Moor dev brief

8/14/2019 Moor dev brief

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Lancaster District Local PlanSupplementary Planning Guidance Note 2

Lancaster Moor Development Brief

Lancaster City Councilwww.lancaster.gov.uk

Charles Wilson MA DA Dip Arch.RIBA MRTPI

Town Clerk and Director of Development

Victor Crumley DMS Dip TP MRTPIChief Planning Officer

June 1998


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Lancaster District Local PlanSupplementary Planning Guidance Note 2

Lancaster Moor Development Briefwww.lancaster.gov.uk


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A large print version of the text in thisdocument can be supplied on request


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Contents

Page No.1 Introduction. 12 The Site and its surroundings.. 23 The Principles of Development 44 Infrastructure.. 75 Housing Mix and Building Design 96 Further Information. 10

List of Diagrams

1 Site Features.. 22 Development Proposals 5


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June 19881

1 Introduction

1.1 This Development Brief is concernedwith the site of the Lancaster MoorHospital which is in the process ofclosure. It provides guidance on future

uses, buildings and site features to beretained, constraints and opportunities.

1.2 This Brief was approved by thePlanning Policy Committee on the 24June 1998 following two rounds ofpublic consultation. This brief will beused to guide development proposals.Once the Lancaster District Local Planis adopted this brief will become formalsupplementary planning guidance.

1.3 The closure and redevelopment of thesite is taking place in phases. Phases1, which consists of the development

of 96 houses through a mixture ofconversion and new build, has alreadybegun south of Quernmore Road. Anoutline planning application forresidential development on theremaining land south of QuernmoreRoad was approved in 1998.

1.4 The Deposit version of the LancasterDistrict Local Plan contains a numberof proposals which affect theLancaster Moor site. These can besummarised as follows:

6.8ha of land south of Quernmoreroad is allocated for residentialuse;

the Annexe and a further area ofland north of Quernmore Road isallocated as a HousingOpportunity Site;

the Annexe and its surrounding isalso identified as a BusinessOpportunity Site where officedevelopment will be permitted;

the area currently occupied by theLancaster Moor Social Club andpart of the adjoining park isidentified as an existingrecreational facility which shouldbe retained or relocated to asuitable alternative site;

open space and woodland northof Quernmore Road protected asUrban Green Space; and

a County Biological Heritage Sitein the southern part of the site isalso protected from development.

1.5 The main principles of thedevelopment of the Lancaster Moorsite are:

The retention and reuse of themost important historic buildingson the site;

The retention and reinforcementof the existing landscape structureand the safeguarding of theappearance of the urban edge;

The integration of the site withWilliamson Park

Retention of sports facilities

Predominantly residential use butwith some opportunities forbusiness use; and

Investigation into the impact onresidential amenity of NightingaleHall Farm


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2 The Site and itsSurroundings

2.1 The Lancaster Moor Hospital lies eastof Lancaster, on the west side of avalley which includes the M6 and

which rises on the other side to higherground which is part of the Forest ofBowland Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty (AONB). The site is divided byQuernmore Road and is bounded onthe western side by Williamson Parkand playing fields at Far Moor. Thewooded slopes at the southern end ofthe site merge into the woodland inWilliamson Park.

2.2 The northern part of the site isdominated by the Annexe, a Victorianhospital of gothic design which is agrade II Listed Building. It is highlyvisible, particularly from the east andthe M6 motorway, and makes asignificant contribution to the character

of this part of the City.

2.3 The most important building on thesouth of Quernmore Road is theoriginal Moor Hospital building, aGrade II* Listed Building. Built ofLancaster stone to a distinctivelyinstitutional Victorian design, it iscurrently being converted intodwellings.


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June 19983

2.4 The site contains a number of otherimportant buildings which contribute tothe overall character of the area andshould be retained. These buildingsare identified on Diagram 2 andinclude:

On the south side of QuernmoreRoad, Harvey House and JennerHouse are of a neat scale andappearance and distinctly differentfrom other buildings on the site;

The church on Quernmore Road,Listed Grade II, and the adjacentformer Red Oak House includingthe surrounding formal gardens;

The large building housing ward13 and office accommodation has

a dignified institutional character;and

On the north side, CampbellHouse and De Vitre House whichstand out as buildings of particularinterest, particularly in theirrelationship to the adjacentplaying fields and trees.

2.5 The remaining buildings areunremarkable and need not beretained.

Trees and Woodland

2.6 There is a major area of woodlandwest of the Moor Hospital running fromWyresdale Road to Williamson Parkand across Quernmore Road to thecemetery and Ridge Lea areas. Treeswithin the southern site contributesignificantly to the woodland atWilliamson Park and form an attractivebackdrop to the original Moor Hospital.Within both sites trees are important tothe character of the area and softenthe appearance of what mightotherwise be austere buildings.

2.7 Together, the combination of historicbuildings, open spaces and woodedslopes contributes significantly to thecharacter of the east side of Lancasterand figure prominently in views fromthe M6 motorway and roads leading tothe Trough of Bowland andQuernmore (both of which aresignificant tourist routes). It is,therefore, of great importance that newdevelopment is integrated satisfactorilywith the retained buildings, trees andopen spaces on the site and

contributes positively to views of thearea.


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3 Principles of Development

3.1 The primary aims of any developmentof the Lancaster Moor site are findingnew uses for the main buildings,protecting their setting and retaining an

attractive edge to the built up area. Tohelp achieve this, the followingprinciples of development should befollowed.

Listed Buildings

3.2 The original hospital buildings south ofQuernmore Road are listed Grade II*while the Annexe on the north side ofQuernmore Road has been listedGrade II. The church has also beenlisted Grade II.

3.3 The size of these buildings will render

viable re-use difficult. A high standardof conversion will be needed for listedbuildings, particularly the Annexe. Thehistoric importance of the Annexemeans that every effort to find newuses must be made before anyalternative approach can be followed.

3.4 The Council has, in consultation withEnglish Heritage, indicated that it willlook flexibly at the need to retain all ofthe Annexe. In consideringapplications for Listed BuildingConsent which involve partial

demolition. The Council will requireevidence of efforts made to findalternative uses and information on thecost and viability of conversion.

Opportunities for Redevelopment

3.5 The retention of these buildings andthe others set out para 2.4 will help toprovide a record of the former use ofthe Moor Hospital, retain thearchitectural character of the site andsoften the impact of new development.

3.6 The remaining buildings may bedemolished and their sitesredeveloped. Other areas ofpreviously undeveloped land may alsobe developed including:

The land between ward 33 andHarvey and Jenner Houses;

Land surrounding the buildingsnorth of the Annexe and CampbellHouse.

3.7 Both these attractive areas of land lieon the open eastern edge of Lancasterand are highly visible from the M6 and

may be affected by motorway noise.Development should reflect its visual

importance and attractive landscapesurroundings. Finally, the potential ofthis area may be affected by the costof providing services.

3.8 The areas of development potentialare shown on Diagram 2. The

remaining areas of open land shouldbe protected from development,incorporated into new developmentand provision made for their futureenhancement and/or management.These are:

The sloping woodland east ofWilliamson Park which has beenconveyed to the City Council toextend the park;

The formal gardens south ofQuernmore Road in front of the

original hospital building which willbe retained as part of theresidential development alreadyapproved;

Land east of the southern accessroad from Wyresdale Road is aCounty Biological Heritage Siteand should be protected from theeffects of development. This mayrequire an ecological assessmentand developers must consult withthe County Planning Officer; and

Land east of the Annexe building,including the bowling green,cricket field, an amenity stripalong the sites north eastboundary and woodland at itsnorthern end.

3.9 In addition, development proposalsmust ensure that the recreation andsupporting facilities currently offeredby the Lancaster Moor Social Club areretained or relocated to a suitablealternative site.

New Uses for the Site

3.10 The Lancaster District Local Planallocates land within the formerhospital complex south of QuernmoreRoad for residential development.Planning permission for around 240dwellings has now been granted. Theplan also identifies land north ofQuernmore Road as a HousingOpportunity Site with a potentialcapacity of between 220 and 400houses depending on the future use ofthe Annexe and the impact of thenearby Nightingale Hall Farm.


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Diagram 2: Development Proposals

3.11 The animal waste processing plant atNightingale Hall Farm, about 0.75kmto the west, regularly createsunpleasant smells. It is believed thatthe area of the former hospital sitenorth of Quernmore Road is mostlikely to be adversely affected.

3.12 The Council monitors emissions fromthe Farm and are committed tominimising the nuisance caused.Major housing development in this partof the site will not be permitted withoutan assessment of the likely impact ofthe Farm on any proposed dwellings.


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3.13 Prior to approving any housingdevelopment north of QuernmoreRoad, therefore, the Council will needto be satisfied that smells from theplant will not have a significantadverse impact on residential amenity.

The Council will require anindependent survey of the frequencyand intensity of smell problems. Themethod of survey and interpretation ofits results should be agreed with theCity Councils Chief EnvironmentalHealth Officer.

3.14 A survey will not be necessary forproposals for non-residential use.

3.15 The Local Plan also allocates theAnnexe as a Business OpportunitySite, where it is proposed to

encourage office development as partof a mixed use scheme. Otheracceptable uses could include:

Food and Drink

Hotels and Hostels

Private Residential Use

Residential Institutions

Non- Residential Institutions

3.16 In each case it will be important toensure that:

In the case of buildingconversions, the physical effect ofthe proposals does not adverselyaffect their character andappearance of the building;

The character of the use or theappearance of any proposed newbuilding, must not adversely affectthe amenities of adjacentbuildings or uses;

The design of new buildings iscarried out to an appropriatelyhigh standard and complies withthe design advice in the LocalPlan;

Adequate arrangements can bemade to provide for vehicleservicing, parking and themanagement of traffic within thesite.


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June 19987

4 Infrastructure

Pedestrians, Cyclists and Vehicles

4.1 Most new development should beserved from the three principle access

points from Quernmore Road shownon Diagram 2 although there may bescope for making some use of theexisting access point serving theAnnexe. Alterations will be required toachieve improvements to visibilitythough these should be kept to theminimum needed to meet safetystandards and minimise thedisturbance to the local environment.

4.2 It may be possible to serve a modestphase of development south ofQuernmore road with a new accessroad from Grab Lane. However, Grab

Lane is unsuitable for major volumesof traffic and a major upgrading wouldhave an adverse impact on thecharacter of the surrounding area.

4.3 All roads into the site must meet theHighway Authoritys standards foradoption. The private road toWyresdale Road and Grab Lane willneed upgrading if used. Trafficcalming measures, including mini-roundabouts at access points may benecessary. The final agreed pattern ofdevelopment will determine the scale

and nature of access improvements.

4.4 Quernmore Road has sufficientcapacity to accommodate likely trafficflows to and from the site. Betweenthe site and Lancaster City Centre,however, it runs between the two sitesof Lancaster Royal Grammar Schooland pupils crossing the road are aconstant cause for concern.

4.5 Development which could significantlyincrease traffic on this stretch of roadwill be required to provide suitableroad safety measures at the school.These should be in place before trafficvolumes have increased to asignificant degree.

4.6 All roads within the site should beconstructed to Lancashire CountyCouncils standards. These should beapplied imaginatively and, wherehousing is the main use, shouldemploy access ways, housingsquares, mews courts and privatedrives. Surfacing other than asphaltwill be encourages where appropriateand the chosen treatment should

complement the emphasis on

traditional materials referred to later inthis Brief.

4.7 Developers should consult theCouncils Cycling Strategy and providewell-lit pedestrian and cycle routesthrough the site, linking housing areas

with other main uses, open spacesand the school. The most appropriateroutes will not always follow vehicleroutes. On Quernmore Road, suitablecrossings for pedestrians and cyclistsshould be provided. Pedestrian andcycle links should also be providedfrom the north western boundary of thesite to the Far Moor RecreationGround.

4.8 Developers should ensure that alldwellings are within a reasonablewalking distance of a bus stop. As an

existing bus route runs past the site,developers should take this intoaccount in planning the details of roadlayouts and land use arrangements.

4.9 Car parking provision should be toCounty Council standards. Proposalsfor employment uses should providefor travel to work by bus, foot andbicycle and be accompanied by aBusiness Travel Plan if more than 100people would be employed on the site.

Foul and Surface Water Drainage

4.10 The capacity of the original drainagesystem was severely limited. Asystem of private drains leads to thepublic combined sewer which is oflimited capacity. The existing surfacewater system has not been fullyinvestigated.

4.11 As the long length of private sewer toWyresdale Road cannot be improvedto an adoptable standard because ofits shallow fall, residential developmentwill require the provision of pumpedfoul discharges to the public sewer

(pumps can be adopted and do notinvolve payment of commuted sums).A new on-site foul drainage system iscurrently under construction.

4.12 The public off-site sewer operatesclose to its capacity. At presentcombined foul and surface water flowsfrom the site entering the sewer.Surface water fun off to this sewermust not exceed that arising from theexisting hospital. If the area of hardsurfaces is increased, additionalprovision will be necessary.

4.13 If ground conditions prove suitable,surface water may be disposed of by


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soakaway. The controlled dischargeof storm water to Burrow Beck via anon-site storage system may also beacceptable. Uncontrolled dischargesto Burrow Beck will not be permitted.On-site surface water storage will notbe adopted as part of the public

sewerage system. All drainage worksmust be agreed with the City CouncilsChief Engineer and the EnvironmentAgency before any permissions forsignificant development are granted.All developers will be expected tocontribute to upgrading drainage workson site.

Schools

4.14 The Moor Hospital area is remote fromexisting primary schools and there islittle spare capacity in nearby schools.

Once more than 300 dwellings arebuilt, a site for a 1-form entry primaryschool will be required. This should beprovided within northern developmentarea and be provided with good linksto public transport, footpaths andcycleways. The timing and funding ofa new school must be discussed withthe County Education Authority.

Trees and Open Spaces

4.15 The sites mature trees and extensiveopen spaces are important to thegeneral character and appearance ofthe eastern fringes of Lancaster. Thetrees and gardens have been wellmaintained. Developers should takeadvantage of the opportunity to designin a mature landscape.

4.16 Tree Preservation Orders have beenplaced on all-important treesthroughout the site. Whilst it may notbe realistic to retain every single tree,removal must be kept to an absoluteminimum. Existing trees to be retainedmust be protected from the effects ofdevelopment.

4.17 The main open spaces to be retainedare listed earlier in this Brief. Thebowling green and cricket field shouldbe retained in their present form. Theformal gardens in front of the originalhospital building must also bepreserved and maintained.Landscaping along the north easternedge of the site and its subsequentmaintenance is of great importance.

4.18 New landscaping and amenity areaswithin the site and childrens play

facilities will be required. Play areasfor older children, designed andequipped to standards of the Councils

Leisure Service, should be provided ineach major residential area, andarrangements made for their futuremaintenance.


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5 Housing Mix and BuildingDesign

5.1 The Council will require a mix of housetypes and designs across the site.This must include an affordable

housing element of 20% of all newdwellings.

5.2 The Councils Residential DesignCode which forms supplementaryplanning guidance to the Local Plan,sets out the need for high designstandards which all new housingdevelopment must meet. Thisemphasises the use of traditionalmaterials of appropriate substitutesand the use of simple shapes, withvertically proportioned windows and apredominance of wall area overwindow.

5.3 The Council acknowledges that thehousing mix that can be achieved atLancaster Moor may be modified bythe requirement to retain a re-usemajor listed buildings, and by thedesign requirements of constructingnew buildings adjacent to large scalelisted structures.

The Re-Use of Natural Materials

5.4 The demolition of stone buildings willprovide a supply of natural materials

for re-use. New developments shouldmake use of these materials in wallsand roofs, boundary walls and otherstructures.


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6 Further Information

6.1 Further information can be obtainedfrom the following sources. (This hasbeen updated).

Lancaster City Council

Planning and Building Control ServicesPalatine Hall, Lancaster

Andrew Dobson Head of Planning andBuilding ControlDavid Lawson, Forward PlanningManagerDavid Hall, Development ControlManager,Brian Fagan, Building Control Manager

Engineering Services

Morecambe Town Hall

Philip Bundy, HighwaysBrian Abraham, Drainage

Lancashire County Council

6.2 Environment DirectorateGuild House, Cross Street, Preston

Bill Jopson general traffic andtransport advice

Moor dev brief

Documents

Transcript of Moor dev brief