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

134Wembley Area Action Plan - Proposed Submission Version15 Wembley Eastern LandsJustification15.4 This is an opportunity for a mixed usescheme in an important location delivering a mixof employment opportunities and meetingresidential need. The site is well served by publictransport and is close to existing and planned shopsand services. Development at this site can bringforward an improved setting for the WealdstoneBrook including the delivery of open space and riverrestoration work to improve ecological diversity andclimate change adaptation and help meet the WaterFramework Directive.Watkin RoadContext15.5 The site is dominated by car repair garages,accompanied by a mix of industrial, storage andancillary office buildings. It is in the WembleyGrowth Area. The site is adjacent to WealdstoneBrook and predominantly in Flood Zones 2 and 3.Planning History15.6 There is no relevant planning history for thissite.Site W 26Watkin Road(1.5 hectares)Watkin Road is appropriate for mixed usedevelopment including office, leisure,residential, managed affordable workspace(including for creative industries),andcommunity use. Extra care housing or familyhousing could form part of any housing mix.The site lies within the Strategic Cultural Areawhere leisure, tourism and cultural uses areparticularly encouraged.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 two nodal pointson 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. Development of parts of the siteoutside of Flood Zone 3a will be required tocontribute towards the restoration work.The site is in flood zones 1-3. 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, residential care homes,and certain community uses towards areas oflowest risk within the site; western 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 should be applied.Development should not impede flood waterflows and should not increase surface waterrun-off or reduce water storage. Basementdwellings will not be allowed in flood Zone 3.Indicative Development Capacity - 400 unitsJustification15.7 This is an opportunity for a mixed usescheme in an important location delivering a mixof employment opportunities and meetingresidential need. The site is well served by publictransport and is close to existing and planned shopsand services. Development at this site can bringforward an improved setting for the Wealdstone