design and access statement clarecraft day nursery 34 high street

 DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
CLARECRAFT DAY NURSERY
34 HIGH STREET
LONG BUCKBY
NORTHAMPTON
NN6 7RD
REVISION:
A: 30/09/2014 – Revisions made according
to client information provided.
B: 27/10/2014 – Revisions made according
to client information provided.
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34 High Street, Long Buckby
27th October 2014
Reference: 214128, Rev B
Contents
1.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2 2.0 Site and Surrounding Context ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.0 Existing Land Use ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 4.0 Strategic Links and Movement .................................................................................................................................................................................... 133 5.0 Constraints & Opportunities for the Development .................................................................................................................................................... 144 6.0 The Proposal .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 144 6.1 Use ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 144 6.2 Layout & Access ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 144 6.3 Amount ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 177 6.4 Scale ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 177 6.5 Appearance ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 199 6.6 Landscaping .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Page |1
34 High Street, Long Buckby
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Reference: 214128, Rev B
1.0 Introduction
As stated in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), applications
for Planning permission should provide a written statement setting out the
design principles which have been adopted in relation to the site and its
wider context.
SKM Architects have been commissioned to identify the alterations to the
building which is classed as being part of the curtilage adjacent to the listed
house.
NPPF 12, Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment, has been
specifically used in the production of this design and access statement. It
supersedes PPS5 and states the following:
126: Local planning authorities should set out in their Local Plan a positive strategy for the
conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment,29 including heritage assets most at risk
through neglect, decay or other threats……In developing this strategy, local planning authorities
should take into account:
 ….the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and
distinctiveness……
128: …..The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is
sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. ………
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Figure 1 Location Plan This design statement has been prepared to identify and explain the
design process which has led to the formulation of the proposed
alterations.
The site is approximately 606m² and is located on the High Street in the
large village of Long Buckby, a Civil Parish in Northampton. (Figure 1 - 2).
The site is surrounded by a mixture of residential, retail stores, schools,
cafes and restaurants, as well as a public library.
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The existing building is currently constructed from brick, render and
corrugated metal roofing. It is currently used as a day nursery for children
aged 6 months to 11 years. The nursery has been rated as outstanding by
Ofsted.
A detailed proposal of the development is contained within the
accompanying planning application and will demonstrate how we and the
applicants regard the proposal to be an appropriate and sustainable solution
to meet the current and future needs of the nursery.
2.0 Site and Surrounding Context
High Street Figure 2 Site Plan Page |4
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Long Buckby is mainly a residential village offering a wide range of local amenities and services including a
doctor’s surgery, dentist surgeries, churches, schools, a public library, a veterinary surgery, a boarding cattery,
a post office, a community centre and Long Buckby Mill Park Nature Reserve. The village also includes three
pubs, local groceries, a butchers, several hairdressers, a newsagent, chemist, hardware stores and a range
of takeaways and restaurants.
The nursery was once used as outbuildings to the adjacent listed house, but now it is an independent site. It
was previously used for storage but it is currently being used as a nursery. The outbuildings generally lack
character and do not add value to the listed building adjacent.
The outbuildings have been converted into a nursery with its own front and rear secured playground facilities.
The nursery is largely made up of single storey structures, which also includes a two storey brick building and
a single storey shed, in the middle separating the areas of the playgrounds (Figures 7-20).
Figure 3 Clarecroft Day Nursery Page |5
Figure 4 Adjacent yellow brick 34 High Street, Long Buckby
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The front is a single storey building with an off-white render painted with child friendly imagery and a metal
corrugated roof with contemporary white UPVC windows (Figure 3).The side elevations of the nursery is a
combination of white render and red-brick with white UPVC and timber doors and windows.
The right side neighbouring property is a two storey yellow brick building with white UPVC door and windows
(Figure 4). The adjacent listed building, which is set back from the street line, is a two storey, yellow stone
property with a thatched roof (Figures 27). Although the sash windows have been retained to the front of this
listed building, UPVC windows and a UPVC conservatory have been added to the rear of this property
(Figures 31-32).
Figure 5 High level of shrubbery as viewed from the High Street Page |6
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Figure 6 High level wall with shrubbery as viewed from the High Street and side elevation of the nursery. The side elevation with the side windows and doors of the nursery cannot be viewed due to the high level wall
with shrubbery between the nursery and the listed building. This prevents from any over-looking between the
two properties and does not visually impact the listed building (Figures 5-6).
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Figure 7 Side Elevation of Nursery facing the front High Street Figure 9 Side Elevation of Nursery Page |8
Figure 8 Timber gate side entrance Figure 10 Side Elevation of Nursery and 2 storey building 34 High Street, Long Buckby
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Figure 11 Side Elevation of Nursery – two storey building Figure 13 Shed with cover Page |9
Figure 12 Side Elevation of Nursery – two storey building Figure 14 Shed with cover 34 High Street, Long Buckby
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Figure 15 Side elevation Figure 17 Side elevation and rear playground P a g e | 10
Figure 16 Side elevation to rear playground Figure 18 Side elevation and rear playground 34 High Street, Long Buckby
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Figure 19 Side elevation and rear playground P a g e | 11
Figure 20 Rear elevation with car parking 34 High Street, Long Buckby
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3.0 Existing Land Use
Figure 21 Existing Land Uses During the 17th century, Long Buckby had a thriving woollen industry. Following the industrial revolution there was a decline in the
woollen industry, which moved into the north and west of the country. Long Buckby also became a busy canal wharf after the openings
of the Grand Junction Canal and the Leicester arms for the first 15 years of the 19th century.
Now the village is largely residential with a few local amenities (Figure 21).
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4.0 Strategic Links and Movement
Long Buckby railway station is served by London
Mainland that lies on a loop of West Coast Main Line
between Birmingham New Street and London Euston
(Figure 22).
There are frequent buses along routes 96 and 11 and
the Country Connect service.
Figure 22 Public Transport ‐ Park and Ride P a g e | 13
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5.0 Constraints & Opportunities for the Development
The proposed timber framed window and new render to the front façade will
complement the traditional Georgian style around the site and immediate
vicinity. The changes are minimal with very little impact providing a fresh
and updated appearance on the street scene.
The side and rear elevations have no impact to the street scene nor to the
Listed Building, which is set back from the street boundary, with hedges and
a wall on the adjoining boundary.
6.0 The Proposal
6.1
Use
The use will remain as the existing use with no change.
6.2
Layout & Access
The ground floor offers easy and secure access for the nursery children, employees and parents. The entrance is
located to the side of the property. To gain access onto the property there are two sets of secure gates. The first is a
high metal railing with an alarmed buzzer to gain access onto the property. The second is a smaller gate to protect the
nursery children.
A two storey brick building and a shed with a covering, separates the front and rear playgrounds offering private and
secure amenities.
There is no proposed alterations to the layout and access arrangements discussed above.
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Adjacent Listed Building Figure 23 Location and Site Plans – NB: Do not scale off drawing P a g e | 15
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Figure 24 Existing Front Elevation P a g e | 16
Figure 25 Proposed Front Elevation
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6.3
Amount
The floor area shall remain as existing; however there will be a replacement
of the existing UPVC front elevation window to timber frame with a white
paint finish and a new off-white / cream render application to the front of the
property.
6.4
Scale
The surrounding area is primarily 2-3 storeys with pitched roofs. The
properties on High Street and adjacent streets are generally terraces with a
few complementing detached buildings. (Fig 26 - 30).
Neighbouring buildings have a mixture of contemporary UPVC and timber
framed Georgian sash windows. The existing building has a mixture of
timber and UPVC windows.
The scale of the existing building is a single storey structure with 2 and 3
storey buildings adjacent the property. The proposal will not affect the mass
or the scale of the surrounding area.
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Figure 26 High Street Figure 28 Corner of High Street and Brington Street P a g e | 18
Figure 27 High Street and Listed Building Figure 29 High Street 34 High Street, Long Buckby
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Figure 30 High Street 6.5
Appearance
The proposed changes consider the replacement of the front, white UPVC window to the original timber
frame window and repainting the front façade to an off-white / cream colour so that the existing paint work
is removed. The side windows and doors are to remain and not to be replaced.
The proposed timber window, to the front of the nursery, is to keep the local character of the area consistent,
and the new render application will enhance the architectural appearance, providing a fresh uplift to the front
façade, together helping to keep up-to-date with the current street scene.
The side and rear windows and doors to the nursery are a combination of white UPVC and timber. The white
UPVC windows to the front side of the nursery were already present prior to any other changes been made
(Figures 7-8). This established a precedent to which the other side and rear windows were then changed to
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white UPVC to show a consistency of the openings (Fig 17-20). The windows and doors are also consistent
with the new bungalows to the rear of the nursery.
Although the nursery is considered as a curtilage building, there is no longer any direct relationship with the
adjacent Listed Building. The Listed Building is set back from the main street scene, so the proposed
alterations to the nursery creates no visual impact to the listed property and the overall street scene. The
listed property has a combination of timber and white UPVC windows and UPVC conservatory to the rear.
This is not visible from the nursery and has no direct impact for either property.
Figure 31 Front view of Listed Building 6.6
Figure 32 Rear view of Listed Building Landscaping.
The property reserves all existing landscaping of which the proposed development has not impact upon.
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Reference: 214128, Rev B