milton road library - public exhibition - introduction & purpose of
TRANSCRIPT
HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS PUBLIC CONSULTATION FOR THE PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT OF MILTON ROAD LIBRARY, CAMBRIDGE.
This consultation event provides an opportunity for the project team to discuss with you what the future intentions are for the site, and to understand your thoughts, ideas or concerns with what is being proposed. The Project is being led by Cambridgeshire County Council and they have appointed the following team of consultants to prepare the redevelopment proposals for the site:
SITE LOCATION AND EXISTING USE
The site is located to the north of Milton Road and is accessed from Ascham Road. It occupies a central location within Cambridge and is located approximately 1.5 miles north east of the City Centre. The existing building extends to single storey and is occupied by the Milton Road library. The site extends to 0.08ha in area.
The site appears as undesignated land within the Cambridge Local Plan 2006 and is outside the Conservation Area and the controlled parking zone.
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
It is proposed that the library along with two community meeting rooms will be provided within the ground floor of the proposed development with ten one-bedroom apartments to be provided on the upper two floors. Adequate storage for both bins and bikes will also be provided.
BACKGROUND TO DEVELOPMENT
Cambridgeshire County Council proposed the rebuilding of Milton Road library in 2013 recognising that redevelopment would bring multiple benefits including better use of the site, a more attractive, flexible and welcoming ground floor library which was more economical to run and that could offer in addition, a dedicated community space funded through monies from Cambridge City Council.
Since the inception of the project there has been a marked change of County Council strategy in respect of its property assets. The County now recognizes the contribution that its property assets can deliver in respect of a generating a long term income stream that can underpin the delivery of its broad range of public services.
Whereas at the time the scheme was conceived it was proposed to secure a new purpose built library funded through the disposal of an interest in the site that would have allowed a developer to build and sell flats above, this has now fundamentally changed.
The present scheme sees the County Council building the scheme as a single entity and retaining its freehold in both the library and the ten one bed flats above. The flats will be let at market rents which will provide a valuable income stream in perpetuity.
TIMESCALES
It is our intention to submit a Full Planning Application towards the end of March 2016 and this application would have a 13 week determination period.
INVITATION TO FEEDBACK
We value your opinion on the current proposals and would very much like to hear your views. There are feedback forms available to fill out but feel free to talk through your thoughts with the team.
PRECEDENTS
Milton Road Library - Public Exhibition - Introduction & Purpose of Event
- Planning
- Architecture & Design
- Transport
Gamlingay Community Hub Great Shelford LibrarySite Location Plan
PROPOSAL OBJECTIVES
The proposed design has considered the presence of surrounding development on both Milton Road and Ascham Road.
Immediate Adjoining Neighbours
To Ascham Road - The building steps down to single storey along the boundary with No.2 Ascham Road. A suitable transition in scale is provided between the three storey element of the scheme and the residential properties present to the north on Ascham Road. This ensures that it will not appear dominant in the streetscene. The presence of privacy screens will ensure that no overlooking towards Ascham Road nor the adjacent private gardens will result.
To St Laurences Church - By minimising windows to this elevation, placing secondary windows to residential rooms, and using design features such as projecting bay windows which direct views northwest and southeast only, ensures that there will be minimal overlooking in to the Church grounds.
Highways
The proposed scheme complies with the City Council’s policy on car parking, and as such requires no associated car parking. The site is recognised by the Council as a sustainable location due to its proximity to the City Centre, nearby local amenities, and public transport linkages. It is felt that the 1xbedtroom units proposed will appeal to those who do not require daily access to a car. In addition to this, it is the County Council’s intentions that future occupiers of the flats would not be allowed to own cars. Given the sustainable location of the site, future residents would be encouraged to use alternative forms of transport.
Existing Building
We understand that residents and the Friends of the Library are keen to retain historic elements of the existing building so within the scheme we have proposed to maintain and upgrade the existing stone built entrance feature This will emphasise an attractive entrance to the new library and will be part of the Public Art strategy.
Impact on the Street Scene
We have endeavoured to ensure that, whilst the building must sit comfortably within its surroundings, the essence of the proposal is of a ‘civic’ nature. Having regard to the proposed use for the facility, we have looked to design a focal point for community use and surrounding neighbours. We have also endeavoured to retain as many trees as feasible in order to maintain the green and landscaped feel to this part of Milton Road.
Milton Road Library - Public Exhibition - Constraints & Opportunities
Milton Road Library - Public Exhibition - Proposed Floor Plans & Site Layout
Milton Road Library - Public Exhibition - Proposed Elevations & Visuals
View from Ascham Road
View from Milton Road / Chesteton Hall Crescent
Front Elevation (to Ascham Road)
Front Elevation (to Milton Road) Rear Elevation (to no. 1 Ascham Road)
Rear Elevation (to St. Laurences Church)
Milt
on R
oad
Libr
ary
- Pub
lic E
xhib
ition
- F
requ
ently
Ask
ed Q
uest
ions
“Whi
ch o
ther
sit
es w
ere
cons
ider
ed?”
The
Coun
ty C
ounc
il’s
Roge
r Asc
ham
Site
was
con
side
red
as a
pos
sibl
e si
te fo
r re-
deve
lopm
ent a
t an
early
sta
ge.
This
site
is lo
cate
d at
the
end
of A
scha
m R
oad,
sha
ring
a bo
unda
ry w
ith M
ilton
Roa
d Pr
imar
y Sc
hool
. Thi
s si
te is
no
long
er a
n op
tion
as th
e Co
unci
l has
dev
elop
ed it
as
a st
rate
gic
site
for t
he d
eliv
ery
of L
ibra
ry S
ervi
ces.
It a
lso
has
Gra
de II
list
ing
elem
ents
that
mak
e it
less
ada
ptab
le fo
r a C
omm
unity
Hub
.
“Why
can
’t th
e cu
rren
t bui
ldin
g be
impr
oved
, rat
her t
han
crea
te a
bra
nd n
ew b
uild
ing?
”
In a
dditi
on to
the
lack
of a
vaila
ble
Coun
cil f
unds
to re
furb
ish
the
curr
ent b
uild
ing,
the
build
ing
has
unde
rlyin
g st
ruct
ural
pro
blem
s w
hich
requ
ire re
gula
r sur
veyi
ng a
nd m
aint
enan
ce. R
e-de
velo
ping
the
site
(rat
her t
han
refu
rbis
hing
it) w
ill s
uppo
rt a
wid
er ra
nge
of u
ses
by th
e lo
cal c
omm
unity
, see
a re
duct
ion
in ru
nnin
g co
sts
and
will
mak
e be
st u
se o
f our
pro
pert
y as
set b
y m
axim
izin
g th
e us
e of
an
unde
ruse
d si
te in
a p
rime
high
ly s
usta
inab
le
loca
tion
in C
ambr
idge
.
“Wha
t will
the
Com
mun
ity
Hub
con
sist
of?
”
The
Com
mun
ity H
ub w
ill b
e lo
cate
d on
the
grou
nd fl
oor o
f the
env
ironm
enta
lly fr
iend
ly b
uild
ing
and
will
com
pris
e
• a
libra
ry fi
tted
out
to m
oder
n st
anda
rds
• a
larg
e co
mm
unity
room
with
a k
itche
n ar
ea p
ublic
toile
ts. T
he c
omm
unity
room
can
be
part
ition
ed in
to tw
o
sm
alle
r spa
ces
to a
ccom
mod
ate
smal
ler m
eetin
gs o
r eve
nts,
•
dire
ct a
cces
s to
the
com
mun
ity g
reen
spa
ce fr
om th
e co
mm
unity
room
, •
secu
re c
ycle
sto
rage
for r
esid
ents
of t
he fl
ats
and
cycl
e sp
aces
for u
sers
of t
he c
omm
unity
hub
“Whe
n w
ill th
e Co
mm
unit
y H
ub o
pen?
”
Subj
ect t
o pl
anni
ng a
ppro
val,
it is
hop
ed th
at th
e Co
mm
unity
Hub
will
ope
n in
Aut
umn
2017
. It i
s ho
ped
that
wor
k w
ill b
egin
late
r thi
s ye
ar a
nd w
ill la
st a
ppro
xim
atel
y 12
mon
ths.
“Whe
re w
ill I
be a
ble
to a
cces
s lo
cal l
ibra
ry s
ervi
ces
whi
lst t
he s
ite
is b
eing
rede
velo
ped?
”
The
open
ing
hour
s of
Arb
ury
Cour
t Lib
rary
– th
e ne
ares
t loc
al li
brar
y, w
ill b
e ex
tend
ed a
nd m
obile
libr
ary
stop
s w
ill
be in
trod
uced
at t
he R
oger
Asc
ham
Site
.
“Wha
t oth
er s
ervi
ces
will
be
deliv
ered
from
the
Com
mun
ity
Hub
?”
Serv
ices
del
iver
ed fr
om th
e Co
mm
unity
Hub
will
be
dete
rmin
ed b
y lo
cal n
eed.
Oth
er C
omm
unity
Hub
s in
the
coun
ty h
ave
wel
com
ed s
essi
ons
from
org
anis
atio
ns s
uch
as C
itize
ns’ A
dvic
e Bu
reau
, Nat
iona
l Car
eers
Ser
vice
and
th
e Po
lice,
to n
ame
just
a fe
w.
“How
will
par
king
be
addr
esse
d?”
The
deve
lopm
ent w
ill c
ompl
y w
ith th
e Ci
ty C
ounc
il’s
park
ing
stan
dard
s. D
iscu
ssio
ns h
ave
also
beg
un b
etw
een
the
Coun
cil a
nd n
eigh
bour
ing
St L
aure
nce’
s Chu
rch
to e
stab
lish
whe
ther
the
Chur
ch c
ar p
ark
coul
d be
use
d by
Hub
cu
stom
ers
unde
r cer
tain
con
ditio
ns.
“Has
the
sche
me
evol
ved?
”
Yes,
a n
umbe
r of c
hang
es h
ave
been
mad
e to
the
libra
ry a
nd c
omm
unity
spa
ce a
nd th
e fla
ts to
add
ress
con
cern
s ra
ised
dur
ing
prev
ious
con
sulta
tions
with
inte
rest
ed g
roup
s.
“How
will
we
be k
ept u
p-to
-dat
e ab
out t
he p
roje
ct?”
You
can
find
out h
ow th
e pr
ojec
t is
prog
ress
ing
by c
heck
ing
the
Milt
on R
oad
Libr
ary
web
site
: ht
tp://
ww
w.c
ambr
idge
shir
e.go
v.uk
/dir
ecto
ry_r
ecor
d/37
669/
milt
on_r
oad_
libra
ry_c
ambr
idge
O
ur lo
cal p
artn
ers,
suc
h as
Frie
nds
of M
ilton
Roa
d Li
brar
y an
d Ch
este
rton
Com
mun
ity A
ssoc
iatio
n al
so re
gula
rly
incl
ude
new
s fr
om th
e pr
ojec
t in
thei
r new
slet
ters
. You
can
als
o se
e if
ther
e ha
ve b
een
disc
ussi
ons
at th
e N
orth
Are
a Co
mm
ittee
Mee
tings
.