Strategic Sites Development Plan Document Background Paper
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Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Strategic Sites Development Plan Document Background Paper Chapter 7 Heathfield January 2012 How to Contact Us Head of Planning and Environmental Policy Wealden District Council Council Offices, Pine Grove, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 1DH Website: www.wealden.gov.uk E-mail: [email protected] Telephone 01892 602007 Office hours Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm You may also visit the Hailsham Customer Help Point, Prospects House, 7-9 George Street, Hailsham, BN27 1AD between the hours of 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday, to view Local Development Framework documents. If you, or somebody you know, would like the information contained in this document in large print, Braille, tape/CD or in another language please contact Wealden District Council on 01323 443322 or [email protected] Chapter 7 SDA 11: Land at North West Heathfield Contents 7.1 Introduction 777 7.2 Area of interest 777 7.3 Land availability 777 7.4 Site Appraisal 779 7.5 Core Strategy Objectives 790 7.6 Opportunities 792 7.7 Constraints 794 7.8 Strategic Infrastructure requirements 796 7.9 Additional local infrastructure required to support the 796 development of SDA 11: Land North of Heathfield 7.10 Sustainability Appraisal Summary 797 7.11 Guiding Principles for the development of SDA 11. 798 7.12 Options for the development of SDA 11 : Land north 799 of Heathfield 7.13 SA of Options for SDA 11: Land North East of 809 Heathfield Strategic Sites Development Plan Document SDA 11: Land at North West Heathfield 7.1 Introduction 7.1.1 This document forms one of the area based background papers for the Strategic Sites Development Plan Document (SSDPD) Regulation 25 Consultation. The Strategic Sites DPD will form part of Wealden District Council's Local Development Framework and will identify the key strategic sites, for both housing and employment development, and will identify a number of principles to guide development to ensure that future development meets the policies and spatial objectives detailed in the Proposed Submission Core Strategy. 7.1.2 This background paper relates to SDA 11: Land at North West Heathfield. This area has been identified in the Core Strategy as an area considered critical to the delivery of the Core Strategy, as shown on Figure 13.1: SDA 11 North West Heathfield Core Strategy Strategic Sites Context Plan. The Core Strategy identified a need for an additional 160 homes and identified land at North West Heathfield to be the most suitable and sustainable location for housing provision within the Heathfield area. 7.1.3 This background paper will provide an overview of the Heathfield Strategic Development Area, identify land that can deliver housing development, outline the Core Strategy objectives and provide a summary of the sustainability appraisal in relation to the site, provide a comprehensive appraisal of the site including detail relating to opportunities, constraints and infrastructure requirements, identify a number of guiding principles and present a number of options for the development of the strategic development area. 7.2 Area of interest 7.2.1 The strategic development area SDA 11 is located to the north west of Heathfield town centre, between woodland located to the north, Heathfield High Street to the south and extends west towards Cross in Hand. The site is well located in relation to existing services, local facilities and also public transport provision. Immediately to the south of the broad location lies existing residential development and the A265, which is the main road running through Heathfield, from Tunbridge Wells to Hurst Green. The broad location contains a small element of previously developed land, which is currently in residential use. The majority of the site is greenfield land. The majority of the strategic development area lies within the High Weald AONB which extends northwards from the SDA. 7.3 Land availability SDA 11: Land North West of Heathfield - SSDPD Background Document - December 2011 777 7.3.1 The Wealden District Council Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)1, which was carried out as part of the evidence base for the Core Strategy, identified a number of sites within the Heathfield area that could potentially be suitable, available and achievable sites for housing development. The Sustainability Appraisal for the Core Strategy subsequently identified that land to the north west of Heathfield was the most suitable and sustainable location for future housing development. 7.3.2 A total of six sites located to the north west of Heathfield have been identified as potentially deliverable and developable housing sites. The individually submitted SHLAA sites located within the broad growth area of SDA 11 are shown on Figure 13.2: SDA 11 North West Heathfield Land Availability Plan and Figure 13.3: SDA 11 North West Heathfield Sub Areas and on the table below:- Table 7.1: Details of available land within SDA11: Land North East of Heathfield Site SHLAA ref Location Greenfield/ Gross Area Brownfield or (Hectares) Previously developed land (PDL) Site A 155/1210 Land to the rear of Part Greenfield 4.54 ha. Heathfield Police Station (including Reynards, and Part Woodhatch) * Brownfield 536/1210 Holmhurst ** Part Greenfield 0.17 ha Part Brownfield 519/1210 Lavender Cottage ** Part Greenfield 0.19 ha Part Brownfield Site B1 525/1210 Land at Part Greenfield 1.80 ha Rothershaw** Part Brownfield Site C 307/1210 Land at Tilsmore Greenfield 1.45 ha. Nurseries 1 Wealden SHLAA Report (March 2010) and Addendum Report to the Wealden SHLAA (October 2010) Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) - Wealden District Council SDA 11: Land North West of Heathfield - SSDPD Background Document - December 2011 778 Site D1 111/1210 Land to the rear of Greenfield 1.87 ha. Tilsmore Lodge Total 10.02 ha * The brownfield element of this site relates to the inclusion of office buildings and housing within the site. ** The brownfield element of this site relates to the inclusion of a residential property within the site. 7.3.3 Subsequent to the SHLAA, two additional sites have been put forward for consideration, of which both are considered to be suitable for housing. This includes:- Site SHLAA ref Location Greenfield/ Gross Site Brownfield (Hectares) or Previously developed land (PDL) Site B2 TBC Rutherford** Part Greenfield 0.26 ha Part Brownfield Site D2 TBC Tilsmore Lodge** Part Greenfield 0.10 ha. Part Brownfield Total 0.36ha ** The brownfield element of this site relates to the inclusion of a residential property within the site. 7.3.4 When considered together, the sites which fall within the broad growth area of SDA 11 provide an approximate gross area of land of 10.38 hectares. This area may be impacted by constraints on and off site, which may reduce the amount of land that is developable. 7.4 Site Appraisal Adjoining housing/employment uses 7.4.1 Existing residential development exists to the south of the SDA as shown on Figure 13.4: SDA 11 North West Heathfield Site Appraisal. The housing consists of predominately detached two storey properties of low to medium density, organised either in a linear formation (properties located on the A265) or a Culs de Sac formation (Nursery Way/Pages Close). Properties located on the A265 were built post-war in the late 1950s/1960s. 7.4.2 Nursery Way, located directly south of Site C, consists of smaller detached two storey properties of medium density. The housing is post war, built in the 1980s. The housing located south of the A265 (Pages Hill and Pages Close - a Culs de Sac) is of a similar form, scale and age. Other than the Police Station, Fire Station and retail opportunities at the Co-op Supermarket and along, the High Street, there are no other employment uses adjoining the site. The nearest SDA 11: Land North West of Heathfield - SSDPD Background Document - December 2011 779 employment uses are located to the south of the site, at Ghyll Road (approximately 1.3 km from the site) and east of the site at Station Road (approximately 0.68 km from the site). Current uses 7.4.3 The strategic development area comprises mostly green field land with a mix of agricultural land and woodland. No visible agricultural practices appear to be taking place. Land at Tilsmore Nurseries (Site C) is currently managed and used as an amenity area by a number of local residents who own the site. 7.4.4 The north, east and western boundary of the SDA is bordered by woodland including Ancient Woodland on both the eastern and western boundary of the SDA. Ancient woodland also extends into the SDA at its most northern tip (Site B1). The SDA also includes seven residential dwellings, each with a varying but generally large residential curtilige, located to the south of the area. A large proportion of the area is situated within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which has a typical land use of small agricultural fields and hedgerows. Access to the site 7.4.5 The eastern part of the SDA (Site A) is currently accessible via a 5 metre wide track/field gate located in the south eastern corner of the site, adjacent to the Police Station. This is currently suitable for pedestrian access only. The central area (Sites B1 and B2) can currently be accessed via a driveway. This access is currently only suitable for vehicular access for the residents of the properties/pedestrian access to the SDA. 7.4.6 Although currently gated, the central part of the SDA (Site C) can also be accessed from a fairly steep access point via Nursery Way.