Gypsy & Traveller Site Selection Outline Feasibility Study Whitebirk

Gypsy & Traveller Site Selection Option 3 - Whitebirk, Intack Bus Depot Outline Site Feasibility Study SITE STUDY 1.0Site Location Plan (Aerial ) The purpose of this report is to undertake a high level Stage 1 Development Appraisal for a site adjacent to Intack Bus Depot, Blackburn, Lancashire. The site is currently an undeveloped parcel of hard standing with occasional tree and scrub vegetation.

The objective of the study is to collect baseline information and assess the suitability of the site for development as potential Gyspy and Traveller accommodation. A review of the following information has been undertaken as part of the baseline study and forms the information for section 1: Whitebirk Road

• Land Ownership • Local Planning Policy • Existing Utilities • Existing Vegetation 7283 sq.m • Access (0.7283 Ha) • Site History • Local Character

Section 2 of the document considers future development potential including high level access arrangements and next steps for development.

Site Location and Land Use The site occupies a fairly rectilinear shaped parcel of land Accrington Road approximately 0.73 hectares in size. The site is predominately hard standing with some isolated shrub and grassland areas to the northern and southern boundary.

The site is bounded by Whitebirk Road and residential properties to the east. The western boundary of the site is Accrington Road flanked by the bus depot and its ancillary service yards. The site is bounded by residential properties to the south. N

Accrington Road

Whitebirk Road Accrington Road

Whitebirk Road

Whitebirk Road Whitebirk

Whitebirk Road Whitebirk Site Access N

N N N

Elevated Views Accrington Road

1 WHITEBIRK ROAD

SITE STUDY

23 25 Site Location Plan (OS) AVENUE

HAMER

1.1 1

2 1 16 49

31 N

144.0m

2 40

37 27

15 Bus Depot

21 30

CRESCENT

17 25

ROAD

15 13

22 MONMOUTH PERONNE 11

Chy

WHITEBIRK ROAD 33

18 15

7283 sq.m 21 (0.7283 Ha)

Tank 39 Bus Depot 146.0m

10 11

6 8

4 3 2 4 381 379

3 2

DEVON ROAD 1 Surgery 148.6m 377

18 Shelter

363

9 6

Intack Inn GP (PH) 359 2 12 147.1m 351

INGLEBY CLOSE INTACK 1

341 ACCRINGTON ROAD

335 GP 331 310 Club 329 SCALE BAR 1:1000 303 PO 315 145.3m 298 287 289

277 288 1 267 LB 2

265 0 20 50 100 145.0m 4 5 145.3m 2 SITE STUDY 1.2 Historic Mapping The maps shown are a selection of the historic maps obtained in our research and illustrate how the area has evolved and developed from 1893 to the present day. A brief summary of the sites history is as follows;

1891 As early as 1893, the site was home to a transport depot, previously being used as the base for the local steam tramways. The site was relatively undeveloped, with only a small housing development along Accrington Road. The present day housing that can be seen along the western boundary was also in its current location at this time.

1931 By 1931 the depot site had grown in size and the increase in residential development in the area is clear to see. There has been a considerably large post war housing development created to the east of the site and to the south of Accrington Road.

The addition of a bowling green to the south west of the bus depot can be seen.

1956 Post second world war, the depot still remains in its current 1893 1931 location, but again has increased in size and has now changed to be a local bus depot.

Housing development with in the area has continued at pace and can now be seen to flank the depot on it’s northern and western boundaries.

1976 The development of the are largely remains the same, but by 1976 the bowing green has been removed form the area.

Present day Present day plans show that the local housing stock in the area remains largely unchanged, but the layout and buildings of the depot have changed quite markedly. The depot building has now moved to the north of the site allowing a larger amount of hard standing to the south, including the potential development site.

1956 1976 3 SITE STUDY 1.3 Landscape Character The site is urban in character as it is a brownfield site with a small amount of existing vegetation bounding the site on two sides. There are signs of existing uses within the site, including the poor condition hard-standing areas and decrepit building structure to the south of site.

Residential properties surrounding the site comprise of predominately terraced properties with brick façades and grey roofs. The recent business development to the east of the site on Whitebirk Road are more contemporary in design and contain red brick and cladding.

The existing bus depot to the north and east of the site is an obvious landmark within the area and a considerable urban influencer upon the proposed development site. Screening and buffer mitigation measure should be incorporated within the design to protect residents from these adjacent uses.

The site is proposed to be developed for 5 transit accommodation plots and as such the site character will not be affected as a result of the development. Terraced properties along the eastern boundary of the site Bus depot to the west and north of the site

Boundary treatments to the proposed development and inter- visibility are to be considered as part of the development proposals. Any mature vegetation along the boundaries should be retained to screen views of the proposed plots and also to offer screening from Whitebirk Road.

The site also includes access to local communal amenities within a close proximity such as : Schools - Intack primary school to the north and Shadsworth County infant and St Antony RC Primary schools to the south all within a 1 - mile radius from proposed site. Local Community Parks & Leisure Centres - Include Herefod Road Play area to the north and Farmhouse close play area to the south of the site and Accrington leisure centre to the west all within a 1 mile radius from proposed site. Local Health Centres - Include East Lancashire Medical Services situated approximately 200m from the site and Audley Health centre to the east also within a 1 mile radius from whitebirk road. Local Provisions - Include Multi-national supermarket (Tesco) and local convenience shops such as PK Foods with in a proximity of a mile from the proposed site.

Adjacent light industrial /commercial uses on Whitebirk Road Residential and local retail along Accrington Road to the south of the site 4 SITE STUDY Constraints (Neighbouring Properties & Contamination) 1.4 36

15 Bus Depot The site is bounded by residential properties to the east, and these residential properties sit at an elevated position compared to the proposed 20m distance development site. Appropriate separation30 distances

must be considered within any CRESCENTdesign proposals 25 1 The site is bounded by existing bus depot to the west, there is little existing vegetation along this boundary to offer separation between any proposed development and the depot uses.PERONNE

3 22 The adjacent bus depot is likely to have uses Chy

33 that have the potential to be noisy or create an WHITEBIRK ROAD 20 environment that is not conducive to residential

27 4 20

18 development and this will need to be considered

4m 15 within the design. 2

5 21

Bus depot Tank 146.0m 4m Red Line Boundary

10 21m Residential Residential 21m

Separation Distance Separation Existing Mature Trees

11 Bus Depot 6 8

4 Existing on-site3 building structure

3 2 Bus Depot Car park

24m distance

1 Residential 1

3 Surgery Sound Detractors 6 377 Vehicle Emissions 363

9 Potential area of contamination 4m 1 Existing mature vegetation to site boundary Intack due to historic site uses Inn GP (PH) 2 Noise pollution from adjacent bus depot 359 2 12 147.1m 351 3 Vehicle engineINGLEBY CLOSE emissions into site 1 20m distance

4 Potential area of contamination due to prior use of site as bus depot 341 ACCRINGTON ROAD N

335 GP 5 Minimal 21m buffer between existing dwellings and caravans 310 331 SCALE BAR 1:750 329 Club 6 Existing dilapidated building structure on site 0 10 20 50

303 PO 315 145.3m 298 5

287 289

288 1 LB 2 SITE STUDY Site Constraints ( Existing Vegetation & Surface Treatments ) 1.5 36

15 Bus Depot The site is predominately hard standing, but is in very poor, uneven condition with areas of self

seeded trees and vegetation. 30

There is an are of mature vegetationCRESCENT and trees to the south of the site25 which offers screening 1 and mitigation for the existing properties along Accrington Road. The existing mature vegetation

adjacent to the entrance at the north of the site PERONNE currently screens views of Whitebirk Road.

Chy There is little existing vegetation of note along the 33 WHITEBIRK ROAD western boundary that could screen views of the

27 adjacent bus depot.

18 15

4 21 Bus depot 1 Existing mature vegetation to site boundary Tank 146.0m 2 Uneven/broken hard-standing

10 3 Self Seeded foliage to centre and boundary extents

Existing wall supporting level change from adjacent 11 4

properties 6 8 7 3 4 5 Existing dilapidated building 3 structure south of site Existing upper level access to building structure 3 6 62 7 Slight level change to south west of existing site

5 5

1 1

Surgery Red Line377 Boundary Existing Mature Vegetation 363

9 Existing Hard-standing Intack Inn GP (PH) 359 Existing building structure 2 12 147.1m 351

INGLEBY CLOSE

1 Ramped access 341 ACCRINGTON ROAD

335 GP SCALE BAR 1:750 331 310 Club 329 N 0 10 20 50

303 PO 315 145.3m 298 6

287 289

288 1 LB 2 SITE STUDY Site Constraints(Access & Utilities) 1.6 36

15 Bus Depot A Existing vehicular access is to the north of the site from Whitebirk Road, shared with access 1 to the bus depot which could lead to potential

vehicular conflict at certain times during 30 the depots operation.

CRESCENT 25 B There are a number of utilities within the footway and carriageway along both Whitebirk and Accrington road and also an ENW cable that runs

to the south of the proposed site,PERONNE but there are no existing services within the site boundary.

Chy 33 WHITEBIRK ROAD

15 21 Bus depot Tank 146.0m

A 10 11

6 8

4 3

3 2 Red Line Boundary

5 Existing Mature Trees

3 Existing Vehicular Access 1 B 2 Surgery Existing377 Road Network

363 Low Voltage Line

9 6Kv-6.6Kv Line Intack Inn GP (PH) 33Kv Line 359 2 12 147.1m 351

INGLEBY CLOSE All Underground utilities are shown at an indicative

1 level. Please refer to Electricity Northwest Plans for exact cable locations 1 Single access point for bus depot and Proposed development 341 ACCRINGTON ROAD

335 GP SCALE BAR 1:750 Location of substation south of site 310 2 331 Club 3 Location of low voltage cable running south of site boundary 329 N 0 10 20 50

303 PO 315 145.3m 298 7

287 289

288 1 LB 2 SITE STUDY Site Opportunities (Existing Boundary Treatments & Extended Views) 1.7 36 B Views In Views Out

15 Bus Depot

A A G N 30

C CRESCENT 25

1 H B

3 PERONNE

Chy

I 33

27 I 20

18 C 2 15

J 21 H J D Tank 146.0m

10 11

6 G 8

4 3 D

3 2

5 2

Red Line Boundary 1 1 Surgery Existing377 Mature Trees

363 Views In 9

Intack Views Out Inn GP (PH) 359 2 12 147.1m 351 Existing wall structure

INGLEBY CLOSE

11 Existing mature vegetation buffer to site boundary Palisade Fencing 2 Existing wall structure retained from previous development which serves as supporting wall 341 ACCRINGTON ROAD

structure for level changes to adjacent houses 335 GP SCALE BAR 1:750 331 310 Club 3 Palisade fencing to secure western boundary and partial screening 329 0 10 20 50

303 PO 315 145.3m 298 8

287 289

288 1 LB 2 SITE STUDY Site Opportunities (Site Context & Access) 1.8 36

15 Bus Depot The site is located within an existing residential context and would suit the proposed development

of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation. 30 4 2 The site is well served by the local highway

CRESCENT

network, with direct25 access to Whitebirk Road 145 and nearby M65 junction 6. The site is sustainably located within walking distance to schools/GP surgery/shops/services along Accrington Road.

Hereford road play area is locatedPERONNE to the north of the site.

Chy The internal site is generally flat, and hard standing, 33 WHITEBIRK ROAD although in poor condition. 20

18 3 Existing natural buffer 15 (trees) surrounding the site when combined with new planting would provide adequate screening to protect amenity of existing community and potential Gypsy & Traveller 140 community uses.

4 21 145 Bus depot 1 Tank 146.0m

10 135

155 155 Red Line Boundary

156.4 145 140 11 135 150 Existing Mature Trees 6 150 145 6 8

140 4 3

136 Site Location Adjacent Depot

3 135 2 154.7 Depot Bus Parking 5 150

145 150 Residential 140 155

150 1

Surgery 145 155 Existing377 Wall 160 160

155 Contour Map NTS 5 363 9 Existing Access Into Site 165

Level Site surface with existing hard-standing Intack 1 145 Road Networks Inn GP Wide gated access into site (PH) 2 359 2 12 147.1m Proposed Pedestrian Access 351 3 Change inINGLEBY CLOSE levels allows for high existing wall between site and neighbouring dwellings

1 Adjacent industrial unit (depot) 140 Contour Levels 4 341 ACCRINGTON ROAD

5 Existing Wall structure to south boundary of site provides adequate screening and security 335 GP SCALE BAR 1:750 331 310 Club 6 Opportunities to improve existing pedestrian access into site 329 N 0 10 20 50

303 PO 315 145.3m 298 9

287 289

288 1 LB 2 Layout Option Designing Gypsy and Traveller Sites Design Guidance and Principles Good Practice Guide 2.0 Designing Gypsy and Traveller Sites Good Practice Guide For transit pitches, each individual pitch needs to contain Planning Policy for Travellers sites (2015): Housing Designing Gypsy and Traveller Sites principles set out by the Government’s national planning the following: policy framework for delivering its housing objectives. It Good Practice Guide applies equally to site accommodation provided for the • Space for two touring caravans Gypsy and Traveller communities. • Two parking spaces • Water and electricity connections Paragraph 3 - As per the planning policy guidelines, • A 3m buffer around the boundary the governments overarching aim is to ensure fair and equal treatment for travellers in a way that facilitates One transit ‘pitch’ can accommodate two caravans, which the traditional nomadic way of life of travellers whilst means that identifying a site for five pitches will actually respecting the interests of the settled community, accommodate up to ten caravans. A basic sketch layout is shown below. Paragraph 13 - Local Planning Authorities are to ensure travellers sites are sustainable economically, socially At a minimum, a site would need to be around 0.15 hectares and environmentally and should promote peaceful and to accommodate five transit pitches. integrated co-existence with the community whilst making sure travellers have access to community facilities such as The following page outlines a possible layout option for the schools, health services and local social centres. site that investigate it’s potential for transit development.

There is limited guidance available on the size of a pitch required for travellers, either permanent or transit. However, there is some good practice guidance available on what each pitch should contain, see particularly ‘Designing Gypsy & Traveller Sites: good practice guide’ (DCLG).

www.communities.gov.uk The information the above guidance contains has been community, opportunity, prosperity used to create a basic site layout (see below) to provide an indication of the minimum size needed. www.communities.gov.uk community, opportunity, prosperity

Single Transit Pitch Dimensions www.communities.gov.uk community, opportunity, prosperity 2.4m 4.2m

4.8m 11.8m

12m 10 Layout Option 36 2.1 Option 1 - Transit Pitches

15 Bus Depot 30

CRESCENT

25 PERONNE

Chy M .9 0

0.9M 2 x Touring caravans 33 5m wide planting buffer 20

7.4M 27

0.9M

0.9M 18 15

0.9M 0.9M Amenity space /Management facilities

0.9M

21 Widened hard standing adjacent to road

0.9M Screen planting between each pitch 0.9M Amenity to accommodate vehicle manoeuvres to create private living spaces Space Tank 146.0m 10.00000

0.9M

2 x parking bays per pitch 11 Total No. Of Pitches On Site 5 6

0.9M 0.9M Type Transit 8

5M 4 3 2 x Touring Caravans 0.9M 0.9M Allocation Per Pitch 3 2 2 x Parking Bays Electricity & water points Total Area of Each Pitch (m2) 114m2

0.9M 0.9M Total Area Of Site (m2) 7283m2 Single Transit Pitch Dimensions

Generous planted buffer to 1 Surgery 2.4m 4.2m screen adjacent site uses 377

363

9 4.8m Intack Inn 11.8mGP (PH) 359 2 12 147.1m 351

INGLEBY CLOSE

341 ACCRINGTON ROAD

335 GP 331 310 12m 329 Club SCALE BAR 1:750

303 PO 315 145.3m 298 0 10 20 50 287 289 288 1

LB 2 11