Creating a new parkland community for Keynsham and Saltford A response to consultation on proposed changes to the B&NES Core Strategy Keynsham Saltford Land at East Keynsham Mactaggart & Mickel Ltd May 2013 Foreword A49 Patchway A432 This summary document examines the potential that exists to Westerleigh M4 The Planning Context develop land east of Keynsham and west of Saltford in order to meet The Core Strategy is intended to provide significant proportions of the Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) a strategic framework for accommodating requirement for housing and employment into the future. It has Filton development in the District over the been prepared to inform the process of Core Strategy review with fifteen year period from its adoption, A4 A4018 M4 particular reference to the need to secure additional development M32 currently anticipated to be 2014. This capacity in the district. document has been prepared in response to consultation on Proposed Changes to Mangotseld The summary has been prepared on behalf of Mactaggart and Mickel and M5 Pucklechurch the Core Strategy following suspension relates to land in their control that lies between the two settlements. It of the Examination process in order to demonstrates that it would be possible to develop a significant number of address concerns raised by the Inspector. new homes and employment land in a sustainable location and in a manner The document has been informed by Portishead that would have minimal adverse impact upon the environment. Portbury A420 preliminary analysis of constraints and opportunities, including landscape, The document explains how, by establishing a new parkland environment, Doynton ecology, flood risk and transportation. new housing and employment areas could be developed that are attractive Work is continuing on the compilation Kingswood and sustainable extensions to Keynsham and Saltford. It demonstrates that of the evidence base and the testing of Bristol these new areas could be located and designed so that they relate positively appropriate development scenarios, and to the existing settlement centres, established facilities including primary and more detailed evidence can be made secondary schools, the A4 as a major public transport corridor and to existing A370 A4 available to the Inspector at the next landscape and green infrastructure features. A46 stage which is understood will be the Colerne resumption of the Examination process Moreover, the document illustrates how it would be possible to achieve a in Summer 2013. The current document Long Ashton permanent and well-considered strategic landscape gap based upon sound Nailsea incorporates a preliminary concept plan Corcham place-making principles between the eastern edge of Keynsham and the A4174 Bitton that will be evolved into a detailed Master A4 western edge of Saltford and to support the existing communities through plan in due course in consultation with key A38 positive new development that builds upon the distinctive sense of place and Keynsham stakeholders. identity of the area. A37 A370 Whitchurch Dundry Saltford A365 Corston A36 Monkton Farleigh Burnett Bath A38 A39 This document has been prepared by Clifton Emery Design on behalf of Mactaggart and Mickel with support from the wider design team comprising Nicholas Pearson Associates, WSP, N and Key Transport Consultants. Extent of land in Mactaggart and Mickel control Creating a new parkland community for Keynsham and Saltford 3 Bitton Somerdale To Bristol Cotswolds Keynsham Railway Station River Avon AONB Avon Valley Country Park Supermarket Town Centre Avon Valley Cycle Path Industrial Estate Avon Valley Farm A4 Bath Road Existing railway. A natural break for the built up area A view across the site to the Keynsham edge Existing housing on the A4 Keynsham Wellsway School Keynsham Cricket Club Chandag Junior School River Avon Manor Road Community Woodland Saltford Centre View towards the Cotswold AONB from the A4 A view towards the Saltford edge Existing facilities in Saltford To Bath Saltford Manor Road Existing nursery on the A4 The existing A4 Keynsham town centre N Extent of land in Mactaggart and Mickel control Creating a new parkland community for Keynsham and Saltford 5 Summary of constraints Bitton Somerdale To Bristol Cotswolds There are a number of constraints across the area and none appear to There are a number of designations in and around the site to have regard to in Site Location Keynsham Railway Station represent insurmountable obstacles according to the initial technical bringing forward development proposals. These include; River Avon AONB appraisals that have been undertaken by the Mactaggart and Mickel design • Manor Road Community Woodland Local Nature Reserve team. Settlements Avon Valley Country Park • Green belt land Supermarket The area lies east of Keynsham and west of Saltford and is principally Town Centre characterized by arable, pasture and grass lands with hedgerow, ditches, some • Class 2 agricultural land Local nature reserve Avon Valley Cycle Path trees and other countryside features. The A4 divides the north and south Industrial Estate • Broadmead Farm SNCI Avon Valley Farm areas of the land holding and the railway which runs east west between Bath SSSI and Bristol defines the northern boundary. • Stidham Farm SSSI / SNCI AONB A4 Bath Road The topography of the area is reasonably flat with a very gentle incline from • Keynsham and Saltford Conservation Areas north to south across the two principal areas of the site. • Cotswolds AONB Wellsway School Green belt Keynsham There are significant areas of housing in Keynsham to the west and Saltford • Various public rights of way through and around the site to the east. The edges of these settlements are weak in townscape terms – presenting back gardens to the open land. There are also small fragmented • Listed buildings Conservation area clusters of residential development that front onto the A4. The A4 is a major • A Roman site near the Avon Valley Country Park public transport corridor. Wellsway secondary school lies adjacent to the site Chandag Public right of way Junior School on the eastern edge of Keynsham and the town centre of Keynsham is further Areas in and around the site have been identified as having historic landscape west from here. character and within the B&NES Landscape Character Assessment the site Local cycle network River Avon falls within Character Area 14: Avon Valley To the north of the A4 is a broad mix of land uses comprising industrial units, Manor Road large format retail including a Cooperative supermarket, some pockets of Community Woodland The area of land between Keynsham and Saltford provides an important Listed buildings housing, a nursery and farm as well as a mixture of employment uses including strategic landscape break between the settlements Saltford Centre industrial units. Land to the north of the railway line is largely undeveloped with the exception of the sewerage works and waste treatment site. The Avon Other constraints include; Existing trees Valley Farm and Avon Valley Country Park are also in this area. Restricted access over the railway/ the capacity of existing road network/ the gas pipe line that runs through the centre of the site with 150m easements The Manor Road Community Woodland lies adjacent to the south west edge Existing hedgerows either side/ adjacency to the sewerage works/ and flood risk issues – the area of the site. This forms part of the Forest of Avon. To Bath south of the Broadmead roundabout is in flood zone 2 and 3. Existing water courses The land lies either side of the A4 and there are a number of points along this Saltford road corridor that might be suitable for access into the land. Access to the Manor Road south could be gained from Manor Road which connects the southern areas Gas pipe of east Keynsham and Saltford. This road is relativity narrow and in its current form provides limited capacity potential. Gas pipe easement zone The railway line restricts access to the north of the site. The A4 is a major public transport corridor. There are frequent services to Bristol, Bath, Keynsham and Saltford from the site as well as to a number of other local towns and villages. Keynsham railway station to the west of the site provides train links to Bristol, Bath, Wales and London. N Extent of land in Mactaggart and Mickel control Creating a new parkland community for Keynsham and Saltford 7 The opportunity To Bristol To Bristol The development of land at Keynsham and Saltford presents a 2. A new strategic parkland connecting existing communities • Maintaining a permanent strategic gap number of place-making opportunities that have the potential to to the countryside The presence of the gas pipe line and its easement area (150m on each side establish a positive new sustainable parkland community for the Bath of the pipe) provides an opportunity to establish a permanent separation Cotswolds and North East Somerset district. The following opportunities could • A new parkland environment between Keynsham and Saltford that would deny any possibility of Railway station AONB be realised: A major new community park could provide a focus for the new area coalescence of the two settlements in the future. The creation of a new River Avon and a new strategic resource that secures many of the B&NES Green public park would further reinforce this. Infrastructure objectives. The parkland would provide an attractive • Improved drainage management 1. A comprehensive and sustainable solution setting for new housing and employment space and establish enhanced recreational, environmental, and ecological potential. The parkland would An opportunity exists to adopt a fully integrated SUDS regime for the area Town Centre provide the basis for a distinct new sense of place bringing many healthy to ensure effective management of water throughout the area into the • A critical mass of new housing lifestyle benefits. future. There is potential to make best use of the opportunity to create a 400 m 800 m A4 development in a very sustainable location.