wembley-plan-app (small) , item 9. PDF 8 MB - Meetings, agendas ...

Wembley Area Action Plan - Proposed Submission Version133Wembley Eastern Lands 1515.1 These sites are mainly industrial in characterbut are outside the designated Strategic IndustrialLocation (SIL) and, being adjacent to the mainregeneration area with relatively good access topublic transport, provide an opportunity forsustainable redevelopment. Amex House, WatkinRoad and Euro Car Parts sites have a commonfeature – the Wealdstone Brook which is part of theBlue Ribbon Network as designated in the LondonPlan. Currently the concrete channel is hidden andforgotten. The canalised brook, a tributary of RiverBrent, divides this site and the residential area,Dane and Empire Courts.The London RiverRestoration Action Plan has identified this as anopportunity to restore and enhance the Blue RibbonNetwork and, additionally the council havecommissioned a study called 'Wealdstone BrookRestoration Proposals'. The Wealdstone Brookshould be opened up so that it can become a focusand valuable asset to the area. The developmentof sites adjacent to the Brook will offer a significantopportunity for the creation of a “green network” toprovide a continuous footpath system – a riversidewalk and wildlife corridor. The improved settingwill provide a better environment for those who aregoing to live or work there.Amex HouseContext15.2 A mix of industrial storage, ancillary officebuildings and car repair garages adjacent to theWealdstone Brook within the northern section ofthe Wembley regeneration area and within theWembley Growth Area. The whole site is in FloodZones 2 and 3.Planning History15.3 There is no relevant planning history for thissite.Site W 25Amex House(0.5 hectares)Amex House site is appropriate for mixed usedevelopment, including residential, office andmanaged affordable workspace for creativeindustries, to support the wider regenerationof the Wembley Park area. Family housingshould form part of the housing mix.Biodiversity improvements and flood riskadaptation measures will be sought whendevelopment proposals come forward. A bufferstrip of at least 10 metres wide should beretained for a publicly accessible brook-sidepark to allow for a cycle way/footpath,associated landscaping, tree planting andstreet furniture, as agreed in consultation withthe Environment Agency and Brent Council.Development should allow for a nodal pointon the brook where the buffer strip should bewidened to about 20 metres. Removal of partof the canalised wall and regrading of the bankto provide a more natural setting will besought. The site would be suitable for housingfacing the brook providing the restoration workis carried out.The site is in flood zones 2-3. All proposeddevelopment will require a detailed Flood RiskAssessment (FRA), in accordance with Section6.7 of the Brent Borough SFRA. While thecouncil considers that developing the siteprovides wider sustainability benefits to thecommunity that outweigh flood risk, a‘sequential approach’ at site level should beapplied to steer more vulnerable developmentsuch as residential uses towards areas oflowest risk within the site; northern andsouthern areas. None of the proposed usesare compatible with flood zone 3b. Densityshould be varied to reduce the number ofvulnerable units in high risk areas. Furthersite-specific details are set out in thesequential test assessment for the WAAP.Proposals in Flood Zones 2 and 3 must beaccompanied by a flood risk assessment andthe sequential test and exception test shouldbe applied. Development should not impedeflood water flows and should not increasesurface water run-off or reduce water storage.Basement dwellings will not be allowed in floodZone 3.Indicative Development Capacity - 150 units