PLANNING APPLICATION Ref: 16/01158/FUL Centrica Site
Address: 17 – 51 London Road, Staines-upon-Thames, TW18 4AE
Proposal: Redevelopment of the site to provide 5 buildings of varying height comprising 12,787 sqm of office floor space (Use Class B1a) and 253 residential units (Class C3), provision of a new landscaped area, vehicular access, car parking, cycle storage and energy centre.
Comments:
Staines Town Society have objected to this proposal as follows:
The buildings are too tall and too bulky, out of scale with the Staines townscape, even along London Road, contrary to policy EN1(a).
There is no affordable housing, contrary to Policy HO3, and no proper assessment of financial feasibility to justify this breach. And if SBC is minded to accept a financial contribution instead, surely £2m is well below the going rate? Bellway offered £5m to escape their obligations on 205 units at Bridge St.
The residential parking is inadequate and the resulting parking overspill will cause widespread nuisance to neighbours.
Some of the flats are substandard in size, e.g. a 1-bed flat of 30.8 sq.m., euphemistically called a studio.
Although this is overdevelopment, the scheme is reasonably planned, with the flats at the back sheltered by the offices from the noise and pollution of London Road. The open space is better than in some other recent developments, and quite well thought out with the central courtyard leading to a children’s area and a quiet area, but does not comply with Policy CO3. The scheme has 112 family units and there will be a lot of children. They deserve a properly designed play area, not just a patch of grass with a scattering of wooden and concrete blocks.
The landscaping should include proper seating. Even the seating for parents around the play area is just backless concrete slabs.
The gate in the boundary railings is nearly opposite the side entrance to Birch Green from Fairfield Avenue. However Fairfield Avenue is going to become an extremely busy road, with the traffic from the Majestic development and this one. It is essential to have a pedestrian crossing controlled by lights at this spot. A pedestrian refuge is not sufficient. The scheme should not proceed without an undertaking from the responsible body (SCC Highways?) that a crossing of Fairfield Avenue to the side entrance to Birch Green will be provided. This should be a planning condition.
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