DELEGATED REPORT

Report considered and agreed by Head of Planning

Tony Cook……………….. date ……7 June 2013………

Report considered and agreed by Team Manager, Planning Development Control

…Sarah Iles………………….. date ……24 May 2013…………

Report by: / Director of Economy, Transport and Environment
Proposal: / Refurbishment to Hastings Central Library, including extension into and change of use of No.12 Claremont. The combined building to incorporate the current Library, Children's Library and Hastings Registration Services. The proposal includes constructing a mansard roof and terrace at third floor level of No.12
Site Address: / Hastings Central Library, 12 & 13 Claremont, Hastings, TN34 1HE.
Applicant: / Governance & Community Services, East Sussex County Council
Application No. / HS/3121/CCLB
Key Issues: / Impact on the character and historic interest of the Grade II listed building.
Contact Officer: / Paul Carnell: Tel 01273 481833
Local Member:
/ Councillor Godfrey Daniel

RESOLUTION OF THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMY, TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT:

Under the powers delegated to me by the Governance Committee on 30 January 2003, I resolve to recommend the Secretary of State to grant Listed Building Consent subject to the conditions set out in the recommendation.

CONSIDERATION OF RELEVANT PLANNING MATTERS

1. The Site and Surroundings

1.1 Hastings Central Library is a Grade II listed four storey building located on the western side of Claremont, a short distance from the seafront. The Library is also known as The Brassey after the man for whom the building was first constructed. No. 12 Claremont abuts the Library to the south and is also a four storey building, although it is shorter than the Library.

1.2 Claremont forms the western side of the “Trinity Triangle” of roads, of which Trinity Street and Robertson Street form the other two. The surrounding buildings are predominantly three to four storeys in height, although some have five or six. The Brassey and No. 12 face the rear elevation of The Holy Trinity Church.

1.3 The site is within a town centre location. The Priory Meadow Shopping Centre is situated a short distance to the east whilst Hastings Railway Station is some 400 metres to the north. The surrounding roads are characterised by a mixture of shops, cafes and other town centre uses at ground floor level, and flats on the floors above. The site is also located within Hastings Town Centre Conservation Area.

1.4 The land behind the Brassey to the west changes significantly where the cliff rises. Residential houses are located to the west of The Brassey on Prospect Close and Cambridge Road, and are some two to four storeys higher than the street level of Claremont. The Observer building is located immediately to the rear of the Brassey. This is a large building with a taller roof line than the Library although it has been unoccupied for a considerable amount of time and is in a state of disrepair.

1.5 The Brassey was constructed in 1878 for Thomas Brassey in a Gothic revival style with Italianate influences. The building was presented to the town in 1888 and since then has housed a variety of public educational services, institutions and clubs. These have included a reference library on the ground floor, an assembly room on the first floor and school of art and science on the upper floors. The basement of the building was once used to accommodate Hastings Rowing Club. A public reference library was first opened in The Brassey in 1881, with a lending service provided in 1914. A lending library has operated continuously from the site ever since.

1.6 The building was designed by Walter Vernon who also designed the Observer building. Vernon’s later work included many government buildings in Australia where he was a key proponent of the Federation Free Style, a prevalent architectural style in Australia during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.

1.7 The Brassey is constructed of colour-washed red brick which preserves traces of tuck-pointing in dark-coloured mortar with stone dressings for the architectural detailing. The highly ornate principal elevation facing Claremont is further enhanced with other materials including terracotta tiles, granite columns to the main entrance and tiled friezes showing scenes relevant to the history of Hastings.

1.8 The main entrance to the Library is off Claremont and through an arched porch located in the lowest stage of a tall stair tower to the left hand side of the principal façade. The doorway contains wrought iron gates reputedly from St. Pauls Cathedral. The stair tower itself has a series of windows corresponding with the various stair landings and is crowned by a steeply-pitched hipped roof with a flat top.

1.9 A canted bay window forms the remainder of the principal elevation. It extends from the basement through to first floor level with its outer face being flush with the main body of the building. A further window is set back on each level on either side of the bay. An arcaded loggia is located on the second floor above the bay window whilst three mullion and transform windows are situated on the third floor.

1.10 The rear elevation is much plainer with mullion and transform windows on most floors. The brick work is concealed beneath cement render and a fire escape is located flush to the northern end of the Library.

1.11 No. 12 Claremont is not listed but is a building with heritage interest and has also provided a number of community services to the town within its lifetime including as a base for the Hastings branch of the Young Mans Christian Association.

2. The Proposal

2.1 It is proposed to refurbish Hastings Library and extend it into the adjoining building at Number 12 Claremont. The enlarged library would incorporate its existing services together with the Children’s Library and Registration office which are currently located elsewhere within the town. The application is for Listed Building Consent and this report will therefore focus on elements of the proposal that would directly affect the internal and external fabric of The Brassey. A full planning application (HS/3122/CC) for the refurbishment of The Brassey and change of use of No. 12 Claremont has been submitted.

2.2 The proposal would require breaching of the original dividing wall between The Brassey and No.12 on every floor to form sufficient openings to join the buildings together.

2.3 It is also proposed to remove and make good a number of more recent alterations made to The Brassey which the applicant considers to be detrimental. These include a lift shaft located toward the front bay of the building, a large services bulkhead within the first floor library space that covers part of the existing rear windows, the modern stairs between the ground and lower ground floors located to the rear of the building and the external fire escape at the rear of The Brassey.

2.4 It is further proposed to unblock a glazed rooflight located over the first floor reference area which has been more recently concealed. This would provide natural light to the centre of the first floor area. The rooflight would be reintroduced in a profile to match the original lantern light.

2.5 Internal repairs would be made where necessary. Period mouldings which have been cut through or otherwise damaged by surface fixed pipe work, boxings and conduits would be made good. External repairs are also proposed including the replacement of failed terracotta tiles on the second floor terrace and installation of an additional handrail for public safety. Cracks in the external brickwork around the terrace would also be investigated.

2.6 Alterations to the central stairwell are also proposed to repair original glass panels, restore secondary glazing and adapt the staircase balustrade to fill large voids to raise protection to 1100mm at landings.

2.7 Other more minor alterations proposed include forming small openings through internal walls to reorganise space, installing services such as a staff kitchen at lower ground level and toilets (including accessible) on the lower ground, ground and second floors, reinstating some window openings to the rear elevation, refurbishing existing railings at ground level to the front façade, refurbishment of existing gates to the main staircase, installing secondary glazing at some levels, removing existing fire escape doors to the rear elevation and replacement with windows to match adjacent and removing a cupboard at the top of the staircase in order to reinstate the original opening to the third floor.

3. Site History

3.1 HS/3122/CC – Granted – 2013. Refurbishment to Hastings Central Library, including extension into and change of use of No.12 Claremont. The combined building to incorporate the current Library, Children's Library and Hastings Registration Services. The proposal includes constructing a mansard roof and terrace at third floor level of No.12.

3.2 HS/2525/CCLB – Granted – 2006. Erection of stud wall in 1st floor reference library. Alterations to ground floor lift lobby. New handrail on staircase. New fire doors.

3.3 HS/2274/CCLB – Granted – 2004. Replacement of existing fire escape to rear elevation.

3.4 HS/2268/CC – Granted – 2004. Replacement of existing fire escape to rear elevation.

4. Consultations and Representations

4.1 Hastings Borough Council – No objections raised to the proposals.

4.2 English Heritage – English Heritage considers this to be a well conceived scheme which responds pragmatically to the sensitivities of the heritage assets affected. English Heritage has previously provided verbal pre-application advice, setting out the desirability of retaining or reinstating key volumes within the listed building, minimising the loss of historic fabric and taking opportunities to better reveal significance where possible.

The Brassey Institute and No. 12 Claremont possess high communal value in that their original, or near original purpose was to provide community facilities which have been retained throughout their history. English Heritage welcomes the opportunity to allow these buildings to remain in community use in a central location in Hastings town centre.

In assessing proposals that would affect the significance of heritage assets, weight should be given to the conservation of assets consistent with their significance (paragraph 132 of The National Planning Policy Framework). Where a proposal would lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, this harm should be balanced against the public benefits of the proposal, including securing its optimum viable use. A similar level of protection is afforded to non-designated heritage assets (paragraphs 134 and 135).

The main challenge has been to achieve circulation and step free access through both buildings to facilitate the co-location of the library and Registry functions. The approach taken, to affect most change to 12 Claremont is sensible, and while this will entail the loss of fabric and the installation of a frame to support the required loadings within this building, it enables a far more sensitive approach to be taken to the Brassey Institute, which is of a higher order of significance and retains many 19th Century features, the best of which is the open well stair with decorative cast iron balustrade. The most substantial loss within the listed building is the removal of a section of the party wall to No.12 on each floor for stepped access adjacent to the new lifts within No.12. English Heritage is satisfied that this has been minimised and will result in harm that is less than substantial to the significance of the Brassey Institute, and is offset by the substantial public benefits of delivering this scheme.

Further refinements of detailing should be sought through conditioning of large scale constructional details and sections, along with conditions to control appropriate recording of removed features, protection of internal features during construction, and appropriate method statements for ensuring safety and stability during demolition.

English Heritage recommends this application be determined in accordance with national and local policy guidance, and on the basis of expert conservation advice.

4.3 Local Representations – No objections were received to the application for Listed Building Consent.

5. The Development Plan and other policies of relevance to this decision are:

5.1 Hastings Local Plan 2004 Policies C1 (Development within Conservation Areas) C3 (Development Involving Listed Buildings)

Hastings Borough Council has not formally determined whether its Saved Policies in the Hastings Local Plan are in general conformity with the NPPF. The Saved Policies are considered by the County Planning Authority to be in general conformity with the overarching principles of the NPPF, with particular reference to paragraphs 128, 131 and 132.

5.2 National Planning Policy Framework March 2012

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published on 27 March 2012 and the Framework applies with immediate effect. It does not change the status of the development plan as the starting point for decision making. It constitutes guidance as a material consideration in determining planning applications. For 12 months following publication, full weight was given to development plan documents adopted since 2004 even if there was a limited degree of conflict. This time limit has expired, therefore due weight should be given to relevant policies in existing plans according to their degree of consistency with the NPPF. At the heart of the NPPF is a presumption in favour of sustainable development. The NPPF does not contain specific waste policies but regard should be had to NPPF policies so far as relevant. There are policies facilitating the use of minerals and there are provisions covering transport, good design, protecting the natural environment and references to avoiding noise giving rise to significant adverse impacts and limiting light pollution.