Former Sutton Hospital Site, Cotswold Road & Chiltern Road
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planning report D&P/4027/01
6 March 2017
Former Sutton Hospital Site, Cotswold Road &
Chiltern Road
in the London Borough of Sutton
Planning application no. B2016/76164
Strategic planning application stage 1 referral
Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007;
Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008.
The proposal
Erection of a new six form entry secondary school, including a sixth form (Class D1), creation of a
new access off Chiltern Road, modification of existing egress to Chiltern Road, construction of a
hard surfaced games court above an undercroft car park, provision of other areas of hard playing
space, car parking, cycle parking and hard and soft landscaping works, and other associated
works.
The applicant
The applicant is London Borough of Sutton, the architect is Architype Limited, and the agent
is NLP.
Strategic issues
Land use: The delivery of a new six form entry school is strongly supported (paras 15-19);
Urban design: The proposals provide a high quality learning environment that responds well to
its context, which is strongly supported; however, opportunities to improve open space provision
through a reduction in car parking should be explored (paras 20-27);
Transport: Car parking spaces should be reduced. The proposed Park and Stride scheme is not
supported. Additional bus capacity is required (paras 32-40).
Recommendation
That Sutton Council be advised that while the application is generally acceptable in strategic
planning terms the application does not fully comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set
out in paragraph 45 of this report; but that the possible remedies set out in that paragraph could
address these deficiencies.
page 1Context
1 On 25 January 2017 the Mayor of London received documents from Sutton Council
notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site
for the above uses. Under the provisions of The Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London)
Order 2008 the Mayor has until 07 March 2017 to provide the Council with a statement setting out
whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan, and his reasons for
taking that view. The Mayor may also provide other comments. This report sets out information for
the Mayor’s use in deciding what decision to make.
2 The application is referable under Category 3E of the Schedule to the Order 2008:
3E – “Development - (a) which does not accord with one or more provisions of the development
plan in force in the area in which the application site is situated; and (b) comprises or includes
the provision of more than 2,500 square metres of floorspace for a use falling within any of the
following classes in the Use Classes Order— (xi) class D1 (non-residential institutions).”
3 Once Sutton Council has resolved to determine the application, it is required to refer it back
to the Mayor for his decision as to whether to direct refusal; take it over for his own determination;
or allow the Council to determine it itself.
4 The Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website
www.london.gov.uk.
Site description
5 The site is located in the Belmont Ward of the London Borough of Sutton. The site is 1.6
hectares and lies south of Chiltern Road at the northern end of the Sutton Hospital Site. The site is
not located within Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land. The land was acquired by the Council
from Epsom and St Helier Hospital Trust who still own the remaining hospital land to the south and
west, which is currently in healthcare and residential use. With the exception of the hospital site
the surrounding area is predominantly in residential use.
6 The site slopes up from north to south, rising approximately 4 metres across the site. The
former hospital buildings on the site were demolished in January 2016. There is a small electrical
sub-station on the site, just within the northern boundary. There are a number of mature trees on
the site.
7 The site is part of a wider regeneration site, which includes the land to the south and west,
known as the London Cancer Hub. The London Cancer Hub is a partnership between The Institute
of Cancer Research, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the London Borough of Sutton
– working in close collaboration with the Greater London Authority. The vision is to create a
revamped, expanded, world-class campus for life sciences across the wider site. The aim is to
deliver an exceptional environment for conducting cancer research and taking discoveries to
patients through clinical trials and commercial partnership. Alongside the research and treatment
facilities, the masterplan envisages facilities for commercial enterprises, as well as housing, the
school that forms this application, restaurants and cafes, and hotels for visitors and patients. A
Development Framework for the London Cancer Hub site has recently been consulted on by the
Council as part of its Sutton 2031 consultation.
8 The closest section of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) is the A217 Belmont
Rise which is located approximately 1 kilometre south west of the site, and the A232 runs through
Sutton town centre located approximately 3 kilometre north of the site. The site is within
approximately 500 metres of Belmont rail station. There are also five bus routes within a 640
page 2metres walking distance of the site, with stops located on Cotswold Road and Chiltern Road. There
is also an existing shuttle bus provided to the hospital campus located to the south from Sutton
town centre. The site has a public transport accessibility level (PTAL) of 2 on a scale of 1 to 6
where 6b is most accessible.
Case history
9 GLA officers hosted a pre-application meeting with the applicant in June 2016. The
principle of providing a new secondary school and sixth form was supported. The general principles
of layout, height and massing were also supported with further details on architecture and
materials required at application stage. Other matters to be addressed included inclusive access,
transport, climate change mitigation and sustainable urban drainage.
Details of the proposal
10 Planning permission is sought for the erection of a new 6 form entry secondary school, for a
maximum of 1,275 pupils (975 Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils, plus 300 sixth form students),
and approximately 95 staff. The proposed building will be part two/part four storeys in height. The
proposals for the school buildings are for a series of wings radiating from a central hub, with
connected blocks containing principally the sports hall and assembly hall. The total floorspace of
the school is 10,625 sq.m GIA. A MUGA is provided to the east of the school building. This will be
at first floor level and will provide facilities for a range of sports courts. Underneath the MUGA, an
undercroft car park is proposed. This is in addition to the car parking spaces provided to the north
of the site. In total, 80 spaces will be provided, four of which will be accessible spaces. All parking
spaces are for visitor and staff use only. In addition, provision is made for secure cycle parking for
185 cycles.
11 The site was acquired by the Council in order to deliver a new secondary school and sixth
form to provide outstanding education with a focus on health and life sciences. Funding for the
new school will be split between the Council and the Education Funding Authority. The Harris
Federation has been selected to run the proposed school, which will be called the Harris Academy
Sutton. It is proposed that the Academy will formally open in temporary accommodation in
September 2018. In September 2018 the academy will admit 195 children into Year 7 only. The
school will grow year on year, every year from 2018 until it becomes an academy with 1,275 pupils
(975 pupils in Years 7 – 12 and a 300 place Sixth Form).
Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance
12 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows:
Land use principle London Plan; Social Infrastructure SPG
Urban design London Plan
Inclusive access London Plan; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive
environment SPG
Climate change London Plan; the Mayor’s Climate Change Mitigation and
Energy Strategy; Mayor’s Water Strategy; Sustainable Design
and Construction SPG
Transport London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy
13 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the
development plan in force for the area is the Sutton Council’s Core Planning Strategy (2009);
Sutton Council’s Site Development Policies DPD (2012); and the London Plan 2016.
page 314 The following are also relevant material considerations:
the National Planning Policy Framework and Technical Guide to the National Planning
Policy Framework;
Sutton Council’s Draft Local Plan 2016-2031;
Draft London Cancer Hub Development Framework 2016.
Principle of development
15 Formerly in healthcare use the site has been vacated and the existing buildings cleared. In
the Council’s adopted DPD, the site forms part of the wider allocation BW6 “Sutton Hospital
Cotswold Road, Belmont”, which is allocated for mixed use residential and health. DPD Policy
DM41 relates to site specific policies and states that uses not within the site allocation will be
opposed. The Council has advertised the application as a departure from development plan policy
and it is on this basis that the application has been referred to the Mayor.
16 However, since the DPD was adopted in 2012, the Council’s approach to the site has been
reviewed, and the site has been included into a wider regeneration site, the London Cancer Hub.
The Council, with the support of the Mayor of London, has recently consulted on the draft London
Cancer Hub Development Framework 2016, which is intended to form part of the emerging Local
Plan. The Council is currently preparing a new Local Plan to replace the adopted Core Strategy and
Site Development Policies DPD (DPD). Consultation on the draft Local Plan began in January
2017.
17 The vision within the draft Development Framework is to create a world-class campus for
health and life sciences across the wider site. Alongside research and treatment facilities the
framework envisages a new school, housing and commercial uses. As part of this vision the
emerging Local Plan specifically allocates the application site for a new secondary school. The
Council has identified a critical need to provide additional secondary schools within the Borough.
The application site has been identified through a site selection process which looked at a range of
sites and found it to be the only suitable site that was available in the short term.
18 London Plan Policy 3.16 supports development proposals which provide high quality social
infrastructure, such as schools, in light of local and strategic social infrastructure needs. The
provision of a sixth form entry school to address an identified need as part of a comprehensive
framework that optimises the delivery of health and education infrastructure alongside housing is
supported in accordance with Policy 3.16.
19 Having regard to the current adopted Local Plan, GLA officers note that notional loss of
deliverable housing on this part of the BW6 site would not undermine the Council’s 5 year housing
land supply. In addition there would remain sufficient land on the wider site to provide the one
hectare of allocated health care use.
Urban design
20 Good design is central to all objectives of the London Plan and is specifically promoted
by the policies contained within chapter seven which address both general design principles and
specific design issues. The layout of the proposed school has been informed by a thorough site
analysis and responds well to the opportunities and constraints of the site. The retention of
existing trees on the northern part of the site with a large area of landscaping is strongly
supported. The proposals have been developed with regard to existing boundary conditions with
setbacks to reduce impacts upon existing residential uses. However, consideration has also been
page 4given to integration with future development as part of the London Cancer Hub, which is
welcomed.
21 The main pedestrian entrance is from the junction of Brighton Road, Chiltern Road and
Cotswold Road, which is a logical point of entry in terms of wider desire lines and movement.
Whilst this junction does not presently provide an ideal pedestrian environment for high volumes of
students, details of pedestrian crossing improvements have been submitted with the application,
which is welcomed and appropriate works should be secured by the Council. Consideration has also
been given to how the school proposals would fit into future London Cancer Hub development. A
secondary entrance could be provided with the delivery of the London Cancer Hub, which is
welcomed.
22 The applicant has engaged an education design consultant to assist in providing a high
quality learning environment, which is welcomed. Since their selection as the education provider a
number of meetings have been held with the Harris Federation to fine tune the design to their
specific brief. The proposed layout spreads accommodation across the site with two staggered
wings branching off a central spine in addition to a sports hall and assembly hall. This allows for
efficient and legible movement throughout the school with opportunity for different spatial
qualities internally and externally, which is supported. The general layout principles and the
arrangement of accommodation and uses is well considered.
23 The building ranges in height from 2 to 4 storeys, with the taller elements located to the
south of the site, where the ground level is higher. Given the surrounding building heights are
predominantly 2 to 3 storeys, and in light of the civic nature of the building, the proposed heights
are appropriate within this context. The variations in height assist in articulating the massing and
provide further opportunity to differentiate between different wings, which is supported.
24 The building is made up of a number of volumes which will be expressed differently to
give a distinct character to the various elements of the school. The proposed facade materials
have been chosen to align with the sustainability aspirations of the project and include timber
cladding, metal cladding and brickwork. The approach to the appearance and materiality of the
proposed school is supported.
25 The application includes a well-considered landscape masterplan, which compliments the
building design to create a number of distinct spaces. Provision is made for informal play and
socialising as well as a multi-use games court above undercroft parking. As discussed further
below the proposals include a high number of car parking spaces, which GLA officers
recommend be reduced in the interests of promoting more sustainable patterns of travel. In
addition the excessive car parking provision adversely effects the quality and amount of open
space available. The Council should explore opportunities to improve the open space provision
through car parking reductions.
26 The site currently contains 70 subject trees, 11 groups comprising 36 trees and one
hedgerow. The proposals retain 39 subject trees, 4 groups comprising 20 trees and the majority
of the hedgerow. The proposals therefore result in the removal of 31 subject trees and 7 groups
comprising 16 trees. It is accepted that overall tree loss is unavoidable to allow the efficient
development of the site; however, replacement tree planting of appropriate mature size should
be secured to achieve a net gain overall.
27 Overall, the proposals provide a high quality learning environment that responds well to
its context. As such the proposed development is strongly supported in accordance with the
policies contained within Chapter Seven of the London Plan.
page 5Inclusive access
28 London Plan Policy 7.2 seeks to ensure that all new development achieves the highest
standards of accessibility and inclusive design. The site has been designed to provide a logical and
accessible arrival sequence. Routes within the site are designed to be in accordance with Part M of
the building regulations, and will therefore be suitably accessible with regards to visual contrast,
level changes and surface texture. The new building has been designed to have a logical and
efficient layout that broadly response well to London Plan policies; however, consideration should
be given to the feasibility of providing an additional passenger lift close to the southern stairwell to
ensure inclusive circulation throughout the building.
Climate change mitigation and adaptation
29 The applicant has followed the energy hierarchy in the London Plan. The applicant is
proposing Passivhaus standards for the school, which is welcomed. However, additional modelling
and evidence is required to demonstrate that this performance will be achieved and to assess the
predicted carbon savings against the targets within London Plan Policy 5.2. Full details of the
further information required has been provided direct to the applicant. An update will be given at
Stage 2.
Air quality
31 An air quality assessment has been submitted in support of the application. The results
indicate that pollutant levels at sensitive locations across the proposed development were below
the relevant air quality standards and therefore health risks are negligible. An air quality neutral
assessment indicates that although building emissions are below the benchmarks, transport
emissions from the proposals are above the benchmarks. As discussed further below, car parking
should be reduced to promote more sustainable patterns of transport. This would also assist in
making the development air quality neutral to comply with London Plan Policy 7.14.
Transport
32 It is important to note that the application site sits within the ‘London Cancer Hub’ campus
which forms part of the Council’s Development Framework and emerging vision for the
comprehensive redevelopment of the site has recently been consulted on. The Council have
instructed consultants to undertake an assessment of the impacts of the wider redevelopment and
TfL is awaiting further information in order to understand the cumulative impacts.
33 TfL is currently investigating options to extend the tram to Sutton Town Centre, which
includes an option to extend the London Cancer Hub site at Belmont. It is important to note that
this is still at the very early stages of planning and is currently unfunded, but is estimated to cost
£400m (including £100m from Sutton to the Cancer Hub). Significant bus and highway
improvements will also be required to support the wider masterplan proposals. The proposed school
is unlikely to impact on the proposed tram route alignment options into the Cancer Hub site.
34 Vehicular access to the site is via Chiltern Road. There will be no direct vehicle access from
the Transport for London Road Network.
35 A total of 76 car parking spaces are proposed for staff and a further 4 spaces for visitors;
5% of the total provision will be designated for Blue Badge parking. One Electric Vehicle Charing
Points (EVCP) will be provided on site, along with passive provision for a further two points. The
proposed school is expected to have 95 staff of which 64% are expected to drive and 5% are
expected to car share. This would equate to a staff car parking requirement of 66 spaces, and this
is before the implementation of the travel plan. The car parking provision proposed would
page 6undermine walking, cycling and public transport, and should be reduced accordingly. A maximum
of 47 spaces is strongly recommended which would represent 50% of staff trips.
36 Whilst no car parking spaces are proposed for the students, a Park and Stride site is
proposed. A Park and Stride will encourage unnecessary vehicle trips and would undermine more
healthy and sustainable walking, cycling and public transport options, and is therefore not
supported. Furthermore, there is no information within the transport assessment as to how many
spaces are proposed and how this will be managed. The transport assessment and Travel Plan also
include a number of targets regarding the Park and Stride, which need to be reviewed.
37 The proposed school is predicted to generate an uplift of 559 bus trips during the AM
peak hour (08:00-09:00) and 547 bus trips in the PM school peak hour (15:00-16:00), which is
a considerable increase in demand. TfL have undertaken a detailed assessment of the capacity of
the five existing bus routes (80, 280, S1, S3 and S4) which serve the site and the impact that the
additional trips will have. Whilst there is currently sufficient capacity to accommodate the
existing levels of demand on all five routes, it is expected that three routes (80, 280 and S1)
would require capacity enhancements to accommodate the predicted level of demand generated
by the school. The level of enhancements required would equate to four additional return
journeys detailed as follows:
Route 80 – one extra return journey by 2022;
Route 280 – one extra return journey by 2021; and
Route S1 – two extra return journeys by 2019. It is noted that the S1 only uses small
buses so it is unlikely to be cost effective to run extra buses on this route. TfL would
therefore recommend two return journeys on a new school route.
38 It is noted that the trip generation figures will need to be reviewed following the omission
of the Park and Stride as recommended above, which will increase demand for bus services. The
applicant should explore other travel demand management measures such as ‘staggered start and
end times’ in order to try and minimise the impact on buses during the peak hour. Contributions
towards bus service enhancements can be appropriately staggered in response to demand given
the phased admission schedule.
39 185 cycle parking spaces will be provided on site which is in accordance London Plan
minimum standards.
40 Also required is a school travel plan to be secured, monitored, reviewed, and enforced
through the s106. A delivery and servicing plan and construction management plan should also
to be secured by condition.
Community Infrastructure Levy
41 The Mayor has introduced a London-wide Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to help
implement the London Plan, particularly policies 6.5 and 8.3. The Mayoral CIL formally came into
effect on 1 April 2012, and it will be paid on commencement of most new development in Greater
towards the funding of Crossrail.
Local planning authority’s position
42 Sutton Council is supportive of the delivery of a new school in this location and the key
principles of the proposed scheme subject to detailed assessment.
page 7Legal considerations
43 Under the arrangements set out in Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Mayor of
London) Order 2008 the Mayor is required to provide the local planning authority with a statement
setting out whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan, and his
reasons for taking that view. Unless notified otherwise by the Mayor, the Council must consult the
Mayor again under Article 5 of the Order if it subsequently resolves to make a draft decision on the
application, in order that the Mayor may decide whether to allow the draft decision to proceed
unchanged, or direct the Council under Article 6 of the Order to refuse the application, or issue a
direction under Article 7 of the Order that he is to act as the local planning authority for the
purpose of determining the application and any connected application. There is no obligation at
this present stage for the Mayor to indicate his intentions regarding a possible direction, and no
such decision should be inferred from the Mayor’s statement and comments.
Financial considerations
44 There are no financial considerations at this stage.
Conclusion
45 London Plan policies on principle of land use, social infrastructure, urban design, inclusive
access, climate change and transport are relevant to this application. The application broadly
complies with these policies. Further information is required to demonstrate full compliance, as
follows:
Urban design: The Council should explore opportunities to improve the open space
provision through car parking reductions and secure appropriate tree replacement.
Inclusive access: Investigate the feasibility of providing an additional passenger lift.
Climate change: Additional modelling and evidence is required to demonstrate that the
proposals will achieve Passivehaus standards.
Transport: Car parking spaces should be reduced, and the proposed Park and Stride
scheme should also be omitted. Transport assessment and travel plan targets should be
reviewed accordingly. Additional bus capacity will be required. An updated workplace
travel plan, construction management plan and delivery and servicing management plan
should be secured via planning condition, legal agreement or undertaking.
for further information, contact GLA Planning Unit (Development & Projects Team):
Colin Wilson, Senior Manager – Development & Projects
020 7983 4783 email colin.wilson@london.gov.uk
Sarah Considine, Strategic Planning Manager (Development Decisions)
020 7983 5751 email sarah.considine@london.gov.uk
Russell Smith, Case Officer
020 7983 4782 email russell.smith1@london.gov.uk
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