The Restaurant Group plc

Proposed development of two restaurant units

at land to the east of Hastings Road, Bexhill

Design, Access & Sustainability Statement

February 2016

Proposed development of two restaurant units

at land to the east of Hastings Road, Bexhill

Design, Access & Sustainability Statement

1.0 Introduction

2.0 The Site & Context

3.0 Design

3.1 Site Layout

3.2 Accommodation

3.3 Architectural Form

3.4 External Materials & Finishes

3.5 Landscaping

3.5.1 Landscape Proposals

3.5.2 Boundary Treatment

3.6 External Lighting

3.7 Drainage

3.71 Flood Risk

3.72 Surface Water Drainage

3.73 Foul Drainage

3.8 Building Services

3.81 Ventilation and Fume Extraction

3.9 Crime Prevention

3.10 Sustainability

3.11 Waste Management

3.12 Ecology

4.0 Access

4.1 Vehicular & Transport Links

4.2 Inclusive Access

Appendix A Architectural Drawings

1.0 Introduction

This Design & Access Statement has been prepared in support of the application by The Restaurant Group plc for Full Planning Permission for the construction

of two restaurant units on land adjacent Nacton Road, Ipswich.

The scheme is designed to accommodate two distinctive restaurant brands operated by The Restaurant Group, “Frankie & Benny’s” and “Chiquitos”.

Frankie & Benny’s is one of the most popular restaurants in the country with over 200 restaurants opened throughout the UK.

The restaurant is popular with families, couples, friends and business diners and offers the best of classic American-Italian cuisine within a themed environment

that takes you back to 1950’s New York.

Chiquitos is the UK’s leading Mexican restaurant providing classic Tex-Mex and American dishes within a lively themed restaurant environment.

This Statement provides an overview of the planning related issues associated with the proposed development and should be read in conjunction with the

Application drawings and other supporting documents.

2.0 The Site & Context

The site lies within an area of undeveloped and vacant grass land on the fringe of the Combe Valley Countryside Park opposite the Ravenside Retail & Leisure

Park.

The application site is bounded by the A259 Hastings Road on the west side, Lewis Avenue to the north the Glyne Gap petrol filling station to the south and

the Countryside Park to the east.

The site has an area of 1.499 acres / 0.6065 hectares and slopes 4.5 meters from the north west to the south east corner.

Site Photographs

The site approached from the west (De La Warr Road) The site approached from the south (Glyne Gap corner)

Site viewed from the east across the Countryside Park

Photographs of the Locality

Glyne Gap PFS Ravenside Retail Park

Bexhill Leisure Pool Residential properties on De La Warr Road

Residential properties to the east on Bexleigh Avenue Lewis Avenue

3.0 Design

3.1 Site Layout

The restaurants are designed in two separate pavilion buildings at the north west and south west corners of the site with the buildings facing each other across

a landscaped car park framing the views from the Ravenside Retail Park through to the Countryside Park.

The customer car park is laid out between the restaurants and wraps around the units on the eastern side.

The car park provides a total of 112 parking spaces including 7 accessible parking bays situated close to the restaurant entrances and 12 covered cycle stands

located beneath the projecting roof overhang.

The site layout includes a generous landscaped buffer zone which wraps around the edge of the site on the north and east sides. The buffer zone will include

a low mound to screen car headlights and be planted with indigenous trees and shrubs screening views of the development from the Countryside Park.

Design Visuals (NB. Signage indicated is indicative and subject to a separate application for consent)

View of the site approached from the west on De La Warr Road

View of the site approached from the south on Hastings Road

View of the site from the east across Combe Valley Country Park

‘Frankie & Benny’s’ Entrance frontage

‘Chiquito’s’ Entrance frontage

3.2 Accommodation

The scheme provides two restaurant units with the following gross floor areas (GIA);

Frankie & Benny’s

Internal restaurant area - 337 sq.m

Ancillary yard and stores area - 70 sq.m

Chiquitos

Internal restaurant area - 418 sq.m

Ancillary yard and stores area - 70 sq.m

Car Parking facilities are provided for 112 parking spaces for customers and staff including 7 accessible disabled parking bays and 12 covered cycle parking

spaces.

3.3 Architectural Form

It is proposed to develop the site to accommodate two separate stand-alone restaurant units for Frankie & Benny’s and Chiquito’s. Whilst the two restaurant

brands have their own distinctive brand characteristics the two units have been designed with a common architectural form.

Both restaurants are single storey with a simple rectangular plan, projecting entrance bay and sloping mono pitch roofs oversailing the principle entrance

elevation to form a covered colonnade.

A limited pallet of complimentary materials and finishes will be used to create visual contrast between the restaurants;

The roof profile is characterised by its generous overhanging eaves and channel profile fascia. The roof construction will finished with a ‘Green Roof’ with (TBC)

planting.

The elevations are articulated by defined horizontal and vertical panels treated in a pallet of contrasting materials, colours and textures with light coloured and

textured render to the lower walls and panels of Cedar boarding to the upper sections of wall.

View of ‘Chiquito’s’ from Hastings Road

Elevated view of ‘Frankie & Benny’s’ showing sedum roof

3.4 External Materials & Finishes

The external materials have been selected to compliment and blend with the existing architecture within the locality and for their environmental sustainability.

The primary external materials will achieve a BRE Green Guide rating of A or A+.

The principle materials and finishes are as follows;

External Walls – a range of finishes including;

Ivory coloured external render.

Horizontal Cedar boarding

External Wall Materials

Roof Construction

A mono pitch profiled metal decking with a powder coated metal channel fascia.

Inverted insulated roof construction incorporating Sedum ‘Green Roof’ planting.

Roof soffit lining in Cedar boarding

Roof Materials

Windows & Doors

Hardwood framed windows and doors.

External Paving and hard landscaping

Tarmacadam roadways with permeable block paving to the parking areas.

Concrete paving slabs to footpaths and terrace seating areas.

3.5 Landscaping

3.5.1 Landscape Proposals

Comprehensive landscaping proposals have been prepared and integrated with the scheme as the design has developed.

Detailed landscape proposals for the site prepared by Harper Landscape Architecture are included with this application.

3.5.2 Boundary Treatment

The site boundary will be delineated with a low timber knee rail fence. The fence will have a minimal visual impact and allow a seamless transition between the

grass land within the Countryside Park and the buffer planting within the site.

Timber knee rail fence

3.6 External Lighting

A ‘Lighting Impact Assessment’ has been prepared by WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff to accompany this application.

The report provides an assessment of the site against current legislation, planning policy and design standards and provides recommendations for the design

and control of the external lighting on the site (both operational and during construction) and criteria for the design of the external signage.

Subject to meeting the recommended criteria the report concludes that no further mitigation is required.

3.7 Drainage

3.7.1 Flood Risk

Environment Agency mapping indicates that the site lies within Flood Zone 1 (PPS25) and as such has a low risk of flooding.

3.7.2 Surface Water Drainage

The surface water design strategy is that of permeable paving and soakaways incorporating natural infiltration to below ground strata, fully in accordance with

the SUDS Manual.

The drainage system shall be in accordance with the SUDS Manual to ensure that there is no discharge from the site for rainfall up to 5mm. No surface water will

be discharged to watercourses therefore no pollution is possible.

3.7.3 Foul Drainage

Foul water drainage will be discharged by connection to the mains sewer system at the boundary of the site.

Foul drainage systems within the restaurants shall incorporate grease interceptors and enzyme dosing systems to prevent the discharge of grease to the mains

drainage.

3.8 Building Services - Ventilation and Fume Extraction

Detailed proposals for the ventilation and fume extraction from each of the restaurants have been prepared by Chapman Ventilation Ltd to accompany this

application.

The kitchen extract and fume extraction systems have been designed in accordance with DW172 – Specification for Kitchen Ventilation Systems and DEFRA

Guidlines.

The kitchen extract systems will incorporate the following elements;

Kitchen extract canopy utilising the latest capture and containment technology.

High efficiency grease filters.

Ductwork manufactured in accordance with DW 144

Sirus Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) to remove smoke, grease and dirt particles.

All fans and air handling equipment is to be located within the restaurant units on a mezzanine plant platform to reduce the risk of noise breakout.

3.9 Crime Prevention

The detailed design will be developed in accordance with the principles and recommendations of Secured by Design and in consultation with the Sussex

Police Architectural Liaison Officer.

Design features to be incorporated in the scheme include;

Doors & Windows to meet as near as possible to Secure By Design certified standard.

Boundary and Landscape treatment to discourage car crime.

Landscaping compatible with CCTV system to avoid unprotected areas

Car Park design including traffic calming measures and clear directional signage.

Good quality external lighting compatible with CCTV system and avoiding pooling or dark spots.

Installation of a fully monitored Home Office approved alarm system.

Good quality CCTV installation providing good facial recognition.

Secure locker facilities for restaurant staff.

3.10 Sustainability

The scheme integrates sustainability features into the design. Key sustainability measures include:

Wildlife habitat area;

Cycle parking facilities;

Water metering and monitoring;

Percussion taps to WCs, low flush WCs;

Water leak detection;

Low impact refrigerants;

Process heat recovery from the kitchen extract for hot water heating

A3 uses are very energy intensive due to the energy requirements for storing and cooking large volumes of food. Further, the high levels of occupancy and

plant in the building mean significant volumes of heat are generated inside the buildings, creating significant unavoidable

cooling loads.

Most of the energy used is process energy that would not be accounted for under Part L of the Building Regulations – non-regulated energy use. Typical energy

use per sqm of treated floor area is significantly higher than almost any other building use including supermarkets, hotels, offices, residential etc.

A summary of the measures taken to minimise CO2 emissions is set out below:

Highly efficient rectilinear building form;

High performance thermal envelope;

LED and CFL efficient lighting used internally;

PIR and time controls on lighting externally;

Process heat recovery from the kitchen extract for hot water heating;

3.11 Waste Management

The proposed development aims to minimise waste and encourage recycling.

Adequate facilities will be provided within the enclosed yard areas to each of the restaurants for the segregated storage of different types of waste with

separate containers for Mixed recycling (card, paper, plastic and cans), Food, Glass and non-recyclable residual waste

The management, collection and transfer of waste from the restaurants shall be in full compliance with Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 201.

Refuse (Solid Waste) Storage

All restaurant waste will be stored in appropriately marked lidded waste containers within the enclosed external yard area to the rear of each restaurant.

The yard area will accommodate the following containers;

Mixed Recycling – 2no. 1100 litre waste skips

General Residual Waste – 1no. 1100 litre waste skips

Glass Waste – 2no. 240 litre euro bins

Food waste – 2no. 240 litre euro bins

Waste Oil – 2no. sealed oil transfer container

Pest control – The restaurant development (including the refuse yard) will be subject to a three stage pest proofing audit (carried out by Rentokil) during the construction

process and any additional proofing will be carried out in accordance with Rentokil recommendations. Once operational precautionary rodent baiting will be carried out and

maintained by the restaurants pest control contractor (currently Rentokil)

Waste will be collected, processed and recycled by the restaurants waste management contractor (Currently Veolia Environmental Services)

RECYCLING

Materials to be included as part of the recycling programme will be:

Glass Bottles (All Colours)

To be collected in 240 litre containers. These containers will be collected on a weekly basis and the glass will be taken for reprocessing

Mixed Recycling

To be collected in 1100 litre containers.

These containers will be collected twice a week and taken to a material recovery facility to be sorted and sent on for recycling

Food waste

Food waste will be collected in 240 litre containers and collected on a weekly basis. The food waste will be taken to an anaerobic digestion or composting facility.

Waste Oil

Waste Oil will be stored in purpose made sealed storage containers and collected by a specialist contractor for conversion to bio diesel.

RESIDUAL GENERAL WASTE

Container Description: Supply of 1100 Litre wheeled containers – fully lidded and lockable. Residual waste will be taken to energy recovery facility, converted to solid

recovered fuel or disposed of as landfill, subject to the availability of disposal points in each area, collections will be made twice a week.

3.12 Ecology

A phase 1 Habitat and Reptile Survey Report has been prepared by PJC Consultancy to accompany this application.

The Phase 1 habitat survey found the site to support four habitat types, the majority of which are common and widespread and of low ecological value.

However, it was highlighted that the existing scrub on the site has the potential to support nesting birds and the poor semi-improved grassland the potential to

support reptiles.

Therefore, the clearance of any mature vegetation should be carried out outside of bird nesting season (March to August inclusive) or under the supervision of

an ecologist.

A reptile presence/absence survey was also conducted to ascertain if reptiles were using the site. The survey found the site to be absent of adult reptile

individuals and as such the development can proceed without constraint from reptiles as along as the recommendations outlined within section 5 of the

report are adhered to.

Subject to carrying out the recommendations listed in section 5, the report concludes that the proposed development can proceed without constraint from

legislation and planning policy pertaining to protected species and habitats.

The recommended mitigation and enhancements listed in paragraph 5.15 of the report will help ensure that the development will lead to a net gain in

ecological value.

4.0 Access

4.1 Vehicular access and transport links

A detailed Transport Statement has been prepared by Project Centre to accompany this application.

The Transport Statement provides an overview of the proposals, existing situation, trip generation, summary of modelling exercise undertaken and likely impact

of the proposals on the transportation network. The statement concludes that the trips generated by the proposed development would not have a significant

impact upon the surrounding highway network and parking demand can be accommodated by the applicant.

Car parking provision is of a sufficient level and appropriate for the scale of development and use of the site. The good accessibility by public transport and

close proximity of National Cycle Network route 2 which runs along the seafront reduce the impact of the development on the local highway network.

Site servicing such as delivery and refuse collection can take place from within the development car park’s designated servicing bays. Cycle parking is provided

in line with The East Sussex County Council (ESCC) Guidance for Parking at Non-Residential Developments.

It is considered that the proposed use of the site overall will not have a significant impact upon the local transport network, given the development estimated

trip peaks are out of highway peak times. As such there is not considered to be a reason to object to of the proposals on transportation grounds.

4.2 Inclusive Access

The design will confirm to the requirements of the following;

The Disability Discrimination Act.

Part M of the Building Regulations.

The Planning and Access for Disabled People Good Practice Guide.

Facilities within publicly accessible areas will include:

Level access throughout the scheme.

Adequate disabled car parking facilities close to each restaurant entrance.

Building signage to clearly identify the restaurant use and entrances.

Appendix A

Architectural Drawings

Location Plan

Site Layout

Site Elevations (in context)

Building Plans & Elevations – Frankie & Benny’s

Building Plans & Elevations – Chiquito’s