Tirzah Mansion, Salmon Street, 13 flats to replace family house - Brent Planning Committee tomorrow

 

Tirzah Mansion, 26 Salmon Street now (Krisha Court far left)

 Proposed flats

Tomorrow's Brent Council Planning Committee will consider a significant application for conversion of a large family home into flats LINK. The site is at the junction of Queens Walk and Salmon Street. Across Queens Walk is Krishna Court, a block of 9 flats that also replaced a family house. Thirteen flats are proposed for the Tirzah Mansion site.

The value of redevelopment into 13 flats is shown by the current valuation of the existing house.

Source

There are 27 individual objections to the plans based mainly on the size of the building and not fitting into the suburban landscape of Queens Walk. Objectors include St Nicholas Prep school on Salmon Street.

Queens Walk

 

However, the officers' report suggests its fits in well with the existing frontages along that side of Salmon Street.

No affordable housing is provided but as the viability assessment suggests a surplus, a contribution to affordable housing elsewhere is required subject to a late viability review.

Some changes have been made to the original plans with no habitable room windows overlooking 43 Queens Walk and moving the car park closer to Queens Walk.

Objectors point to the case of Krishna Court which was pitched to Planning Committee as increasing Brent's housing while in fact it has been operating as a short stay luxury apartments hotel LINK. Officers say this could not happen as a hotel would require specific planning permission. However, they have failed to take action over Krisha Court. See LINK

This passage in the officers' report is particularly significant (and not only for the fact that they got the name of Salom Street wrong!). See the last sentence:

As noted above, the application site is not located within a priority location for additional housing. In this regard, Policy BH4 requires greater weight to be placed upon the existing character of the area when determining the density of development appropriate. The area surrounding the property mainly comprises of traditional two storey detached and semi-detached properties with mid to large sized garden areas. A number of these properties benefit from loft conversions, with visible extensions to the roof such as dormer windows. Krishna Court to the opposite street corner on Queens Walk comprises three storeys, whilst Cherrylands Close to the north also comprises a taller development, with accommodation in the heightened roofspace (second floor level). The site is also located approximately 80m from the Salmon Lane Intensification Corridor to the south, whereby Policy BD2 identifies that up to 5 storeys could be acceptable. The policy accepts that the character of these streets will change and that heights of proposals do not necessarily have to reflect existing adjacent properties. The anticipation is that over time, if the policy is successful, those buildings are also likely to be replaced with more intense development.

 

The officer's conclude:

The proposal is considered to accord with the development plan, and, having regard to all material planning considerations, should be approved subject to conditions and obligations secured through a Section 106 Agreement. The proposal would result in the provision of 13 new homes, including 4 family sized homes, and would meet an identified need in the borough. The scheme would comply with affordable housing policy despite the absence of affordable housing on site as the relatively low surplus identified means that an off-site contribution would be appropriate.

The proposed development is slightly larger than the surrounding buildings both in terms of height and massing. As discussed, the Officer view is that the design responds well to its the context and is well composed. No harm is considered to result to the setting of the St. Andrew's Conservation Area. However, if one did conclude that a degree of harm resulted, the Officer's view is that the level of harm this would be "less than substantial" and significantly outweighed by the benefits of the scheme,

 

 

Tirzah Mansion (26 Salmon Street) planning application open for comments until January 25th

 

The present building at 26 Salmon Street on the corner of Salmon Street and Queens Walk

Initial design (above) and submitted (below)

 

Plans for the rdevelopment of the large single house on the corner of Salmon Street and Queens Walk , Tirza Mansions, 26 Salmon Street, was submitted to Brent Council in December 2023. The proposed scheme comprises of a four-storey flatted development comprising 13 dwellings: two studio flats; three 1-bed flats; four 2-bedroom flats (two 3-person and two 4-person) and four 3-bedroom flats (two 4-person and two 5-person).

As predicted when Krishna Court, on the opposite corner,  received planning permission, it is being cited as a precedent:

 Opposite the site on Queens Walk, planning permission has recently been granted (Ref. 19/2163) for the demolition of existing building and erection of a two and three storey building accommodating seven dwellings with new vehicular access and associated landscaping. [Editor’s note. It has been built although it was said to be family housing, it is in fact an AirB&B type hotel enterprise] This development is known as Krishna Court. This is also a corner plot and there is a precent established along Salmon Street for semi-detached 2.5-storey housing book ended with 3-4 storey flatted developments acting as feature corners.

A map is submitted showing similar developments along Salmon Street. (26 Salmon Street in blue)

 

 

Provision of  affordable housing is ruled out in the submitted documentation but the agent in  the October 2023 video consultation said it had not been decided and a contribution might be made for affordable housing elsewhere:

 

There is a strategic ambition across London to deliver 50% of all new homes as genuinely affordable as set out in policy H4 of the London Plan. Policy H5 of the London Plan sets the threshold approach to major development proposals. This sets out that a minimum of 35% affordable housing by habitable rooms should be delivered. A viability assessment is required where a development proposal is not able to meet the required affordable housing provision.

 

This application is submitted with a viability appraisal which concludes that it is not financially viable to provide on-site affordable housing. The report will need to independently reviewed by the Council. It should also be noted that registered providers who manage affordable housing are unlikely to purchase 4 affordable homes which is what would be required to meet the planning policy requirements.

You can see recordings of the video consultations HERE that also include a presentation by the developer's agents and architects.  

The Brent Trees Officer has made recommendations on tree planting HERE. Before the present building was redevloped a few years ago there were are large number of conifers surrounding the site but most of these were removed. 

 

The spaces around the building include 7 parking spaces

 

 The development site in suburban context

 

There are a handful of objections on the Brent planning portal LINK.  The Neighbourhood consultation ends on Thursday January 25th 2024.

This is one of the objections:

  1.  It is not in keeping with single family homes in this area - which are being reduced - see 44 Queens Walk which has been converted into flats and on the market for sale since the completion - showing the lack of interest in flats for these roads;

2. Multi-generation properties are required for the family unit and also with our aging population the elderly can be looked after by their family in a warm and safe environment - more homes here are becoming multi generational and families - having flats make these less accessible for families;

3. The size of the flats also will make it very difficult for growing families to have space to live together;

4. the size of the proposed development is not in keeping with the street and other homes. The front of the building is very far forward - it should be set back and in line with 24 Salmon Street.

5. the proposal is showing parking for 7 cars maximum which would not even allow one car per flat - this would cause further congestion onto Queens Walk;

6. there would not be enough garden space for the flats - again not in keeping with Salmon Street nor Queens Walk and not beneficial for any children living in the properties

7. the height of the proposal as well will be very imposing for the area and again not in keeping with the current use of the neighbouring properties

Many homes are being redeveloped in the Salmon Street, Queens Walk and the surrounding streets into single family dwellings. These are all occupied or under development for the families moving into them. This shows the demand for this type of property here. There are many flats around the station and the main roads - thus catering for the demand for these types of property. Kingsbury is known to be a family area. There are not many shops here. These are all by Kingsbury Road and the Wembley developments. Thus where the flats are required. The tube stations are a lengthy walk or bus ride away - thus again why it is important to keep some areas with houses and not densely populated with flats - where accessibility in the area is not so good.

 

The Neighbourhood Consultation Expiry Date is Thursday November 25th 2024. Application number 23/3833.  LINK