This week, I met with residents to discuss the planning application with reference numbers 14/01839/DC and 14/01841/DC which propose 178 units on the site of former Willowbank Primary School,
2A Willowbank Crescent, Glasgow, G3 6NB.
The plans are seeking permission for student residential
accommodation (sui generis) including demolition of detached
outbuilding and substation, external alterations and repairs to
listed building, erection of side and rear extensions to listed
building, and erection of student residential accommodation block
fronting onto West Princes Street, with associated landscaping, car
parking and alterations to boundary treatments. Various concerns have been raised about the plans and these can be listed as;
With
reference to City Plan 2: Development Policy - Residential (DEV2),
the proposal will result in a development which does not protect a C
listed building’s appearance, character and setting. This
application is seeking the removal of natural habitat and wooded area
which forms a
visually attractive setting for the building and therefore, enhance
the appearance of the access route at
West Princes Street. This
proposed development to replace trees and natural habitat with a
6-storey block will have a negative impact on the natural environment
for the local community located within households along West Princes
Street and the surrounding streets.
The
proposed removal of the trees is contrary to planning policies as its
location and nature does not respect the architectural heritage
and the historic context of the area. It is my understanding that the
location of the substation and the wooded area has never been built
upon. The trees should be retained as a natural habitat and important
feature of the pedestrian access to the building from West Princes
Street.
The
proposal has features which are not in keeping with the conservation
area status. The 5-storey
and 6-storey blocks are not acceptable as they will be overlooking
the existing neighbours and the upper rooms will directly look in to
the windows and backcourts of adjacent properties in Willowbank Crescent, Willowbank
Street, West End Park Street and West Princes Street. The design of
the new blocks will create a visual intrusion which diminishes the
design quality and privacy of neighbouring tenemental properties.
Throughout
the proposal, there is use of white brick and concrete material
arrangements, vertical zinc bands and coloured cladding panels (red)
which will not enhance the architecture of the neighbourhood. The
proposed window design is not in keeping with traditional tenement
windows adopted for neighbouring
four storey tenement properties
in the locality. Of particular concern is the replacement roof using
zinc cladding and lightweight glass panels to rise above the existing
eaves and parapet walls. This is not preserving the existing building
design as required of any proposals for a listed building.
The
proposed development does not maintain the character of the historic
area of Woodlands. The
whole site is within Woodlands Conservation Area and surrounded by
listed buildings. The
change of use of this C listed building and its surrounding grounds, which include trees and open space, would change the character of the
building and its curtilage, which is supposed to be protected by the
Conservation Area.
The
planned development fails to maintain the layout characteristic of
the area, introducing a block structure within a tenemental
neighbourhood.
Within
the City Plan, DES 3 states there is a presumption in favour of
protecting conservation areas from inappropriate new development.
This proposal is not accepted as it will compromise the quality
of a listed building and this neighbourhood of outstanding character
bounded by Willowbank Crescent / Willowbank Street / West
Princes Street / West End Park Street / Street
and
its environs.
The
proposal will not comply with the general policy as it will
compromise the
character of the former Willowbank Primary School as the three new
blocks will dominate this original property. This former School
is a significant landmark within the Conservation area and is of
importance to the heritage of the neighbourhood and its surroundings.
The
development brings three new blocks of a size, pattern, building
depth and layout which is overdevelopment. This proposal is
detrimental to the character of the area.
The
character of local housing is one of bay-windowed tenements with deep
undulating facades. The
5-storey and 6-storey blocks are of a design that is not sympathetic
to the character of neighbouring buildings in this Conservation Area.
With
reference to City Plan 2: Development Policy - Residential (DEV2),
the proposal will result in a development which does not protect a C
listed building’s appearance, character and setting. The removal
of roof to accommodate new additional storey will compromise the
design and integrity of the building. The former Willowbank Primary
School is a significant
landmark within the Conservation area and is of importance to the
heritage of the Woodlands.
With
reference to the policy HER1, the proposal is not accepted as it will
not improve the quality
of a C listed building and areas of outstanding character of
Willowbank Crescent, West Princes Street and its environs. This
proposal will be visible from surrounding streets and impinge on the
public streetscape to the detriment of character of the area.
Trees on West Princes Street to be removed by the proposal.
This
proposal is developing on an area of wooded landscape and there is no
evidence of a
Tree or Wildlife survey being carried out by the developer. The
proposal will destroy and result in the loss of significant trees.
The trees are protected by
an existing tree preservation order (TPO) (see Woodlands Conservation
Area), and are located on Council owned land, and are of significant
ecological, recreational, historical, shelter or landscape value.
The
land currently acts as a sink for rainwater, if developed this
advantage would be lost.
The
presumption is in favour of retaining such trees as part of the
Council’s requirements under Climate Change legislation for
protecting our natural resources for future generations and retaining
our city’s biodiversity.
The
proposed development proposes to provides limited parking for the
site. The plan takes no account of the effect of visitor parking,
taxis drop-offs and deliveries on Willowbank Crescent and Willowbank
Street. This will have an impact on the flow of traffic, causing severe
strain on the local road network. The main flow of traffic to and
from the development will go past a community garden and children’s
play area.
There will be a risk of road accidents, noise intrusion and general
nuisance from additional vehicle movements within the neighbourhood
due to the development.
This proposal should be refused due to its over development of the site and consequently, negative impact on
the architectural heritage of the Woodlands Conservation area.
