Possible Sites to Expand the Town Outwards
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Poole Local Plan Site Assessments: Appendix 3 – Possible sites to expand the town outwards November 2017 List of sites promoted for expansion of the town outwards:- Site Reference Site Name Recommendation B1 Oaks Garden Centre SHLAA B2 Merley Park REJECT B2ai / NEW16 / MTP Merley Court Touring Park SHLAA B2aii / NEW17 Merley Park Road - North REJECT B3 North of Oakley Lane See B3i B3i / UE1 North of Oakley Lane ALLOCATE B4 South of Queen Anne Drive REJECT B5 Rear of Merley Ways REJECT B6 Land off B3073 REJECT B7 Magna Business Park See B7a / U2 & E2 B7a / U2 Magna Business Park ALLOCATE B8 Canford Park REJECT B8ab / UE2 Canford Park - North of Bearwood ALLOCATE B9 Moortown Aerodrome REJECT Poole Local Plan. Site Assessments. Appendix 3. November 2017 2 B1 Oaks Garden Centre © Crown Copyright and database right 2017. Ordnance Survey 1000124248. Ward Merley and Bearwood Ownership Private Site Area 1.7 ha Current/Last Land Garden centre Use Current Policy • Green Belt Designation • Safeguarded Minerals Environmental The site is outside of 400m but within 5km of Dorset heathland and Poole Harbour which are SSSI, Designations SPAs and Ramsar sites. Planning History • In 1992 a CLEUD application for use of the site as nurseries and garden centre was approved (ref: 26837/1). • In 1965 planning permission to develop approximately 15.5 acres of land (north and south of Queen Anne Drive) for residential purposes was refused because the area was not zoned for general development in the plan and there was no justification for the release of this land for residential development in view of the amount of land available for this purpose within the rest of the borough. The land north of Queen Anne Drive was however, subsequently permitted and now forms part of Merley. Previous • In the consultation on options for the Local Plan Review (carried out in Spring/Summer 2016), Consultation there were 174 comments submitted in relation to this site (on completed consultation forms). The Feedback main concerns related to loss of Green Belt / open space / countryside; traffic congestion; lack of infrastructure and loss of shops. • It was suggested by 101 responses as a preferred site (42 from Merley, 13 from Bearwood and 46 from elsewhere). Other Known Constraints Poole Local Plan. Site Assessments. Appendix 3. November 2017 3 B1 Oaks Garden Centre Site Description The site forms part of the larger site B4. The site is principally a garden centre although there are a number of other ancillary retail premises which occupy a range of different scale buildings across the site. There are some areas of soft landscape however, for the most the landscape is predominantly hardstanding and gravel surfacing. The northern boundary of the site adjoins to Queen Anne Drive whilst the other boundaries adjoin to woodland and residential properties set in verdant woodland landscape. Surrounding • To the north of Queen Anne Drive is the residential estate of Merley built in 1970s and has a Context typical layout of that era with houses of repetitive style set out in cul-de-sacs around feeder roads. • Also on the north side of Queen Anne Drive/Magna Road but further to the north-east is Canford Magna, which is a much older village which was formed around the Canford Magna School (previously Canford Magna Manor). To the south of the site there are residential properties which back on from Arrowsmith Road. The dwellings set out in large spacious and verdant plots (much like the properties within the site) which are set in amongst fields and woodland. Green Belt • The site lies within Green Belt. In the Poole Green Belt Review (2017) the site was assessed under parcel 17, and sub parcel 17D which is considered to make a medium overall contribution to the purposes of the Green Belt. • However, the existing Green Belt designation does not preclude the site from being developed given that it is previously developed land. This site could therefore be considered to be a previously developed site within the Green Belt and on this basis, the existing policy guidance in the NPPF would support some redevelopment or infilling of this sub-parcel without it being removed from the Green Belt designation. Heritage and Step 1 – Which heritage assets might be affected by the potential site allocation Archaeology • There are no heritage assets within the site itself or in close proximity. • There are several locally listed buildings in Arrowsmith Road to the south of the site. In the wider area to the north further along Gravel Hill, there is Merley House (which is a G. I Listed Building), the garden walls and Orangery and Merley Mews (which are G.II Listed Buildings); the Castleman Trailway, Higher Merley Farm, 1 Oakley Hill which are all locally listed. The Ashington Conservation Area is also to the north and within it there are a number of listed and locally buildings within it. Further to the east of the site on the opposite side of Queen Anne Drive is Canford Magna Conservation Area and within it a number of listed and locally listed buildings including Canford School (previously Canford Manor). • Having regard to the distance from these heritage assets, the development of the site is not likely to have any impact upon their setting. • There are no known ancient monuments within the site itself however, there are numerous in the surrounding area and having regard to this and the relatively undeveloped nature of the site, there is a higher likelihood of archaeological presence. Due to the Step 1 analysis no further detailed assessment is required Trees and • There is an area tree preservation order (TPO/67/00043) which covers part of the site to the west Landscape and also covers land adjoining the site to the south and east. • There are only a few trees within the site itself however; there are numerous trees on land adjoining the east, south and west boundaries of the site and a line of trees along the north boundary adjacent to Queen Anne Drive. • There are a few grassed areas however; most of the site is occupied by the buildings or hardstanding. • Land adjoining to the south and east is identified as site 92 which are likely significant for flora and fauna. Ecology • There are nightjars that reside on Canford Heath but fly and forage in the wider area. As set out in the HRA supporting the Draft Poole Local Plan development of sites near to Canford Heath could have an adverse impact upon the Nightjars. Section 6 of the HRA describes the issues in further detail and advises that the night jars are currently flying over open fields and land to forage for food. The HRA advises that there is no evidence that would support developing areas of open Poole Local Plan. Site Assessments. Appendix 3. November 2017 4 B1 Oaks Garden Centre land in North Poole at the present time, which prevents the Council from allocating such sites at the present time. This site, however, is already previously developed and similar in form to the existing urban area. In this context it is likely that development on this site could proceed without giving rise to a significant adverse effect although this would need to be confirmed through a site-specific HRA to accompany any application on this site. • A Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) is required for developments of 50 residential units or more. It is currently unclear how this would be secured. However, if a SANG can’t be provided a care home could be considered as an alternative which would not require a SANG. Geo- There are no known issues of contamination. environmental Although the site itself is not safeguarded minerals, there is a large area to the south which is safeguarded, although there is alternate access to this area from off Gravel Hill. Transport • Work has been recently undertaken on Gravel Hill to improve several junctions including to the Queen Anne Drive intersection which may provide additional capacity. The site currently has one vehicular access point via single carriageway Queen Anne Drive, which is approximately 150m from the junction with Gravel Hill. This is a priority T-junction access on the northern boundary with no pedestrian facilities. The existing junction is likely to require some improvement/upgrades. There is potential opportunity for a secondary access in the north east boundary onto Queen Anne Drive or alternatively opposite Rempstone Road to the north which would create a cross road junction and mitigate against any visibility constraints that currently exist. • The current location of the existing access may be acceptable, although the exiting layout may require road widening to allow for a right turn facility in from Queen Anne Drive (this would be subject to further traffic assessment). In addition visibility to the west of the current access could be a constraint to use of current facilities. Accessibility • In terms of buses, Queen Anne Drive forms part of a bus route facilitating services in both directions. The westbound stop gives access to two bus services, one of which has peak period service every 15 minutes to Poole whilst the eastbound stop provides three school bus services. A short walk to Rempstone Road, north of the site, gives access to additional bus services to Merley and Wimborne. • The closest train stations are Hamworthy, Poole, Parkstone and Branksome approximately 6 to 7km from the site. • For walking and cycling provision there is a footway and provision for cyclists can be found on the northern verge of the Queen Anne Drive. There is very little footpath provision on the southern verge of Queen Anne Drive adjacent to the site boundary.