Cardiff Green Infrastructure SPG River Corridors Technical Guidance Note (TGN)
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Cardiff Green Infrastructure SPG River Corridors Technical Guidance Note (TGN) Consultation Draft June 2017 Contents Page 1. Introduction 1 2. River Corridors Overview 4 River Rhymney and Nant Fawr 4 Rhymney and Nant Fawr Positive Attributes 6 Rhymney and Nant Fawr Negative Attributes 7 River Taff 7 River Taff Positive Attributes 10 River Taff Negative Attributes 11 River Ely 11 River Ely Positive Attributes 13 River Ely Negative Attributes 14 3. Guidance for Developers 15 Access and recreational routes 15 Recreation 15 Public Realm 15 Biodiversity 16 Historic & Cultural Environment 17 Landscape 17 Surface Water Drainage 18 Floodplain 18 Water Quality and Pollution Prevention 18 Safety 18 Litter 19 Education 19 Management and Maintenance 19 Planning Obligations 19 Appendix 1. Map showing river corridors in urban area 20 Appendix 2: Related LDP Policies 21 Mae’r ddogfen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg/This document is available in Welsh River Corridors TGN 1. Introduction 1.1 This guidance note supplements Policy EN4 of adopted Cardiff Local Development Plan (LDP), which provides a planning framework within which the Council can protect, promote and enhance the features of the river corridors whilst also facilitating sustainable access and recreation opportunities together with achieving its aims with regards to the river corridors. 1.2 Technical Guidance Note (TGN) supplements policies in the adopted Cardiff Local Development Plan (LDP) relating to river corridors in Cardiff, and is part of the Supplementary Planning Guidance for Green Infrastructure. This is one of a series of Technical Guidance Notes which provide detailed information about the retention and provision of green infrastructure elements in new developments, as follows:- . Ecology and Biodiversity TGN . Open Space TGN . Public Rights of Way and Development TGN . River Corridors TGN . Soils and Development TGN . Trees and Development TGN 1.3 Welsh Government supports the use of Supplementary Guidance (SPG) to set out detailed guidance on the way in which development plan policies will be applied in particular circumstances or areas. SPG must be consistent with development plan polices and national planning policy guidance. SPG helps to ensure certain policies and proposals are better understood and applied more effectively. They do not have the same status as the adopted development plan but are a material consideration in the determination of planning applications 1.4 This Note is likely to be of particular benefit to those considering development proposals which may affect a river corridor in Cardiff. It enables developers, landowners and potential objectors to understand how the Council considers development proposals and the standard of provision sought. Consultation Draft - June 2017 1 River Corridors TGN EN4: RIVER CORRIDORS The Natural Heritage, character and other key features of Cardiff’s river corridors will be protected, promoted and enhanced, together with facilitating sustainable access and recreation. 1.5 The Policy helps to deliver LDP objectives relating to social needs and natural environment together with according with Planning Policy Wales (Para 5.1, 5.4 and 5.5) which values the importance of the natural heritage of Wales including non-statutorily designated sites and seeks to conserve and enhance this heritage in ways which bring benefits to the local community. It also will help the Council deliver the Liveable City agenda and its vision to become Europe’s most liveable capital city. 1.6 This guidance note seeks to provide guidance to applicants on how planning applications located in within the River Corridors identified on the LDP Proposals Map will be assessed and importantly what factors will need to be taken into account when submitting a planning application within such areas. 1.7 Cardiff contains the four river corridors of the Taff, Ely, Rhymney and Nant Fawr (see Map at Appendix 1). They make a unique contribution to the character and form of the city providing continuous green corridors between the Severn Estuary and the countryside beyond the urban edge. The watercourses and adjoining open spaces possess high recreational, biodiversity, historic, cultural and landscape value. Additionally, they are located close to local communities and offer excellent opportunities for off-road access routes that can provide part of the wider strategic recreational routes and everyday network of routes. 1.8 The extent of Cardiff’s river corridors within the urban area are illustrated on the Proposals Map and Plan 1. They include the rivers together with adjoining open space and other predominantly open land that together form the strategically important corridor of mixed open spaces that run through the heart of the urban area. The Policy also applies to the river corridors outside the urban area (as defined by the settlement boundaries). Such land is protected from inappropriate development through other Policies. However, this Policy will also apply and aims to ensure the strategic role played by the river corridors is continued from the urban area, Consultation Draft - June 2017 2 River Corridors TGN through the surrounding countryside up to the County boundary. In this respect it is considered inappropriate to designate an arbitrary boundary to a notional river corridor running through farmland. Any proposals will be assessed to ensure the aims of this Policy are met and not prejudiced. 1.9 Importantly, the Policy is not intended to prevent any development in the designated area. The key point is to ensure development proposals respect key features/factors that are referred to in this guidance. Consultation Draft - June 2017 3 River Corridors TGN 2 River Corridors Overview 2.1 This section provides a brief description of each of the four river corridors in Cardiff. This helps give a high-level context, in which development proposals can be assessed. River Rhymney and Nant Fawr 2.2 Outside Cardiff - The River Rhymney previously formed the boundary between Glamorgan and Monmouthshire and is sourced on the Southern edge of the unspoilt landscapes of the Brecon Beacons. The river steeply descends into the town of Rhymney in Caerphilly, which was founded with the establishment of the Bute Ironworks in 1802. Steam coal pits were starting to open in the mid 19th Century and the iron works eventually closed in 1891. Before the Industrial Revolution and the development of the Welsh coal mining industry much of the valley was rural and farmed. The river also travels through the former coal mining communities of New Tredegar, Bargoed, Ystrad Mynach, Bedwas and Machen. As the name Ystrad suggests the southern end of the Rhymney Valley is wide and flat. 2.3 As the river enters Cardiff it is predominantly rural in character passing by the parish of Llanedeyrn before reaching the urban areas of Llanrumney to the East and Pentwyn to the West. The river passes by the 15th Century Church St Edeyrn named after the Celtic Saint of the same name. The open space of the Valley floor narrows as it is occupied by the A48 and residential buildings. Downstream of Llanrumney High School the Rhymney trail lies on top of the river’s man-built levees alongside playing fields and open space. 2.4 Immediately after the Riverside playing fields the river meanders signalling the early stages of the formation of oxbow lakes. To the East of the river at this point is the attractive Rumney Hill Gardens, a popular council-owned local park that includes tennis courts and a bowling pavilion. On the other side of the river is the Howardian Nature Reserve. Previously a refuse tip in the early 1970’s it is now contains a range of habitats including woodland, wildflower meadow, ponds and reed beds. Entrance to the nature reserve can be found on Hammond Way and Ipswich Road. The management and enhancement of this site is enthusiastically supported by Friends of Howardian. 2.5 The Valley floor narrows considerably as it meets the western end of Rhymney Hill. Small cliffs have formed as the river meets the mass of the hill revealing some of the oldest rock in Cardiff Consultation Draft - June 2017 4 River Corridors TGN and this has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its geological importance. As the river passes around Rumney Hill, there is a major highway crossing interrupting the previously extreme flood plain. Before this ‘pinch point’, the Rumney Trail leaves the flood plain and passes over Rumney Hill, through Rumney Hill Gardens and then passes down the other side to Tredelech Park which was officially opened and named in March 2003. In 2001 a 4 hectare lake was created which is now home to an array of fish and includes a boardwalk. The park was designed with an emphasis on conservation and wildlife. Between Tredelech Park and the coast lies the Lamby Way landfill site, a major landfill facility nearing the end of its operational life. It occupies a large area, and forms a locally prominent hill with wide views over the surrounding area and estuary. 2.6 Rhymney Foreshore – The Rhymney River is the only tidal river in Cardiff, flowing into the Severn Estuary which has the second largest tidal range in the world. At low tide the Rhymney foreshore reveals mud flats; a habitat that comes under the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan and is important for migratory birds. This area includes four designations: Site of Special Scientific Interest; Special Protection Area; Special Area of Conservation; and Ramsar. There is also two salt-marsh SINC’s (Site of Importance for Nature Conservation). Adjacent to the foreshore are the Wentloog Levels, an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its unique habitat and associated wildlife. The Wentloog Levels are protected by a sea wall and drained by a network of reens that are a haven for rare species.