01 Town Road, Cliffe Woods INTRODUCTION

THE SITE Introduction Gladman Developments Ltd. has successfully invested in communities throughout the UK over the past 20 years, developing high quality and sustainable residential, commercial and industrial schemes. A process of public consultation is being undertaken Town Road by Gladman Developments Ltd. in order to present the emerging development proposals for Town Road, Cliffe Woods to the local community. We are proposing a residential development of up to 225 new homes together with new public open space. Oakleigh

The purpose of the public consultation process is to outline the details of the draft

Buckland Road scheme and seek comments from the local community which will be considered before Cooling the outline planning application is submitted to Council. Common

Site Description B2000 The Site lies on the western extent of the village of Cliffe Woods and adjacent to existing Cliffe Woods housing along Mortimers Avenue and Ladyclose Avenue off the B2000 Town Road. The location and extent of the Site is illustrated by the red line on the plan opposite.

Lillechurch Road The Site comprises several agricultural field parcels extending to 10.9 hectares in total and defined by existing vegetation and development. A number of features bound the Lower Site, including: a wooded area located adjacent to the Site’s north-eastern boundary; Higham Town Road runs along the south-eastern boundary; and several properties off the B2000 Town Road adjoin the Site’s eastern boundary. Topography rises gently in a Lower Rochester Road Lee Green Road

south-westerly direction, and forms part of the wider undulating farmland characteristic Town Road of the surrounding landscape. Two Gates Farm

One Public Right of Way runs through the northern Site parcel parallel with an existing Mockbeggar hedgerow, linking Town Road to the east to Buckland Road to the west. The Need for New Housing Site Boundary Existing Woodland Minor Road Every Council is required by the Government to boost significantly the supply of housing Proposed Developable and to make planning decisions in the light of a presumption in favour of sustainable A Road Public Rights Area Of Way development. Existing Settlement B Road is required to provide enough housing land to meet its future housing needs. At present the Council cannot demonstrate a 5-year supply of land for housing Water Body/Course Railway Line and approval of this development will help towards addressing the shortfall of housing within the area. Why is the site suitable for development? Cliffe Woods is considered to be a sustainable village which can accommodate a proportion of the Council’s future housing growth. The proposal would form a logical extension and provide new homes which are needed to sustain the vitality and viability of the local community.

The Site is suitably located within reach of a good range of local services and community facilities. It has good access to the local public transport network which easily facilitates connections to Rochester, and the surrounding wider transport network.

Application Type & Submission Date Gladman Developments Ltd. is intending to submit an outline application for up to 225 homes to Medway Council in the summer of 2016. This would establish the principle of development.

your-views.co.uk/cliffe woods Gladman House, Alexandria Way, [email protected] Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB 02 Town Road, Cliffe Woods HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Historic Maps The historic maps below show the Site in the context of the growth of the settlement over the past 146 years. The configuration of the field parcels that comprise the Site have remained largely unaltered from the 1870 mapping up to the present day. Between the 1870 to 1931 mapping, the main road structure and layout were much the same as present day. Woodland cover presented a dominant feature of the landscape to the east of the Site and Town Road with open agricultural field parcels dominating the landscape to the east. Dispersed farmsteads dotted the landscape and remain in place to the present day. The 1938/40 mapping shows the first signs of development at what is now Cliffe Woods then noted as Rochester Park Estate, including the start of the road pattern present in todays settlement. The mapping shows large portions of woodland, namely Mortimers Wood and Ladies Close had been cleared and the land partitioned into discernible field enclosures. There is a significant expansion of orchard cover during this period, continuing up to 1992 when part of the Site is shown under orchard cover. The mapping from 1976 and beyond shows the evolution and expansion of development in accordance with the lie of the land. This period shows the appearance of a discernible service centre including a post office, playing field, cricket ground, and a school supporting the emerging and expanding community. The reservoir to the south-east of the Site and the emerging new settlement noted on the 1992 mapping as Cliffe Woods, is evident at this point in time. Orchard cover reduces dramatically between the 1992 and 2006 mapping, including that evident within the Site and along Cooling Hill. The Site provides a logical location for the ongoing expansion of the village.

1870 1992

1938/40 2006

1976 2016

your-views.co.uk/cliffe woods Gladman House, Alexandria Way, [email protected] Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB 03 Town Road, Cliffe Woods EXISTING CHARACTER

This drawing is the property of FPCR Environment and Design Ltd and is issued on the condition it is not reproduced, retained or disclosed to any unauthorised person, either wholly or in part without written consent of FPCR Environment and Design Ltd. Site Boundary 2 Ordnance Survey material - Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Licence Num- Landscape Character

ber: 100019980 (Centremapslive.com)

d Wall d Mea Mead Wall Mead Medway Boundary Site Boundary ay Pickles WayWaW The Site lies within National Character Area Common LaneLa OtherNeighbouring land under applicants Administrative control n Lan 1 LaLanne Boundary 113 “North Plain” as described by Natural http://www.magic.gov.uk/MagicMap . At the County level the site lies within 7 National Character Area

Street Medway Unitary Authority Boundary the Thames Gateway Character Area ‘Hoo Rye Rye Street Rye Boundary Neighbouring Authority Boundary 7 The Landscape Assessment of Kent Peninsula’ adjacent to the ‘Eastern Thames

Church Street (2004) National Character Area Boundary Marshes’ as identified within the Landscape

HighamHigg Roadoad The Landscape Assessment of Kent (2004) Assessment of Kent (October, 2004). Cooling Road Eastern Thames Marshes Eastern Thames Marshes

Hoo Peninsula The district level character assessment provides

Well Penn Road Road Penn Penn Well Well W W W W W W W

Medway Landscape Character Assessment (Medway further detail on the landscape character of the Station Road Station Station Road Station MedwayCouncil, March Landscape 2011) Character Cooling Street Assessment (Medway Council, 2011) Site and it’s context. The Medway Landscape 1 1. Cliffe Pits and Pools Character Assessment (March, 2011) identifies 13 1 1. Cliffe Pits and Pools 2 2. Cliffe to St Mary’s Marshes the Site as falling wholly within Character Area

7 7. Cliffe Farmland

2 2. Cliffe to St Mary’s Marshes 13: ‘Cliffe Woods Farmland’. This Character

Town Road Road Town Town 11 11. Hoo Peninsula Farmland 11 Area is described as comprising an undulating 7 7. Cliffe Farmland

13 13. Cliffe Woods Farmland and complex mix of arable farmland and

Cooling Street Street Cooling Cooling Shorne and Higham Marshes Merryboys RoadRoad 14 Cooling CommonCommmmon 14. Ridge orchards of a diverse, small scale and intimate Ro 11 11. Hoo Peninsula Farmland NCA 81: Greater Thames Estuary nnd RoadRo Higham Arable Farmland Town Road 19 19. Bald Top Hill character. NCA 113: North Kent Plain Buckland Road Gravesham13 Landscape13. Cliffe Character Woods Assessment Farmland TownTow Road (Gravesham Borough Council, May 2009) Gore Green Road 14 Lillehurch Road 14 Gravesham14. Chattenden Landscape Character Ridge The Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Boundary Buckland Road Beauty (AONB) is located outside of the Study client19. Bald Top Hill 19 Gladman Developments Ltd Area, approximately 4.7km to the south-west of project Lower Richester Road Town Road, Cliffe Woods the Site at its nearest boundary and as such Town Road 13 drawing title d nd has limited impact to the Site proposals. End  LANDSCAPE CHARACTER A

School Lane Land Way scale drawn issue date Brook End 19 N 1:20000 @ A3 CA May 2016 drawing / fi gure number rev

FPCR Environment and Design Ltd, Lockington Hall, Lockington, Derby, DE74 2RH t: 01509 672772 f: 01509 674565 e: [email protected] w: www.fpcr.co.uk Figure 5 - masterplanning environmental assessment landscape design urban design ecology architecture arboriculture J:\7100\7199\LANDS\LVIA\Cliffe Woods Figure 5 Landscape Character B.indd Local Building Styles There are no Listed Buildings on or adjacent to the Site. Existing properties located adjacent to the south and east of the Site are generally one to two storey buildings including bungalows that are mostly detached including a number that are semi-detached. Properties adjacent to the Site are set back from the road with dedicated off street parking and front gardens. However, a number of properties within the neighbouring village of Higham sit closer to the road and incorporate on-street parking. The local town vernacular is defined by a varied mix of styles using modern and traditional building materials and includes brickwork, tiled and pitched roofs and small dormer windows.

Above: Examples of traditional and modern built form and materials used within the surrounding area. The proposals will seek to reflect the existing built character so as to create an appropriate and sympathetic development in keeping with the character of the site and its context.

your-views.co.uk/cliffe woods Gladman House, Alexandria Way, [email protected] Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB 04 Town Road, Cliffe Woods VISUAL CONTEXT

SITE AND LANDSCAPE Site & Setting

The Site lies to the west of Cliffe Woods urban area, accessed off Town Road and comprises three field parcels of agricultural land amounting to a total area of 10.9ha as illustrated by the red line. The majority of the Site’s eastern boundary is defined by existing properties off the B2000 Town Road, Town Road itself and an area of woodland cover; it’s western and southern boundaries are defined by existing hedgerow and mature field trees beyond which extends agricultural land and a number of farm buildings. One Public Right of Way runs parallel with the

Site’s northern boundary, linking the Site to Town Road and the urban area of Cliffe Road Town Tree Belt Woods to the east and to the network of agricultural field to the west. Landform rises gently westward towards Cooling Hill, the surrounding area exhibiting an undulating landform. Public Footpath

Mortimers Ave Ladyclose Visual Environment Ave Cliffe Woods The existing built form and vegetation in the immediate locality limit views towards 3 the Site. Views of the Site occur from local road corridors, specifically from along Town Road including adjacent residential streets such as Mortimers Avenue and 1 Reservoir

Ladyclose Avenue, and comprise vegetated boundaries with limited glimpses of the Road Town Site’s ground plane.

Landform drops away dramatically northwards towards the River Thames Estuary. Lee Green Rd 2 Views towards the Site within the wider landscape, particularly to the west and south are limited due to the undulating landform, intervening woodland blocks and Aerial photograph with Site boundary and viewpoint locations farm buildings. Distant views towards the Site are gained from a limited number Site Boundary of elevated positions to the south such as from Broom Hill Park, Strood. Views from roads and residential properties have been considered within the emerging Framework Plan.

Approximate Site Extents Approximate Site Extents

Southern Boundary Town Road Town Road The Site Site’s S Boundary

1 View north-west from the field gate at the south-east corner of the Site at Town 2 View north-west towards the Site from Town Road adjacent to Lee Green Road. Road adjacent to the reservoir. Site Extents

SW Boundary Site Boundary Vegetation Residences on Mortimers Ave, Ladyclose Ave and Town Road Southern Boundary

3 View north-east from within the Site from its south-western corner.

your-views.co.uk/cliffe woods Gladman House, Alexandria Way, [email protected] Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB 05 Town Road, Cliffe Woods FACILITIES

What are the local facilities? The Site is sustainably located with good access to the village, existing community amenities and the local public transport network. Local amenities within walking distance of the Site include the local primary school, doctor’s surgery, local shops, social club, recreation ground, community centre, takeaway and Post Office. There is a wide network of public footpaths, which provide good connections to the wider countryside and surrounding settlements. There is also a frequent bus service operating between Cliffe/ Cliffe Woods and Rochester, Strood and Chatham. The nearest bus stop is situated on View Road close to the Site’s south-eastern boundary.

1

1

1 4 3 1 5

2 2 6

1 2

Site Boundary 6 Car Repair Garage 2 Community Centre 400 metre distance offset from the centre of the Site 1 Shops 1 Bed & Breakfast Bus Stops 800 metre distance offset from 2 Social Club 1 Primary School School bus stop the centre of the Site

3 Post Office 2 Day Nursery Bus Routes • Recreation Ground

• Woodside Green Open Space 44 Doctor 1 Religious Building Public Right of Way • Parkside 5 Takeaway 1 Play Area

your-views.co.uk/cliffe woods Gladman House, Alexandria Way, [email protected] Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB 06 Town Road, Cliffe Woods CONSTRAINTS & OPPORTUNITIES

What are the constraints and opportunities? The assessment of the Site and its surroundings has identified a number of features which should be protected, retained and enhanced wherever possible as part of the development proposals for the Site. These considerations provide the opportunities and constraints for development and have been used to inform the preparation of the Framework Plan.

Site Boundary: 10.9ha

Other Land Under Control of Applicant Green Belt 5 Existing Utilities / Services & Easements 2 1

Existing Overhead Cable Existing 2 Woodland INNER ZONE (78m) 3 Views from the Town Road

MID- ZONE (90m) 4 Views from Existing Dwellings Buckland Road 7 5 Existing Tree Belt 6 Potential Location of Cliffe Woods 6 Existing Hedgerow SuDs Recreation Area OUTER ZONE (270m) Existing Public Rights Of Way 9 15m 7

8 8 Existing Trees / Hedgerows

Potential Views from Public Rights Of Way Ladyclose Ave 9 22m 4 19m 10 Existing Ditch

4 Existing HSE Consultation Zones Cliffe Mortimers Ave Woods INNER ZONE 78m 2 B2000 Town Road MID ZONE 90m 21m 4 Tennyson Ave 10 OUTER ZONE 270m 3

20m

View Road 1 Agricultural Land

your-views.co.uk/cliffe woods Gladman House, Alexandria Way, [email protected] Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB 07 Town Road, Cliffe Woods THE FRAMEWORK

Site Boundary: 10.9ha

Other Land Under Control of Applicant: 5.4ha Existing Treebelt

Proposed Residential Area: 7.1ha (up to 225 Dwellings at 32 dph).

Proposed Vehicular Access

Proposed Location Indicative Main Route of Pond Existing Woodland

Green Infrastructure (3.8ha) includes: Buckland Road Existing Public Rights Of Way

B2000 Town Road Existing Pedestrian Link Retained Cliffe Woods Recreation Area Existing Hedgerow to be Retained

Existing Vegetation to be Retained

Grass Land Proposed Tree Planting Ladyclose Ave

Proposed Avenue Planting

19m Cliffe Indicative Attenuation Area Mortimers Ave Woods Proposed Play Area

Proposed Public Open Space Tennyson Ave

Proposed Circular Pedestrian Route

View Road

Potential Location of Site Access

DESIGN PRINCIPLES The assessment of the Site and its setting has guided the preparation of a development framework for the Site. The design principles that have influenced the development proposals for the Site include:

• Site access to be gained off Town Road. • Retention of existing boundary vegetation including hedgerows to be incorporated alongside proposed planting including green corridors to form part of the wider green • Provision of public open space and children’s play area sited to the south-west of the Site. infrastructure network. • Proposed pedestrian connections within the Site, including a circular route through the Site. • Proposed SuDs basin to be located at the lowest point within the blue line ‘Other land in • Connections to be made from the public open spaces within the Site to the existing PROW network control of applicant’ managed for biodiversity benefits. and wider landscape.

your-views.co.uk/cliffe woods Gladman House, Alexandria Way, [email protected] Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB 08 Town Road, Cliffe Woods THANK YOU

Thank you for taking time to view our proposals. Your comments and suggestions will be taken into account when formulating the final planning application submission. All comments and feedback will be provided to the Local Planning Authority as part of the planning application.

Comments can be sent via the website: www.your-views.co.uk/cliffewoods PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Potential Residential Development Or you can respond by email: Land off Town Road, Cliffe Woods [email protected] (using Cliffe Woods as the subject line)

Or by post: Your Views - Cliffe Woods Gladman Developments Ltd. Gladman House Alexandria Way Congleton CW12 1LB

Gladman consider all correspondence received and our response formal application documents, the Council may publish it online, to the issues raised will be set out in a Statement of Community subject to their own Data Protection policies. Involvement (SCI). Should the application be the subject of an appeal, the same As part of the planning application, Gladman will submit a complete information will be forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate. copy of all correspondence received (including any details such as If further consultation is carried out as part of the planning process, your name, address and email where you have provided them) to Gladman may use your details to make you aware of this and to the Local Planning Authority. This ensures all your comments are ask for your views, but will not use this information for any other available to the Council during their consideration of the application purpose. and shows who we have consulted. As the SCI forms part of the

your-views.co.uk/cliffe woods Gladman House, Alexandria Way, [email protected] Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1LB