1 DOV/13/0056 - Erection of two storey building to accommodate new hospital, conversion of physiotherapy unit to an estates facility and energy centre, construction of vehicular access and 160 space car park and associated landscaping (existing buildings to be demolished), Coombe Valley Road, Dover Reason for Report Number of objections Summary of Recommendation Planning permission be granted (may be subject to resolution of outstanding matters) Planning Policy and Material Considerations Development Plan Dover Core Strategy • CP1 – Identifies that the major focus for development and concentration of higher order public services and facilities should be in Dover. • CP5 – Identifies that non-residential development over 1000 sq m should meet BREEAM very good standards or any future national equivalent • CP6 – The Core Strategy identifies that Dover is in need of a replacement hospital. Policy reflects that the current facility is outdated and has inefficient facilities to meet modern healthcare needs. • DM 1- Sets out that development should be located within the urban confines • DM 11 – Identifies that development that increases travel demand should be accompanied by a systematic assessment and include mitigation measures Material Considerations National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) The NPPF promotes sustainable development and positive growth which makes social, economic and environmental progress for current and future generations. Sustainable development is expected to “go ahead without delay”. Development is expected to be located where there are good transport, cycle and pedestrian links. The amount of car parking provided is expected to be appropriate, amongst other things, in terms of the type and use of development, opportunities for public transport and local car ownership levels.
28
Embed
DOV/13/0056 - Erection of two storey building to ...moderngov.dover.gov.uk/documents/s4131/DOV130056 Buckland...1 DOV/13/0056 - Erection of two storey building to accommodate new hospital,
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
1
DOV/13/0056 - Erection of two storey building to accommodate new hospital,
conversion of physiotherapy unit to an estates facility and energy centre,
construction of vehicular access and 160 space car park and associated landscaping
(existing buildings to be demolished), Coombe Valley Road, Dover
Reason for Report
Number of objections
Summary of Recommendation
Planning permission be granted (may be subject to resolution of outstanding matters)
Planning Policy and Material Considerations
Development Plan
Dover Core Strategy
• CP1 – Identifies that the major focus for development and concentration of higher
order public services and facilities should be in Dover.
• CP5 – Identifies that non-residential development over 1000 sq m should meet
BREEAM very good standards or any future national equivalent
• CP6 – The Core Strategy identifies that Dover is in need of a replacement hospital.
Policy reflects that the current facility is outdated and has inefficient facilities to meet
modern healthcare needs.
• DM 1- Sets out that development should be located within the urban confines
• DM 11 – Identifies that development that increases travel demand should be
accompanied by a systematic assessment and include mitigation measures
Material Considerations
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
The NPPF promotes sustainable development and positive growth which makes social,
economic and environmental progress for current and future generations. Sustainable
development is expected to “go ahead without delay”.
Development is expected to be located where there are good transport, cycle and pedestrian
links. The amount of car parking provided is expected to be appropriate, amongst other
things, in terms of the type and use of development, opportunities for public transport and
local car ownership levels.
2
Design is expected to be of a high quality as it will contribute towards making better places.
Healthy communities are promoted as is the need to provide facilities the community needs.
The Land Allocations Local Plan (LALP)
The Plan has reached an advanced stage of preparation. The Pre-Submission version has
recently undergone a period for public representations and, in response the Council will be
consulting on an Addendum of proposed changes before submitting the Plan to Government
for Examination. The NPPF sets out that the weight given to a plan in preparation increases
as it moves through the process, subject to the extent of unresolved objections and
consistency with policies in the NPPF. The LALP recognises the opportunity to provide a
replacement hospital on part of the site and to provide housing on the remainder.
Para 3.97 of the LAPLP says :
“A new community hospital is expected to be located on the eastern half of the current
hospital site; the remainder of the site will be released for redevelopment in the short
term (over the next 5 year period). The development of a new Community Hospital
midway along Coombe Valley Road creates an opportunity to meet the objective of
Stage 1 Regeneration Initiative by creating a ‘heart’ to the area with an opportunity for
a new civic square which could incorporate playable space. The redevelopment of the
site for a Community Hospital and residential development should use the opportunity
to create a softer appearance through the use of landscaping and sensitive elevational
treatment to Coombe Valley Road. Should the redevelopment of the hospital site come
forward in advance of the residential area then proposals must consider and take into
account the relationship and the interface between the two sites”.
Policy LA7 allocates the western part of the existing hospital site for housing development.
The application site does, however, include land within the proposed allocation
It is considered that the LALP’s proposals for the existing Buckland Hospital site are
consistent with the NPPF. Representations have been received regarding paragraph 3.97
but do not raise any fundamental objections, they are more concerned with the range of
medical facilities that might be provided and a desire to allow for future expansion which
therefore questions the extent of the proposed housing allocation.
Planning History
• DOV/12/0890 – Screening Opinion to determine whether the hospital development
required an Environmental Impact Assessment – determined that no EIA needed
because effects would be sufficiently local so as not to impact on the wider area.
• DOV/12/00977 - Prior Notification of demolition application - Demolition of buildings
to the NW and SE of existing Physiotherapy unit and single storey North Light
workshop – prior approval required
3
• DOV/12/00977 A - Demolition of buildings to the NW and SE of existing
Physiotherapy unit and single storey North Light workshop - prior approval for
submitted details granted
Comments made by consultees, summarised as follows :
Natural England: further survey work required in accordance with bat survey guidelines
Environment Agency: No objection, subject to conditions
SWA: No objection, but requires a formal application connection
Environmental Health Officer:
• Air Quality – Suitable condition required to require dust risk mitigation measures
• Contaminated Land – Suitable condition required to deal with potential contamination
that might be encountered during construction process
• Noise – suitable condition to cover noise generation mitigation measures and hours of
construction
DDC Tree Officer: the parking area should be set back to be in line with the existing parking
area
KCC Highways: Have imposed a holding objection until matters raised in their letter dated 13
February have been addressed. Those matters are summarised as follows:
• Trip generation comparisons unacceptable
• Assessment of construction related traffic, impact and mitigation needed
• No evidence of how proposed parking numbers have been calculated
• Tracking diagrams don’t relate to current proposals
• Travel plan needs amplifying in respect of modal shifts and bus enhancement
measures.
• Parking demand and provision throughout the development phases appears
inadequate – lack of evidence
KCC Archaeology – no objection subject to conditions
Town Council object: Inadequate parking and proposed disposal of “surplus land” – when
there is no provision on site for care-beds.
Summary of matters raised by a number of third party representations (28 objections
and 1 in support received at the time of writing this report) :
• Inadequate parking for numbers of staff, likely visitors and patients including a
reduction in disabled parking spaces
4
• Traffic impact on surrounding areas
• Narrow roads unsuitable for additional traffic/poor access
• Unsuitable location/ location unsuitable for many residents – poor proposal which
benefits small minority
• Harm/impact from construction
• The trust should retain adjoining land for expansion purposes/Hospital Trust appears
to be unwilling to release land for other health providers
• Proposals fail to meet identified need
• CCG have identified need for step-up/step-down bed hospital – not provided for – but
this does not reduce the need
• Proposals should provide best healthcare outcome for Dover population
• Existing Buckland Hospital land/buildings should be retained to enable NHS to
formulate future plans and to enable adequate parking
• Design an eyesore/ poor design (and shabby)
• Hospital will dwarf surrounding properties and result in overlooking of private areas
• Remaining land should be used for social housing
• Scheme should be rejected until a more suitable scheme comes forward
• Support for encouragement of new development in Dover
Dover Society (summary of main points taken from their detailed response – available to
view on line)
• Inadequate parking
• Trip generation estimate unrealistic
• Existing pedestrian access is poor
• No mention of nearby large and developing industrial estate which already causes
traffic congestion and heavy vehicle damage
• Surplus land must be retained for future (hospital) expansion – concern over lack of
expansion space
• Road access must be retained for future expansion
• Town centre health facility should remain available for the community
• The new hospital is a “polyclinic” not a hospital due to inadequate services to be
provided
5
• Proposal fails to deliver DM11/DM13 of the Core Strategy due to poor public
transport links
• Flood risk – and suitable surface water and foul drainage arrangements
• Concern over the loss of the Town Centre Health Facility
They have advised they could only support the application if :
• Parking was increased to existing levels
• Surplus land to be retained for future expansion
• Road access to be substantially improved
• Town Centre Health Clinic to remain available to the local community (the applicants
have confirmed that existing the existing Town Clinic at Maison Dieu Road are a PCT
facility and have nothing to do with the East Kent University NHS Trust), so will not
be affected
The Site and the Proposal
1 Buckland Hospital lies to the south of Coombe Valley Road, some 1.5km from Dover
town centre. It comprises a number of buildings including a former Victorian workhouse
and occupies a roughly central position in the Coombe Valley. The hospital buildings
occupy an extensive area of the site and in some instances have a direct and dominating
frontage to Coombe Valley Road. The hospital is dated, with services and facilities being
carried on in a number of the buildings. It is no longer considered fit for modern day
health care purposes.
2 The hospital has a large car park to the east of the buildings complex, with some
sporadic areas of vehicle and delivery parking elsewhere within the site.
3 The immediately surrounding development, across the road to the north, to the east and
south is largely residential, comprising generally two storey terraced houses. To the
south west, upon the steeply southwards rising land lies a more recent development of
dwellings. Beyond the site to the east lies a gas holder and commercial premises. To
the west are small to medium sized commercial business units. Further to the west lies
the AONB. The impression of the area is that it has a mix of uses of various scales and
operational intensity within the backdrop of the Kent Downs AONB.
4 Coombe Valley Road itself is a lengthy east west running road. It is restricted further to
the east of the application site, by a signal controlled single carriageway which runs
beneath a railway line. The majority of houses on Coombe Valley Road have no off-road
parking, and rely on roadside parking availability.
5 There is an existing bus link to the town centre, and the closest bus stop is opposite the
site. Dover Priory Station is some 1.4 miles from the site.
6 The application site comprises the existing staff car park, which lies to the east of the
main hospital complex, along with the existing single storey physiotherapy block and a
number of other buildings and land that fronts the Coombe Valley Road. The remaining
6
buildings to the more to the west of the hospital site are excluded from the application
site.
7 The car park has an extensive frontage to Coombe Valley Road and has a grassed area
with some trees along the verge which abuts the highway. The side boundary to no 75
Coombe Valley Road to the east is the end of a short terraced row and forms the east
boundary to the application site. To the south of this garden lies a brick built warehouse,
which further bounds the application site.
8 The main physical constraints on the site can be summarised as the :
a. Wooded embankment to the south of the site, and the designation of it as part of
an area of local landscape importance. (The AONB lies a sufficient distance from
the site so as not to be affected)
b. Existing buildings on the site
c. Surrounding scale of development and their proximity to the new building
d. Land levels
e. Narrow characteristics of Coombe Valley Road and access
9 The proposed building would be sited on the existing car park area and would be built to
the edge of a steeply wooded embankment which rises southwards to Randolph Close at
the back of the hospital site. The building would not encroach into the wooded slope. It
would be set back some 10m from the back edge of the pavement.
10 The land level across the site of the proposed building has a fall of some 1.8m from the
western corner of the car park to its northern corner with a fall of some 0.8m from south
to north across the car park to the road edge.
11 It is proposed to retain an existing physio-therapy wing to the existing hospital and
convert it to an energy centre which would serve the hospital. The energy centre would
contain a water and heating plant, main switchroom and storage facilities for hospital
related maintenance activities. A couple of existing hospital buildings are being
demolished at the time of writing the report, to make way for the new building and its
associated facilities
12 Amended details have been received which have reduced the height of the building by
some 1.7m from that originally proposed. This has been achieved by reducing to some
extent the height of levelled land within the site, to achieve a construction surface, and
by reducing the height of the parapet to the building. Amended plans also show the
parapet arrangement set back further from the building edge. Amendments include
changes to the first floor side fenestration arrangements to incorporate brise soleil to
screen opening panes and the use of obscure glazing. A gap of some 10m would be
provided between the east elevation of the building at first floor and the nearest dividing
boundary to the east.
13 Overall the building would be “two storey”, with a height of some 9.5m. It would be some
126m in length and 26m deep. Service equipment would be set well within the roof span
7
so as not to be visible from the street and would be sited behind a parapet arrangement.
The height is governed by the necessary internal heights of rooms and accommodation
and the need to provide service voids between floors. The building would be effectively
split into 3 “blocks”. It would be visually divided at 2 points along its width by full height
vertical glazing. One of the vertical glazed areas would form the entrance atrium to the
hospital. The building would be finished in black brick to its front facade which would be
interrupted with white fibre cement and render and timber panels. The east facing
elevations would also incorporate largely grey, timber and white faced panels. The south
facing elevation would be largely grey panelling. It would have a canopy projection at
ground floor front, above the main entrance, displaying the “Dover Hospital” logo. The
building is of a simple but modern form and design, which due to its finish and quality
ensures it would have a presence. Some of the chosen materials differ from those
commonly found on surrounding buildings, however they would provide an identity to the
building which would become a visually and physically robust landmark building,
indicative of its important purpose and meaning for the community and town. (Plans will
be displayed)
14 The building will achieve a BREEAM very good standard.
15 Accommodation would be divided internally into “departments” and provide for :
• Out patients department
• Minor injuries unit
• Physiotherapy department
• Daily living activities
• Renal dialysis unit
• Childrens amubulatory care
• Day hospital
• Adult ambulatory care, including multi-disciplinary services including medical
treatment and procedure room
• Pharmacy and retail outlet
• Ante-natal and maternity day care services
• Radiology (x-ray and ultra-sound)
• Hard surface for a mobile MRI
• Pathology point for care testing
• Health record storage
These services are supplemented by staff facilities and training areas.
8
The applicants have advised that the types of facilities and accommodation provided
within this new hospital have been identified by the NHS Trust and their user groups.
16 The new building would provide for some 5555 sq m floorspace over two levels and the
refurbishment of the existing physiotherapy block would add a further 601 sq m. The total
floorspace is some 6156 sq m – some 6485 sq m less than the existing hospital. (The
existing hospital building has a floor area of around 12650 sq m, over two floors).
Ancillary shop facilities would be incorporated into the ground floor including a small
pharmacy and small retail shop space selling general A1 use sundries – such as
newspapers, sweets etc, amounting to some 100sqm floorspace. Hours of use are
proposed as 8am to 9pm. (The existing hospital hours are 8.30am to 5.30pm)
17 It is proposed to provide 155 car parking spaces overall (existing 200 spaces). There
would be 97 visitor spaces, 58 staff spaces, including10 disabled parking spaces (an
increase of 5 spaces over existing provision) and 7 renal spaces. 8 designated
motorcycle spaces and 40 bicycle spaces (none at present) are proposed. The parking
area would be sited to the west of the main hospital building and would feature an in and
out managed circulation arrangement. Cycle parking would be adjacent to the new front
entrance. Ambulance access would be located towards the west of the site with access
to a delivery area to the rear of the building. Space for a mobile MRI unit and ambulance
delivery area will be provided for to the rear of the converted physiotherapy building. A
major incident/meeting point/drop off entrance would be provided outside the main
entrance.
18 The application shows a centralised waste management area towards the rear of the
site. This is enclosed from the new hospital building and is well screened by the
embankment to the rear.
19 The applicants have provided details of surveys carried out on two days of a week. A
Saturday survey of existing visitor car parking use has been carried out which identified
13 surplus car parking spaces at 9.30am for visitors reducing to a surplus of 9 by 13.30.
A Wednesday parking survey showed similar levels of visitor parking – but 13-14 surplus
spaces carried on into the afternoon.
20 Staff parking on Saturday showed only 6 spaces in the existing car park were used and
on Wednesday 49 staff parking spaces were occupied in the morning, which had
reduced to 40 by lunchtime. The application concludes that the number of staff parking
spaces could be reduced to between 50 to 60 given the unchanged levels of staff
employed in the new building. Visitor parking levels are being increased to compensate
for the additional numbers of services being provided – but that those services are
spread over a longer period
21 Whilst some of the grass verge to the front of the existing car park will have to be
removed, to enable access to the new building, some of it will be retained as will the
grassed area to the east of the site. The majority of existing trees will be retained.
22 It is proposed to enclose the site to the south by a 3m weld mesh fence atop a boundary
wall. The ambulance access will be controlled by a sliding gate and barrier is proposed
to the staff car park.
9
23 The applicant has discussed the land comprising the remainder of the existing hospital
site, but which is not included in this application site.
“ Two particular issues have been raised in relation to land which will be declared
surplus to health authority requirements on completion of the project. The first relates
to the need for the health authority to retain land for future unpredicted needs and the
second relates to some further statement on the potential future use of the surplus site.
With regard to the former, the health authority’s strategy towards the provision of future
healthcare needs has been the subject of a full clinical assessment carried out by the
E.K.University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust under the title of the Dover Project.
This document sought to rationalise the provision of bed spaces at the Kent and
Canterbury, the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and the William Harvey Hospitals
to serve its area. The basis for the bed space strategy related to population numbers
and the range and age of facilities elsewhere.
The strategy was the subject of a full public consultation with outside bodies and the
wider public and was adopted following the approval of the strategy.
The current proposal is an end result of the adoption of the strategy and which makes
provision for modern clinical facilities serving the local population within buildings
which are fit for purpose.
Under the strategy there is no requirement for bed spaces at Dover with any additional
demand being met by further development at Canterbury, Ashford or Thanet.
Furthermore there is no requirement for extra clinical facilities in the area.
With regard to the future of the surplus land this matter has already been clearly
identified within the planning submission and in correspondence with the planning
policy division of the local planning authority. Draft wording was submitted to the
planning authority for inclusion in their development plan document
Additional comments (paraphrased in parts) in support of the proposals provided by
the applicants set out :
The redevelopment of Buckland hospital is the conclusion of an extensive and
protracted examination of how best to meet health care needs of people living within
the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust area.
The Dover Project outcomes… were to expand intermediate care services
(rehabilitation and recuperation) which can be accessed according to need and reduce
hospital based services. In Dover this is provided successfully through …… additional
investment in community teams together with designated intermediate care beds in
Cornfields and Alexander House residential homes and additional telecom and tele-
health provision.
At the moment clinical services are provided at Buckland and Deal hospitals in addition
to the centres mentioned above.
10
Within Dover district the main area of demand for clinical services…is currently partly
satisfied by travel to other hospitals in the area given the general reduction of clinical
services at Buckland Hospital due to inadequacies of the existing premises. (those
services being mainly now concentrated at other centres).
Need focussed at Dover should be provided within the town …has been the subject of
extensive public consultation and this proposal proposes the centralisation of clinical
services in a rebuilt hospital.
The LPA saw the redevelopment of a hospital in the centre of the town as a key
regeneration strategy for the Mid – Town area… however significant problems through
land assembly and flooding ruled the site out.
Whitfield was considered, but the following matters lead to rejection of this :
• Whitfield physically detached from town and isolated
• Whilst Whitfield is identified for growth it does not equate to the extent of housing in
the town itself
• Whitfield allows easy access by car but is remote otherwise
• Financial constraints
The primary use of surplus land is likely to be residential. However the trust has not
ruled out some form of community based use incorporated in a refurbishment or
redevelopment scheme. In this respect it (The Trust) has already made enquiries from
other intermediate care providers on the demand for additional buildings (primarily to
provide a number of further intermediate bed spaces) However a potential user has so
far not come forward.
The redevelopment of surplus land does provide for a number of opportunities which
will benefit not only the immediate area but also the town as a whole. New housing will
bring a range of 1,2,3 bedroom family units within a sustainable location. The site is
well connected to the town centre by public transport and is within walking distance of
the town centre. It will (be likely to) bring forward affordable housing
Redevelopment (of the former hospital site)will bring the opportunity of providing a
more sensitive environment and frontage to Coombe Valley Road There is an
opportunity to create a high quality environment for the benefit of existing and future
residents. Redevelopment (of the former hospital site) could provide opportunities for
linking the site to countryside beyond the site and play areas again for the benefit of
existing residents and future occupants.
24 Documents accompanying the application include : Desk Based Archaeological