Land East of Odstock Road and South of Rowbarrow, Salisbury
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Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019 Land east of Odstock Road and south of Rowbarrow, Salisbury Planning Statement savills.co.uk Planning, Design & Access Statement Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Site Assessment 4 3. Pre-Application, Screening and Community Engagement 6 4. Design Response 10 5. Planning Policy 12 6. Other Planning Considerations 23 7. Planning Obligations 28 8. Summary and Conclusions 29 Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019 1 Planning, Design & Access Statement 1. Introduction 1.1. Background 1.1.1. This Planning Statement has been prepared by Savills in support of a full planning application by Bellway Homes Limited (Wessex). The proposed Site adjoins built development to the immediate south of East Harnham, Salisbury, on land to the east of Odstock Road and south of Rowbarrow. The Site adjoins recent housing development at Rowbarrow and Downton Road. Figure 1: Location Plan (site outlined in red) Source: Google Maps Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019 1 Planning, Design & Access Statement 1.2. The Proposed Development 1.2.1. Bellway Homes is proposing 108 dwellings with vehicle access off Odstock Road. The Site has been allocated within the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan (WHSAP) under policy H3.4 to deliver approximately 100 much needed dwellings. It is expected that the WHSAP will be adopted in early 2020. 1.3. Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) 1.3.1. Bellway Homes is a Plc national housebuilder, with a local division based in Ringwood, Hampshire. It has undertaken a number of local developments in recent years, in or adjoining the main cities, towns and villages in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and West Sussex. The division builds about 500 homes a year. Bellway Homes take community relations seriously and are keen to bring forward the most appropriate development on sites on which they have an interest. 1.4. Accompanying Documents 1.4.1. This Statement is part of a suite of documents and drawings which should be read together to provide a full understanding of the content and merits of the proposed development. These supporting documents are: • Complete application forms for full planning permission • Full suite of architects plans (AAP Architects) • Design and Access Statement (AAP Architects) • Transport Assessment and Travel Plan (Paul Basham Associates) • Ecological Assessment / Phase 2 Protected Species Survey (Lindsay Carrington Associates) • Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) (Paul Basham Associates) • Heritage Assessment (CgMS) • Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisal (Savills) • Highways Assessment and Travel Plan (Paul Basham Associates) • Landscape Strategy plans (ACD Environmental) • Drainage and Utilities – Site Appraisal Report • Drainage Strategy (Paul Basham Associates) • Tree Report and Arboricultural Impact Assessment (ACD Environmental) • Waste Audit and Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP). Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019 2 Planning, Design & Access Statement 1.5. Structure of this Statement 1.5.1. The purpose of this document is to explain the policy context and the reasoning behind the proposed development. This Planning Statement describes the Site and assesses relevant planning policy, design and access matters. A separate Design and Access Statement is also provided. This Planning Statement is structured as follows: Section 1: Introduction Section 2: Site Assessment Section 3: Pre-application screening and community engagement Section 4: Design Response Section 5: Planning Policy Section 6: Other Planning Considerations Section 7: Planning Obligations Section 8: Summary and Conclusions Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019 3 Planning, Design & Access Statement 2. Site Assessment 2.1. Site Context 2.1.1. The Site is situated on rising land adjoining built development to the immediate south of East Harnham, Salisbury, and to the east of Odstock Road. The Site adjoins recent housing development at Rowbarrow and Downton Road. To the south of the Site lies a scheduled monument (SM) (Woodbury Ancient Villages). 2.1.2. The Site is allocated for housing within the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan (WHSAP). The WHSAP has been through an Examination in Public (EiP) (April 2019), following which the examiner wrote to the Council suggesting they consult on a schedule of Further Main Modifications (FMM’s) suggesting minor amendments to policy. This period of consultation has ended and minor amendments sought do not affect this Site’s allocation. The WHSAP is expected to be adopted in early 2020, allocating the Site (Land at Rowbarrow - Site reference H3.4) for approximately 100 dwellings. Figure 2 (below) shows the proposed site allocation which avoids overlapping the scheduled monument boundary immediately south of the Site. Figure 2 – Site Plan (as proposed to be allocated within the WHSAP) Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019 4 Planning, Design & Access Statement 2.2. Site Description 2.2.1. There is existing residential development to the north and east of the Site as previously described. The western part of the site is adjacent to Odstock Road and bordered by an intermittent hedgerow boundary. 2.2.2. The southwestern boundary of the Site is marked by a large tree belt, which separates the Site from the SM (Woodbury Ancient Village). A substantial buffer zone is proposed between the development and this tree belt in order to protect the SM’s integrity and setting. 2.2.3. The main access to the site is proposed from Odstock Road with requisite visibility splays capable of being achieved within land in the applicant’s control. The Site is well connected to an existing network of footpaths / cycleways which provide access into the city centre via the existing development at Rowbarrow. 2.3. Topography 2.3.1. The site occupies a gently sloping field that drops from approximately 86.5m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) on its southern boundary, to approximately 76m AOD at its northern boundary, adjacent to Rowbarrow. Within the wider area, the landform gently rises to the south, forming a plateau to the north of Salisbury hospital. To the north of the site, the landform continues to fall in height, forming part of a ‘bowl’ in which the city of Salisbury sits. Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019 5 Planning, Design & Access Statement 3. Pre-Application, Screening and Community Engagement 3.1. Pre-Application Enquiries 3.1.1. A pre-application response was received from Wiltshire Council in August 2017 (Appendix 1). In summary, whilst acknowledging that the site is currently outside the built up limits of development, ‘subject to a favourable Sites DPD process leading to allocation, the principle of the site as defined being utilised for housing would become acceptable in principle’. This has been achieved through the Site’s allocation in the draft WHSAP. 3.1.2. Notwithstanding this comment, in order for any scheme to be considered acceptable by officers matters and mitigation highlighted in the letter would need to be taken on board. These are: • Principle of development (as mentioned above) • Design, layout and impact on the character of the area, heritage assets and landscape impact • Impact on residential amenity • Parking / highways • Archaeology • Ecology • Drainage and flooding • Sustainability • S106 contributions • Affordable Housing • Education • Highways and rights of way • Community provision • Public Art • CIL • Need for an EIA These matters are discussed and addressed throughout this Planning Statement. Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019 6 Planning, Design & Access Statement 3.2. EIA Screening Opinion 3.2.1. An Environmental Impact Assessment screening request was submitted to Wiltshire Council on 23 May 2018 to assess a proposal for up to 125 dwellings with access from Odstock Road. A formal Screening Opinion was provided by the Council on 9 July 2018 confirming that EIA would not be required (Appendix 2). 3.2.2. The Screening Opinion highlights that consultation was undertaken with relevant consultees and sets out the matters raised in respect of: • Archaeology and Heritage Impacts • Landscape Impacts • Ecological Impacts • Drainage and ground condition impacts • Transport Impacts and right of way matters • Cumulative Impacts 3.2.3. The Opinion concludes by stating that regard should be had to the following potential impacts needing to be addressed by the planning application: • Possible effects on the significance of heritage assets and impacts on the visual character of the wider countryside given that the Site is prominent in the landscape and includes a scheduled ancient monument. • Existing landscape features should be enhanced and land should be set aside from development to mitigate potential landscape/ heritage impacts. • The need for additional primary school capacity has been identified and can be provided for offsite. 3.3. Community Involvement 3.3.1. Bellway has engaged with the local community and a four side A5 leaflet was distributed to approximately 250 dwellings surrounding the site. The leaflet provided details of the proposal, including an illustrative layout of 108 dwellings and images of the proposed housing design. 3.3.2. Local residents were given the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposal via email or post (prepaid envelope provided). The feedback provided by the residents is summarised below. 3.3.3. No negative feedback was received. A total of five emails were received from local residents, all of whom were enquiring about when new houses might be available to purchase. Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex)