Land West of Forest Road, Dunstall, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 8BL
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Fisher German LLP Severn Trent Water Limited Land west of Forest Road, Dunstall, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 8BL Planning, Design & Access Statement on behalf of: Severn Trent Water Limited by: Jenny Salt BA (Hons) MA MRTPI 01530 567 475 date: February 2015 revision: 001 Severn Trent Water Severn Trent Water Limited (STWL) is a regulated business with statutory responsibilities for the provision of water and sewerage services to over eight million people in an area of 21,000 square kilometres stretching from the Bristol Channel to the Humber, and from mid-Wales to the East Midlands. Severn Trent Water is currently implementing its Asset Management Plan for AMP5 (April 2010 to March 2015), which is the mechanism by which the regulator OFWAT defines in a five year capital expenditure programme for all water companies. Investment during the AMP5 period is in response to a number of key drivers. These drivers include providing a continuous supply of quality water, dealing effectively with waste water, and promoting an effective regulatory regime. Scope of Project/Background This planning statement has been prepared for STWL to support a planning application for the change in use of the land for the provision of a sewage pumping station on land to the west of Forest Road, Dunstall Cross, Staffordshire. The development will include the provision of a new access, concrete turning head, a motor control kiosk, a septicity dosing kiosk, two bauer couplings, a vent stack, two road gullies and five bollards. STWL/External Driver An application has been made for first time sewerage under Section 101a of the Water Industry Act 1991, requesting that local properties are connected to the public sewer. To enable this to take place, the proposed development is required. Site Location/Description The site is located to the west of Forest Road, Dunstall at grid reference SK 17542 20664. The site is approximately 7.5km south west of the centre of Burton on Trent and approximately 2.5km north west of the centre of Barton Under Needwood. The site bounds Forest Road to the east. Immediately adjacent to the site, to the south, is a garage, which does not form part of an existing dwelling in the area. Further to the south are a run of residential properties, the nearest of which is approximately 30m south of the proposed development site. To the west and north of the site, lies the remainder of the agricultural field, which is currently used for grazing. The site is located within the National Forest, but is not subject to any other statutory designations. Existing Use The site currently comprises the south eastern corner of an agricultural field, which is used for grazing. A hedgerow bounds the proposed site on the east and south edges, with the north and west boundaries open to the existing field. The site comprises grassland. Planning History There is no known relevant planning history for this site. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 of 16 Proposed Development It is proposed to change the use of land to the west of Forest Road to provide a new sewage pumping station. The works associated with the provision of the new sewage pumping station, which form part of this planning application, include the following: • Change of use of the land for a sewage pumping station • Creation of a new access • Provision of concrete turning head • Provision of motor control kiosk • Provision of a septicity dosing kiosk • Provision of two bauer couplings • Provision of a vent stack • Provision of two road gullies • Provision of five bollards It is also proposed to provide manhole/chamber covers for the wet well, combined value and flowmeter chamber and the inlet. The existing surface water chamber within the proposed access way will be rebuilt. Two road gullies will be provided at the site entrance, to replace the existing drainage grips. There will also be a davit socket provided next to the wet well. All of these elements of the works are situated below ground level, therefore they are considered to be permitted development, as they fall under Part 16, Class A(a) of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. It is also proposed to provide a timber post and rail fence around the perimeter of the proposed site and a new access gate at the site entrance. Outside of the application site boundary, it is proposed to replace the existing field gate to the north of the proposed site replace the post and rail fence along the eastern edge of the agricultural field in which the proposed site is situated. This fence will be situated on the inner side of the existing hedgerow along Forest Road. All of these elements of the works are under 1 metre in height, therefore they are considered to be permitted development, as they fall under Part 2, Class A of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. Pre-application Discussions Staffordshire County Council Highways Department Pre-application discussions have been carried out with Jake Derry of Staffordshire County Council’s Highways Department. A copy of his response is included in Appendix A. The advice received confirmed that there is a drainage grip at the centre of the proposed access. Due to the lack of a drainage grip on the opposite site of the road, ponding occurs at this location. It is advised that any new access at this point would need to include measures to maintain highway drainage. With regards to visibility Mr Derry advises that visibility to the north from the proposed access is acceptable. He is of the opinion that the existing road sign to the south will not obstruct visibility but if during access works it becomes apparent there is an issue then the sign can be relocated at that stage. In respect of the temporary working compound, Mr Derry advises that the use of the existing field access to the north is an unsuitable location due to the vertical alignment of Forest Road to the north. Whilst the proposals include the replacement of the existing field access, the temporary working compound will be served by the creation of the new access point off Forest Road to the south of the field to ensure adequate visibility. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3 of 16 Staffordshire County Council Environmental Specialists Pre-application advice has been received from Staffordshire County Council’s Environmental Specialists dated 19th April 2013. The response gives advice on ecology, landscape, forestry, archaeology and historic landscape character, historic built environment and rights of way. A copy of the response received is included in Appendix B. Ecology The pre-application advice obtained advises that a survey and assessment will be required to include consideration of effects on the following: • Designated nature conservation sites, both statutory and non-statutory; • Protected species • Species and habitats of principal importance for biodiversity (Defra list) • UK and Staffordshire Biodiversity Action Plan habitats and species • Geological features Landscape The pre-application advice obtained advises that the proposed development should have regard to the landscape character type, Surveyor Enclosed Plateau Farmlands in the Needwood Claylands. The proposed development should be informed by, and sympathetic to landscape character and quality and should contribute to Landscape Maintenance. Substantial emphasis should be placed on ensuring that development blends unobtrusively into the landscape and does not lead to the loss of characteristic features. The location of the pumping station and kiosk will need to be carefully considered to ensure that landscape and visual impact is minimised, and if necessary appropriate mitigation is incorporated into the proposal and submitted with the application. Where possible, the structures should be located where they would be subsequently viewed in association with existing buildings and their impacts therefore minimised, and established hedges and trees retained and protected. Forestry The pre-application advice obtained confirms that the site is situated with the National Forest and that an outline of the improvement should be submitted so that the application can be assessed with the National Forest policies in mind. Archaeology and Historic Landscape Character The pre-application advice obtained confirms that the Historic Environment Record does not record the presence of designated heritage assets within the area of the proposed scheme. However, it is identified that the single undesignated cropmark (PRN 55363), located approximately 100m to the south of Yew Tree Farm, does possibly relate to a medieval or earlier field boundary. It is also identified that the proposed scheme lies within an area of planned enclosure as identified on the Historic Landscape Characterisation for the county. This probably dates to the reorganisation of the agricultural landscape in the area during the nineteenth century and may also have given rise to the development of the small regular courtyard farmstead at Yew Tree Farm identified as part of the Staffordshire Historic Farm Building Survey. As part of the pre-application discussions, it was advised that there may be a requirement for building recording of the farmstead at Yew Tree Farm and an archaeological watching brief during groundworks. This was advised due to the scale and potential proximity of the proposed works to Yew Tree Farm and the possible medieval field boundary to the south. It was however advised that the scope of any archaeological mitigation would become clearer once design details are available at full application stage. Historic Built Environment The pre-application advice obtained advised that there are no historic built environment constraints affecting this proposal. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4 of 16 Rights of Way The pre-application advice obtained advises that if the proposed works to Forest Road affect Rights of Way where they meet/cross the road, then discussions will be required with the SCC Rights of Way section.