ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
Design and Access Statement template
For applications for planning permission and/or listed building consent
This template can be used to write your design and access statement. It should
be used to explain the design thinking behind your planning application and to
demonstrate your commitment to design that is accessible and
inclusive to all. You may find it useful to include pictures or photographs, or to
refer to plans you have submitted in support of your application.
You should aim to provide as much information as possible. However, you
may find that there are some sections which are not relevant to your
application. Where this is the case please state that the section is ‘not
applicable’.
1.
What are the features on the existing site?
 Buildings – size, age, style, condition (further detailed information
should be provided in the historic environment section if appropriate).
 gardens, landscaping and other open areas.
 boundaries – walls, railings, fences or other means of enclosure.
 immediately adjoining buildings and sites.
24 Hans Place terraced property made up of 6 self-contained residential flats.
Flat 6 is located on the Fourth floor of the building. The property was built in
the late 19th Century. It is believed that extensive bomb damage to the roof
means that unlike other properties in the terrace, 24 has a post-war altered,
flat roof.
The building overlooks Hans Place gardens and is adjoined on the sides by
other properties within the terrace.
2.
Please provide details of how access issues have been addressed
The ‘access’ component should deal with both interior design and
management issues to demonstrate not just compliance with the design
details in the Access Design Guide SPD, but also how the applicant intends to
meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010 (which incorporates the
Disability Discrimination Act 1995).
Where relevant, this should include:
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Approaches to and around the site, including transport links
Car-parking, setting down points, location of dropped kerbs (if required)
All entrances, including visibility
General horizontal/vertical circulation and layout arrangements
Appropriate use of surface materials
 Facilities within the building including WC provision, circulation
within units and explanation of accessibility standards through
all public parts of the building
 Way-finding and signage
 An assessment of means of escape
The existing access to the property is via external steps at ground floor level
from where a staircase goes up to the fourth floor on which Flat 6 is located.
No works are proposed to the communal stairs leading up to the flat. There is
no lift in the property.
3.
Please provide details of the layout of proposed development
 Relationship of buildings, routes and spaces.
 Safety and security.
24 Hans Place is made up of 6 self-contained residential flats. Flat 6 is located
on the Fourth floor of the building.
The proposed scheme is to improve the existing 3 bedroom/Two bathroom
layout with sympathetic minor alterations to bathroom, main bedroom and
kitchen.
4. Please provide details of the scale/appearance of the proposed
development
 Height, width, length, materials, detailed design.
 Relationship to surrounding development.
 Relevant local and national policies and guidance.
Internally the space will be modernised, the internal layout reconfigured in a
minor way to enable better use of the existing rooms, full re-wiring and
replumbing will be undertaken to improve the safety of the flat. Additionally,
climate cooling will be introduced in order to better regulate temperature,
reduce fuel consumption and improve air circulation.
Extensive research has been undertake in order to identify and use the
appropriate materials and design features, such as repairing walls/ceilings
with lath and plaster, removing the 80/90’s coving, replacing the stylized
Victorian skirting and architraving with 1880’s designs in solid wood.
All design features are set out in Appendix 1.
5.
Please provide details of the landscaping in the proposed
development should be considered
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 when choosing trees and plants the following factors Suitability – is
the ultimate size appropriate for the space the plant will have, it is
important to avoid conflict with buildings. Large vigorous
trees too close to structures will require expensive and regular pruning.
Will the species choice be tough enough to survive the site conditions?
 Interest – Does the plant for example display any of the following
features – attractive bark, flowers, interesting foliage and autumn
colour? Sometimes trees which bear fruit are not suitable for heavily
used areas.
 Sustainability – is there sufficient soil depth available and has irrigation
and drainage been supplied where planters have been specified?
Trees and plants grown in the ground will live longer and need less
maintenance than those grown in planters. Where there is
subterranean development a meter depth of soil must be provided over
the structure.
Not Applicable
6.
Please provide details of how Heritage Assets issues have been
addressed
 Describe the assets affected – listed buildings, conservation area,
archaeology etc.
 Define their significance (in the case of buildings in conservation areas,
their contribution to the character or appearance of the area).
 Assess the impact of the proposals on the heritage asset, including
reference to national and local policies and guidance.
 If the impact is harmful to the significance of the historic asset, set out
the public benefits which justify the proposal.
Whilst there is no planning history relevant to the flat it seems as though
works have been carried out to the property in the last 20 years with the
creation of the Shower Room in Bedroom Three.
Skirtings - To the Hall and all three bedrooms there is a 150mm high
moulded skirting that we propose to remove. Research has shown that the
domestic parts of a Victorian Townhouse such as this would have had a
simple design (unlike the formal rooms lower down), the skirtings in the
Reception, Kitchen and Bathroom are very basic 75mm pencil skirtings that
we believe are the original pieces (this is evidenced by the use of these
simple materials in the forth floor lobby and landing areas in the house which
have not been over developed previously.
See Appendix 1 for photographic images.
Cornice - There is a cornice to much of the apartment that returns around the
Kitchen units and in the cupboard in Bedroom Two. The cornice also runs in
front of the wall to the Shower Room in Bedroom Three that suggests that the
cornice is in part a more recent addition. We believe that the cornice was an
80’s/90’s addition with the then trend and that domestic rooms in a
townhouse would not have been decorated in this ornate way. The cornicing
is potentially damaging to the lath and plaster ceilings and to be honest to the
original history, it is proposed that these should be removed and the
walls/ceilings repaired.
Doors and Architraves - The internal doors are a mix of new and old four
panel doors, the proposed scheme will re-use the old doors and replace the
new doors with solid timber panelled doors to match the older doors in the
property (sourced from reclamation).
The architraves are mainly moulded although to some areas they are of a
pencil round design. The proposed scheme will remove the moulded
architrave, which is not in keeping with the age/use of the property and
replace with the simple pencil round design which is evident to be the
original decorative style.
Cont. over
The existing interconnecting door (introduced in the 80’s/90’s) between the
main bedroom and the dressing room will be removed. The kitchen door will
be moved by 1 ft to the side to enable the wall joining the kitchen and
bathroom to be straightened. All original materials will be reused.
Features - The existing cupboard in the hall will be retained.
Internal Walls - The existing wall between the Bathroom and Kitchen is partly
plasterboard and partly modern block work. The block work section being
much thinner as shown on the plans. The proposed scheme looks to remove
the plasterboard section in order to straighten the wall and enable the space
to be used more effectively for a modern bathroom.
Air Cooling – The introduction of air cooling units to the main bedroom and
living room is to improve the energy efficiency of the property by reducing the
dependency upon gas fueled central heating and electric heaters. The top
floor apartment is the least efficient in terms of heating as the amount of heat
escape through the roof is significant; additionally the wind attrition from the
north-facing exposed elevation contributes further. The convection radiators
installed into the apartment currently do a poor job of circulating the heat
emitted and thus they require more heat to be produced in order to raise the
temperature of the rooms.
The installation of new, Victorian styled radiators will both improve the heat
transfer, as well as be in keeping with the decorative style of the period, these
together with new secondary double glazing units to replace the existing
updated units in the garden square facing rooms, plus an air cooling system,
discretely positioned on the flat roof space out of sight will enable energy
reduction, improved heat transference, and improved air quality and sound
insolation.
Consultation – A pre-planning meeting has occurred with RBKC and all internal
occupants are aware of the proposals. Additionally, both properties adjacent
have recently had approved and unscheduled works take place, demonstrating
an existing “awareness” of redevelopment and refurbishment schemes close
by.