Description
The site fronts King Street adjacent to Hobrough Lane and extends down to the river Wensum. It is 0.35 hectares in size. It is adjacent to the listed local landmark of Dragon Hall and is close to a strategic pedestrian and cycle link and Lady Julian Bridge, linking the leisure and retail area of Riverside with the primary retail area at Castle Mall.
The frontage of the site consists of two disused grade II* listed buildings ‘at risk’ (125-127 King Street). These are early 16th century first floor buildings, with a poor quality 20th century arcaded ground floor conversion and rear industrial extensions, surface parking and delivery areas, and are currently unoccupied.
In the immediate area around the site there are a significant number of sites available for further regeneration, including the adjacent strategic brownfield site of St Anne’s Wharf allocated under policy CC6.
The wider King Street area has many historically significant buildings interspersed with former industrial buildings. The area is undergoing significant change as many of the buildings formerly associated with industry and the river are either being replaced or converted, mostly into residential use. The northern part of King Street retains a greater number of traditional buildings and forms a more coherent townscape.
Explanatory text
The JCS identifies the site as being within an area of change, with a focus on residential and office development with possibly small scale retailing and improvements to the public realm, including an enhanced principal green link along the river. It is within the main leisure area of the city centre.
Redevelopment of the site offers the opportunity to make better use of this valuable city centre site and to continue the development of a vibrant mixed use quarter in King Street, extending housing, leisure office and small scale retailing uses along King Street.
Development proposals should take account of the City centre conservation area appraisal. The layout and design of the development should ensure the reuse and enhancement of the listed buildings fronting King Street to reveal their significance, and seek to enhance the setting of the adjacent Dragon Hall. The development should also take account of the adjacent St Anne’s Wharf redevelopment and provide a publicly accessible riverside walk linking to the core pedestrian and cycle network at Lady Julian Bridge.
Development should help to regenerate the King Street area by reinstating the historic street frontage of King Street (ground floor of 125-127 King Street and missing frontage at 131-133 King Street).
In this highly accessible city centre location, car free housing could be provided. If this approach is not taken, vehicular access should be via the south of the site/Hobrough Lane.
Appropriate historic interpretation information should be incorporated into the development and an archaeological assessment will be required.
Although there are no Tree Preservation Orders on the site, an assessment will have to be undertaken of the value of trees on the river frontage, and appropriate mitigation measures included in any planning application.
Development should also take into account possible site contamination.
As part of the site is within flood zone 2, it could be affected by fluvial flooding. In addition, as it is located between the Ber Street ridge and the river Wensum it could be affected by surface water flooding. Therefore a flood risk assessment and appropriate mitigation measures will be required.
The site lies adjacent to the River Wensum. A written consent from the Environment Agency is required for proposed works or structures, in, under, over or within 9 metres of the top of the bank of a designated ‘main river’. It is recommended that developers engage in early discussions with the Environment Agency.
Development needs to ensure that the water environment is protected. The site falls within Source Protection Zone 1, designated to protect water supplies, and therefore the water environment is particularly vulnerable in this location. Detailed discussions over this issue will be required with the Environment Agency to ensure that proposals are appropriate for the site and that the site is developed in a manner which protects the water environment.
Deliverability
Part of this site has planning permission for demolition and redevelopment of site with three to six storey building to provide 25, two and three-bedroom apartments; 1, retail unit (Class A1); 1, bar/restaurant (Class A3) and associated parking and landscaping. The remainder of the site (125-129 King Street) has planning permission for redevelopment to provide 8 dwellings with associated parking and landscaping.
The site is suitable and available for development within the plan period.
​POLICY CC7: Hobrough Lane, King Street – mixed use development
The Hobrough Lane/King Street site (0.35 hectares) is allocated for redevelopment for a mix of uses including:
- residential development (minimum of 20 dwellings);
- small scale retail and / or offices, food and drink, and tourist uses.
Development will involve conversion of the historic buildings fronting King Street providing small ground floor office/retail/food and drink units as part of a mix of uses, partly within the historic buildings fronting King Street, and will complete the King Street frontage to Hobrough Lane. The development will enhance the public realm along King Street and Hobrough Lane and provide a riverside walk linking to the cycle/pedestrian route to Lady Julian Bridge.
