Possible Future “Windfall Sites”:

principally residential developments with appropriate amenities as agreed with site owner

 

Policy NK26: Park Road Scout Hall

 

Should proposals come forward to develop land at the Scout Hall on Park Road, as shown on the Policies Map, a mixed residential and community facility scheme will be supported, provided they accord with the relevant design and other policies and they have specific regard to the following key principles:

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• An upgraded scout hall of the same floorspace or greater is provided either on the site or in an alternative location that is conveniently located to serve North Kingston;

• If the replacement facility is to be provide off-site, then it must be delivered and operational as a scout hall prior to the loss of the existing facility;

• A design strategy that:

• retains the existing mature trees on the site boundary with the rear of properties in Tudor Drive and Cranleigh Gardens and long the boundary with Stable Close;

• comprises buildings normally of no more than two storeys; and

• locates and articulates buildings on the site frontage that respond to the prominence of the site in views along Park Road and Tudor Drive.

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Proposals for the future development of this site should include the provision of community services, including where appropriate arts and cultural facilities, commensurate with the size of the planned development. Consideration should be given to the need for additional healthcare and educational facilities to support the population growth in North Kingston.

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Redevelopment will be expected to demonstrate a significant net gain in the biodiversity of the site, commensurate with its size.    

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5.124 The London Plan encourages the use of low density sites in leisure use to deliver new homes (Policy H1). The scout hall site offers the opportunity to deliver new homes but only provided the scout facilities are upgraded as a benefit of the scheme. The policy allows for either the existing facility to be upgraded on the site or for a new facility to provided elsewhere in North Kingston or its immediate area. In latter case, the new facility must be delivered and made available to the scouts prior to the closure of the existing facility.

 

5.125 Using the former London Plan Density Matrix as a guide, the housing scheme may deliver approx. 15 new homes of a type and design that will be in keeping with the strong suburban character of the Tudor Estate.

Policy NK27: The Seven Kings Car Park   

Should proposals come forward for the redevelopment of the existing Seven Kings Car Park, as shown on the Policies Map, they will be supported, provided the loss of the car parking has been properly assessed and it can be demonstrated that the benefits of redevelopment out-weighs the loss of off-street parking. In such circumstances, proposals for a mixed residential and employment scheme will be supported, provided they accord with the relevant design and other policies and they have specific regard to the following key principles:

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• Comprehensive masterplan and planning application for the whole site;

• Flatted residential scheme on upper floors;

• High job density employment uses on the ground floor including low cost business space and affordable workspace;

• A design strategy that:

• Reflects the prominence of the site on Sury Basin frontage and maintains the existing building line of properties to its immediate south;

• Comprises buildings no taller than the existing buildings of the Seven Kings Car Parks on site, paying particular attention to safeguarding the amenity of residents in Skerne Road and Seven Kings Way;

• Buildings should be located and articulate to respond to the prominence of site frontages in long views from Henry Macauley Avenue, Seven Kings Way and Lower Kings Road;

• Includes a landscape scheme with frontage trees.

• Includes the provision of secure cycle parking in accordance with the provisions of the development plan.

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Proposals for the future development of this site should include the provision of community services, including where appropriate arts and cultural facilities, commensurate with the size of the planned development. Consideration should be given to the need for additional healthcare and educational facilities to support the population growth in North Kingston.

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Redevelopment will be expected to demonstrate a significant net gain in the biodiversity of the site, commensurate with its size.

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5.126 The site currently operates as a car park providing approx. 1000 spaces. The site lies within an existing PTAL of 6a. It is located within 400 m distance of Kingston Station and within the defined Kingston Town Centre boundary. The site is also consistent with the aspirations of the Kingston Opportunity Area and the Local Plan may therefore in due course include it within the boundary of the Kingston Town Centre Opportunity Area (identified in the Early Engagement’ document of May 2019). The London Plan favours using brownfield sites, especially for the mixed-use redevelopment of car parks and supermarkets (Policy H1).

 

5.127 Using the former London Plan Density Matrix as a guide, the scheme may therefore deliver approx. 150 new homes in flatted and other housing forms, some of which will be incorporated with the new, compatible employment uses.

 

5.128 During the Forum’s local consultation on the initial Draft Neighbourhood Plan in 2019 a number of responses were received expressing concern about the possible loss of the off-street car parking currently provided. However, there were also many objections to the increased level of traffic locally, and this threatens to significantly increase with the development of the Canbury Car Park/Kingsgate site (see policy NK19) nearby and the consequential closure of Kingsgate Road. Local residents will recall the congestion experienced in January 2020 when, due to emergency utility works, Kingsgate Road was temporarily closed, with traffic taking up to 10 minutes to pass from the Ring Road via Seven Kings Way and Sury Ba-sin to Richmond Road.

 

5.129 Therefore, while the forum is not aware of any proposals for the imminent redevelopment of the car park site, on balance its future redevelopment may be justified if, as part of the renewal of this corner of North Kingston, traffic both to and through the area can be managed so as to avoid undue congestion, minimise noise especially in residential areas, and control pollution.

 

 

Policy NK28: Richmond Road Petrol Station

 

Should proposals come forward to redevelop land at Richmond Road Petrol Station, as shown on the Policies Map, a residential scheme will be supported, provided they accord with the relevant design and other policies and they have specific regard to the following design strategy that:

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• reflects prominence of site on Richmond Road frontage and maintains the existing building line of properties on the eastern side of the road in this vicinity;

• comprises buildings of up to 3 storeys on the Richmond Road frontage are recommended;

• avoids large, unarticulated expanses of building blocks adjoining the rear of residential properties in Archer Close or on Richmond Road;

• includes a landscape scheme with frontage trees and amenity land to Richmond Road.

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Proposals for the future development of this site should include the provision of community services, including where appropriate arts and cultural facilities, commensurate with the size of the planned development. Consideration should be given to the need for additional healthcare and educational facilities to support the population growth in North Kingston.

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Redevelopment will be expected to demonstrate a significant net gain in the biodiversity of the site, commensurate with its size.  

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Redevelopment will be expected to conserve and enhance the significance of the Riverside North Conservation Area and its setting.

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5.130 The London Plan encourages the use of low density commercial brownfield sites (Policy H1). This site is suited to a redevelopment scheme as it is surrounded by residential properties on Richmond Road and there is another petrol station facility within less than half a mile on the same road. The site is also consistent with the aspirations of the Kingston Opportunity Area and the Local Plan may therefore in due course include it within the boundary of the Kingston Town Centre Opportunity Area (identified in the Early Engagement’ document of May 2019).

 

5.131 Using the former London Plan Density Matrix as a guide, the housing scheme may deliver approximately 30 new homes in a flatted scheme of a type and design that will be in keeping with the character of Richmond Road.