Item No 5(i)

Site: Bull & Chain Public House 7 Langworthgate Lincoln LN2 4AD

Application No: 2011/1369/F

Target Date:

Agent: Framework

Applicant: Thomas Samuel Limited

Development: Erection of 4 terraced dwellings and conversion of existing public house with 2 storey rear extension and associated external alterations to accommodate 4 apartments.

Background The application site is the former Bull and Chain Public House at the western end of Langworthgate, directly opposite the City Council owned surface car park. Built in the mid 19th Century the pub building is arranged over two floors with a three storey gabled element on the eastern end with rooms in the roof. There are two single storey extensions to the rear of the building, one flat roofed and the other pitched and these were clearly built after the main pub building, as was the single storey open ended outbuilding at the north west corner of the site. The curtilage of the plot extends eastwards and includes a substantial pub garden area which is approximately 500mm higher than the ground level of the rest of the site. The Eastgate Tennis Club is located to the north of the site with the majority of the remaining area being residential in nature. The pub is currently vacant and has been for many months following the attempts of several landlords to make the pub financially viable in recent years. This application seeks to convert and extend the existing pub into 4 self-contained flats, as well as construct a terrace of 4 town houses on the pub garden area, fronting Langworthgate. Site Visit Undertaken on 09/1/12. Issues The issues for consideration are: 1. The principle of the use 2. The effect on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area 3. Impact on residential amenity. 4. Parking and vehicular access

Policies Referred to PPS1: Delivering Sustainable Development PPS3: Housing PPS5: Planning for the Historic Environment Draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published 25th July 2011 Policy 56A: New Housing (Self Contained) Consultations Consultations were carried out in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement, adopted June 2006. Responses Rod Barrett 16 Chestnut Street

Lincoln LN1 3HB

Comment

Robert Redford 70 Carholme Road

Lincoln LN1 1ST

Objection

R J Foulger CAMRA

30 Waldeck Street Lincoln LN1 3JB

Objection

Aaron Joyce, 107a Burton Road

Lincoln LN1 3LL

Objection

John & Joyce Holland

5 Langworthgate Lincoln Lincolnshire LN2 4AD

Comments

Highways & Planning

Lincolnshire County Council

Comments

Lincoln Civic Trust

St Mary`s Guildhall 385 High Street Lincoln LN5 7RY

No objections

In response to the application five letters of objection have been received, 4 of which relate to the loss of the pub as an amenity and the other from the adjacent neighbour at no.5 Langworthgate concerned that the proposal is over-development of the site creating potential parking conflict and a lack of space for cycle and refuse storage. Consideration 1. Principle of the Use The site lies within the Cathedral and City Centre Conservation Area no.1 and the proposals map (as part of the adopted Local Plan) highlights it is also within a residential area. As such the principle of a residential re-development here is broadly acceptable in policy terms. Several of the objections state that the principle of converting the Public House is flawed as the loss of this community facility is contrary to the emerging National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Paragraph 126 of this document states: “To deliver the facilities and services the community needs, planning policies and decisions should: • plan positively for the provision and integration of community facilities (such as local shops, meeting places, public houses and places of worship) and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments • safeguard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services, particularly where this would reduce the community’s ability to meet its day-to-day needs • ensure that established shops, facilities and services are able to develop and modernise in a way that is sustainable, and retained for the benefit of the community; and • ensure that housing is developed in suitable locations which offer a range of community facilities and good access to key services and infrastructure.” Whilst a Public House can be clearly deemed a community facility in this context, I consider the loss of this pub will not reduce the community’s ability to meet its day-to-day needs as the Bull and Chain is close to several other similar drinking establishments such as The Peacock Inn, The Adam and Eve Tavern and The Morning Star which itself is within 50 metres of the application site, being directly across the surface car park on Langworthgate. This clearly gives local residents significant choice within a relatively short distance and demonstrates that the loss of one drinking establishment here will not prevent the community accessing such a facility locally. The objectors make reference to a suggestion that a local company was willing to take on the pub and continue its use, however there has been no evidence provided to this effect by any of the objectors and it is the role of the Local Planning Authority to assess the merits of the scheme submitted based on the information provided as part of the application. The applicant has stated that the Pub had been under the management of several individuals in recent years and operating at a commercial loss, resulting in the previous

owners (Punch Taverns) selling it to the current applicant, having deemed it as an unviable asset. The conversion of the pub and the erection of the new town houses therefore create an opportunity for much needed housing to be provided in a suitable location offering potential occupants a range of community facilities and good access to key services and infrastructure, in line with the emerging NPPF as well as the core aims of both PPS 1 and PPS 3. In local terms this development also helps to bolster housing provision which is in short supply, and does so in a sustainable location surrounded by existing residential properties. 2. Effect on the Character and Appearance of the Conservation Area The Lincoln Townscape Assessment (LTA) shows that the application site lies within a character area which has a complex townscape influenced by the full spectrum of the City’s evolution since its foundation in the Roman military period. The number of dwellings within each build unit appears to decrease from west to east with each of these units being coherent in construction and character. There is a subtle and increasing sense of enclosure and a growing sense of horizontal scale when moving east to west through the character area with buildings being set close to or on the back edge of footpath and typically filling the width of the plots, whilst the height of buildings varies little being generally 2-3 storeys. Historical maps and photographs show that the existing pub garden once accommodated a row of modest terraced cottages, built of stone and fronting Langworthgate. Further evidence of this remains on site as the existing stone boundary wall formed the front elevation of these properties, with the door and window openings, although infilled still being visible. This gives the clearest indication that the principle of a row of houses here is acceptable. The applicant engaged with the Local Planning Authority at pre-application stage before any final scale, massing or design had been finalised for the row of proposed terraced houses on the existing pub garden. This enabled the LTA to be fully used through the appropriate Character Area Appraisal. The developer has taken these principles into consideration when developing the detailed proposal for these properties, and they have clearly formed the basis for the final scheme proposed. It was considered that whilst a highly modern design was wholly appropriate for the extension to the pub, the same approach would not be appropriate in the context of new build units fronting Langworthgate. A more subtle and traditional direction would clearly be required without slavishly following the detailing of existing dwellings in the immediate vicinity. The resultant scheme submitted is therefore a contemporary approach to a traditional row of terraced houses. At two and a half storeys the terrace sits comfortably in terms of its scale and mass, relating well to other similar sized dwellings nearby.

The palette of materials is traditional and picks up on the local vernacular with the use of red brick and natural slate as well as stone detailing around the windows. The fenestration is also well proportioned with bays at ground floor and standard casements above, all with emphasis on verticality. The proposed dormers to the front are small, square and positioned high up the roof slope to follow the size and positioning of other similar windows on properties in the area. To the rear the design is altogether more modern with large expanses of glazing to maximise both natural light and the amenity space included. The stone wall referred to above will also be retained in order to provide some defensible space to the proposed dwellings as well as maintaining the link with the previous cottages, enabling the site show a clear architectural timeline. It is considered that the proposed layout is a re-working of the historic grain, providing increased enclosure and definition to the street, enhancing the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The conversion of the existing pub building requires the demolition of part of the rear section of this structure which in part takes the form of a poor quality twentieth century flat roof extension. With regards to the proposed extension to the pub building, this takes the form of a highly modern, two-storey extension with a flat roof to facilitate a balcony at the upper level. The extension is predominantly glazed, broken up by the use of stack bonded brickwork panels and aluminium detailing. I consider that the contemporary approach as proposed is appropriate in terms of the extension presenting a high quality visual contrast with the older host building, as opposed to creating a pastiche of the pub’s Victorian architecture – an approach which is seldom successful when extending buildings of this age. In addition to an appropriate style of architecture and materials, the proposed extension is also of a scale which facilitates the internal space required, whilst still being subservient to the pub building as a whole. The latter is achieved by the extension being both lower and narrower than the host building, ensuring it is not prominent and indeed will not be visible from the public highway at Langworthgate. The letter of objection received from the adjacent neighbour at no. 5 Langworthgate argues that the scheme as a whole represents over-development of the site due to the number of units proposed. In my consideration the provision of eight dwellings on this site is not excessive in density terms. Indeed the internal space afforded to all units is generous for properties of this type and the scheme also provides individual gardens for the terraced houses as well as off-road car parking spaces for seven of the dwellings. 3. Impact on Residential Amenity Due to the nature of the site and the respective separation distances to surrounding residential properties, the only neighbours potentially affected by the development are the occupants of no. 5 Langworthgate immediately adjacent the pub to the west, and as such only the converted and extended pub building has any impact on this neighbour. The representation made by

this neighbour initially objected, in part, to the use of the existing side window at first floor level on the western elevation of the pub building in that it would create an issue of loss of privacy. It has subsequently been confirmed that this window will be obscure glazed to overcome this concern. In addition this neighbour also had concerns over the security of their own side window at first floor of their eastern elevation which would be adjacent the proposed balcony. This issue has also been resolved with the applicant agreeing to facilitate the installation of a security device to this window. As a result this neighbour has formally withdrawn this element of their objection. In all other considerations of residential amenity, including issues of light and overbearing I consider that the proposed development will not unduly harm residential amenity. 4. Parking and Vehicular Access The application proposes seven off-road parking spaces to service the new residential units and whilst this is not quite one for one provision, leaving one unit without an allocated parking space, this is considered to be adequate provision for units of this type and in such a central, sustainable location. The letter of objection from no. 5 Langworthgate cites access and parking conflict as an issue due to the density of development. The Highway Authority have also commented that the proposed access width (increased from 2.8m as existing to a proposed 3.8m) falls short of the standard 4.5m that is usually required for new access points to enable two cars to pass. It is considered however that the 2.8m wide access point currently serves the pub which has 8 parking spaces at present. The proposal would both reduce this number of spaces as well as increase the width of the opening, albeit to a width short of the highway standard. In addition to this Langworthgate is a narrow one way street at this point making it considerably less dangerous for vehicles accessing and leaving the site than a typical highway. Furthermore, it is considered that the historic grain of Langworthgate would begin to diminish if an access width of 4.5m were to be implemented here giving the appearance of an over-engineered entrance within this historic environment, allowing increased visibility of the utilitarian aspects of the proposal such as the parking area and bin store. I therefore conclude that the parking provision is appropriate and adequate and that highway safety will not be unduly compromised as a result of the proposed development. 5. Other Issues Archaeology Map regression and research has shown that the Bull & Chain has been in existence since circa 1842. the area of the former beer garden on the eastern side of the site contained three post-medieval street-frontage properties that have been demolished save for a section of the front elevation of these properties which forms the existing stone boundary wall. Previous archaeological work close to the site has found extensive evidence for Roman

and medieval buildings in the area, as well as evidence for Roman to post-medieval quarrying and a post medieval trackway. The development site therefore has a moderate to high potential for archaeological remains and it is therefore advised that in accordance with PPS 5, the site should undergo further archaeological evaluation in the form of trial trenching in the beer garden area in order to establish the need for a scheme of mitigation. This is suggested via condition. Trees There are several mature trees on the site and the applicant has engaged the services of an Arboroculturalist to undertake an assessment. This concluded that the only trees to be removed are a cypress and sycamore which have been independently assessed by the council’s own Arboroculturalist as being in poor condition and of low amenity value, and therefore raising no objection to their loss. I therefore consider that their loss is acceptable, causing no harm to the character and appearance of the conservation area. Bins The letter of objection from no. 5 Langworthgate also suggests that there is inadequate space for the required wheelie bins within the site, however the plans show dedicated bin storage for the apartments at an area to the rear (north) of the site as well as sufficient space within the rear gardens of each of the terraced houses for the three bins they would each receive. I consider this provision to be sufficient for the number and type of residential units proposed. Bats The applicant has commissioned a specialist ecological consultant to undertake a detailed protected species survey of the site which found no evidence of past or present use by bats in any of the buildings on site. No bats were recorded emerging from the buildings or trees during the survey. Furthermore, it concluded that there is no potential for use by barn owls and no active nests or other species were found in any of the buildings or trees. Conclusion The proposed development will provide additional housing stock for the City in an appropriate, sustainable location without compromising residential amenity, whilst enhancing the character and appearance of the Conservation Area in line with PPS 1, 3 and 5 as well as Local plan policy 56A and the emerging NPPF . Financial Implications None.

Legal Implications None. Equality Implications None. Application Negotiated Either at Pre-Application or During Process of Application Yes. Recommendation Grant with conditions to include: 1. Samples of materials 2. Archaeological measures condition 3. Details of all external surfacing Report by: Head of Planning Services

Side elevation of pub with proposed extension

Rear elevation of pub with proposed extension

Proposed street view

View looking north-west with the Bull and Chin in the background

View looking at the rear of the existing pub

View looking from existing pub to existing outbuilding for demolition

View looking north-east along Langworthgate

Consultation Responses