Bridgwater Gateway
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BRIDGWATER GATEWAY Design Principles March 2011 CONTENTS Section 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Purpose of the Document 1.2 Site Location and Description 1.3 Consultation Section 2.0 Site Assessment 2.1 Context 2.2 The Site 2.3 Existing land uses 2.4 Landform 2.5 Tree Cover Section 3.0 Planning Policy 3.1 Introduction 3.2 National Policy Statement (NPS) 3.3 Sedgemoor Core Strategy 3.4 Major Infrastructure Projects 3.5 District Wide Policies 3.6 Place Making Policies Section 4.0 Evaluation, Design Objectives and Design Principles 4.1 Constraints and Opportunities 4.2 Design Objectives and Site Specific Design Principles Section 5.0 Conclusion 5.1 Expected Outcomes 5.2 Planning Application Requirements 02 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Purpose of the Document 1.1.1 These Design Principles have been prepared by Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) to explore the potential of land south of Bridgwater to accommodate future development aligned to current and emerging planning policy, including: • Sedgemoor Sustainable Community Strategy; • Sedgemoor Corporate Strategy; • Emerging Sedgemoor Core Strategy; • Sedgemoor Regeneration Service Plan; • Sedgemoor Economic Masterplan; and • Bridgwater Vision 1.1.2 This document is also intended to establish the design principles and concepts as part of an over-arching framework that can be used to guide and assess future proposals for the site. 1.1.3 The Design Principles have been prepared in consultation with Bridgwater Gateway Ltd to identify the potential constraints to development to scope development options. 1.1.4 After consideration by the Council, the Design Principles will undergo a short consultation period before being finalised under delegated powers, and adopted by SDC as a local material planning consideration. 1.2 Site Location and Description 1.2.1 The site is located to the south of Bridgwater adjacent to the recent residential developments of Stockmoor and Wilstock and in close proximity to the recently developed Regional Rural Business Centre. 1.2.2 The A38 runs along the east boundary of the site providing a sustainable location on this major transport corridor between Bridgwater and Taunton as well as linking to the M5 Junction 24 providing an important and convenient link to the national motorway network. 1.2.3 The site comprises 37.8ha of agricultural land. 1.3 Consultation Partner consultation has taken place at various levels of policy formulation including the Bridgwater Vision, Economic Masterplan and Core Strategy. Local consultation has also taken place through the Core Strategy as well as by the promoters of the site with the Town Council and local residents of North Petherton. 03 2.0 Site Assessment This section provides a summary of the assessment of the site and its surroundings and identifies the issues relevant to the development of the Design Principles. 2.1 Context 2.1.1 Bridgwater is a highly constrained town; currently contained to the east by the M5 that creates a significant physical barrier to development as well as threatened by flood risk with significant areas of low lying land. Plans are in place to invest in a surge barrier in the future, funded through am agreed tariff system by developer contributions and the Environment Agency. 2.1.2 In delivery terms, site identification for economic growth is limited and this site is one of the few areas in Bridgwater which is not at serious risk of flooding. 2.1.3 Bridgwater is visually mixed and has a varied built character and the area around the site reflects this, ranging from the large industrial buildings of the Regional Rural Business Centre (RRBC), the Wiseman Dairy site to the east and to the residential developments of Stockmoor to the north. 2.1.4 The town is acknowledged as an area of major growth with SDC seeking to establish Bridgwater and the wider Sedgemoor, at the heart of a new South West Enterprise Coast (See Sedgemoor Economic Masterplan 2008-2026). 2.1.5 Located between the cities of Bristol and Exeter and in close proximity to the nationally significant infrastructure project at Hinkley Point in West Somerset, there is a significant opportunity to boost the economic profile of the town. It is essential that a boom and bust scenario is avoided and that any economic growth has a sustained and positive improvement on the image and performance of the town. 2.2 The Site 2.2.1 The site lies in close proximity to Junction 24 of the M5 and the A38 which runs along the eastern boundary of the site and comprises of 37.8 ha of land to the south of Bridgwater which although currently undeveloped, has seen considerable changes to the surrounding areas over the last few years including the development of Stockmoor Village, the Regional Rural Business Centre and the Wiseman Dairy site, both to the East of the A38. There are no commercial facilities of any note located on the west side of the A38, specifically distribution uses. 2.2.2 As part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) process the site has been identified for potential development and in this regard represents a logical development opportunity and has great potential for unifying the existing elements scattered around the A38 and the south of Bridgwater through connecting communities and providing a focus for business and diversifying opportunities for local employment. 2.2.3 Situated so closely to the new residential areas of Stockmoor and Wilstock as well as North Petherton, the site offers a highly sustainable opportunity for job creation and local services, reducing the need to travel and any environmental impacts mitigated through structural landscaping, high quality design and innovation. 2.2.4 The site partly falls into Flood Zone 3a and it will be necessary for all built form to be located outside of this area and only water compatible uses such as open space and habitat diversity should be located within the flood zone unless it can be demonstrated that sequentially there are no alternative sites. 2.3 Existing land uses 2.3.1 The site is currently within agricultural use with hedgerows defining field boundaries; the existing topography of the site is such that the land generally falls from east to west, however there is a noticeable ridge running parallel to the 04 A38 which prevents views from east to west when viewed from the A38. 2.3.2 Whilst public highways are located to the east and north of the site there is currently no public access to the site. 2.4 Landform 2.4.1 The site is classified as Quantock Foothills and the land is characterised by its relationship with two landform typologies that adjoin it: the rising high ground of the Quantock Hills to the south and the low lying, largely near flat expanse of Stock Moor on the Somerset Levels to the north. 2.4.2 The site appears to sit just south of the Levels, on the gently rolling but rising land of the northern foothills of the Quantocks. This is an important element of character and the site has a locally slightly elevated and gently rolling character. The site sits above the flat landscape of the Stock Moor to the north and yet it sits low in the broad rising horizon made by the Quantock Hills to the south. 2.4.3 There is a pronounced slope along the north western boundary where the higher land drops to the low lying land of Stock Moor. Generally the site land rolls with a rise in level to the south and south east. 2.5 Tree Cover 2.5.1 There are very few trees within the site and where they do exist they are concentrated in a localised depression in the roll of the landform, or stand along the site’s eastern boundary with the A38. In the wider landscape trees are very common with lines and stands of trees along the numerous watercourses: the rivers, rhynes and ditches of the Levels landscape. The rather sporadic line of veteran oaks south of the site at Compass, approximately 1km to the south are a distinctive feature of the road. The built environment The site 05 3.0 Planning Policy 3.1 Introduction 3.1.1 The South West Regional Spatial Strategy previously identified Bridgwater as a Strategically Significant City and Town (SSTC) and promoted an employment led strategy to sustainable growth. 3.1.2 To support the delivery of growth Sedgemoor District Council and key partners have developed the Bridgwater Vision, a long term strategy for the regeneration of the town. Whilst the Vision does not allocated sites it does recognise the importance of Junction 24 of the M5 for employment. It suggests that any development in this area will need to reflect the areas highly visible position through the delivery of high profile, contemporary and highly sustainable buildings. 3.1.3 The Council’s Economic Masterplan also recognises the potential for employment uses in this area although this was published before the potential implications and land requirements associated with new nuclear build at Hinkley Point were fully understood. 3.1.4 EDF, the promoters of Hinkley C identified the potential of this area for key elements of their transport strategy that include a park and ride facility and a freight staging facility. The opportunity to link associated supply chain businesses directly to the proposed transport facilities presented a clear opportunity to promote sustainable employment opportunities. 3.1.5 The Council’s emerging Core Strategy therefore recognised the potential for employment use in this location and specifically identified the site as a preferred greenfield location for employment, specifically reserved to meet the employment requirements and supply chain businesses (including training) associated with Hinkley Point.