LONDON BOROUGH OF ENFIELD

PLANNING COMMITTEE

Date : 27th May 2010

Report of Assistant Director, Planning & Environmental Protection

Contact Officer: Aled Richards Tel: 020 8379 3857 Andy Higham Tel: 020 8379 3848 Mr S. Newton Tel: 020 8379 3851

Ward: Town/ Southbury

Application Number : LBC/10/0009

Category: Minor Development

LOCATION: QUEEN ELIZABETH STADIUM, DONKEY LANE, ENFIELD, EN1 3PL

PROPOSAL: Replacement railings to first floor roof deck. Applicant Name & Address: Mr Tim Harrison, London Borough of Enfield Civic Centre, Silver Street, Enfield, EN1 3XA

Agent Name & Address: Mr Stephen Myles, London Borough of Enfield Civic Centre Silver Street Enfield EN1 3XA

RECOMMENDATION: That in accordance with Regulation 13 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 the Director of Education, Children’s Services and Leisure be invited to make an application to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who should be invited to attach the following conditions to any approval.

Application No:- LBC/10/0009

Playing Fields

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Gorray House

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Council Depot

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Adath Yisroel Cemetery

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Car Auction Centre

Playing Fields

Playing Fields

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Development Control

Scale - 1:5000Time of plot: 08:54 Date of plot: 21/05/2010

0 1 2 3 4 5 600m

© Crown copyright. London Borough of Enfield LA086363,2003

1. Site and Surroundings 1.1 The Queen Elizabeth II Stadium (QEII) comprises of a two-storey grade II

listed building located on the northern end of the Enfield Playing Fields (King George V playing fields), with an associated athletics track and facilities immediately north of the pavilion building. The entire site, including the playing fields to the south, sit within land designated as Metropolitan Open Land.

1.2 Works to improve the running track involving the relaying of the track and its

reduction from 8 lanes to 6 are nearing completion, with the laying of the track soon to commence.

1.3 Along the western boundary of the site are the rear gardens for those

dwellings fronting Ladysmith Road. To the north are allotment gardens and the car park for the David Lloyd Leisure Centre. Immediately to the east is the David Lloyd Leisure Centre and beyond this, located between Donkey Lane and the Great Cambridge Road, are a mixture of residential dwellings (particularly along Cambridge Gardens), some commercial units, and at the junction of Carterhatch Lane and the A10, The Halfway House Public House. To the south, beyond the playing fields, are the Southbury Leisure Centre, Kingsmead School, and dwellings fronting Sketty Road.

1.4 Surrounding the track on its western, eastern and northern extents is a

grassed embankment, approximately 2.5m in height, with some mature woody vegetation.

1.5 Vehicular access is from the east of the site via Donkey Lane, a narrow lane

with a juncture onto Carterhatch Lane, approximately 30m west of the junction with the Great Cambridge Road (A10). Improvements to the junction with Carterhatch Lane and to Donkey Lane are proposed as part of the application, and discussed further below. Donkey Lane leads to the car park serving the stadium and sports fields, with accommodation for approximately 316 cars, although this is not formally laid out.

1.6 There are various points of pedestrian access, including those off: Ladysmith

Road to the west, Cambridge Gardens to the east, and off Sketty Road to the south. A pedestrian footway does not extend the full length of Donkey Lane.

1.7 To the west of the pavilion building is a large single storey brick-built structure

which serves as the clubrooms for the Enfield Ignatius Rugby Football Club. 2. Proposal 2.1 Replacement railings to first floor roof deck. 2.2 The proposal involves the removal of the existing mild steel railings to the

first floor roof perimeter and its replacement with replica railings to match the existing design, bar and standard dimensions, height and location.

Replacement “I” section to be fabricated from steel flat, welded to form “I” section, made up from: 40mm x 4mm, 25mm x 6mm top and bottom flanges Weld 4mm continuous fillet

Flat post to be 50mm x 16mm Hand rails Top: 25mm diameter X3 lower rails: 20mm diameter All steel to be Grade 450, galvanised after fabrication. Base Plates The plates will be 60mm x 30mm x 4mm plate with a 4mm fillet weld to “I” section – fixing M12 sheradized or bright zinc threaded (including nut and washer) rod design anchored 100mm into concrete. Base fixing 60.3mm diameter x 4mm CHS 100mm long with 60 x 30 x 4 welded lugs The assembly will be bonded into 65mm diameter cored hole with Hilti resin (HIT HY150MAX) or similar. After bonding, remaining void will be filled with cement rich grout. The fixing to be on the inside of brace to avoid the remains of the old fixing and to remove a potential trip hazard.

3. Relevant Planning Decisions 3.1 An application for the extension of existing car parking area and the

landscaping of the stadium access road (ref: LBE/91/0027) was granted in July 1992.

3.2 An application for a replacement of the fire damaged club house (ref:

TP/95/0375) was made by Enfield Ignatians R.F.C. was granted planning permission in June 1995. The single storey brick-built structure is sited approximately 10m west of the QEII pavilion building, at its nearest point.

3.3 A resolution to grant approval for an application for internal and external

works of repair to pavilion building (ref: LBE/09/0033) was made at Planning Committee in February 2010. The application, along with the accompanying listed building application (ref: LBC/09/0026) has been referred to the Government Office for the West Midlands (GOWM). A direction still has to be made by GOWM.

4. Consultations 4.1 Statutory and non-statutory consultees 4.1.1 LBE Environmental Health Department

It is advised that there are no objections. It is also advised that the management plan submitted for the stand is suitable for the purpose it is intended and should therefore be rigorously enforced by the stadium management to ensure public safety in the stand.

4.1.2 English Heritage

It is advised that the application should be determined in accordance with national and local policy guidance, and on the basis of Council’s own specialist conservation advice.

To date no comments have been received from the following groups: Ancient Monuments Society; The Victorian Society; The Georgian Group; The 20th Century Society; The Council for British Archaeology; The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings; Conservation Advisory Group

Any comments received will be reported to Committee.

4.2 Public response 4.2.1 Unlike the earlier application (LBE/09/0033) which affected a larger area, the

current application only directly affects the listed building, therefore letters were not posted to neighbours but site notices were placed in the surrounding streets. Any comments received will be reported to Committee.

5. Relevant Policy 5.1 London Plan

Policy 4B.8 Respect local context and communities Policy 4B.11 London’s built heritage Policy 4B.12 Heritage conservation Policy 4B.13 Historic conservation-led regeneration

5.2 Unitary Development Plan

Conservation policy: (I)C1 Preserving and enhancing, areas, sites, buildings and landscape

features of archaeological, architectural or historic importance. (II)C12 Historic buildings in public and private ownership are satisfactorily

managed and maintained General Development policy: (I)GD1 Regard to surroundings (II)GD1 Appropriate location (II)GD3 Aesthetic and functional design

5.3 Local Development Framework

5.3.1 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires the Council to replace the Unitary Development Plan with a Local Development Framework. At the heart of this portfolio of related documents will be the Core Strategy, which will set out the long-term spatial vision and strategic objectives for the Borough.

5.3.2 The Core Strategy has been submitted to the Secretary of State who will now

appoint a Planning Inspector to consider whether the Strategy meets legal requirements and that it passes the tests of soundness (it is justified, effective and consistent with national policy). The following policies from this document are considered of relevance to the consideration of this application.

SO10: Built environment CP11: Recreation, leisure, culture and arts CP30: Maintaining and improving the quality of the built and open

environment CP31: Built and landscape heritage

5.4 Other Relevant Policy & Documents

PPS1: Delivering Sustainable Development PPS5: Planning for the Historic Environment PPG17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation

The Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Conservation Management Plan (June 2009)

6. Analysis 6.1 Principle

Whilst serving a utilitarian purpose, the railings provide an important element in the external appearance of the building. Replacement railings would therefore be acceptable in principle, providing that they do not detrimentally impact on the appearance or character of the listed building.

6.2 Impact on Character of Listed Building 6.2.1 Design

The Conservation Management Plan (CMP) at Section 3.2, provides a grading system to enable the relative weights of the various elements contributing to the significance of the stadium and its setting to be compared. The highest grading is “A: Considerable significance”. This is for elements whose qualities justify the grade II statutory protection. Paragraph 3.3.1 states that externally, the building is well proportioned and the design is a carefully composed example of a unified Moderne design. “Its roof line and drum tower are of particular importance, as are doors and windows, external railings and curved brickwork ends of the building...The exterior is considered to be of considerable architectural value”. At section.4.1 of the CMP, a more detailed analysis of the existing railings is provided. The CMP considers that the style and positioning of the railings is

integral to the character and appearance of the building; they help to reinforce the nautical style of the design, and their horizontal proportions reflect the horizontal frieze windows to the ground floor.

The proposed replacement railings are designed to closely respect the design, style and proportions of the original railings and should therefore not detrimentally affect the character of the listed building. The additional height is considered acceptable in principle.

6.3 Other considerations

Building regulations have evolved since the QEII pavilion was constructed, with the existing railings non-compliant with current Building Regulations in terms of height and loadings. As the scheme is for replacement railings, Building Regulations advise that providing the replacement railings are no worse than that currently in situ, Building Regulations do not have to be complied with providing that a management regime is in place to control access. A Management Plan has been submitted for which the details and measures contained therein would appear acceptable.

7. Conclusion 7.1 It is considered that the proposed replacement railings do not unduly detract

from the character and appearance of the listed building and should be approved for the following reason:

1. The proposed development should not detract from the character and

setting of the listed building or harm its architectural and historic interest. In this respect it is considered that the proposed development has appropriate regard to Policies (I)C1, (II)C12, (I)GD1 and (II)GD3 of the Unitary Development Plan, with Policies 4B.8, 4B.11, 4B.12, 4B.13 of The London Plan, and with PPS5: Planning for the Historic Environment.

8. Recommendation 8.1 That in accordance with Regulation 13 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and

Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 the Director of Education, Children’s Services and Leisure be invited to make an application to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who should be invited to attach the following conditions to any approval:

1. The railings to be replaced shall be removed in accordance with the methodology provided on Drawing No.090518/SK1, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Reason: To ensure that the removal of the existing railings does not unduly affect the historic fabric of the listed building.

2. The replacement railings shall be fabricated and installed in accordance

with the details provided on Drawing Nos.S100rev.P1 and M/L523/101800

026A, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Reason: To ensure that the replacement railings maintain and respect the style and positioning of the original railings which are integral to the character and appearance of the listed building.

3. The details of the finishing colour of the replacement railings shall be

submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval in writing within one month of the date of this decision. The railings shall be painted in accordance with the approved colour before the first use of the building commences. Reason: To ensure a satisfactory appearance.

4. The replacement railings hereby approved shall be installed prior to the

first use of the building, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Reason: The railings are an integral element of the listed building, the proposed works of refurbishment and the proposed management plan for the first floor roof deck.