february 2015 welwyn garden city masterplan

February 2015

Welwyn Garden CityMasterplanDesign and Access StatementIssue 03

Revisions

Revision History

09/01/2015 — Issue 01

11/02/2015 — Issue 02

13/02/2015 — Issue 03 - Final Planning Issue

Revised By

Sebastian Pitman

Sebastian Pitman

Matt Collyer

Checked By

Matt Collyer

Matt Collyer

Julian Barrett

2

EPR ArchitectsSpen Hill Developments

Welwyn Garden CityDesign & Access StatementFebruary 2015



A modern interpretation of the GardenCity principles are embedded in allaspects of the design; greenery, openspace and a sense of communityfeature throughout the proposals,offering a new approach to patterns ofliving and working that reflect theaspiration of a healthy lifestyle fortoday.

3

Team

4

Contents

1.0 Masterplan Framework 5

2.0 Contextual Analysis 15

3.0 Brief, Site Analysis & Initial Masterplan Response 23

4.0 Masterplan Design Development 37

5.0 Final Masterplan Proposals 57

6.0 Masterplan Access 69

7.0 Phasing, Areas & Quantum 79

8.0 The Shredded Wheat Factory (Blocks 4 & 5) 85

9.0 Design Principles - Phase 1 111

10.0 Blocks 6&7 123

11.0 Blocks 2&3 147

12.0 Block 1 179

13.0 Conclusion 185

ClientProject ManagerArchitectLandscape ArchitectPlanning ConsultantBuilding ServicesStructural EngineerFire ConsultantHeritageTransport ConsultantGeotechnical EngineersCommunicationCDM Co-ordinatorAgent & Development AdviceCost ConsultantCDMC

Spen Hill Developments LtdStaceEPR Architects LtdBradley Murphy Design (BMD)DLA Town PlanningCudd BentleyICIS DesignOmega Fire EngineeringKM HeritageTPADelta SimmonsWeber ShandwickCDM Co-ordinatorCollinson HallStaceStace



pg

1.0MasterplanFramework

5



1.1 Introduction 7

1.2 Site Boundary and Application Type 10

pg

1.3 Planning History of Application Site 11

1.4 Broadwater Road Supplementary Planning Document 12

1.0 Masterplan Framework

1.1 Introduction

EPR Architects Ltd have been appointed by Spen HillDevelopments Ltd to prepare a Design and AccessStatement to accompany a planning application for theredevelopment of land at Broadwater Road, known locallyas the former Shredded Wheat Factory site.

The structure and content of this statement has beeninformed by Design and Access Statements: How to Write,Read and Use Them (CABE 2006), as well as section 62of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Article 8 of theTown and Country Planning (Development ManagementProcedure)(England) Order 2010, and guidance in theNational Planning Practice Guidance at Paragraph: 029Reference ID: 14-029-20140306.

The planning application is for the:

New build and change of use to include up to 850•

dwellings, workspace, a healthcare facility, a hotel,Class A1, A3 and A4 units and a community building;

The demolition of non-original silos and factory and•

the refurbishment and change of use of the originalsilos, Production Building, Grain Store and BoilerHouse;

The provision of landscaping to include a linear park, a•

Multi-use Games Area (MUGA), allotments, greenwalls and a neighbourhood square; and

Highway works, to include the widening of footways•

and the provision of cycleways to Broadwater Roadand Bridge Road, together with works to Hyde Wayand the erection of a new footbridge from Bridge Roadleading directly into the scheme.

7



1.1.1 The purpose of this Design and Access

Statement

The purpose of this Design and Access Statement is to setout the design evolution of the masterplan and that of theconstituent individual buildings, resulting in the finaliseddesign principles and concepts that form the basis for theplanning application.

The statement also outlines how issues relating to theaccess to the development, both on a masterplan scaleand relating to individual buildings, have been consideredand integrated into the design proposals to ensurefunctionality and accessibility for all.

This document also sets out the rationale behind theinclusion of various elements of the masterplan and howthese combine to enhance and complement the towncentre of Welwyn Garden City, thus allowing new andcurrent residents and visitors of the town to enjoy andappreciate the site’s important heritage and manufacturinglegacy.

1.1.2 Summary of planning context

This Design and Access Statement has been prepared inthe context of the current planning policies directly relevantto the site, which comprise the saved policies of theWelwyn Hatfield District Plan adopted 2005 andsupplementary planning guidance. A new local plan is atthe early stages of preparation.

The District Plan, under Saved Policy EMP3 identifies thesite for mixed use development, consisting primarily ofemployment, housing, leisure and rail-related uses. Thesite is also subject to the (adopted, 2008) BroadwaterRoad Supplementary Planning Document (BWR SPD)which identifies the site as an area of opportunity for mixeduse development.

The BWR SPD sets out a framework for the sustainableregeneration and redevelopment of the site andestablishes the broad amounts, type and mix ofdevelopment that should be delivered, as well asidentifying design and layout constraints, and otherrequirements that need to be addressed as part of theredevelopment process, all of which are explored withinthis document.

For full details relating to Planning matters please refer toDLA’s Planning Report, which accompanies this planningapplication.

This Design and Access Statement is to be read inconjunction with the following documents, whichaccompany this application and are referred to within thisstatement as a source of supplementary information:

Planning Report - DLA;•

Statement of Significance - KM Heritage; •

Landscape Design Statement - BMD;•

Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment - BMD; •

Sustainability Statement - Cudd Bentley;•

Transport Assessment - TPA; and•

Statement of Community Involvement - Weber•

Shandwick

8



Location plan; rail and road connections to surrounding towns and cities

1.1.3 Site background

This document relates to the redevelopment of the formerShredded Wheat Factory site, a former industrial sitelocated in the heart of Welwyn Garden City. The site isextremely well connected, located adjacent to the town’srailway station, with regular trains to London - to the south- and Cambridge - to the north - this is a truly sustainablebrownfield redevelopment opportunity.

The site is also well positioned locally. With the majority ofthe site being within a 5 minute walk of the town centreand its associated amenities, the site is highly accessiblefor local residents, workers and visitors alike.

Due to its previous industrial and manufacturing heritagethe site, and the associated railway lines, have historicallyacted as a physical and psychological barrier between thetwo adjoining wards of Peartree - to the east - andHandside to the west of the town centre core.

As manufacturing processes evolved during the secondpart of the twentieth century, becoming less reliant on therailway and more so on the road network, this sense ofeast - west division has been further amplified by thegrowing importance and dominance of the adjacent roads,not least Broadwater Road, which runs directly to the eastof the site, as demonstrated by the diagram on theopposite page.

However, due to the now changing circumstances of theapplication site, with the last of the onsite industrial andmanufacturing activities ceasing, now exists the prospectfor one of the most significant regeneration opportunities inWelwyn Garden City to come forward in the town's modernera.

As such, the redevelopment of the site offers theopportunity to create a new and distinct neighbourhoodwithin Welwyn Garden City, with improved linkages fromthe established residential areas of Peartree, acrossBroadwater Road to the railway station and the towncentre. The site has the potential to deliver a number of

9



The site in the context of Welwyn Garden City town centre

The railway lines define the ward boundary of Handside and Peartree Existing railway footbridge provides the sole connection through the application site to the town centre Broadwater Road currently acts as a barrier between Peartree and the application site

community focused uses, a significant number of new homes for the Borough and a number ofother complementary town centre uses, all located around a series of inter-connected publicallyaccessible spaces for the inclusive use and enjoyment of Welwyn Garden City’s residents andworkers.

With the site’s heritage and historic features at the forefront of the design evolution, the DesignTeam has worked closely with the Local Planning Authority and other key stakeholders to open upthe site and create a new and distinct neighbourhood within the heart of the town centre, to bringtogether disparate parts of the town and complement the uses and functions of the current towncentre.

The evolution of the team’s design as set out in this document has been closely guided byEbenezer Howard’s original Garden City principles, but with a modern interpretation; greenery, openspace and a sense of community will feed through all aspects of the masterplan, offering a newapproach to patterns of living and working that reflect the aspiration of a healthy lifestyle for today.

1.2 Site Boundary and Application Type

The image adjacent illustrates the masterplan boundary ofthe application site (shown in red), which is circa 12.7 ha inarea. All proposed development within the applicationboundary is to be covered by an application for outlineplanning consent which this document supports. However,full reserved matters for the northern part of the applicationsite (Phase 1) will also be submitted as part of the outlineapplication.

The extent of the Phase 1 development and associatedbuilt areas, which includes the renovation of the retainedlisted buildings, is described in detail in Section 7.0 of thisstatement.

10



Application boundary

11



1.3 Planning History of Application Site

The site is located to the east of Welwyn Garden City towncentre. It is a former cereal production site to the north ofHyde Way and (largely cleared) industrial and factory useson the southern side. The site is redundant and has beenvacant since 2008. It is approximately 12.7 ha in size(including areas of the surrounding road network to whichworks are proposed) and forms the majority of the site asdescribed by the BRW SPD. The Former Shredded Wheatfactory buildings (including the silos) are Grade II listed.

The surrounding area is mixed in character. BroadwaterRoad is largely in industrial/office use on the eastern sideand to the north of the site, but is more mixed to the southwith residential development (Taylor Wimpey site) abuttingthe southern boundary and the large Hertfordshire BioParkoffice and laboratory building to the south west. WelwynGarden City town centre is immediately west of theadjoining East Coast Mainline and an existing pedestrianroute extends across the site via Hyde Way. The Pall Mallwarehouse and distribution centre is also located to thesouth west of the site, access to which is currentlyprovided through the application site via the Network Railaccess from Bridge Road.

There has been only one significant development proposalof note since the application site became redundant. In2010 proposals were put forward for redevelopment of thesite to include conversion of the 1920’s Production Hall tooffices, conversion of the silos to a heritage centre andcafé and redevelopment of the remainder of the site(excluding Pall Mall) for a mix of uses in total comprising:

• 13,957sqm of office floor space;

• 344 residential units (approx.);

• A retail supermarket (4,646sqm);

• 800sqm of additional retail floor space (A1-A5);

• 1,000sqm of café restaurants;

Existing site plan

• A 3,225sqm leisure centre;

• A 950sqm doctor's surgery;

• A 4,200sqm extra care home;

• A YMCA facility of 5,800sqm;

• A 3,200sqm hotel;

• The provision of 909 cycle spaces; and

• The provision of 1,108 car parking spaces.

The application was refused permission in January 2012for seven reasons that can be summarised as follows:

Retail Assessment has failed to demonstrate an1

adequate sequential approach to retail development; The retail store would have a significant adverse2

impact on investment in and the vitality and viability ofWelwyn Garden City town centre;Unacceptable in urban design terms;3

The proposal failed to a) make the most efficient use4

of land for housing and b) to deliver the Pall Mall sitein accordance with the SPD;Adverse impact on highway safety, capacity and free5

flow of traffic;The overprovision of car parking for the Tesco store,6

and the failure to promote wider sustainable transportmeasures; andThe failure to meet the minimum car parking standards7

for the residential units.

The masterplan has taken account of the third and fourthreasons for refusal.

Former Shredded WheatFactory

BioPark

Taylor Wimpey Site

Pal

l Mal

l War

ehou

se

12



Broadwater Road West Supplementary Planning Document

1.4 Broadwater Road West Supplementary Planning Document (BWR SPD)

The BWR SPD sets out a vision for the site and keyobjectives as follows:

The Council’s vision for the site is ‘To deliver an energeticand pioneering scheme of development which integratesthe spirit of the garden city with the very best of highquality 21st century design, seizing the opportunity toenhance the local environment and create a sustainable,supported neighbourhood of an appropriate scale, whichsuccessfully integrates with the local community.’

This vision is based on the following objectives:

To create a sustainable neighbourhood with an•

appropriate mix of uses for its central location;

To establish strong connections between the east side•

of town, the site, and through to the town centre;

To use the industrial heritage as a cue for form,•

character and identity - re-use listed structures andensure sympathetic development;

To explore innovative and sustainable uses drawing on•

the natural, infrastructure and spatial assets of thesite;

To create urban grain capable of supporting•

appropriate uses while reflecting the town centremorphology;

To consider accommodating large scale uses which•

would best be located near the centre as theopportunity to do this is unlikely to arise again;

To support live-work proximity;•

To define the amount of employment land/floor space•

that should be provided for; and

To enhance biodiversity.•

1.4.1 Responding to the Broadwater Road West Supplementary Planning Document

The application site and other adjoining sites, including thePall Mall land to the south-west and the new TaylorWimpey residential development to the south are allcovered, from a local planning policy perspective, by the‘Broadwater Road West’ Supplementary PlanningDocument, adopted by Welwyn and Hatfield BoroughCouncil in December 2008.

This Design and Access (D&A) statement demonstrateshow our vision and design aspirations for the applicationsite have been guided by and reflect the vision and spatialobjectives set out and illustrated through the adoptedBWR SPD masterplan.

The D&A statement will also demonstrate how theapplication masterplan will facilitate the futureredevelopment of other adjacent sites that are covered bythe BRW SPD but yet to come forward as redevelopmentopportunities.

13



Interpretation of Local planning policy map illustrating listed building and conservation area designations - Image by BMD

1.4.2 Conservation Areas

The application site is not located within a conservationarea but is in close proximity to the Welwyn Garden CityConservation Area as illustrated on the diagram opposite.This conservation area covers a large area of the towncentre to the west of the site and its residential hinterlandslocated within the local ward of Handside.

Whilst not located within the conservation area, it isacknowledged that the proposals do have the potential toimpact on its character and appearance. However, as faras this application site is concerned, there is something ofa barrier between it and the conservation area caused bythe breadth of the railway lines and associated sidings andthe Howard Centre to the west.

Resultant impacts on existing views of the application sitefrom locations within the conservation area are assessedwithin BMD’s Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment.

1.4.3 Listed Buildings

As also illustrated by the adjacent plan there are two listedbuildings located within or within close proximity to theapplication boundary. The first, a complex of buildingslocated within the northern part of the applicationboundary, were commissioned by the American ShreddedWheat company and designed by Louis de Soissons.

The buildings, which include the original Production Hallbuilding and original range of wheat silos (NabiscoShredded Wheat Factory) were built in 1925 for theAmerican Shredded Wheat Company and are of a Grade IIListing as are the more recent buildings that make up thecomplex, which were added during the 1930’s and 1950’sas production methods became more intense and thecompany’s production output grew.

The entire complex of listed buildings now sit unoccupiedsince the relocation of Cereal Partners UK in 2008.

14



Existing Shredded Wheat silos

Grade II Listed Nabisco Shredded Wheat factory buildings viewed from the existing railway footbridge Shredded Wheat buildings viewed from above Listed Roche Products Factory reception building

In addition to the listed buildings located within theapplication boundary there is one other listed buildingwithin close proximity to the site and within the SPDmasterplan area. This building is the Roche ProductsFactory reception building (Grade II Listing), designed byOtto Salvisberg and constructed in 1938.

This building is located directly to the south of theapplication site boundary and now forms part of the TaylorWimpey residential led development. This recentdevelopment is now largely complete, with the exception ofthe conversion of the Roche Factory building itself, whichis currently unoccupied.

Later sections of this document outline our designrationale behind the proposed retention and re use of theoriginal 1920’s production buildings, which will be furthersupported by the Heritage Statement, produced by KMHeritage.

2.0Contextual Analysis

15



2.1 History of the Garden City and Ebenezer Howard’s Garden

City Principles

2.2 Louis de Soissons’ Masterplan Vision for the Town 17

pg

2.3 History of the Application Site 19

2.4 Welwyn Garden City and the Application Site Today 22

17

17

2.0 Contextual Analysis

Howard’s Three Magnets diagram - ‘Where will they go?’



2.1 History of the Garden City and

Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City Principles

Howard’s revolutionary vision for the ‘Garden City’ was tobring the best elements of both urban and rural livingtogether to create a new, revolutionary model of living.This concept is clearly illustrated in Howard’s worldfamous ‘Three Magnets’ diagram (left), in which he liststhe perceived advantages and disadvantages of the firsttwo magnets, ‘Town’ and ‘Country’. The third magnet,‘Town–Country’ has all of the combined benefits fromthese two traditional, yet diverse models of living but noneof the disadvantages such as the overcrowded livingconditions of towns or the poor social facilities and lack ofjob prospects one might face when living in the country.This concept of blending the best of both words into a newway of living was to form the basis of the Garden City.

Howard’s key Garden City principles included:

A fair distribution to the community of the profits that•

result from new development, founded on land valuecapture and the control of core utilities;

Strong political support and leadership, with firm•

commitment to a clear vision and communityparticipation;

A suitable body to manage community assets over the•

long term;

Mixed-tenure homes and housing types, with the•

majority of homes genuinely affordable;

A full range of employment opportunities within easy•

commuting distance of homes;

Beautifully and imaginatively designed, high-quality•

homes with gardens, combining the best of town andcountry living to create healthy living environments;

Development that enhances the natural environment,•

providing net biodiversity gains and using zero-carbon

and energy-positive technology to ensure climateresilience;

Strong cultural, recreational and shopping facilities in•

walkable, vibrant sociable neighbourhoods; and

Integrated and accessible transport systems, with•

walking, cycling and public transport designed to bethe most attractive forms of local transport.

Howard’s vision for this new revolutionary way of livingattracted enough financial support to found the first of thegarden cities, being Letchworth Garden City, whichconstruction work began in 1903 under the directstewardship of Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker, whomHoward trusted to implement his vision.

Following in the footsteps of Letchworth, Welwyn GardenCity was the second and last true Garden City to be built inEngland to date with work beginning in 1920. As withLetchworth, Welwyn Garden City was founded onHoward’s Garden City principles but implemented byanother. In the case of Welwyn Garden City, the personwho translated Howard’s vision into bricks and mortar wasLouis de Soissons, a French Canadian born architect whotrained at the Royal Academy and École des Beaux-Arts inParis.

2.2 Louis de Soissons’ Masterplan Vision

for the Town

In April 1920, Welwyn Garden City Limited was formallyestablished as the owner and developer of the 2,378 acreestate, as a new garden city for 40-50,000 inhabitants.Louis de Soissons was appointed as the principal architectand planner in April 1920 and he presented a ‘master plan’for the new ‘city’ in June of the same year. It was the firstmajor commission of the Louis de Soissons Partnership,the practice he had set up with George Grey Wornum.

18



Louis de Soissons’’ Welwyn Garden City masterplan

Louis de Soissons and the partnership were activelyinvolved in Welwyn Garden City’s planning, architecturaldesign and growth for over 60 years.The development company – Welwyn Garden City Limited– allocated land for industrial and business purposes, aswell as for privately owned houses, granting leases withrestrictive covenants. De Soissons had total control of theplan of Welwyn Garden City – all plans of buildings had tobe submitted to him under the provisions of the Buildingand Other Regulations in Force on the Welwyn GardenCity Estate of 1923. Welwyn Garden City Limitedsuccessfully controlled the appearance of the town, andbuilt about 40% of the buildings themselves.

The new Garden City was to be self-sufficient; it was to bea carefully planned settlement combining industry andagriculture into a distinct whole, a self-containedcommunity with an industrial area providing jobs in ‘clean’manufacturing industries.

This was to prevent the town becoming merely a dormitorytown for London. The limits on its growth were ultimatelyset by the surrounding green-belt and any trees already inthe landscape were retained in the initial plan. A follower ofGarden City philosophy wrote in 1911

‘The object of a Garden City is to draw away fromovercrowded localities or to intercept the ever increasingflow from the country by establishing new industrial townsin the country: towns which shall always stand in their beltof agricultural land’ (Sir Ralph Neville, ‘Garden City andGarden Suburb’, in Garden Cities and Town Planning, n.s.Vol. 1, No. 1 (1911).

To the west and north of the town centre were residentialdistricts, and to the east of the railway line were areasreserved for industry and business, beyond which werefurther areas of housing. The industrial area was besidethe London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and thebranch line to Hertford which swept north-eastwards (nowclosed). This fairly level land close to the railway wasrecognised as the best site for industry. Most of thefactories were eventually located off Broadwater Road,which ran in a north-south axis.

19

Aerial view of the original Shredded Wheat factory buildings - circa 1928



2.3 History of the Application Site

The first company to occupy a site in the new ‘FactoryArea’ at Welwyn Garden City was Archibald D. Dawnay &Sons Ltd, constructional engineers and structural steelfabricators who took a site near Hunter’s Bridge whichcrossed the railway. They were quickly followed by theAmerican Shredded Wheat company which leased sevenacres just to the south in an excellent position, directlyadjacent to the railway lines.

Shredded Wheat was attracted to the town for severalreasons – the close proximity to London, but without the‘smoke, grime and fog, that London is apt to indulge in’;and the convenience of getting ‘suitable railway sidingaccommodation for receiving goods to other parts of thecountry’ (Hertford Local Studies Library, Industry Moves Out (n/d), p.19).

20



The 1920’s masterplan had clearly defined zones - live, work, shopAerial view of Welwyn Garden City town centre - circa 1941

Aerial view of the town’s industrial zone and the residential areas of Peartree - circa 1939

21

Aerial view of Welwyn Garden City - circa 1935



Of equal importance to locating near to the railway was theprospect of having a factory in a new healthy environmentwhere the workforce could profit from all the social andeconomic benefits of ‘the happy Shredded Wheat Family’.The company believed that ‘all food for humanconsumption should be manufactured under the most rigidsanitary conditions and amidst surroundings that arecleanly, healthy and pleasant’. Welwyn Garden City waschosen as ‘more nearly conforming to these ideals thanany of the other sites offered’.

The southern part of the application site was originallyoccupied by British Instructional Films (BIF) who set upbusiness in Welwyn Garden City shortly after the arrival ofShredded Wheat. Founded by Bruce Wolf (a producer anddirector) in 1919, the Welwyn Film Studios opened on thesite in 1928. Filming and recording ran from within themodern studio facilities from 1932 until its closure in 1952,with over 80 features accredited to BIF’s Welwyn GardenCity’s studios during their 20 year existence.

Following the studio’s closure the site was purchased byArdath Tobacco, and from 1962 onwards the site was usedby Polycell.

22



Welwyn Garden City today remains a town clearly defined by zones, albeit all have expanded as the town has grown in the past centaury

2.4 Welwyn Garden City and the Application

Site Today

Welwyn Garden City today remains a town defined clearlyby the zones that were set by Louis de Soissons’masterplan nearly a century ago. The town’s shopping, orretail core, remains in the same location, although muchlarger in size with many additions, not least the HowardCentre shopping mall built in the 1980’s, which nowincorporates the location of the original railway station. Theindustrial work zone remains in its original locationalthough expanded considerably in size and now morereliant on the road infrastructure than the railway.

As a result of the manufacturing zone expanding,particularly south, the residential area of Peartree hasbecome increasingly segregated, both physically andpsychologically from the town’s core.

One of the key aspirations of our masterplan is to draw thetwo halves of the town together. A mix of uses chosen tocomplement those already established within the towncentre, are envisaged to act as a catalyst for newresidential development to grow and prosper around them;it is foreseen that adjacent industrial/commercial sites will,over time, be redeveloped as residential and modernemployment generating uses, aiding further to connect theexisting residential areas of the Peartree Ward with thecentre of Welwyn Garden City.

The masterplan proposals also aspire to put Louis deSoissons’ original 1920’s production buildings at the heartof the redevelopment of this site; the listed 1920’sbuildings will be given a new use and new lease of life soto ensure that the site’s heritage value can continue to becelebrated and its historic buildings can once againcontribute to the prosperity of Welwyn Garden City.

3.0The Brief, Site Analysis &Initial Masterplan Response

23



3.1 Masterplan Competition Brief 25

3.2 Our Vision and Aspirations for the Site 26

pg

3.3 Site Analysis and Initial Masterplan Response 28

3.4 Summary of Stakeholder and Community Engagement 36

february 2015 welwyn garden city masterplan

Documents