APPENDIX 46
Memorandum submitted by Stratford-on-Avon
District Council
RSC PROPOSALS
INTRODUCTION
1. The Committee has requested that the
District Council provide a written memorandum on the following
issues:
(a) How does the Council view the redevelopment
plans?
(b) Is it necessary to virtually demolish
the main theatre?
(c) Is the listed building worth preserving?
(d) How does the Council view the wider plans
to create a theatre village?
(e) What participation has there been in
developing the transport strategy?
(f) What response has there been from the
local community and how have local people been involved in the
decision making process?
2. The District Council, Warwickshire County
Council and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) are working in
partnership to examine and promote the cultural, social, economic
and environmental benefits of a comprehensive and visionary approach
to the future of the RSC and the riverside environs of Stratford-upon-Avon.
The County Council has prepared a separate memorandum to the Select
Committee and its document should be read in conjunction with
this response.
3. The District Council's response is set
out within seven separate sections as follows:
— Listed Building & Conservation
Area Issues
— Response to the Committee's Questions
STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
4. Internationally the town of Stratford-upon-Avon
is synonymous with William Shakespeare and both the poet and the
town form an integral part of British culture with influences
well beyond the English speaking world. The character of the town
is inextricably linked to Shakespeare and this is reflected in
the current bid to make Stratford a World Heritage Site. The centrepiece
to the character and cultural identity of the town is the Royal
Shakespeare Theatre and the work of the RSC.
5. The significance of the RSC is clearly
illustrated by the economic influence of the theatres within the
town which bring a total of £18 million per annum of direct
income to South Warwickshire. This influence is further illustrated
by the overwhelming impact of visitors on the town; Stratford
town has a population of only 23,000 and yet receives about three
million visitors each year. Wider economic benefits are substantial
to the regional and national economy.
6. Whilst the economic and cultural benefits
of the RSC are wide and substantial, the environmental implications
of any redevelopment proposals are likely to be significant. The
main theatre and adjoining buildings are listed and the whole
waterfront area is of considerable value to the conservation area
and the setting of the town. The view of Holy Trinity Church,
from Tramway Bridge past the theatre, is one of the most famous
views in the country. In high summer, the blend of mature landscape
and historic buildings is characteristic of the essential quality
of a fine English market town set on the banks of a beautiful
river.
7. At the outset the District Council recognised
that any major proposals for the RSC would not only fundamentally
affect the waterfront area, but would also have a profound impact
on the historic centre and the rest of the town. In recognition
of this view the District Council and the County Council commissioned
an urban design-led study of the public realm for the whole waterfront
area. A copy of this study, known as the Stratford-upon-Avon Theatre
Area Feasibility Study (STAFS), has been made available to the
Select Committee (with the County Council submission) and the
consultation, which formed part of this work, is set out below.
A high level championing body has been established to take this
work forward and a list of the membership of the group is included
within minutes also attached to the County Council submission.
8. It is clear from this work that any scheme
to take forward the RSC proposals needs to be matched by a comprehensive
approach to the waterfront area. This approach needs to recognise
the importance of protecting and developing the urban and landscape
qualities of the area and the historic core of the town to the
highest standards—we are seeking world-class quality. The
District Council is committed to this approach and dedicated to
working in partnership to achieve this objective.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
9. The District Council owns the Bancroft
Gardens adjoining the Theatre, the River Avon and the Recreation
Ground on the southern bank of the Avon. This land is managed
in a way that recognises its value both to the local community
and to the significant number of visitors to the town as public
open space, as well as its providing the setting for the RST.
10. These areas, which form a major part
of the public realm environment in which the RST sits, suffer
considerable pressures and problems including:-
— an over-intensive use in some areas
and at certain times, whilst other areas remain under-used;
— a wide variety and type of uses for
which the areas were not necessarily designed;
— an excessive volume of car-borne
visitors to the Recreation Ground;
— a lack of integrated design that
would make the areas truly appropriate to their setting adjoining
the town, theatre and river; and
— a lack of ecological diversity.
11. It had been recognised for some time
that these areas were in need of a thorough review and to this
end the District Council commissioned a "Riverside Environs
Study" which also considered adjoining land in the river
corridor to the north of the town. This Study, which was undertaken
in 1998, used community participation exercises to assist in identifying
the key conflicts in these areas. The Study made recommendations
and established the need for further work to ensure co-ordinated
and integrated improvements.
12. The Riverside Environs Study provided
a useful background to the subsequent STAFS, which has illustrated
the scope and need for significant improvements, particularly
if progressed in liaison with the RSC and British Waterways.
13. The RSC proposals provide the opportunity
for significant improvements to be progressed with a view to achieving:
— improved linkages, particularly in
terms of footpaths and cycleways;
— the dispersal of visitors over a
wider area;
— greater integration between the river
and the town centre;
— an improved night-time experience
for users of the waterside area, for example providing for enhanced
community safety and greater evening economy benefits;
— provision of a quality experience;
— integrated design, brought about
for example by working with British Waterways on proposals for
the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal and Bancroft Basin; and
— increased bio-diversity.
14. In summary, the RSC project provides
an exciting stimulus to progress what is already widely recognised
as a need to improve the public realm in and around the Theatre.
It is timely in that the public realm in the waterside area is
now approaching the stage when significant capital investment
will be required in order to provide the quality of experience
that local residents and visitors deserve.
LISTED BUILDING
& CONSERVATION AREA
ISSUES
15. The District Council has been engaged
in discussions with the RSC over the potential redevelopment of
its estate since 1996, and from an early stage these talks have
included officers of both the development control and conservation
services of the Council and representatives of English Heritage.
16. At the outset, although various options
for the location of the principal auditorium were being pursued,
most involved substantial alteration of the existing main theatre
and one required complete demolition of the 1932 elements. The
complex of buildings of 1879, 1881 and 1932 now comprising the
main theatre (RST), the Swan Theatre and the Museum was first
listed in 1971. In 1994 it was raised to Grade II* following a
list review for Stratford-upon-Avon carried out by English Heritage.
The RSC were advised in the strongest terms by English Heritage
that demolition of a Grade II* listed building could only be contemplated
as a last resort. It was likely to be strongly opposed unless
the onerous tests set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 15
(Planning and the Historic Environment) could be shown to have
been satisfied.
17. At the same time it was recognised both
that there were serious operating constraints with the existing
arrangements and that many aspects of the buildings had been altered
and architecturally compromised in the middle years of the 20th
Century. While the principal elevation of Elisabeth Scott's building
and the front-of-house areas retained much of their original quality,
the alterations to the auditorium and the side elevations had
significantly reduced their value. There was therefore considerable
scope for further alteration and extension in these areas.
18. The appointment of the internationally
renowned architects was welcomed as offering the potential for
an architectural solution of great imagination and the highest
quality.
19. In the subsequent development of the
project, a conservation report by Alan Baxter and Associates (included
as Appendix 6 in the RSC Feasibility Report) [not printed]
confirmed the importance of the buildings and the "critical
significance" of the elements earlier identified by English
Heritage. The strong conclusion of the Feasibility Report was
that "the irreconcilable conflict between the inadequacy
of the current RST and the future needs of the RSC can only be
appropriately resolved by full replacement of the 1932 building".
This strategy was carried forward in the Draft Project Brief of
October 2001. However, recognising the implications of such a
conclusion for a successful passage through the planning process
(not least the possibility of the application being called in
by the Secretary of State), the report recommended commissioning
PPG15 assessments to examine in more detail the case for and against
demolition. Alan Baxter and Associates have now been commissioned
to carry out this study to a brief developed in consultation with
the District Council and English Heritage. Importantly, in light
of the PPG15 criteria, the consultant team will examine the operational
and cost implications of three options:
— adapting the 1930s theatre;
— substantially reconfiguring the theatre,
retaining the key elements which have been identified in the conservation
assessment ( and agreed with English Heritage and Stratford District
Council); and
— demolition of the 1930s theatre and
rebuilding on the site, having regard to the RSC's brief and objectives
and the work undertaken in the Feasibility Study.
20. At the present time the views of English
Heritage remain essentially as originally stated, and are contained
in their letter of 12 September 2001 (Appendix 2 in the Planning
Assessment Appendix to the Feasibility Study). The Local Planning
Authority is not yet in a position to take a view on its support
or otherwise for the demolition of the 1932 theatre. Its stance
will only be determined when detailed applications for planning
permission and listed building consent have been submitted and
when the PPG15 Study is completed.
21. A redevelopment project has the potential
to provide some extremely positive effects on the conservation
area. The benefits of the theatre village concept could include:
— new building work of exceptional
quality;
— refurbishment of listed buildings;
— refurbishment of significant unlisted
buildings (such as the Union Club);
— physical enhancement of the immediate
environs of the theatres; and
— increased vitality within the theatre
village area.
22. However, it should also be remembered
that some views of the Grade II* building are of iconic significance
and are therefore of immense importance to the character of the
conservation area. The views of the theatre from the bridges,
for example, are among relatively few internationally known river/building
compositions in this country (others include Durham Cathedral,
Warwick Castle and the Houses of Parliament). In this respect
the intrinsic architectural quality of the theatre is of secondary
importance to its fame. However, it is impossible to make a judgement
on the actual impact of the proposals until there has been some
output from the design process.
23. As regards any impact on the wider conservation
area, it is important to bear in mind that the project brief includes
no reference to works outside the immediate environs of the theatre
village. Moreover, the breakdown of the £100 million budget
included in it shows no specific provision for, or contribution
to, wider enhancements of the waterfront area (as proposed in
STAFS for example), or for visitor parking or improved access
to the theatre area (eg the new pedestrian bridge). Unless critical
improvements can be successfully funded and implemented, it is
likely that the increased business activity of the RSC will place
unacceptable strain both on the historic market town and on the
environmental qualities of the green riverside areas.
THE TRANSPORT
STRATEGY FOR
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
24. The transport problems of Stratford-upon-Avon
manifest themselves through the undesirable levels of congestion
and pollution experienced in various parts of the town, especially
during peak hours. There is increasing concern for the safety
of pedestrians, cyclists and other road users. The considerable
number of visitors to the town exacerbate these problems.
25. The Stratford-on-Avon District Local
Plan Review and Warwickshire County Council's Local Transport
Plan currently set out a sustainable transport strategy for the
next 10 years. The strategy adopts a new approach, which involves
demand management and an emphasis on exploring the potential for
all possible modes of travel. The strategy is objective-led, and
the key objectives are:
— to reduce the rate of traffic growth;
— to improve the environment of the
historic core;
— to improve safety of all road users;
— to reduce the impact of transport
on the environment; and
— to widen travel choice by providing
a transport system that promotes a fairer, more inclusive society.
26. To achieve the above objectives the
strategy includes:
— effective management of the existing
network;
— effective management of parking,
including the introduction of new park and ride services and a
decriminalised parking enforcement regime;
— promotion of environmentally friendly
modes of travel;
— integration of land use and transport,
including utilisation of brownfield land; and
— promotion of travel awareness.
Issues for consideration raised in the Royal Shakespeare
Theatre redevelopment proposals
27. The RSC proposals comprise some imaginative
suggestions as to how access, especially for pedestrians, could
be improved in the waterfront area. Consideration of these, within
the context of the objectives of the existing transport strategy,
will be included in the continuing work on the Local Plan Review
(outlined in the section on consultation), to be held over the
next few months. The transport issues to be addressed for this
area include:
— how to provide a crossing of the
Avon, south of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, to facilitate easy
access for pedestrians and cyclists;
— how to provide a sustainable parking
(preferably a park and ride) facility to serve the Theatre without
compromising the Council's objective to reduce traffic in the
historic core of the town;
— how to improve the pedestrian environment
on roads in the vicinity of the Theatre, including Bridgeway,
Bridgefoot and Waterside, and how to manage any traffic impact
upon the historic core of measures proposed to achieve this;
— how to improve access to and from
the Bancroft Gardens and from the Theatre to any parking provision;
and
— how to manage future vehicle access
to and parking on the Recreation Ground area.
28. This list is not exclusive. Further
issues might be identified as the debate proceeds. The most important
thing is that the issues are considered in a comprehensive and
integrated manner.
29. The District Council is confident that
some additional proposals for the sustainable transport strategy
will emerge from the consideration of these issues, and the District
Council will work closely with the County Council and the Royal
Shakespeare Company to identify specific schemes and identify
necessary funding.
CONSULTATION
30. The District Council is committed to
full and effective consultation in all matters relating to the
future of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the surrounding public
realm.
31. The brief for STAFS required stakeholder
participation and two workshops were held—one at the outset
to set the scene for the study, the second before finalisation
of the work to review and prioritise the findings. In both cases
a half day facilitated event took place. These events were well
attended by representatives from the public sector and business,
with attendance by important amenity, wildlife, and residents
groups as well. Representations from these workshops helped shape
the study and were taken into account in the final report.
32. The next step in relation to the wider
proposals for the public realm and waterfront areas will be to
prepare a Master Plan for consultation. The Master Plan will be
prepared jointly by the District Council and the County to take
forward key ideas from STAFS along with other work that is underway
on the transport strategy. It is expected that the Master Plan
will be published for public participation in September 2002 with
responses reported back to the District Council for consideration
in late-Autumn 2002.
33. The theatre proposals and the public
realm are subject to new policies set out in the First Deposit
Draft of the Stratford-on-Avon District Local Plan Review 1996-2011
(extract of Policy SUA11 appended). This Draft Plan is currently
on formal public deposit and all representations will be considered
when the formal six-week consultation has ended. It is intended
that the District Council will publish a Second Draft of the Plan
for public comment in the Autumn of 2002.
34. Clearly RSC will submit applications
for planning permission and listed building consent in relation
to each phase of their proposals. Currently applications are expected
in May 2002 for The Other Place and in September 2002 for the
main theatre. These applications will be subject to full public
advertisement and consultation. All representations will be considered
by the District Planning Authority before it forms a view on the
proposals.
RESPONSE TO
THE COMMITTEE'S
QUESTIONS
35. This paper sets out the District Council's
response to the Select Committee's six questions. In summary the
response is:
How does the Council view the redevelopment plans?
36. The District Council is actively working
in partnership with the County Council, the RSC and others to
develop a fully informed view on the RSC proposals and to prepare
and take forward proposals for the adjoining public realm. Public
consultation is an integral part of the approach. The District
Council is not opposed to the principle of redevelopment but has
set out a range of challenging and specific requirements that
will need to be met if the RSC proposals are to be supported.
Is it necessary to virtually demolish the main
theatre? Is the listed building worth preserving?
37. The need for demolition and the issue
of preservation are interlinked. The case for the demolition of
the main theatre will have to be considered as part of a comprehensive
assessment against PPG15 and in the light of planning and listed
building consent applications.
How does the Council view the wider plans to create
a theatre village?
38. The decision of the District Council
to jointly commission and take forward the STAFS work illustrates
that the authority accepts there is a strong case to actively
pursue the wider plans which include a theatre village.
What participation has there been in developing
the transport strategy?
39. The RSC transport strategy and the associated
public realm work is still in the course of preparation and will
be subject to public participation in due course. The overarching
Transport Strategy in the Local Transport Plan has been subject
to separate consultation processes carried out by the County Council.
The Local Plan Review Strategy is currently subject to formal
deposit.
What response has there been from the local community
and how have local people been involved in the decision making
process?
40. An effective consultation exercise has
been carried out in connection with STAFS. A comprehensive programme
of consultation is planned in relation to the proposed Master
Plan for the waterfront area, the Local Plan Review and also in
relation to the individual planning and listed building consent
applications that will be submitted in due course.
CONCLUSION
41. The RSC proposals and the associated
vision for the public realm represent an exceptional opportunity
for Stratford-upon-Avon and the decisions that will need to be
made will profoundly influence the future of the town, with far
reaching implications for the regional and national economies.
There is a great deal at stake, and yet a considerable opportunity
to be seized. The Council is determined to secure the long-term
future of the RSC and to protect and enhance the whole waterfront
area. It wants to create a world class public realm with a strong
identity built on the character and history of Stratford-upon-Avon.
This vision depends upon a successful future for the RSC theatres
in the town.
1 February 2002
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