MASTER PLAN
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
2
PROJECT DIRECTORY
APPLICANT
Dibbin Estates & Equipment Ltd
PLANNING CONSULTANTS
Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners,
3rd Floor, One St James's Square,
Manchester M2 6DN
T: 0161 837 6130
F: 0151 666 2195
E: manchester@nlpplanning.com
ARCHITECTS/MASTER PLANNERS
Ainsley Gommon Architects,
1 Price Street, Hamilton Square,
Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 6JN.
T: 0151 647 5511
F: 0151 666 2195
E: birkenhead@ainsleygommonarchitects.co.uk
Director in charge: Alf Plant.
FLOOD RISK SPECIALISTS
Cascade Consulting
Enterprise House, Manchester Science Park
Lloyd Street North, Manchester, M15 6SE.
T: 0161 227 9777
F: 0161 227 1777
E: omar.sholi@cascadeconsulting.co.uk
Web: www.cascadeconsulting.co.uk
SITE INVESTIGATION
URS,
Brunel House, 54 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6HS
T:0161 907 3500
F:0161 907 3501
Web: www.urscorp.eu
ARBORICULTURAL CONSULTANTS
ACS Consulting
9 – 11 Princess Street, Knutsford, WA16 6BY
T:01477 537290
F:07968 230443
Web: www.acsconsulting.co.uk
PROJECT DIRECTORY
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
3
Pg
Pg
1.00
INTRODUCTION;
4
6.008
B
AMOUNT
26
2.00
BACKGROUND SITE CONTEXT;
7
6.009
C
LAYOUT
27
2.001
Site location
7
2.003
Price’s Patent Candles
7
6.010
D
SCALE
28
6.0101
Existing Buildings
28
Pg
7.105
7.107
7.109
3.00
SITE CONTEXT;
12
6.0102
Proposed Buildings
28
3.001
Site description
12
6.0103
Employment uses
28
4.00
PLANNING POLICY;
14
6.011
LANDSCAPING
29
4.001
Designation
14
6.0111
Landscape screening
29
4.006
The Conservation Area
14
6.0112
Overview of the landscape proposals
29
4.007
The Listed Building
15
6.0113
THE RIVERSIDE WALKWAY ALONG THE DIBBIN
29
4.008
The Scheduled Ancient Monument site
16
4.009
Housing Strategy
16
6.0114
30
7.117
4.010
Design standards
16
THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE RESIDENTIAL
AREA AND THE COMMERCIAL AREA OF THE SITE
4.011
Public Consultation
17
6.0115
30
7.118
5.00
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT;
18
6.0116
THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL
VILLAGE HOUSING AND THE NEW RESIDENTIAL
AREA
THE RESIDENTIAL STREETSCAPES
5.001
Design Generators
18
6.0117
THE COMMERCIAL STREETSCAPES
30
5.002
Design Influences and Historical References
18
6.0118
30
5.004
5.005
The design response.
Key site features.
19
19
THE PARK AND THE SETTING FOR THE LISTED
BUILDING
5.009
Residential development
20
APPEARANCE
31
5.012
Employment uses.
21
5.015
Summary of Key Principles
F
22
7.00
VISUAL AND HERITAGE ASSESSMENT;
32
7.100
VISUAL ASSESSMENT – STREETSCAPES, VISTAS AND
LANDMARKS
Viewpoint 1
The view up Pool Lane as existing and as proposed.
32
THE PROPOSALS;
24
6.001
Key Constraints
24
6.005
Responses
24
6.007
6.0071
A
Historic land use
30
6.012
6.00
USE
E
25
25
7.101
7.103
Viewpoint 2
The former factory gate as existing and as proposed.
33
7.111
7.113
7.115
7.116
7.119
Viewpoint 3
Adjacent to the front of the listed
building – as existing and as proposed.
Viewpoint 4
Inside the park area – looking towards
the River Dibbin.
Viewpoint 5
The Riverside walkway.
Viewpoint 6
The Riverside Walkway along Brightside.
Viewpoint 7
View from the roundabout at the end of
Dock Road South, into the employment
zone.
Viewpoint 8
3D Aerial View – Looking East.
Viewpoint 9
3D Aerial View – Looking West.
Viewpoint 10
The proposed residential area looking
north.
Viewpoint 11
General view of the site and the village
looking south from above the landfill
site.
Viewpoint 12
General view of Bromborough Pool
Village showing how the existing grid
projects into the proposed new
residential area beyond.
35
36
37
38
39
40
40
41
41
42
7.200
HERITAGE ASSESSMENT
43
8.00
ACCESS AND SAFETY;
48
9.00
CONCLUSIONS
50
34
CONTENTS
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
4
1.00 INTRODUCTION
1.001 This document is to be read in conjunction with our application for
outline planning consent for a mixed residential and commercial
development on land at Pool Lane, Bromborough, that was formerly
occupied by the Bromborough Pool works of Prices Patent Candles (the
site is centred on Ordnance Survey Grid Reference NGR SJ 34558
84494). The content of this statement should be read alongside all of the
other reports and documents that accompany and support the
application. The application is not accompanied by an Environmental
Statement because Wirral Borough Council has confirmed that the
application does not constitute an EIA development.
1.002 Our proposal envisages a mix of uses for the site with the main part
of the site being designated for primarily employment uses, which is in
accordance with Wirral Council Planning Policy. The employment uses
will be supported by a proposed residential area, a new riverside
walkway and a small park that will contribute to the sustainability of the
existing community of Bromborough Pool.
1.003 The site has a history of over 150 years of industrial use and
development and most recently, it was under the ownership of CRODA
International. It is adjoined by the historically important Bromborough
Pool Village, which is now a Conservation Area (Covered by planning
policy CH22 – see also CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL – Part 1 and
CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN – Part 2 – Bromborough Pool
Village – Prepared for Wirral Council by Donald Insall Associates 2007 –
2009). The village contains a total of 49 listed buildings. The history of the
village and the factory site are inextricably linked and our proposals for
the site acknowledge this historical connection between the land-uses.
The village is under separate ownership and does not form a part of this
application but it is referred to in a number of places in this document
because of its significance in terms of this site, its setting, its history and its
future sustainability.
1.004 The site is also adjoined by the Scheduled Ancient Monument,
(SAM) site of the Bromborough Courthouse. The buildings on this site
have gone (differing reports state that they were demolished in 1963 or
1969) but the earthworks of the former moat and fishponds survive and
are now scheduled. The courthouse itself was owned by the Mainwaring
family and the 61 acres of land used for the construction of the factory
and the village was originally part of their estate. See also the
archaeological assessment of the site and the immediate vicinity has
been prepared by Cascade Consulting in association with Oxford
Archaeology. English Heritage has confirmed that the Scheduled
1.00 - INTRODUCTION
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - Red/Blue Line boundary drawing
01
5
Ancient Monument is on their “at risk” register, mainly because the site is
not being managed to an acceptable standard and there are serious
concerns about the damage that could be caused on the site by root
growth from the dense tree growth covering the site. Whilst these
concerns are noted and understood, they fall outside the scope of this
application as the SAM site is not within the red line boundary for this
application, nor is it owned by the applicant.
1.005 The original industrial use of the site finally ceased completely in
2009 after approximately 155 years of continuous use. The BSE crisis had
a serious impact on Croda’s chemical processing business, which still
used tallow as one of its raw materials and alternatives such as imported
vegetable oils were prohibitively expensive so that although the site was
marketed by Croda as a going concern, this turned out to be a fruitless
exercise. Our proposals envisage how after clearance, the site can be
redeveloped to provide a combination of employment, residential and
recreational uses that are compatible with the site location next to
Bromborough Pool Village and that make a positive contribution to the
economy and environment of this part of Bromborough and the Wirral
by providing good quality housing and employment opportunities in
close proximity.
1.006 The cleared site will have an area of 13.83Ha (34.17acres), which
its is proposed will be developed with approximately 5.9Ha of
employment uses and 4.4Ha of residential use with the remainder split
between the riverside restoration, public open space and the listed
building. The site is partly in an area defined by the Environment Agency
as being in a Category 1 flood risk zone from Tidal Flooding (River
Mersey) and Fluvial Flooding (River Dibbin) – See Flood Risk Assessment
documents prepared by Cascade consulting. We have not been able
to find any record of the land having flooded in the 155 years that the
factory has occupied the site but the layout has been designed to take
full account of the theoretical risk and to keep the proposed housing
clear of the flood risk area. This is described fully in the accompanying
Flood Risk Assessment for the site.
1.007 The site is to be completely cleared with the exception of the one
prominent Grade 2 listed building that is to be retained for future
refurbishment and conversion. This is in relatively poor condition, having
been abandoned and in disrepair, but it has been made watertight to it
is not further deteriorating. However, it is a local landmark that is worthy
of retention. The listed building is described more fully later in this
document.
01
Image 01 - Aerial Photograph retrieved from Google earth January 2012
1.00 - INTRODUCTION
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
6
1.008 There are other unlisted remnants of the earlier factory remaining
on the site and the options for these were appraised as a part of the site
analysis process. Further comment is made on these buildings in the
heritage section of this document but in summary, our conclusion was
that these buildings are either poorly located, of low heritage value, in
very poor condition or a combination of the three although they are of
sufficient local historic interest to justify making a measured and
photographic survey of the remains. Reference to old mapping shows
that the main block of remaining buildings does not date back to the
original phase of construction in 1853 / 4 and they were not built until at
the earliest after 1889 (when the site was illustrated without these
buildings in “The Pictorial World”). These buildings have been heavily
modified or altered over time and although they mainly follow the
barrel roofed form set by the earliest buildings on the site, reference to
more recent OS maps shows that several buildings in this block are post
1935 and the latest, which is an extension to the main fitter’s shop
actually dates from around 1950 although it is almost indistinguishable
from the earlier buildings and is even built using similar brick and cast
iron window frames. These buildings are an example of unusual industrial
architecture but are of little value to the development and would be
both difficult and expensive to convert for alternative uses. Their
location also means that they would be very destructive to the
proposals overall and for this reason we propose that they are to be
recorded and demolished.
1.00 - INTRODUCTION
Image 01 - Historic map 1874-1876
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 02 - Historic map 1911-1912
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 03 - Historic map 1936
Image 04 - Historic map 1956
01
02
03
04
7
2.00 - BACKGROUND
2.001 Site location.
Before development, the Bromborough Pool was a tidal inlet of the River
Mersey estuary, formed where the River Dibbin loops around a
promontory before forming its confluence with the Mersey. The Mersey is
wide at this point and the massive tidal range of the estuary made it
possible (at that time) for coasting vessels to navigate into the Pool,
where they could load and unload in sheltered waters.
2.002 The Wirral side of the river Mersey was developing fast and
immediately to the south of this promontory site ran the main road from
Chester to Birkenhead, which was massively improved as a Turnpike in
the years 1839 – 40. This road crossed the Bromborough Pool river inlet
on a causeway and bridge (this is now the A41). Parallel to this and
slightly further south a railway between Birkenhead and Chester (now
part of the Merseyrail electrified suburban network) was built in 1838 and
these transport improvements made an area of previously undeveloped
coastline into an accessible and attractive development prospect with
excellent land and water communications.
2.002 Price’s Patent Candles.
In 1853, the Wilson Family, who already had a factory in Battersea,
London, identified this promontory as the site for their new candle
factory and the works of Price’s Patent Candles was constructed on the
site to take advantage of the Proximity of Liverpool, which by this date
was one of the premier ports through which Palm Oil was imported. This
was one of the key raw materials in the manufacture of cleaner burning
candles that were not based on relatively smelly and dirty animal fats
and tallows.
2.004 In the 1850’s, the Mersey shoreline was much closer to the works
that it is now and the high water mark was close to what is now the
Eastern edge of Dock Road South. The Pool is approximately 4 miles
southeast of Birkenhead and is almost due south of Liverpool. By the mid
C19th both of these settlements were expanding very rapidly as wealthy
industrial and commercial centres. Land on the coast was reclaimed
and a very large private dock was built at Bromborough at the
entrance to the Pool.
2.005 The nearest existing settlements to the Pool were the villages of
Bromborough and Bebington but these were both approximately 2
miles away so were not particularly convenient to provide workers for
the factory site. The Wilson family originated from Lanark in Scotland
and it is considered very likely that they were aware of the socially
01
Image 01 - Historic engraving of Prices Candle Factory—estimated date 1908
Image 02 - Existing Aerial Photograph (Bing Maps retrieved march2011) of village and factory site.
02
2.00 - BACKGROUND
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
8
pioneering work of Robert Owen with his mill and village at New Lanark.
In order to address the shortage of housing in the immediate vicinity of
the Bromborough Pool site the Wilson family built a new village
alongside the factory to house their workers and this became
Bromborough Pool Village, which is still largely intact today although
significantly changed. Construction of the village was started around
1854 and was expanded in a number of phases of development with
the last of 24 houses on South View and Manor Place starting in 1896
and being completed around 1901. Although Bromborough Pool
cannot claim to be the first village that was developed by a
philanthropic factory owner, it was certainly one of the earliest and the
spacious design and layout of the site made it an interesting model for
others to learn from and to follow. In its heyday, the village boasted a
shop, school, church, hall, cottage hospital and a cricket pavilion for
the use of its residents.
2.006 The factory buildings eventually covered virtually the whole
surface area of the promontory with barrel-roofed production halls and
workshops whilst the relatively long margin with the river Dibbin was
developed as extensive wharfeage, alongside which, ships could load
and unload directly into the works. This was a very modern approach to
the transport and storage of bulk raw materials and finished goods for its
time and Price’s produced a series of engravings which show the
development of the site from the same viewpoint over time, set against
the changing backdrop of shipping, which was gradually evolving from
sail to steam power over the same period.
2.007 By 1908, Price’s had grown to be the world’s leading
manufacturer of candles, which by this date were largely based on
paraffin wax. The attached engraving is one of the series referrt to
above showing the factory is not dated but judging by the extent of the
works and the types of ship that are visible, it probably dates from
around 1908. Immediately after World War One, Prices were taken over
by their near neighbours, Lever Brothers, who had developed their soap
factory on an adjoining site, higher up the Pool. This factory had
developed into Port Sunlight and Levers had followed the lead set by
the Wilson family by building their own rather more lavish village of
workers houses adjacent to their works (Port Sunlight Village).
2.008 As other more modern means of lighting were popularised in the
domestic market, Price’s consolidated candle production on their
London site and in combination with Lever’s, continued to trade as
Candles Ltd up until around 1936, when Lever Bros pulled out of Candles
Ltd and took the former Prices works with them. After this, Bromborough
Pool continued to process Oleo-chemicals and vegetable oils that had
2.00 - BACKGROUND
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - 19th Century engraving of the factory retrieved from ‘Price’s of Bromborough 1854-1954’ Centenary publication.
Image 02 - General View of the works in 1889—retrieved from ‘Price’s of Bromborough 1854-1954’ Centenary publication.
01
02
03
04
9
originally been bi-products of candle manufacturing. These bi-products
were used in the cosmetics and soap industries so the proximity of Port
Sunlight was ideal and the two factories thrived side by side.
2.009 In order to modernise, the majority of the original process buildings
were cleared from the site and new processing and refining equipment
started to be installed in its place from the late 1950’s period onwards.
The main surviving relic of the original factory was the former office
building with its Italianate clock tower (English Heritage Listed Building ID
215551 – Heritage Gateway reference 1185330 – UNICHEMA OFFICE
BUILDING, POOL LANE CH62 4TY – First Listed 26/3/1986). The building
itself has been extended a number of times and more recently
disfigured by insensitive and inappropriate additions but it is grade 2
listed and an important relic of the history of the site. In the 1980’s a new
purpose built office block was constructed near to the site entrance
and the original building fell out of use although steps were taken to
maintain it in a wind and weather-tight condition. The building is now in
a generally poor state of repair with derelict interiors that have suffered
from very extensive water penetration, it is once again been made
wind and water tight, prevent further deteriorating. This building is
capable of sensitive restoration and creative re-use.
2.010 The site was damaged by a major fire in the early 1990’s, which
reportedly started when a high pressure super-heated steam-main
ruptured and caused a flare-up in some of the processing equipment.
Damage to the plant was significant but this fire was also very unsettling
to the community of Bromborough Pool, many of whom had become
housing association tenants rather than workers in the factory. It was
around this time that Riverside H. A. Ltd undertook a programme of
landscape screening to visually separate the village from the factory
site. Other serious fires occurred on 1st March 2002 (when an explosion
destroyed the factory’s main switch room) and the 30th March 2004 and
although in both cases, the factory’s emergency fire plan worked
successfully and there was no injury or loss of life, it was becoming
increasingly clear that the plant was no longer seen as the good
neighbour to the village housing that it had originally been. The Pool
01
03
02
04
Image 01 - Existing photograph Redundant factory equipment
2.00 - BACKGROUND
Image 02 - Existing photograph Redundant factory equipment
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 03 - Existing photograph Redundant factory equipment
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 04 - Existing Photograph of buildings on site
05
Image 05 - 360 panoramic of Pool Lane and the main entrance/gate house
10
Lane site was by then in the ownership of Uniqema and later became a
part of CRODA International. By 2009, CRODA had decided that the site
was no longer viable, partly because the BSE crisis had made the use of
animal derived fats and tallows a lot less desirable. The works finally
closed in the summer of that year with the loss of the last 115 jobs on
and serving the site. The site had been actively marketed as a going
concern but had failed to find a buyer after 155 years of continuous
occupation.
2.011 Land to the north of the Bromborough Pool Village cricket pitch
had been used for a tank farm but this had fallen out of use by the
1990’s. The site was cleared and sold off for development as a
maintenance yard for vehicles serving the Onyx (later to become
Vieola) refuse collection contracts in Liverpool and Wirral. This use
involved the laying of concrete hard-standing over much of the site and
the installation of floodlighting, a washing plant and maintenance bays.
The site is outside the boundaries of our application and is currently
vacant but it’s future use will have a big impact on both the Pool Lane
site and on Bromborough Pool Village Conservation area.
2.012 Within the village / Conservation area boundary, and very close
to the site, there are a number of cleared housing sites in the ownership
of Riverside Housing Association Ltd. Riverside applied for detailed
planning consent to build 40No new affordable house on these sites
and approval for this development has been granted in January 2012)
(Application APP/11/1050 – approved at planning committee on 3.1.12).
The Officer’s report to the planning committee stated that the proposed
residential development should “aid in securing the long-term
sustainability of the village, which would otherwise be in danger of
declining as a residential community. It is considered that by installing
new housing, new life and vibrancy will be injected into the village,
helping to achieve a critical mass of people necessary to support local
facilities is important for the preservation of Listed Buildings and the
Conservation Area as a whole that continued investment is secured into
the settlement”. In the case of Bromborough Pool, we believe that it is
important to consider the settlement as a whole – ie the village and the
factory together, as they have always been. In these terms, the above
statement should be seen as very supportive of the principles of further
residential development at Bromborough Pool. As the above
application will have gone some way towards establishing the
sustainability of the village, these future proposals will reinforce this..
2.013 After closure, the Pool Lane site was purchased by Dibbin Estates
and Equipment Ltd, a subsidiary of IPPE (International Process Plant and
Equipment). The site is currently vacant and the premises are of poor
2.00 - BACKGROUND
Image 01 - Application APP/11/1050 - site plan showing in fill sites
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 02 - Application APP/11/1050 - site plan showing in fill site location in Aerial photograph
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 03 - Application APP/11/1050 - Photograph of site 02
01
02
03
11
quality and unsuitable for modern industrial purposes. The majority of the
site is occupied by redundant plant, which is dedicated to particular
industrial purposes or a specific occupier and unsuitable for re-use on
site. The site is therefore not making any positive contributions to the
area.
2.014 A team was assembled to appraise the options for the site and to
prepare a master-plan proposal for a mixed residential and commercial
development that would bring life and economic activity back to the
Pool Lane site.
2.015 Outline proposals were prepared in consultation with the local
authority and were then exhibited to the general public at two separate
consultation events, held on and near to the site. The proposals
received an overwhelmingly positive and welcoming response with
many of the older residents having worked in the factory. Many had
been deeply saddened by the closure of the works and were now
pleased to see that the site could have a bright future.
01
02
03
Image 01 - Image 02 - Existing photograph of site showing Redundant factory equipment
Image 02 - Image 02 - Existing photograph of site
Image 03 - Image 02 - Existing photograph of site showing existing buildings
04
Image 04 - Image 02 - Existing photograph of site showing existing buildings
2.00 - BACKGROUND
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
12
3.00 - SITE CONTEXT
3.001 Site description.
The Pool Lane site is tightly constrained around its Northern and Western
boundaries by a large meander of the River Dibbin, which forms the site
perimeter. Many of the original wharf-walls, railings and mooring bollards
survive around the edge of the site, bearing testament to the shipping
that once traded here but now, these look curious as the Dibbin is
reduced to a narrow and relatively shallow stream, barely capable of
supporting a rowing boat at times of low water. The River is now
controlled at the River Mersey confluence by sluice gates. Bromborough
Pool Village housing sits to the southeast of the site but is now owned by
a major social-housing provider, The Riverside Group, who acquired the
property in 1988 when Uniqema were finding it increasingly difficult to
act as a social housing landlord. The ownership boundary along the
south-eastern edge of the site is largely defined by Pool Lane, which is
partly still in use and partly closed off although it is still clearly visible on
the ground.
3.002 On the opposite side of the Dibbin, there are further pockets of
industry (such as the Land & Marine site, opposite Brightside) surrounded
by a mix of other uses including a golf driving range. This land was
formerly occupied by a storage tank farm associated with the nearby
factories. From inside the Pool Lane site, looking outwards, the north
bank of the river is now mainly steeply embanked and is covered by
semi-natural scrubland which obscures the longer views towards the
housing beyond. It is considered very likely that there will be further
pressure to develop these sites in future but the steep embankment will
be difficult to develop towards the water margin and will hopefully
define the edge of the developable area so as to remain as part of the
wildlife corridor along the flood / tidal zone of the Dibbin.
3.003 To the south-west of the site is a heavily wooded area that was the
site of the historic Bromborough Courthouse until that building was
demolished during the 1960’s (varoiously reported as 1963 and 1969).
The site of the courthouse is designated as a Scheduled Ancient
Monument (scheduled as BROMBOROUGH COURT HOUSE MOATED SITE
AND FISHPONDS, WIRRAL – List Entry Number 1012503, first listed 31.1.80
and more recently amended 3.4.91) and the building once occupied
the site that was reputedly the battlefield of “Brunanburgh”, a conflict
that took place around 937AD (this may be local folklore as the battle
site has never been proved archaeologically although there is evidence
of medieval occupation of the site, in the form of a moated building,
possibly associated with Birkenhead Priory or Chester Cathedral). The
local history society are very keen to restrict public access to this site in
3.00 - SITE CONTEXT
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - Existing Aerial Photograph (Bing Maps retrieved November 2011) of village and factory site.
01
13
order to protect any archaeological remains that may still be present on
the site however in our experience, it is likely that the trees on the site will
have caused a lot of disturbance to the stratification of any buried
archaeology and that English Heritage (EH) would wish to see the trees
removed to restrict further damage. EH has confirmed that this site is on
their “at risk” register because of a lack of any proper maintenance
arrangements and they have suggested that as a part of our proposals,
we may wish to consider putting such an arrangement in place, We
have stressed that this site is in separate ownership and does not form a
part of the application but the proposed new housing will immediately
adjoin the scheduled ancient monument boundary and some of the
mature trees on the scheduled site may actually overhang the site. In
order to satisfy PPS5 Planning for the Historic Environment, there may be
a need for an archaeological “Watching brief” when this part of the
Pool Lane site is developed although the area within the factory
boundary has already been significantly altered (and the land-levels
reduced) to the extent that any archaeology will probably have been
lost.
3.004 On the northeast side of the Dibbin and partly occupying the site
that was once the Bromborough Dock, is the Bromborough landfill site.
This waste tip has been mounded to a considerable height and now
forms a significant visual barrier between the Pool Lane site and the
River Mersey. This site is on reclaimed land and the River Mersey
originally flowed much closer to Bromborough Pool Village . The tip site
has closed off the view of Liverpool across the estuary. The tip stands out
as a substantial mound because the rest of the area around New Ferry,
Bromborough and Bebington is largely flat. Work is underway to
landscape the tip as an area of public open space adjoining the
Mersey so it will eventually become an asset for the community. Next to
this is Mersey Wharf, a deep-water berth in the estuary, which can be
used by medium-sized coasting vessels. This is still an active loading and
unloading place on the river and will be used for the removal of some of
the larger pieces of decommissioned plant from the Pool Lane site so as
to avoid the need for road transport.
01
Image 01 - Bromborough Pool Dock - 1990, shortly before it was filled in as a land fill site. Mersey wharf is
in the foreground.
3.00 - SITE CONTEXT
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
14
4.00 - PLANNING POLICY
Please also refer to the Planning Statement prepared by NLP.
4.001 Designation.
The Land at Pool Lane is part of an area of industrial land that is zoned
on Wirral Borough Council UDP as being for Primarily Employment uses in
connection with the Wirral International Business Park. Wirral Borough
Council has been consulted on the scope of our proposed
development and on the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment
and they have confirmed that the proposal falls under schedule 2 of the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations 2011 and that Wirral
Council will not require an EIA to accompany the application. The
authority do however require an Ecological assessment to accompany
the application and this has been prepared by URS.
4.002 Wirral’s UDP Policy EM6: Economy and Employment – General
Criteria for New Employment Development, sets out the criteria under
which new developments for employment development will generally
be permitted. For the purposes of this policy, Wirral Borough Council
define “employment development” as uses falling within use classes B1,
B2 or B8 as defined by the Town and Country Planning (use classes)
Order 1987.
4.003 Policy EM8 of the Wirral UDP states that within the Primarily
Industrial Areas indicated on the Proposals Map (this includes our site),
proposals for uses B1, B2 or B8 will be permitted
4.004 We are therefore assuming that the range of uses (B1, B2 or B8) as
defined by policy EM6 and EM8 would be likely to apply to any future
development of the commercial element of the site.
4.005 The Conservation Area.
The site includes within its boundary, the former line of Pool Lane, along
the edge of the former CRODA car park and flanking the boundary of
the Riverside Housing Association and landscape at the north end of
Bromborough Pool Village. Under our proposals, the former line of Pool
Lane is to be fully reinstated and this work would be within the
boundaries of the Bromborough Pool Conservation area. Planning and
conservation policy related to the Conservation Area is covered by
policy CH22 – see also CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL – Part 1 and
CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN – Part 2 – Bromborough Pool
Village – Prepared for Wirral Council by Donald Insall Associates 2007 –
2009. Our new-build proposals all fall outside the Conservation Area
boundary but will be will need to give consideration to its setting. The
Conservation Area itself is protected by Article 4 status, which means
4.00 - PLANNING POLICY
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - Bromborough pool village conservation area - 3 key buildings, (From the left) School, St
Matthews church, and the village hall
01
02
03
04
Image 02 - Bromborough pool village conservation area - 1860’s houses.
Image 03 - Existing view of the River Dibbin adjacent to the golf driving range.
Image 04 - Redundant factory equipment on site.
15
there are no permitted development rights within the boundaries of this
area and Outline Planning Applications will not be accepted either.
English Heritage has been consulted on the affect that the new
development may have on the Conservation area. They have referred
to the requirements of PPS5 – Planning for the Historic Environment with
regard to this. EH has drawn particular attention to policy HE10 which
refers local authorities to the “need to identify opportunities for changes
in the setting to enhance or better reveal the significance of heritage
assets”
4.006 The Listed Building.
The listed building on the site (NGR SJ 34562 84380) is the former office
building from Price’s Patent Candle Works. (English Heritage Listed
Building ID 215551 – Heritage Gateway reference 1185330 – UNICHEMA
OFFICE BUILDING, POOL LANE CH62 4TY – First Listed 26/3/1986). The
building is Grade 2 listed and is largely of mid 19th Century date but with
substantial later additions, which were designed to match the original
building. The Heritage Gateway site includes the following brief
description of the building. “Industrial Building. 1853. for James and
George Wilson. Brick with stone dressings, slate roofs. 3 storeys, 5 x 8
bays; later extensions. Central Tower, 2 bays to either side are gabled,
that to right recessed. 1st and 2nd floor sill bands, top frieze. Windows
have lintels and small panel casements; round-headed recesses
between 1st and 2nd, 3rd and 4th bays. Tower has triple round-headed
lights and clock face, deep eaves and pyramidal roof. Right return has
similar details, 5th bay projects under gable, 6th to 8th bays of 2 storeys,
gabled. Some sashed windows with glazing bars; C20 porch. Part of the
planned village for Price’s Patent Candle Company, one of the earliest
examples of a model industrial village”. Parts of the building have been
badly disfigured by the addition of inappropriate and insensitive post
WW2 extensions and the removal of these would be subject to Listed
Building Consent but would greatly enhance the appearance of the
building. At this stage, we propose that the building would be
refurbished for re-use but as the final use of the building has not been
determined. The extent of the repairs and alterations cannot be fully
defined at this stage. In any event, these proposals would be subject to
separate planning and LBC applications. The building is currently
assumed to have business (B1) consent. Works on this building would
have to take into account the requirements of PPS5 – Planning for the
Historic Environment. English Heritage has questioned why the site to the
south of this building is not being developed for housing. Whilst their
comments are noted, the area that they have commented on is within
the flood zone boundary and is not considered appropriate for
residential use on this site. In addition, this part of the site was used as
hard-standing and throughout the 155 years of occupation of the site, it
Image 01 - South Elevation of the listed building showing the 1950’s extension to the rear.
01
02
03
4.00 - PLANNING POLICY
Image 02 - Front elevation of the listed building.
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 02 - North elevation of the listed building.
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
16
remained as open space so our proposal maintains this relationship
between the listed building and its setting.
4.007 Scheduled Ancient Monument site.
Immediately adjoining the site is the scheduled ancient monument on
the site of the former Bromborough Courthouse. (scheduled as
BROMBOROUGH COURT HOUSE MOATED SITE AND FISHPONDS, WIRRAL –
List Entry Number 1012503, first listed 31.1.80 and more recently
amended 3.4.91). This site is in separate ownership and any works within
the boundaries of the scheduled area would be subject to Scheduled
Monument Consent, which would have to be granted by English
Heritage. Our proposals do not encroach onto this site but do run right
up to the boundary of the scheduled area. The SAM is currently on EH’s
list of sites that are “at risk”, in this case “High Risk” - through an almost
total lack of any maintenance. The site is outside our application
boundary and is not owned by the applicant so should not be
considered as a part of this application. The proposed development will
affect the setting of the SAM and so the requirements of PPS5 – Planning
for the Historic Environment will need to be taken into account in this
respect.
4.008 Policy EM6 notes that any development for employment use must
not “lead to an unacceptable loss of amenity, have an adverse affect
on the operations of neighbouring uses or compromise the future
development of land in the vicinity”. The Pool Lane site has a
designation for employment uses because of the history of the site but
the interface between the existing village and the factory site are
largely a result of the previous development of the site. Our proposals
have been developed to take into account issues of sustainability
related to Bromborough Pool Village and for this reason, we are
proposing a mixed development with the potential to provide a
substantial amount of employment but supported by residential
development and the creation of amenity space in the form of a
riverside walkway and a small park. The heritage of the site would be
supported by the retention and refurbishment of the former office
building.
4.009 Housing Strategy.
Please refer to the Planning Statement prepared by NLP.
4.010 Design Standards
The layouts have been designed to meet or exceed the standards for
separation distances that are applied by Wirral Borough Council
although the proposal is for an infill development, there is no direct
interface between the proposed new housing and the existing village
4.00 - PLANNING POLICY
Image 01 - Aerial Photograph of Bromborough Courthouse - 1969 - showing relationship to site
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 02 - Photograph of Bromborough Courthouse
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 03 - 1970 Aerial Photo of Court site showing moat
Image 04 - 1870 tithe deed showing Courthouse location
Image 05 - 1901 Map indication Courthouse
01
02
03
04
05
17
houses, partly because there is and existing landscape buffer at the
north end of the village. The proposed new housing layout is generated
from a grid of raods that are spaced to match those in the existing
village, where garden sizes are very generous for the size of the
dwellings. Even allowing for frontage parking, which pushes the front
building line of houses further back into the plots than the original, the
separation distances of 21.0m and 14.0m can be comfortably
exceeded. Rear garden lengths will generally be more than 10.0m (with
a few exceptions) so it should be possible to exceed the requirements
for private open space related to individual dwellings.
4.011 Public Consultation.
Please also refer to the statement of community involvement produced
by NLP.
In order to canvas public opinion on the future of this important site, our
proposals have also been the subject of public consultation over two
consecutive days in Late November 2011. The consultation events were
extensively advertised in local newspapers to try to ensure that a
representative selection of people came along.
4.012 On the first of these consultation days (25th November 2011), our
display was sites in the former gatehouse to the factory site,
immediately adjacent to Pool Lane and overlooking its junction with
South View. In this location, it was hoped that we would be able to
engage with the community of Bromborough Pool and amongst them,
with some of the former workforce from the factory. Attendance was
steady throughout the event and the proposals received very
substantial support from the community. Most people had been
concerned to see the site decline and then close and they were
reassured that our proposals envisaged a future for the site which would
provide significant employment but that was also considered
compatible with the existing village community. Comments were also
raised about the loss of heritage on the site and the potential impact on
the adjoining site of the scheduled ancient monument.
4.013 A second consultation event was held the following day (26th
November 2011) in New Ferry Community Centre. The aim of this was to
capture views from a slightly wider catchment area and to test public
support for the various aspects that make up the proposals. Attendance
was one again steady and support was once again strong. Managers
from other local businesses attended this event because they wanted
to check on the impact that our proposals may have on their sites.
There is slight unease about the impact that further housing might have
on the activities of the older / more traditional industries.
Image 01 - Public consultation - New Ferry, Winsor Close Comunity Centre
01
02
03
4.00 - PLANNING POLICY
Image 02 - Public Consultation - At the Factory Gates house of Dibbin Estates Ltd
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 03 - Public Consultation - At the Factory Gates house of Dibbin Estates Ltd
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
18
5.00 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & KEY PRINCIPLES
5.001 Design Generators:
The factory and village of Bromborough Pool were both innovative and
forward-looking developments that created precedents and set very
high standards for the everyday working and living conditions of
ordinary people in the mid to late C19th. Wirral Council has sought to
protect the historic character and detail of the village by imposing and
enforcing an Article 4 Directive which removes all permitted
development rights from the village Conservation Area and also means
that only full planning submissions will be acceptable for works within the
Conservation Area boundary
5.002 Design influences and historical references.
The architectural style of both the village and the C19th factory was unpretentious and utilitarian whilst following a sound functional tradition
but also using modern materials (such as cast iron for cavity wall ties
and corrugated iron for roofing) in new ways. The result is a low key
range of designs and archetypes. The most flamboyant building is the
village hall, originally built as the school in 1854 but replaced in that role
around 1899. This building followed the design of the barrel-roofed
production buildings in that factory and was designed by Julian Hill,
Price’s company architect at the time (but of whom very little
documentary evidence remains). This building was restored in 2002 to
provide care-home accommodation for adults with Autistic Spectrum
Disorder in combination with community facilities for the village. The
building is now known as Giles Shirely Hall. The layout of the village was
spacious and orderly with a simple grid of roads and a hierarchy of
dwelling types, all of which had generous gardens and (for their day)
advanced sanitation. The Wilson family were a deeply religious family
and provision was made in the village for the educational and spiritual
needs of their workforce and families. By 1901, the village also had a
cottage hospital (as a response to a fever outbreak, caused by the
dumping of rubbish from Liverpool near to the site) and cricket pavilion,
as well as a small village shop although there has never been a public
house. The factory managers were provided with large houses at the
end of the cricket field, from where they had a panoramic view of the
village and the factory beyond.
5.003 These design principles about the creation of sustainable
communities and good environments have stood the test of time and
whilst people’s expectations for the homes and workplaces have
changed significantly in the last 150 years, the basics of creating a
sustainable community remain very valid today. We have developed
these principles into a master-plan for the site by drawing on its history,
design principles and form as follows:
5.00 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & KEY PRINCIPLES
Image 01 - Bromborough Pool Village Hall after its renovation in 2002
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 01 - Historic Photograph of the village
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - Aerial photograph of Bromborough Pool Village Hall showing the Barrel Vaulted roof (Bing
Maps retrieved January 2012))
01
02
03
19
5.004 The design response.
The irregular waterside boundary of the Pool Lane site is defined by the
curving line of the wharf-walls to the River Dibbin. The redundant
infrastructure lining these wharves, creates an historic context into which
we have dropped our proposed layout. The river frontage has never
before been accessible to the public but we propose that by creating a
public riverside walkway and cycleway, we can reveal a new wildlife
corridor following the revitalised waterway and in the longer term,
create linkages into the networks of footpaths and cycle-ways that are
being developed by the local authority as traffic-free routes around the
borough. This walkway will also create the buffer required by the
Environment Agency to facilitate future land-based river maintenance
which requires a relatively spacious 8.0m access-way.
5.005 Key site features.
Adjacent to the river is the only listed building on the site. This is the
Italianate office building with its tall and slender clock tower. The main
part of this block was built relatively early in the history of the site and
which has been extended a number of times. Some of the extensions to
the building are sympathetic and seamless additions to its original
design whist others (particularly the post WW2 additions) are utilitarian in
character and contribute nothing to the overall architectural
composition. Our proposal is to strip away these unsympathetic
additions to reveal the original Victorian structure which is a simply
ordered and well mannered piece of design. The clock tower is a local
landmark and whilst some of the later chemical processing towers are
taller and more prominent, these will be removed as a part of the site
clearance. This will reinstate the importance of the clock tower as the
main landmark and orientation point on the site. The orientation of the
office building follows that of the grid of the village but the clock tower
is not on the axis of any of the original streets. Any application for listed
building consent for the office building would be submitted once the
principle of the development proposals as sought by this outline
application has been established.
5.006 In the original factory layout, the office building was adjoined by
the cooperage within the works and so old images show the offices
surrounded by the constantly changing setting created by massive
stacks and stockpiles of traditional timber barrels, casks and drums on
an area of flat hard-standing. Our proposal is to create a new setting for
the building, which will allow it to be appreciated architecturally. To do
this, we propose to create a small area of parkland at the start of the
riverside walkway. This park will create the interface between the
proposed new housing and the river whilst opening up previously
concealed views of the listed building. This will enhance the
Image 01 - Curving line of the wharf walls looking towards Bromborough Dock and the Mersey- 1954 retrieved from ‘Price’s of Bromborough 1854-1954’ - Centenary publication.
01
5.00 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & KEY PRINCIPLES
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 02 - Historic Photograph of the wharf walls with boats,
02
03
Image 03 - Current view of wharfs walls, showing a similar view to Image 02 but looking in the other
direction.
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
20
appearance of the building and also create space around it which will
help to broaden the range of uses that may be suitable for this building.
5.007 The park is in an area that is not suited to development with
housing as it is within the line of the category one flood risk zone but
from the point of view of the layout design, it will become a pivotal
location, where the residential area opens out to the river Dibbin
frontage. The park will be edged by a new road, which will run around
the perimeter of the housing and also provide access into the proposed
curtilage of the listed building. The alignment of this road will describe
the approximate extent of the area that is defined as being at risk of
flooding with the housing being sited outside the “at risk” zone.
5.008 A swathe of structure planting will follow the northern edge of this
road and will wrap around the back of some of the new housing to
provide a landscape screen between the proposed industry and the
proposed residential area. Where possible, the housing has been
arranged to minimise the direct interface between the two land uses.
The structure planting will use appropriate native species of trees to
provide shelter, visual screening and to form a wildlife corridor.
Appropriate native trees, possibly incorporating a mix of deciduous and
evergreen species will be used to provide a visual screen that will
change with the seasons and provide shelter from winds off the Mersey
Estuary. The evergreens would help to soften the outline and visual bulk
of the industrial buildings during the winter months.
5.009 Residential Development.
Our proposals envisage a development of traditionally built and
detailed 2, 2½ and 3 storey family housing with gardens to the front and
rear and off street parking. Houses would have a range of footprint sizes
and room configurations with living rooms positioned to suit dwelling
orientation and to provide active frontages to streets and nodal points.
Household sizes would range from small 2 bedroom starter units to larger
4 bedroom units. Houses would be grouped in pairs and short terraces,
following the streetscapes and pattern taking its inspiration from the
original Bromborough Pool Village housing. The palette of materials
would be chosen to be respectful of the original house types without
being a pastiche. Materials such as face brickwork, limited areas of
render and slate being considered appropriate and in keeping. Housing
would meet or exceed modern environmental standards and could
include appropriate renewable energy technologies such as solar PV
panels on roofs, which would help to identify the new housing as a C21st
response to the need to provide good quality housing. The orientation
of all of the dwellings (as shown) would be appropriate for this to be
treated as an integral part of their design.
5.00 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & KEY PRINCIPLES
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - Aerial photograph - 1968 - showing the listed building surrounded buildings and cooperage
01
Image 02 - current aerial photograph - bing retrieved Jan 2012 - showing listed building proposed park
area, currently cut off from the public and as a yard.
Image 03 - Impression of the park from the proposed new road showing the listed building in its
proposed new setting and view down to the river front.
03
02
21
5.010 The road layout in the residential area springs directly from the grid
of the original village and this dictates the relatively generous space
standards within the layout. Houses are set further back from the road
than in the village so that frontage parking can be accommodated at
a ratio of one or two spaces per dwelling (dependant on house size)
but rear garden lengths are still relatively generous and would exceed
the development standards required by Wirral Borough Council. The
density of the development would be 39.5 / Ha (16 / acre) which is
appropriate to the urban / suburban location of the site. The new roads
would be connected to Pool Lane and this would be used as the
residential feeder road. A number of visitor parking areas would be
provided on the streets and the listed building would be provided with
its own dedicated parking.
5.011 The layout acknowledges the need to separate the traffic serving
the employment uses from that serving the residential area. The
employment area would be served from Dock Road South, which was
upgraded a number of years ago to serve the landfill site and Mersey
Wharf. The existing road terminates at what was the back gate to the
Pool Lane site and the carriageway is suitable for the largest articulated
vehicles currently on British roads.
5.012 Employment uses.
Our proposal is that the line of Dock Road South would be extended
into the site, following a weeping curve, which would run approximately
parallel to the course of the Dibbin at this point. A range of employment
units would be provided along both sides of this new road with the
smallest served off shared access courtyards and the largest with
private hard-standings, designed around the turning circles of
articulated vehicles
5.013 It is anticipated that the employment units will follow current
practice for this kind of business-park with an eaves height of 8 – 14m to
make them suitable for high-bay warehousing uses and to allow for the
possibility that a mezzanine floor may be inserted to cover part or all of
the floor area of the building. The buildings are likely to be faced in
insulated metal cladding panels, possibly above a brick plinth and they
will be roofed in profiled sheeting, incorporating rooflights and possibly
PV panels. The main doors are likely to be sectional or roller shutters to
facilitate loading and unloading of vehicles. The drawings indicate
pitched roofs but this will be subject to detailed design development,
and consultation with the planners.
01
Image 01 - Indicative view of the streetscape looking towards the park area adjacent to the listed
building.
5.00 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & KEY PRINCIPLES
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 02 - Indicative view of the potential employment units.
02
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
22
5.014 As with the residential area and the park, landscape will be an
important integral part of the design concept with tree and shrub
planting used to help to soften the visual environment. Signage would
be designed to be integrated with the landscape structure of the site
and railings / gates would be robust and functional in design without
becoming dominant on the streetscapes. Roads would be generous
and laid out to facilitate the swept paths of the largest articulated
vehicles that may use or serve the site.
5.015 Summary of Key Principles
• Reinforce the historic character and detail of the village, and the
relationship between the employment and residential areas.
• Utilise the established design influences and historical references, of
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
un-pretentious and utilitarian whilst following a sound functional
tradition but also using modern materials.
Key focus and driver is the creation of sustainable communities and
good environments.
Capitalise on the redundant infrastructure lining the wharves, to
create a historic context and walkway surrounding the proposed
layout. Creating a public riverside walkway, cycleway, and new
wildlife corridor following the revitalised waterway.
In future strip away the unsympathetic additions to the listed building
to reveal the original Victorian structure.
At the detailed design stage reinstate the importance of the clock
tower as the main landmark and orientation point on the site.
Create a new setting for the listed building, which will allow it to be
appreciated architecturally, through creating a small area of
parkland at the start of the riverside walkway and as a buffer
between the proposed housing and the river.
A swathe of structure planting will follow the northern edge of the
residential to create a buffer between this and the employment land,
also creating a wildlife corridor.
Use an appropriate mix of planting for ecological and visual diversity.
Houses would have a range of footprint sizes and room configurations
with living rooms positioned to suit dwelling orientation and to provide
active frontages to streets and nodal points.
The palette of materials would be chosen to be respectful of the
original house types without being a pastiche.
Housing would meet modern environmental standards which would
help to identify the new housing as a C21st response to the need to
provide good quality housing.
Houses would be grouped in pairs and short terraces, following the
streetscapes and pattern taking its inspiration from the original
Bromborough Pool Village housing.
5.00 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & KEY PRINCIPLES
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - Indicative view indicating the aspect of the housing overlooking the park adjacent to the
listed building.
Image 02 - Indicative view showing the structured swath of planting (to the left of the image) creating
a buffer between the residential and the employment.
01
02
23
• The road layout in the residential area springs directly from the grid of
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
01
Image 01 - Indicative view indicating the aspect of the housing overlooking the existing park adjacent
to the existing village.
the original village and this dictates the relatively generous space
standards within the layout.
Provide a separate traffic access routes for the employment uses and
the residential area.
A range of employment units would be provided following current
practice for this kind of business-park with an eaves height of 8 – 14m.
The buildings are likely to be faced in insulated metal cladding
panels, possibly above a brick plinth and they will be roofed in
profiled sheeting, incorporating roof lights and possibly PV panels.
The drawings indicate pitched roofs but subject to detailed design
development and further consultation with the LPA.
The boundary treatments for the residential will need to form part of
the overall landscape scheme and be appropriate for their location.
The existing village has open frontages for the illustrations we have
indicated planting forming a barrier between the public and private
realms.
The employment land will have a secure perimeter of 2100mm high
fence that is will be softened by the landscape planting.
The residential and employment streetscapes will be lit to adoptable
standards by appropriate street lighting. The park and riverside walk
will be lit for security and safety along the footpaths, with appropriate
street furniture where required.
5.00 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & KEY PRINCIPLES
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
Image 02 - Indicative view showing the most northerly part of the proposed residential area.
02
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
24
6.00 - THE PROPOSALS
6.001 Key Constraints.
Our proposed development will sit alongside the Bromborough Pool
Conservation area and has potential to affect its setting. The new
development will therefore need to be respectful of its historic
neighbour. It will also adjoin the scheduled ancient monument site of
Bromborough Courthouse but as there are no standing remains on this
site, the contextural link is not as strong.
6.002 Conservation area policy related to Bromborough Pool Village is
contained in Wirral Council policy CH22 and the defined planning
objectives are:
6.003
1.
2.
3.
4.
Retain the uniform planned form of the historic, industrial workers
village
Preserve the open aspect of land providing an important
separation from surrounding modern industrial uses.
Retain unifying features of the deign, including the grid-iron
pattern, terraces of four, materials, scale, elevation treatment and
garden areas; and
Retain the high wall bounding the village along Dock Road South.
CH22 goes on to confirm that “only primarily residential uses will be
permitted within the Area and notwithstanding the designation as sports
grounds under Proposal RE6, priority will be given to retaining the
primarily open aspect of land used as playing fields at The Green and
fronting South View”.
6.004 Paragraph 11.67 reinforces this by stating that “Policy CH22
provides for essential elements in the planned form of the village to
continue to be preserved, including the uniformity of layout and the
setting and detailed design of individual buildings. It provides for the
village to remain a Primarily Residential Area and to remain essentially
separate from its modern industrial surroundings, by restricting new
development on open land which serves as an essential buffer between
the Village and the modern factory premises nearby.
6.005 Responses.
Our approach has taken a direct response to each of these matters,
which can be clearly seen through the design and layout of the
proposed development as follows;
6.00 - THE PROPOSALS
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - Proposed master plan layout.
01
25
6.006
1.
Our proposed layout follows the grid-iron pattern of the village and
extends this across Pool Lane to retain longer vistas into and
through the village. It will also help to ensure that the clock tower
of the original office building can still be appreciated in its slightly
off-axis position in relation to the village housing. The landscaped
area at the North end of the village provides a clear visual break
to delineate where the original grid finishes and the new one starts.
2.
The open aspect of the land surrounding the village remains untouched with the green space to the North end of the village
retained and enhanced as a clear buffer between old and new
development. This area once contained housing but these
properties were demolished approximately 40 years ago and the
site has since been landscaped.
3.
The new housing will not slavishly copy the original village because
the Victorian house types are not appropriate to meeting the
needs of C21st house-buyers. The layout does however draw its
inspiration form the Victorian village with similar groupings of
houses, fronting onto roads and leaving relatively generous garden
spaces to the rear.
4.
The high brick wall along Dock Road South is a significant distance
from the application site but its significance as a boundary is
understood and it is anticipated that in key locations, similar walls
may be used to reinforce the sense of separation between the
housing and the commercial elements of the proposed
development.
6.007 - A - USE
6.0071 Historic land use.
The site was probably agricultural prior to the arrival of Price’s Patent
Candles in 1853. The land was within the boundaries of the
Bromborough Courthouse, which was owned by the Mainwaring family
at this time.
6.0072 Even after the factory and village were built, they would have
stood in a fairly rural area although there was transport in the form of
the turnpike road and the railway close by and the Mersey Estuary
would have been very busy at this time.
6.0073 Development of the immediate vicinity followed fairly quickly
with Lever Brothers building their factory and Port Sunlight village on the
other side of the turnpike road from the mid 1880’s onwards. These two
large factories, side by side became the nucleus for further industrial
development along this bank of the Mersey.
01
02
Image 01 - Historic Photograph of Brombrough Dock and Pool.
Image 02 - Historic Photograph of bromborogh Dock
03
04
Image 03&04 - Historic Photographs of the interior of the factory buildings retrieved from ‘Price’s of
Bromborough 1854-1954’ - Centenary publication.
6.00 - THE PROPOSALS
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
26
6.0074 Further industry developed to the south of Bromborough Pool
Village and much of the surrounding suburban development followed in
the inter-war years.
6.0075 Alongside this, Price’s had continued to develop their whole site
and an engraving that they produced for publicity purposes (probably
between 1900 and 1910) shows the whole promontory almost
completely covered with process buildings, all of which were linked
together into a single monolithic block (an aerial photograph from 1954
shows that very little changed until well after WW2). Only the perimeter
of the site along the wharves was used for storage of barrels and for
stockpiles of raw materials. At its peak, the site had its own power station
(which also supplied the village) and a number of boreholes and
pumping stations, from where ground-water was extracted for use in the
processes. It also had its own water-storage reservoir and substantial
outlying tank-farms that were associated with the plant.
6.0076 Beyond the immediate industrial environment of the site
suburban residential development in-filled the open spaces between
the original village centres and surrounded the site.
6.0077 Throughout the last 155 years of its history, the site has been in
industrial use and providing employment.
6.0078 In our proposals for the site, employment remains the main
component of the development but in order to ensure that
Bromborough Pool can remain as a balanced and sustainable
community, we are also proposing a mix of residential development
and recreational space alongside the commercial units.
6.0079 The proposals for the new uses of the site represent the new
history of the area whilst respecting its heritage.
6.008 - B - AMOUNT
6.0081 The site has an areas of 13.83Ha including the River restoration
area.
6.0082 The master-plan shows 5.9Ha of the site as being zoned to
provide employment. A total of 20 units of varying floor-plate size would
create a total of 187,400 square feet of floor-space.
60083 The layout also indicates a total of 4.4Ha of the site, which it is
proposed will be for residential uses. Based on our current master-plan
proposal, this would give a development density of 39 – 40 units pre Ha.
6.00 - THE PROPOSALS
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT
LAND AT POOL LANE, BROMBOROUGH
Image 01 - Aerial Photograph retrieved from ‘Price’s of Bromborough 1854-1954’ - Centenary
publication.
01