Core Refusal Reason
The proposed development's scale, height, and disjointed design are unsympathetic to the Lusk Architectural Conservation Area and the setting of adjacent National Monuments and Protected Structures, combined with a significant deficit in car parking provision that poses a traffic hazard.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- While the principle of a community cultural center is supported by the 'Town and District Centre' zoning and 'Town Centre First' policies, the proposed design fails to assimilate sensitively into the highly significant archaeological and architectural context of the Lusk historic core.
- The scale, massing, and 'ad-hoc' architectural treatment of the barrel-roofed structures would significantly detract from the character of the Architectural Conservation Area and the setting of St. MacCullin’s Church and its associated national monuments.
- The proposed car parking provision (22 spaces provided against a requirement of 56) is grossly deficient and would lead to inappropriate overspill parking on the surrounding road network, creating a public safety hazard and traffic congestion.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Objective HCAO10 (Context of Archaeological Monuments)Policy HCAP12 (Interventions to Protected Structures)Policy HCAP14 (Architectural Conservation Areas)Policy HCAP15 (Character of Architectural Conservation Areas)Objective CSO59 (Historic Core of Lusk)Objective CSO60 (Monastic Site and St. MacCullin's Church)Objective DMSO148 (Ecological Impact Assessment)Table 14.19 (Car Parking Standards)
Decision Document Summary
The proposal involves the Phase 2 expansion of the Lusk Community Cultural Centre, comprising a new two-storey barrel-roofed building to house community office suites, a multi-use auditorium with a 150-person capacity, a coffee dock, and associated site works. The appeal site is located in the heart of Lusk Village within an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) and immediately adjacent to the St. MacCullin’s Church, tower, and graveyard, which are designated Protected Structures and National Mo...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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