Land at Meadcroft, Clitheroe Road, Whalley
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Land at Meadcroft, Clitheroe Road, Whalley: Outline Planning Application for Residential Development Design and Access Statement On behalf of Mr and Mrs Day Date: 01/07/2014 Smiths Gore 26 Coniscliffe Road Darlington DL3 7JX smiths gore .co.uk A Design and Access Statement in support of an outline planning application by Mr and Mrs Day for residential development on land at Meadcroft, Clitheroe Road, Whalley Introduction We have been instructed by Mr and Mrs Day to prepare an outline planning application (with all matters reserved) for the demolition of existing buildings and the erection of residential development on land at Meadcroft, Clitheroe Road, near Whalley. This Design and Access Statement forms part of the application and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying Planning Statement and other supporting documentation. The Design and Access Statement has been carried out in accordance with the guidance published by CABE and the guidance set out by Ribble Valley Borough Council regarding the preparation of such statements. The statement demonstrates that the proposed development is compatible with the site’s surroundings, having regard to local character, and will be accessible and inclusive. Assessment of existing site and surroundings The application site is situated off Clitheroe Road; sited between the settlements of Barrow and Whalley and is approximately 0.99 hectares in size. Access to the site is to be gained direct from Clitheroe Road. The site is located outside Green Belt and is bounded by open countryside to the east, the A59 runs west – east to the south of the site, a cemetery lies to the west and existing development lies to the north, which includes Whalley Industrial Park (on the east side of Clitheroe Road) and housing, the Spread Eagle Public House and Berkins’ delicatessen and gift shop (on the west side of Clitheroe Road). Planning permission has also been recently granted in the local area for residential development. There is a good range of local services and facilities, beyond those referred to above. These include Barrow Primary School, a general (Co-operative) store, a church, a mobile library, several takeaways / restaurants and many businesses providing local employment opportunities. Moreover, bus services run along Clitheroe Road at frequent intervals during the day, providing direct connections to Clitheroe and Whalley (every 15 minutes) and other destinations such as Preston, Blackburn and Skipton (service intervals of 30 to 60 minutes). More extensive shopping, community and public transport (including rail) services and facilities are to be found in Whalley, approximately 1.4km to the south and Clitheroe, approximately 5km to the north. Access to the site is available direct from Clitheroe Road which would be upgraded in association with future development. The application proposes the development of new build residential units (including the demolition of the existing buildings). The indicative drawings illustrate that this can be achieved in the form of modern detached housing with associated parking and amenity space and have been designed to fit in with the locality with minimum impact on the adjacent residential units, graveyard and the visual amenity of the surrounding area. Please see the indicative plans for further detail. The proposal is for an attractive, low density development similar to the type that has received planning permission in the area. The biggest factors in determining the layout were the busy A59 road to the south, the topography of the site, the route of a public footpath, site drainage and retention of existing mature trees. 2 smiths gore .co.uk The new housing are illustrated on the indicative drawings to be one and two storey and of a size and scale that matches the existing dwelling on site, other new housing developments with recent planning permission in the locality, and existing housing in the area. Use / Amount The proposed development is to provide new build residential units and associated parking on the site. Due to the proposal being over the required threshold for affordable units, the 0.99 hectare development site comprises 9 detached dwellings; 6 of which are two storey “market” houses with integrated double garages and 3 of which are single storey “affordable” dwellings with off-street parking. A Section 106 Agreement will be signed as part of any future consent to ensure that three units remain affordable in perpetuity. There are three different indicative types of dwelling proposed, ranging from two to five bedroomed properties. Please see the indicative plans for further detail. Each unit will have an adequate number of parking spaces as set out in the Manual for Street guidance. Parking would be situated within the development site therefore avoiding the creation of a road frontage on Clitheroe Road dominated by on-street parking. The indicative design prepared for the site indicates that up to 9 dwellings of footprints of between 65 and 318 square metres each on the site would be appropriate and achievable. In addition to this, space is available for adequate gardens to be provided to the front and rear of each of the properties. An indicative schedule of numbers and sizes is provided on the submitted layout drawing. The amount of development is, however, a reserved matter in this outline planning application. Layout As this is an outline planning application, specific details would be agreed at reserved matters stage. The layout of the indicative scheme, however, takes the form of detached housing which has been staggered so the buildings are not regimented. This staggered form also relates to the contours of the existing site. As stated above, the proposal is for an attractive, low density development of the type that has received planning permission in the area. The biggest factors in determining the layout were the busy A59 road to the south, the slope of the site (east down to west), the route of a public footpath, site drainage and retention of existing mature trees. The layout is centred on an attractive attenuation pond that will collect surface water from the site and the flow from two small, intermittent watercourses that flow across the site. The access road sweeps around this and serves houses that are arranged on the most level part of the site and along the contours. This reduces the height of the overall scheme and puts the majority of the housing plots as far from the A59 as the scheme permits. The houses are arranged so the majority overlook the pond and have private space to their rears. Around the pond is a landscaped area which will form a focal point for the small community that will develop here. The existing trodden route public footpath route has been retained and incorporated into the scheme. Please see the indicative layout plan and Planning Statement for further information on this matter. 3 smiths gore .co.uk Several alternative schemes have been looked at including a mock converted farmstead (e.g. farmhouse with converted barns, stables etc.) and variations on the attenuation pond theme with it being further to the south and with different arrangements of housing around it. None of these were thought to be as attractive or as practical as the submitted scheme. This is a contemporary scheme with variety and interest introduced into the house types, sizes, and materials. It has a focus on the design and quality of the environment. The entrance to the site will be from Clitheroe Road. Scale As this is an outline planning application, specific details (such as heights and widths) would be agreed at reserved matters stage. However, an indicative layout has been prepared which indicates that the height and massing of the proposed development being 2 storey and single storey residential units, incorporating from two to five bedrooms, would be appropriate on a site of this size. Dwellings of such size are considered to have ample garden and parking areas as shown on the indicative layout plan. The new housing will be one and two storey and of a size and scale that matches the existing dwelling on site, other new housing developments with planning permission and existing housing in the area. Landscaping As this is an outline planning application, specific details in relation to landscaping would be agreed at reserved matters stage. However, an indicative layout has been prepared which indicates that new planting can be proposed within and on the boundary of the site to add further amenity value to the development site. Please refer to the indicative plans for further detail. The site consists of trees along the western boundary. It is proposed that these trees will remain as part of the future scheme. In addition, the indicative plans illustrate that the site could incorporate additional landscaping along the boundary of the site which will enhance the ecology and biodiversity of the area whilst screening the site from the A59. As mentioned above, the layout is centred on an attenuation pond that will collect surface water from the site and the flow from two small, intermittent watercourses that flow across the site. These watercourses will be diverted to suit the layout of the housing and will be more akin to swales than streams until they reach the point where they receive surface water, when they will be hard lined and culverted under paths and roads. It is believed that a culvert already exists parallel with Clitheroe Road and this takes drainage from the north easterly watercourse, possibly intersecting with the south easterly watercourse and then passing into another culvert under Clitheroe Road, thence discharging into the stream on the western side of the road (opposite the southern western corner of the site). The attenuation pond will ensure that water is discharged at a rate that avoids increasing flood risk further down the stream.