Environment | St Quintin and Woodlands Neighbourhood Forum

Objective 3 Protect the environmental quality of the neighbourhood’s wide streets and public realm including views within and from the conservation area

3.1.1 The distinctive spatial quality of the St Quintin Estate, with its wide tree-lined streets and pavements, is a feature much appreciated by local residents. The area differs significantly from many other residential areas the borough (such as Hillgate Village and much of Chelsea) which were built at an earlier time and where streets and pavements are narrower and views and aspects more confined.

3.1.2 This section of the St Quintin Estate was built to an overall planned layout and with a limited menu of house types. The ‘railway cottages’ in the Oakworth Road area also share a common architectural design. This enhances the homogenous quality of the neighbourhood, and forms the main justification for its status as a conservation area.

3.1.3 The scale of the housing (generally two storey) coupled with the generous width streets and pavements (particularly in the ‘red-brick streets) allows for long vistas and open skies, again relatively unusual so close to the centre of London. The area still feels close to the outer edge of London, reflecting the fact that it was open fields until the start of the 20th century, with the large green space of Wormwood Scrubs and the playing fields of Latymer School to its west. The St Quintin Estate is described in the Oxford Gardens CAPS as having a ‘suburban’ feel, although it is close to the heart of London.

3.1.4 Unlike the 1979/90 Oxford Gardens Conservation Area Proposal Statement, and the planned new Conservation Area Appraisal for Oxford Gardens, the StQW Neighbourhood Plan can set planning policies for the neighbourhood area, subject to meeting the Basic Conditions. Hence this Plan aims to protect as far as possible the distinctive environmental characteristics of the of the StQW area.

3.1.5 Policy CL1 in the RBKC Core Strategy already requires all development to respect the existing context, character, and appearance, taking opportunities available to improve the quality and character of buildings and the area and the way it functions, including being inclusive for all. Policy CL1(e) resists development which interrupts, disrupts or detracts from strategic and local vistas, views and gaps. RBKC policy CR1 requires a well connected, inclusive and legible network of streets to be maintained and enhanced.

3.1.6 The StQW Plan cannot directly impact on planning matters beyond the designated neighbourhood area. Future major developments which will impact on the local open space at Wormwood Scrubs will be the subject of decision- making by the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation. The Forum will be continuing to work with the cross-borough Grand Union Alliance, a network of local community groups and residents bodies working across Brent, Ealing, and Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF).

3.1.7 StQW Draft Policy 3a, as set out below, is intended to support the policies and principles in the RBKC Local Plan and the Council’s Supplementary Planning Document on Tall Buildings. The draft policy mirrors at neighbourhood level RBKC Core Strategy policies CO5, CR1, CL1, and CL2. It also reflects Policies 7.4, 7.6 and 7.7 of the 2011 London Plan, on tall buildings.

Outdoor advertising

3.2.1 The StQW neighbourhood is vulnerable to continued efforts by major outdoor advertising companies to increase the number, height and size of outdoor advertising structures along the A40(M) Westway. Policy 3b is designed to ensure that outdoor advertising impacting on views within and from the conservation area, and creating associated light pollution, is adequately controlled.

CGI image of Imperial West development on completion, with the with StQW neighbourhood at centre/left

Sense of enclosure

3.3.1 The RBKC Core Strategy includes a policy CL5(c) on sense of enclosure. This is a relatively unusual policy for a local planning authority, and was introduced to reflect the fact that the Borough is very densely built, with residential land values that encourage property owners to expand buildings in terms of height and/or into every possible part of a site or landholding. This can cause serious harm to the amenity of neighbours, even if required standards of daylight/sunlight and privacy are met by the proposal.

3.3.2 The StQW neighbourhood is less at risk to such practices than some parts of the Borough, although there have been issues over building heights on the eastern side of Latimer Road and on a refused application for the development site at Crowthorne Road. Within the neighbourhood, it is particularly rear gardens that can be at threat of a significantly increased ‘sense of enclosure’, many such gardens being small. Hence StQW Draft Policy 3d) below is proposed, referring specifically to impact on rear gardens.

Street Trees

3.4.1 The street trees within the StQW area were cited by many respondents to the StQW Survey as an important and valued featured of the neighbourhood. Hence Action 3iii below, in this Draft Plan.

Risk of flooding

3.5.1 Counters Creek runs directly beneath the StQW area and is one of the ‘lost rivers’ of London. This former river and its large catchment in north west London form part of Thames Water’s sewage network, draining all surface water from buildings and roads, as well as draining waste water from properties.

3.5.2 Heavy rainfall in July 2007 caused widespread sewer flooding in parts of RBKC (the Holland Park area) and RBKC homes were also flooded during storms in 2004, 2005 and as a result of other events. Thames Water has found that a loss of green space, together with a high density of basements close to the sewer line, means that certain properties in the Borough are at a particularly high risk of flooding.

3.5.3 In addition to installing anti-flood devices (known as ‘FLIPs’) at properties at the highest risk of flooding, Thames Water has now agreed with OFWAT an investment programme of a further £26m over the next 2 years. The longer term plan is for a new storm relief sewer for the catchment, to be delivered between 2015 and 2020.

3.5.4 London has a combined sewerage system which means that rainwater run-off from streets and buildings goes into the same sewers as foul flows from sinks and toilets. As more and more areas of the capital are paved over, rainwater that used to soak away into the ground now flows straight into the sewerage network. This means that when it rains heavily, the sewerage network quickly fills and can become overwhelmed by the combination of sewage and rainwater. An analysis of aerial photography over the last 40 years suggests that around 17% of green space has been lost in the Counters Creek catchment.

3.5.5 This is the background to the proposed StQW Policy 2(e) on resisting non-permeable surfaces in front gardens (see under Section 2 on Conservation).

3.5.6 In commenting on the Consultation Version of the StQW Draft Plan, Thames Water Authority has drawn attention to water supply and wastewater infrastructure. The Authority asked that the following text be added to the Plan: “Developers will be expected to demonstrate that there is adequate water and wastewater infrastructure capacity both on and off the site to serve the development and that it would not lead to adverse amenity impacts for existing or future users. In some circumstances this may make it necessary for developers to carry out appropriate appraisals and reports to ascertain whether the proposed development will lead to overloading of existing water and wastewater infrastructure. Where there is a capacity constraint and no improvements are programmed by Thames Water, developers will be required to demonstrate how any necessary upgrades will be delivered in advance of occupation to ensure compliance with Policies C1 and CE2 of the RBKC Core Strategy.”

3.5.7 The StQW Forum supports the above view and the requirements it places on developers. Given that existing RBKC policies cover these issues, no additional StQW Policy is required.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: DRAFT POLICY StQW 3

3a) where development impacts on the appearance and built form of the StQW part of the Oxford Gardens Conservation area, to require that proposals reflect and respond to the distinctive character of the St Quintin Estate in terms of the ratio of existing building heights to street and pavement widths.

Reasoned justification: to preserve or enhance the characteristics and features of the StQW part of the Oxford Gardens Conservation Area. The 1990 RBKC CAPS document states in relation to ‘District C ‘ ‘Buildings are farther apart than elsewhere in the Conservation Area. There generally more than 22 metres between building lines and this, together with the limited height of the houses, results in streets of surprisingly generous proportions. Space behind and at the corner of terraces is also generous, and the consequent suburban openness is very important to the character and appearance of the area’.

3b) where development impacts on views and vistas within and from the StQW neighbourhood, to resist proposals which cause harm to, or fail to preserve or enhance, the character of the StQW part of the Oxford Gardens Conservation area.

Reasoned justification: to preserve or enhance the particular characteristics of the StQW part of the Oxford Gardens Conservation Area and in particular the relatively open skylines and vistas of the St Quintin Estate.

3c) to ensure that proposals for outdoor advertising (including associated structures) within or in the immediate surroundings of the StQW neighbourhood, do not cause harm to, or fail to preserve or enhance the character of the StQW part of the Oxford Gardens Conservation Area.

Reasoned justification: to respond to a threat specific to the neighbourhood, given its proximity to one of the major routes into London and the fact that this route (Westway) is elevated, resulting in pressures for advertising structures of 30m or more in height. To preserve or enhance the particular characteristics of the StQW part of the Oxford Gardens Conservation Area and in particular the relatively open skylines and vistas of the St Quintin Estate.

3d) to require that new development creates no harmful increase to the sense of enclosure of rear gardens of houses within the StQW part of the Oxford Gardens conservation area.

Reasoned justification: to protect and enhance a particular feature of the character of the StQW part of the Oxford Gardens Conservation area, and one providing significant amenity value to its residents.

ACTIONS

3i) to participate in the RBKC North Kensington Streetscape Advisory Group and to encourage a high quality public realm for the neighbourhood, in terms of surface treatments (paving), street lighting, and street furniture.

3ii) to continue to lobby the Westway Trust to reduce its reliance on income from the leasing of outdoor advertising sites, and not to renew existing leases when these expire.

3iii) to monitor damage to street trees and ensure swift replacement of any that do not flourish.

3iv) to liaise with RBKC and telecoms companies, where consultation opportunities allow, on the location of any telecoms equipment not requiring planning permission, so as to mitigate the impact on the conservation area.

3iv) to maintain contact with Thames Water on its programme of flood prevention for the Counters Creek catchment area.