HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS PUBLIC CONSULTATION FOR THE PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT OF MILTON ROAD LIBRARY, CAMBRIDGE.

This consultation event provides an opportunity for the project team to discuss with you what the future intentions are for the site, and to understand your thoughts, ideas or concerns with what is being proposed. The Project is being led by Cambridgeshire County Council and they have appointed the following team of consultants to prepare the redevelopment proposals for the site:

SITE LOCATION AND EXISTING USE

The site is located to the north of Milton Road and is accessed from Ascham Road. It occupies a central location within Cambridge and is located approximately 1.5 miles north east of the City Centre. The existing building extends to single storey and is occupied by the Milton Road library. The site extends to 0.08ha in area.

The site appears as undesignated land within the Cambridge Local Plan 2006 and is outside the Conservation Area and the controlled parking zone.

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

It is proposed that the library along with two community meeting rooms will be provided within the ground floor of the proposed development with ten one-bedroom apartments to be provided on the upper two floors. Adequate storage for both bins and bikes will also be provided.

BACKGROUND TO DEVELOPMENT

Cambridgeshire County Council proposed the rebuilding of Milton Road library in 2013 recognising that redevelopment would bring multiple benefits including better use of the site, a more attractive, flexible and welcoming ground floor library which was more economical to run and that could offer in addition, a dedicated community space funded through monies from Cambridge City Council.

Since the inception of the project there has been a marked change of County Council strategy in respect of its property assets. The County now recognizes the contribution that its property assets can deliver in respect of a generating a long term income stream that can underpin the delivery of its broad range of public services.

Whereas at the time the scheme was conceived it was proposed to secure a new purpose built library funded through the disposal of an interest in the site that would have allowed a developer to build and sell flats above, this has now fundamentally changed.

The present scheme sees the County Council building the scheme as a single entity and retaining its freehold in both the library and the ten one bed flats above. The flats will be let at market rents which will provide a valuable income stream in perpetuity.

TIMESCALES

It is our intention to submit a Full Planning Application towards the end of March 2016 and this application would have a 13 week determination period.

INVITATION TO FEEDBACK

We value your opinion on the current proposals and would very much like to hear your views. There are feedback forms available to fill out but feel free to talk through your thoughts with the team.

PRECEDENTS

Milton Road Library - Public Exhibition - Introduction & Purpose of Event

- Planning

- Architecture & Design

- Transport

Gamlingay Community Hub Great Shelford LibrarySite Location Plan

PROPOSAL OBJECTIVES

The proposed design has considered the presence of surrounding development on both Milton Road and Ascham Road.

Immediate Adjoining Neighbours

To Ascham Road - The building steps down to single storey along the boundary with No.2 Ascham Road. A suitable transition in scale is provided between the three storey element of the scheme and the residential properties present to the north on Ascham Road. This ensures that it will not appear dominant in the streetscene. The presence of privacy screens will ensure that no overlooking towards Ascham Road nor the adjacent private gardens will result.

To St Laurences Church - By minimising windows to this elevation, placing secondary windows to residential rooms, and using design features such as projecting bay windows which direct views northwest and southeast only, ensures that there will be minimal overlooking in to the Church grounds.

Highways

The proposed scheme complies with the City Council’s policy on car parking, and as such requires no associated car parking. The site is recognised by the Council as a sustainable location due to its proximity to the City Centre, nearby local amenities, and public transport linkages. It is felt that the 1xbedtroom units proposed will appeal to those who do not require daily access to a car. In addition to this, it is the County Council’s intentions that future occupiers of the flats would not be allowed to own cars. Given the sustainable location of the site, future residents would be encouraged to use alternative forms of transport.

Existing Building

We understand that residents and the Friends of the Library are keen to retain historic elements of the existing building so within the scheme we have proposed to maintain and upgrade the existing stone built entrance feature This will emphasise an attractive entrance to the new library and will be part of the Public Art strategy.

Impact on the Street Scene

We have endeavoured to ensure that, whilst the building must sit comfortably within its surroundings, the essence of the proposal is of a ‘civic’ nature. Having regard to the proposed use for the facility, we have looked to design a focal point for community use and surrounding neighbours. We have also endeavoured to retain as many trees as feasible in order to maintain the green and landscaped feel to this part of Milton Road.

Milton Road Library - Public Exhibition - Constraints & Opportunities

Milton Road Library - Public Exhibition - Proposed Floor Plans & Site Layout

Milton Road Library - Public Exhibition - Proposed Elevations & Visuals

View from Ascham Road

View from Milton Road / Chesteton Hall Crescent

Front Elevation (to Ascham Road)

Front Elevation (to Milton Road) Rear Elevation (to no. 1 Ascham Road)

Rear Elevation (to St. Laurences Church)

Milt

on R

oad

Libr

ary

- Pub

lic E

xhib

ition

- F

requ

ently

Ask

ed Q

uest

ions

“Whi

ch o

ther

sit

es w

ere

cons

ider

ed?”

The

Coun

ty C

ounc

il’s

Roge

r Asc

ham

Site

was

con

side

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as a

pos

sibl

e si

te fo

r re-

deve

lopm

ent a

t an

early

sta

ge.

This

site

is lo

cate

d at

the

end

of A

scha

m R

oad,

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ring

a bo

unda

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ith M

ilton

Roa

d Pr

imar

y Sc

hool

. Thi

s si

te is

no

long

er a

n op

tion

as th

e Co

unci

l has

dev

elop

ed it

as

a st

rate

gic

site

for t

he d

eliv

ery

of L

ibra

ry S

ervi

ces.

It a

lso

has

Gra

de II

list

ing

elem

ents

that

mak

e it

less

ada

ptab

le fo

r a C

omm

unity

Hub

.

“Why

can

’t th

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rren

t bui

ldin

g be

impr

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, rat

her t

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crea

te a

bra

nd n

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uild

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”

In a

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on to

the

lack

of a

vaila

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Coun

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unds

to re

furb

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the

curr

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uild

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the

build

ing

has

unde

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ruct

ural

pro

blem

s w

hich

requ

ire re

gula

r sur

veyi

ng a

nd m

aint

enan

ce. R

e-de

velo

ping

the

site

(rat

her t

han

refu

rbis

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it) w

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uppo

rt a

wid

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of u

ses

by th

e lo

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unity

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a re

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in ru

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pert

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set b

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axim

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high

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loca

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in C

ambr

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Com

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of?

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Com

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the

grou

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env

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uild

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and

will

com

pris

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libra

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out

to m

oder

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larg

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with

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”

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it is

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at th

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unity

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will

ope

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Aut

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2017

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atel

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mon

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be a

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to a

cces

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whi

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velo

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open

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hour

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Arb

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Cour

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ares

t loc

al li

brar

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ill b

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libr

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stop

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ill

be in

trod

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at t

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oger

Asc

ham

Site

.

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t oth

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ervi

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will

be

deliv

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from

the

Com

mun

ity

Hub

?”

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del

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ed fr

om th

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mm

unity

Hub

will

be

dete

rmin

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cal n

eed.

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er C

omm

unity

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s in

the

coun

ty h

ave

wel

com

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essi

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from

org

anis

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as C

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dvic

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reau

, Nat

iona

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Ser

vice

and

th

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lice,

to n

ame

just

a fe

w.

“How

will

par

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be

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deve

lopm

ent w

ill c

ompl

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ith th

e Ci

ty C

ounc

il’s

park

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stan

dard

s. D

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also

beg

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etw

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Coun

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to e

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lish

whe

ther

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Chur

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ark

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cu

stom

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r cer

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con

ditio

ns.

“Has

the

sche

me

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ved?

”

Yes,

a n

umbe

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es h

ave

been

mad

e to

the

libra

ry a

nd c

omm

unity

spa

ce a

nd th

e fla

ts to

add

ress

con

cern

s ra

ised

dur

ing

prev

ious

con

sulta

tions

with

inte

rest

ed g

roup

s.

“How

will

we

be k

ept u

p-to

-dat

e ab

out t

he p

roje

ct?”

You

can

find

out h

ow th

e pr

ojec

t is

prog

ress

ing

by c

heck

ing

the

Milt

on R

oad

Libr

ary

web

site

: ht

tp://

ww

w.c

ambr

idge

shir

e.go

v.uk

/dir

ecto

ry_r

ecor

d/37

669/

milt

on_r

oad_

libra

ry_c

ambr

idge

O

ur lo

cal p

artn

ers,

suc

h as

Frie

nds

of M

ilton

Roa

d Li

brar

y an

d Ch

este

rton

Com

mun

ity A

ssoc

iatio

n al

so re

gula

rly

incl

ude

new

s fr

om th

e pr

ojec

t in

thei

r new

slet

ters

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can

als

o se

e if

ther

e ha

ve b

een

disc

ussi

ons

at th

e N

orth

Are

a Co

mm

ittee

Mee

tings

.