is working on the final version of this new local development plan that will replace the Unitary Development Plan. This Local Development Framework (LDF) will contain the planning policies that will guide development in the borough until 2020. To quote from the Council website 'The purpose of the LDF is to guide that change in a way that improves the built and natural environment whilst accommodating Merton's share of London's growth.' In April 2008 Merton Council submits its final LDF Core Strategy, Development Control Policies and associated Proposals Map to the Planning Inspector for an independent examination. If the documents pass the exam, Merton Council can adopt them. The Planning Inspectorate have advised that the examination is likely to take a year.
See the council website for more information at:
http://www.merton.gov.uk/living/planning/planningpolicy/ldf.htm
In January 2007 the Council consulted on 3 options for the spatial policy:
Option 1: Targeting growth in highly accessible parts of Merton and minimise change elsewhere.
Option 2: Managing change across the Borough on suitable sites.
Option 3: Targeting regeneration in key areas and tackling imbalances between different parts of Merton.
Further consultation documents were published on 8 June 2007 and the consultation period will run from 11 June for a statutory period of six weeks. Residents are urged to give views on this framework which will eventually determine the policies which will guide future Councils on the management of the borough. Please refer to the following for more details:
http://www.merton.gov.uk/living/planning/planningconsultations.htm
RAWW is one of three local residents organisations that founded LUNG in 2002. LUNG was set up to protect the 17 acres of open land surrounding the hospital and to ensure appropriate redevelopment of the parts of the site occupied by the hospital and nurses home. It was thought best to set up an ‘independent’ action group specifically focused on protecting this major site. Details of the campaign and planning applications can be found on the LUNG site.
This forms part of two semi-detached properties within the Durham Road Conservation Area and close to the junction with Durham Road.
Application approved.
Proposal for four, terraced houses with front garden car parking – vehicles would be required to reverse on this dangerous corner and into the bus route. It would develop much deeper into the site than the existing house, with pair of fan-shaped, glazed structures to the rear, with overlooking and loss of privacy to neighbours and gardens.
Application approved.
Number 26 is located close to and opposite the junction with Pepys Road and bus stop. The application is to replace the existing house with three, flat-roofed, four-storey terraced houses with tiny staggered rear terraces and gardens. Daylight and privacy of neighbours would be adversely affected. Three garages and a communal parking yard in front would create a serious traffic hazard.
There are three conservation areas in the RAWW area.
Lambton Road
Copse Hill
Durham Road
Conservation Areas were introduced in 1967 as “areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. Special planning restrictions apply in conservation areas to preserve their character including control over demolition, a requirement to notify the Council of any tree works, and a stronger emphasis on design in judging planning applications. Designation can therefore help preserve an area but also brings more restrictions for property owners on what home improvements and extensions are acceptable.
When considering areas for conservation area status the Council considers it against the following criteria:
The age of buildings or historic interest;
the potential threat to the character from redevelopment;
whether there are listed buildings within the area;
any uniformity of architectural style to reinforce the identity of the area and to distinguish it from neighbouring areas;
the quality of trees or other vegetation;
the layout of the area and the quality of public spaces; and
the quality of architecture and architectural detailing on the buildings and the degree to which architectural details have remained intact.
The boundary of this conservation area was changed following the assessment in preparation for the character appraisal that was published in October 2005. The map below shows the revised boundary that now includes additional properties in Pepys and Worple Road but excludes some in Lambton that were previously included.
RAWW prepared and presented the proposals for this Conservation Area which includes the Cottenham Park Allotments, Oberon Playing Fields, the Atkinson Morley's Hospital site, and the footpaths that connect these areas to Thurstan Road and adjoining cottages on Copse Hill. RAWW were also a major player in the subsequent successful campaign for the open land within this conservation area to be designated as Metropolitan Open Land.
Merton Council has recently (January 2008) consulted on revisions to the conservation area boundaries and a draft character assessment of this small conservation area. This conservation area currently includes the maisonettes in Panmuir Road, all the houses on the east side of Durham Road between Cambridge Road and the junction with Cottenham Park Road, and then extends east into Cottenham Park Road to include those houses on the southern side as far as the new town houses. The proposed changes would remove the section of Cottenham Park Road from the area and add the section of Cambridge Road between the junctions with Durham and Lambton Roads. RAWW have responded to this consultation agreeing with the two proposed amendments and asking that a section of the south side of Cottenham Park Road extending west from Durham Road be added. An email providing RAWW’s response to the proposals can be read here.
In 2002 RAWW proposed an extension to the Durham Road conservation area to include much of the area covered by RAWW. Roads proposed for inclusion were:
Cottenham Park Road (between Durham and Oakwood roads)
Melbury Gardens
Laurel Road
Panmuir Road
Spencer Road
Oakwood Road
Richmond Road
Amity Grove
Durham Road
The Council responded that boundary changes would be considered when the Durham Road character assessment was prepared. RAWW have volunteered to help in preparing this assessment.