G GAR IN D S EN ID L
V ILLAGE
A VIBRANT MIXED USE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY
1 2 Contents
1.00 Introduction 5 Environmental Baseline Conditions 63
2.00 Site Location and Ownership 6 Components of Development Proposal 66
3.00 Collaborative Development Partnership 10 Timeframe for Development 68
4.00 Climate Change 11 Conclusions 69
5.00 Design Philosophy 12
3 A place with its own identity and character where design and layout of a planned mixed-use garden community with business park has been landscape led as part of a holistic design approach combining ecology, Sustainable Drainage Systems and a network of recreation/open space provision that also provides links with the services and facilities available in the nearby Medway area. VISION INTRODUCTION 4 The need for housing-led development is not addressed in this document as its purpose is to firstly identify to members and officers that a mixed-use garden community spatial approach for accommodating the borough’s future development needs can deliver significant sustainable and place-making benefits which justify its inclusion as a central building block of the Local Plan Review Spatial Strategy.
The document aims specifically to demonstrate that comparatively, the Lidsing Garden Community can provide a self-contained settlement with:
1. Less environmental impact, and 2. Represents a more sustainable location than alternative options and 3. benefits from an existing landscaped framework to deliver a quality place with its own identity that will create a forward-thinking village pro- viding a new way of living for its community.
The aim is to build confidence that through collaborative planning the proposed settlement can achieve a new style of living that responds to.
What people want? 1. A home that is affordable and cheaper to fuel and has less environmental impact. 2. Places less reliance on the car for everyday movements and will reduce time spent commuting to work.
What should the planning and design process be striving for? 1. Encouraging a healthy lifestyle through walking and cycling. 2. Creating a mix of uses 3. Reducing reliance on the car for everyday movements 4. Fostering a sense of community through design and encouraging social interaction.
What are the concerns of existing communities surrounding the site as neighbours of the planned development? 1. That supporting infrastructure is delivered alongside new growth. 2. To alleviate rat running through Bredhurst and Boxley and the existing urban areas of Hempstead and Lordswood in Medway.
The Lidsing Garden Community can offer a unique and collaborative approach to deliver the vision, because of one main factor, explained overleaf – which is that all of the development land is within the single ownership of the Attwood family. As a result, there can be a direct part- nership between the landowner and the master planners, because direct negotiation between the landowners advisory team and the Local Planning Authority in exploring possibilities and testing options opens up greater design possibilities and a truly creative approach for planning new ways of living that reflect input from a wider range of stakeholders. VISION INTRODUCTION 5 The Lidsing Garden Community relates to two areas of land;
• 125.5-hectares (ha) located to the north of the M2 motorway, which is Medway wholly outside of the AONB, where the Medway mixed-used garden development will be focused; and
• 20ha area of land to the south of the motorway which can provide a direct access spur from Junction 4 of the Gibraltar Farm M2 motorway and over 19ha of new Development publicly accessible managed woodland planting. This area is the only portion of the totality of the site that lies within the AONB, and no residential or commercial development is planned within this area.
The land area lies adjacent to the Bredhurst northern-most boundary of Maidstone (identified by the light green outline) beyond which is Medway Council’s administrative area. It will be shown later in this document that a housing development of 450 dwellings has been Maidstone approved on a site known as Gibraltar Farm, which lies just within the Medway boundary, directly adjoining the northern boundary of the site. SITE CONTEXT
6 Total area of 145-hectares, com- prising:
• 125ha to the north of the M2 motorway, all of which lies out- side of the AONB and all within the single family ownership of the Attwood Family.
• 20ha south of the M2. This area will be planted as a 19ha wood- land and provide a road link di- rect to Junction 4 of the M2. No other development is planned within this area. OWNERSHIP EXPLAINED OWNERSHIP 37
Whilst the vision is to create a self-contained settlement with its own identity for the Lidsing Garden Community, there is a wider framework of nearby services and facilities which will also assist with reducing the reliance on the vehicle for everyday movements. This section of the document reviews the locational advantages of this site which include:
• The proximity to Junction 4 of the M2 motorway which is also relevant to the decision to include a 20ha business park within the overall development mix; • The proximity of the site to Wigmore Coach Park and Ride which is operated by Kings Ferry. • The proximity of the site to Hempstead Valley Regional Shopping Centre. • Gillingham Business Park. A major source of employment opportunity which lies to the north of the site • The Lordswood Leisure Centre which lies within 650 metres of the site. • There is an existing network of bus routes to Chatham shopping centre, from the Lordswood and Hempstead areas. However it is recog- nised that there is currently no east-west public transport connection between the two which is addressed in the transport section of this document.
Although situated at the northern boundary of the borough beyond the AONB, the development site will be accessed independently from M2 Junction 4 without the need to travel through Bredhurst village. Although the centre of Maidstone lies geographically close, to the southeast of the site, and there are two direct connections via the A229 Bluebell Hill, the objective is to plan a self contained new garden settlement. The planned and existing community can benefit from improved public transport linkages and accessibility improvements which will connect the site with the surrounding Medway urban area. This is a key point because whilst the objective of Lidsing Garden Community is to create a self contained place within a landscaped framework through the mix of uses proposed, the planned development will not “turn its back on” the nearby urban areas (and the 450 consented dwellings at Gibraltar Farm, which adjoins the boundary) and opportunities for cycle way and footpath linkages, improved road and bus connectivity and integration with existing green infrastructure, and the existing services and facilities identified above, will add to the sustainable credentials of this location, notwithstanding the fact they lie in a different administrative area.
Located within the northern most portion of the borough beyond Boxley and Bredhurst, the planned vision is to create a self-contained gar- den community through the design pathway outlined below, however, it is evident because of the proximity of the land to the urban edge of Medway, that there is a framework of existing employment, retail, leisure and public transport that will, which the planned community can con- nect to in order to realise overall sustainability benefits.
A planned garden community in this location can comparatively achieve a greater modal shift, which will also complement the health, social/ community and environmental objectives that are key to creating the vision for this development. LOCATIONAL CREDENTIALS OF SITE LOCATIONAL
8 9 To take forward the vision for the Lidsing Garden Community, a unique partnership approach is proposed, which will combine the certainty of dealing with a single landowner alongside a consultancy team that will collaborate with decision-makers, local stakeholders and statutory consultees:
Direct Professional Involvement of Consultancy This partnership allows: Single Team • greater creativity during the masterplanning as all possible options Landowner for development can be explored • a more holistic long-term visioning approach • improved land-value-capture as developers and housebuilders promotional discount and uncertainty about calculations of what • LPA represents open market value do not apply • Local Stakeholders • better place-making outcome • Statutory Consultees • inclusive process which is more responsive to local needs • Local community • with land in single family ownership, there are no disputes between • Infrastructure individual landowner’s expectations that arise when landownership Providers is more fragmented
Visioning & Masterplanning
Transfer of Land to Housebuilder
Delivery A UNIQUE & COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP A UNIQUE & COLLABORATIVE 10 The development team recognises the importance of climate change and its influence on the vision and decision-making outcomes of the masterplanning process, as identified in the diagram below.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY CLIMATE CHANGE FLOODING & DRAINAGE • Resource efficient design: New development will • Integrating drainage into design follow the principles of the energy hierarchy. • Surface water managed and reduced via SuDs . • Layout and orientation for solar gain, preventing • Use of natural systems with ecological and recreational overheating and use of natural heat and light. benefits alongside SUDS. • Building design materials for thermal insulation.
G GAR IN D S EN ID L GREEN ENERGY • The adoption of renewable and low carbon CAR TRAVEL REDUCTION technologies • Reducing the need for car journey through the • Consideration of opportunities for decentralised promotion of sustainable travel energy and heating. • Increasing permeability, public transport options and active travel provision to influence choices through good V design. ILLAGE
OBJECTIVE A fresh planning perspective for providing a climate resilient new garden community to the highest environmental standards WASTE & LOCALLY SOURCED MATERIALS WATER EFFICIENCY • Materials resourced and utilised efficiently to reduce • Reducing water wastage in new households waste • Use of water-saving devices such as metering, dual flush • Using materials in the most sustainable manner; reduce, and water-efficient appliances. re-use and recycle. • Promote the role of rainwater harvesting and greywater • Optimising use of locally sourced, low maintenance and recycling. resilient materials. The garden community will be planned to both minimise its contribution to, and adapt to climate change through the design process in order to achieve a resilient sustainable development that is forward thinking and will stand the test of time.
The borough’s spatial planning approach for housing in the review of the Local Plan can influence the emission of greenhouse gases which is a core planning land use principle of the Framework. The planned built environment for a new garden community accounts for a significant proportion of total UK carbon emissions. The planned built environment for the future in the borough of Maidstone therefore plays an important role in the borough’s and UK’s drive for energy efficiency. A UNIQUE & COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP A UNIQUE & COLLABORATIVE 11 This submission is for a new Garden Community for Maidstone that will deliver a mix of up to 2,400 new homes and a 20ha employment/business park with a direct connection to Junction 4 of the M2 motorway, alongside education, health and open space provision in line with government guidelines for a Garden Village.
These proposals are for a settlement that, whilst self contained, will integrate with existing services and facilities to the north and west and can enhance the lifestyle of existing residents by providing high quality green and leisure infrastructure for them to enjoy.
This will be a mixed, balanced community supporting a range of tenure types and responding to the demography of the area to achieve the optimum balance for sustaining and enhancing the region.
This text from the Garden Communities Prospectus, issued by Central Government, summarises the starting point for Lidsing perfectly. In future generations this place will be distinct and outstanding.
Source: Extract from new garden communities prospectus DESIGN INTRODUCTION 12
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This diagram explains the approach to the creation of Lidsing Garden Village.
It shows how early stages of conceptual development rely on understanding what is already there and the whole place is underpinned by a clear understanding of what the place will ultimately become (Define the whole). Once this is understood the sequence of design studies will feed into this. Quality of life is the final analysis – checking that the identity of the place has been achieved and translated into a great place to live. DESIGN-LED PHILOSOPHY 14 DEFINE
15 DEF DEFINE INE
G GAR IN D S EN ID L
Village
Understand the character and qualities of Lidsing Garden Settlement
16 VISION
17 Defining the Place A place with its own identity and character where design and layout of a mixed-use community has been landscape led as part of a holistic design approach combining ecology, Sustainable Drainage Systems and a network of recreation/ open space provision that also takes account of the existing services and facilities available in the nearby Medway area
• A place that aims to achieve greater self-containment through the following measures: • The mix of uses within the development itself, including employment, community uses, health facilities, education; • The design of the garden community e.g. encouraging focal meeting places as part of an integrated open space, and cycling/footway and health strategy that can shape the design process and will also reflect local stakeholder input. • A place that looks forward and responds to the communities future needs in terms of encouraging, health and wellbeing, social interaction and a sense of pride and identity, which in combination will influence how residents live and manage their lives as individuals and as a community. • A well-designed attractive place to live, work, socialise and grow together that caters for all age ranges. • A place where value is placed on the landscape and the green infrastructure within which the development is integrated and providing space that is multifunctional serving to meet SUDS best practice guidance and delivering recreation, health and ecological enhancements.
Extract from new garden communities prospectus
18 INFRASTRUCTURE VISION DEF DEFINE INE
IN F R A S T R G GAR U D C IN E S N T ID U L R
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V ILLAGE
Recognising how this location works at the moment, understanding what is there and what is needed.
20 Located 37.5 Miles away from London, Lidsing Garden Village occu- pies an unique position within Maidstone Borough but is surrounded by Medway. Medway Rainham
Key:
= Site Boundary
= Motorway
= Train Station
Maidstone
London Maidstone Maidstone East Barracks Site Bearsted
Maidstone West
21 ACCESSIBILITY TO SERVICES TO ACCESSIBILITY The developable area of the site which lies wholly outside the North Downs AONB is relatively flat and this fact: GILLINGHAM HIGH STREET RAINHAM • Increases the attractiveness of cycle way and pedestrian routes for everyday facilities and routes of connection MEDWAY to existing services and facilities in the nearby Medway Area;
• Means the visual envelope of the site is reduced and rising topography is not a barrier in construction ROCHESTER terms to the outward planned expansion of the village AIRPORT 38 min 8 min drive from its planned “heart” which maximises the design based options for siting uses and promotes a sense of 8 min drive G GAR M2 character and also reduces the cost of construction. IN D S EN ID The site also benefits from a well established wooded L landscaped framework to the perimeter of the Lordswood and Hempstead urban areas to the northern, eastern and western boundaries of the site. M2 V ILLAGE The M2 motorway, because of its width and existing buffer 2.5km screening combined with overhead signage and elevated motorway junctions clearly demarcates the southern 5km boundary of the site and clearly separates the landscape
character on the north from the AONB to the south. 7.5km 44 min 44
17 min drive M20
M20
BEARSTED
MAIDSTONE
22 A REALISTIC SOLUTION
The developable portion of the site is all within single family ownership giving maximum flexibility to consider a range of uses and design options
The site is flat giving the maximum flexibility for place making designers and encouraging cycling and walking trips compared with more sloping sites, allowing non car modes of transport to be prioritised
There are existing established woodlands to the perimeter of the site separating the urban areas of Lordswood and Hempstead which combined with the motorway infrastructure to the south and consented 450 dwelling scheme at the adjoining Gibraltar Farm housing development (and level nature of the site) will allow the planned Lidsing Garden Community to be set within its own landscaped framework.
Creating a mix of uses will both increase self containment and create individual character and identity, key objectives of this garden community
23 08284B Lidsing Garden Village, Maidstone SITE CONTEXT EXPLAINED Lidsing Garden Village 3
The Land Is Farmed And Comprises Predominantly a mix of Grade 3B (75% of main site area) SOIL QUALITY Agricultural Land and grade 3A. No Part Of The Land Planned For Development Is Within The AONB. SITE CONTEXT EXPLAINED 25
08284B Lidsing Garden Village, Maidstone
Integrated and accessible transport choices, with a particular emphasis on active modes (walking and cycling), public transport and low emission technologies Lidsing Garden Village 9 INTEGRATION Medway
= Site Boundary
= Motorway
= North Dane Way
= River Medway (and other water bodies)
= Urban area
= Existing Woodland
= Ancient Woodland
= Motorway junction
= Links to adjacent communities
Maidstone
27 INTEGRATION INTEGRATION Medway Maritime To Chatham Hospital Integration - understanding existing infrastructure Medway
Local services are highlighted, explaining an understanding of Gillingham the context of this new community. Business Park Darland Banks Key:
= Site Boundary Capstone Farm Country Park = Existing Bus Routes Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre = Primary Road
= Motorway
The Alexandra Hospital Lordswood = Employment Industrial Estate
= Capstone Farm Country Park
= Public Open Space
= Shops
= Schools
= Medical
= Sports Facilities
= Community Centre/Place of worship Maidstone
28 Pedestrian Connectivity Whilst the design objective is to create a self-contained community that is placed within its own landscape framework because of the proximity of the land to the Medway Urban Area it is important that connectivity to existing services and facilities, such as the Hempstead Shopping Centre, and the employment, recreational, educational and health nodes nearby is promoted. Medway Connectivity to the south is limited because the motorway forms this boundary, but where local routes exist these will be retained and integrated for the new community (as village roads, not main routes), and cycle way/footpath and public transport linkages promoted. In this way, the new garden community, whilst being self-contained, would not “turn its back” on the urban area nearby and the sustainable benefits that arise from the services and facilities it already offers. As shown there are a number of existing byway routes through the site. This is a great starting point for landscape and leisure infrastructure, giving early placemaking clues. M2 KH41 It is recognised that the routing of car movements through the villages of Bredhurst and Boxley is a
sensitive matter for residents and masterplanning will seek to discourage car movements from the KH34 development in this direction (to the south). KH35
KH37 Key:
= Site Boundary
= Gibraltar Development
M2
= Maidstone/Medway Boarder
= Motorway
= Restricted Byway
= Open Byway Maidstone
= Public Footpath
29 Lordswood Leisure Centre (LLC) W igmore Park & Ride - Kings Ferry
Gillingham Business Park
Lordswood Sport s & Social Cl ub Hempst ead Valley Shopping Centre Capst one Count ry Park CONNECTIVITY 30
Transport Connectivity
This diagram indicates the existing bus routes and primary and secondary roads to the site. Currently there is no direct East to West connection from Lordswood to Hempstead, which creates a real opportunity for betterment for: To Medway
1. Public Transport Connectivity in the Medway urban area, in- cluding the Wigmore Park & Ride transport node; and To Medway
2. Improved access for the urban areas of Lordswood and Hemp- Gibraltar Development stead to M2 Junction 4, as a result of the planned improvement
to the Junction’s operational capacity Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre
M2 Key: No East-West Connectivity s te Lords Wood u M2 ro To Medway Shopping Centre us = Motorway f b g o kin l lin ntia Pote = Primary Roads
To Maidstone = Bus Routes
= Site Boundary M2
= Gibraltar Development (consented scheme for up to 450 dwellings
= No East-West Connectivity
Lidsing Road
To Maidstone CONNECTIVITY 31
Access
Lidsing Garden Village is proposed to take access from a new local distributor standard link road, itself connecting to the existing network at two main points. In the Hempstead area (to the east), access would take place by means of the formation of a fourth arm of the roundabout between Hoath Way and the M2, linking to the site by means of a realignment of the existing Maidstone Road. An indicative arrangement for the junction is shown in the figure below. Secondary points of access will be retained, except where assessment suggests that opportunities exist to promote non-car access or to prevent inappropriate use of rural lanes. The option of omitting the second point of access will be developed in consultation with the Bredhurst Village residents and KCC Highways, should the Lidsing Garden Com- munity be identified as a preferred option by the LPA.
Whilst the garden community, including the planned business park at its eastern end, could be served from Junction 4 of the M2 or an alternative access from the eastern boundary, the totality of the landholding allows an east-west connection with Lordswood via the ex- tension of the North Dane Way. This would require a small parcel of land from Medway Council to deliver this east-west access connection.
It is relevant that this east-west link was originally planned as the Medway Southern Relief Road and some feedback from community consultation suggested this link would reduce existing congestion in the urban area of Medway. Ongoing modelling will be undertaken to quantify the impact of such a link on local highway and motorway capacity, in the event that the Local Author- ity select Lidsing as the preferred garden community option. MEDWAY SOUTHERN RELIEF ROAD MEDWAY 32 INFRASTRUCTURE MEDWAY SOUTHERN RELIEF ROAD MEDWAY 33 INFRASTRUCTURE Sustainability Both the Lordswood and Hempstead areas currently form sustainable travel ‘cul-de-sacs’, with bus services rout- ing to and from the north. There is little or no sustainable connectivity between these two areas - leading to dependence of rural lanes and the motorway network; both by car travel. The proposed Lidsing Garden Village presents the opportunity to link the Lordswood, with its residential and employment offerings, to Hempstead with its residential and retail destination. With a distance of separation of less than 1.2km at its narrowest point, this presents the scope to significantly enhance walking, cycling and bus connectivity between the two urban areas via the Lidsing Garden Village itself.
Highways Both the Lordswood and Hempstead areas currently form sustainable travel ‘cul-de-sacs’, with bus services routing to and from them. This area of Maidstone and Medway is subject to some traffic constraints, arising from the proximity and dependency on the strategic road network (motorway), local rural lanes and an otherwise lack of east-west connectivity. This is illustrated on the figure adjoining and highlights how the current network configuration gives rise to congestion on the associated routes. The Lidsing Garden Village could deliver a new strategic road link between Lordswood and Hempstead, parallel to the M2 and replac- ing those routes along existing rural lanes. The green arrows on the figure adjoining illustrate the anticipated reassignment of existing traffic on to the new link road. This could deliver a betterment for the nearby villages of Maidstone borough, particularly Boxley, Bredhurst and Detling, by reducing existing pressure on the rural lanes as well as improving circulation in the Medway area and helping to promote non-car modes of travel. Notable transport benefits include: • a reduction in traffic assigned to Junction 3 of the M2; • less ‘junction hopping’ along the M2; • alternative routing of traffic accessing Hoath Way and most notably reductions in traffic on rural lanes, including through
Bredhurst.
34 LANDSCAPE DEF DEFINE INE
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Look at existing landscape features, respond, enhance and integrate to define the new place.
36 LANDSCAPE Landscape At a national level, the site lies within the National Character Area 119 - the North Downs. The Kent Landscape Assessment (2004) identifies the site as lying within the Thames Gateway/Capstone Downs Character Area, and the assessment concludes that the overall is “very poor”. The report identifies that the promotion of species rich chalk grassland would be a benefit and this will be taken into account during the development of the masterplan vision.
At a local level, the Maidstone Landscape Character Assessment (updated in 2013) identifies the landscape character as Area 1 - Bredhurst and Stockbury Downs, although this character area is largely within the AONB (which does not apply to the proposed development site). The overall assessment concludes that the landscape condition was poor and landscape sensitivity moderate.
Medway’s Landscape Character assessment was undertaken in 2011. This assessent identified the land as falling within the Capstone and Horsted Valleys Area 28 - Elm Court. This document recognised the lack of landform and the flattening and increasingly denuded landscape towards the M2 motorway. Overall the landscape condition was described as poor and the landscape sensitivity high.
The site was also identified in the Maidstone Landscape Capacity Study in 2015, categorised as Area 1 - Bredhurst and Stockbury Down, with the land north of the M2 motorway being recognised as having tolerance for scope for change. It is relevant that the AONB was not included in this study, and overall the landscape sensitivity was categorised as low, and the overall visual sensitivity as moderate.
There are no local, county or national designations affecting the development site. The appeal Inspector’s comments relating to an appeal for housing devel- opment at Gleaming Wood Drive within Maidstone borough and immediately adjacent to the development site (Appeal Ref. APP/UZZ235/W/14/2227572) on the 30th November 2015, is relevant. The Inspector recognised that “the M2 forms a strong visual boundary to the southern edge of Lordswood and sepa- rates it from the higher ground in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)”.
Combined with the flat topography of the site, this landscape context and the absence of landscape designations presents an opportunity for a new mixed use garden community to be set within its own landscape framework, minimising its visual impact upon the character of its surroundings because of the proximity to the Lordswood and Hempstead areas and strong visual boundary to the south, comprising the M2 motorway.
37 LANDSCAPE Two examples of recently approved development where landscape character was assessed on land immediately adjoining the Lidsing Garden Community development area
Gibralt ar Farm
MC/19/0336 - O ut line applicat ion wit h some mat t er s r eser ved (appear ance, landscaping, layout, scale) for construction of up to 450 market and affordable dwellings; nursery and supporting retail space up to 85sqm, with provision of access; est at e r oads; cycle and pedest r ian r out es; off sit e highway impr ove- ments; residential and community open space and landscaping
MC/18/0556 - O ut line applicat ion wit h some mat t er s r eser ved (appear ance, landscaping, layout, scale) for construction of up to 450 market and affordable dwellings wit h associat ed access, est at e r oads and r esident ial open space (Renewal of Planning Permission MC/14/2395)
MC/14/2395 - O ut line applicat ion wit h some mat t er s r eser ved (appear ance, landscaping, layout, scale) for construction of up to 450 market and affordable dwellings wit h associat ed access, est at e r oads and r esident ial open space
38 Gleaming Wood Drive LPA Ref. 15/503359/OUT During the consideration of these applications, it was Development recognised that:
Site • the M2 motorway provided a strong, conspicuous man-made landscape feature within the wider landscape feature, restricting views of the site from further to the south;
• that there was a general lack of landform structure or containment across the flat and denuded landscape in the vicinity of the motorway, combined with a weak hedgerow structure and indistinct field pattern;
• it was recognised that the belts of woodland form a distinctive settlement edge for the urban areas of Hempstead and Lordswood and that these semi natural habitats are limited to the wooded areas closest to the urban areas that are poorly managed.
• Landscape assessments have also recognised the evidence of visual detractors within the generally flat landscape, including the industrial/commercial buildings at Elm Court and the motorway
39 The masterplan process seeks to respond to the landscape opportunities presented by this site, which include: • An existing landscape structure, including established woodlands at the perimeter, which screen the edge of the existing Medway urban area...these include areas of Ancient Woodland, which will be appropriately safeguarded; • The motorway, which creates a strong visual boundary to the southern edge of Lordswood and Hempstead, separating the landscape from the AONB further to the south. • The opportunity to set the mixed use community within a improved landscape framework and to promote linkages with the Capstone Country Park to the north. • The creation of a green infra- structure network which when developed will allow develop- ment parcels and the new busi- ness park to enjoy a quality landscape setting. • The creation of a 19ha wood- land to the south of the M2 within the AONB alongside a new motorway access link;
Gleamingwood • Initial design visioning work has Drive Development focused on the need for land- scape to be multifunctional as SUDS, ecological and recrea- tional corridors These points are reflected in the landscape led visioning approach to the masterplan, shown overleaf.
40 LANDSCAPE Landscape Influences on Design Process
• A strong strategic masterplan is required, with placemaking as the starting point • The road link to the M2 Junction 4, which provides the possibility of a full east-west road link whilst delivering highway benefits, should not determine the character of the new place on its own, other design clues are needed • A new bridge over the motorway will be required • There will be some local connectivity using existing routes but these will need to be managed to prevent local traffic disruption, particularly on the rural lanes to Bredhurst, Detling and Boxley • The limited number of existing buildings can be integrated into a new heart of the village • This is a opportunity for a truly landscape-led approach and the design objective is about creating a new place, not simply distributing some new houses.
Early Landscape concept sketches show intent to establish a green network
41 LANDSCAPE RESPONSE D DEEFFIN INEE
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Look at and understand how local villages have evolved. Take clues and translate them.
43 RESPONSE Village Settlement Patterns Reviewed and Applied
Nucleated - Bredhurst
Bredhurst is very close to Lidsing so it is a good example of local village character and settlement pattern.
It is a small settlement with variation in grain and style of buildings. The route through the village splits and homes line the main roads. These homes vary in character and the way they address the road, they are mainly detached.
Clusters of secondary residential areas are hidden behind the main routes, these create quieter more secluded places to live that con- trast with the main road.
This pattern is interesting because it suggests the possibility of in- troducing a hierarchy to a settlement - where focal buildings are Village of Bredhurst located on key routes and quieter character areas are tucked away. (Nucleated)
Patterns Applied Nucleated Example 7 This diagram suggests how the lessons learned from local settle- ments can be applied to the Lidsing site. It explains how linear character could be applied to the suggested main route and then dispersed and nucleated clusters could be combined to establish a range of character areas. This introduces some early placemaking clues that can be developed into places for people to live.
This approach will work well for the integration of existing buildings into the new development - they can be identified as focal elements and will define character areas, creating desirable places to live.
This is a large area which requires a strategic masterplan, not just a conventional housing layout/estate expansion In design terms, inte- gration is key to the character of the wider area and with existing features on the site, but within a wider framework which, through the masterplanning and mix of uses and visual containment of land by the motorway and woodlands at the edge of the existing urban area, also strives to create a self-contained community.
Combined Example SETTLEMENT PATTERNS 44
Village Settlement Patterns Reviewed - Studies of other local settlements have given guidance about scale and character - These are good masterplanning clues
Linear - Detling
Detling is an excellent example of a linear settlement lo- cated approximately 4 miles from the Lidsing site.
It is an example of a village that has grown incrementally along a main road - a character which can be applied to the Lidsing masterplan to establish a new place along the suggested main route that will link the motorway junction to the east with North Dane Way to the west.
This type of settlement pattern will have occasional fo- cal elements along the route and new homes will line the route, defining character. Village of Detling (Linear)
Linear Example
Dispersed - Boxley
Boxley village, west of Detling contrasts with the linear settlement because the main route is narrower and less dominant.
Plot sizes along the village street are larger, meaning the character seems less coherent as homes vary in the way they address the street.
As the main route is less significant dispersed plots away from the centre become more important, there is no one main character area, but a number of significant pockets with their own character. Village of Boxley This character can be applied to the proposed develop- (Dispersed) ment at Lidsing - peripheral areas can be defined with their own character. Dispersed Example SETTLEMENT PATTERNS 45
PLACES EMERGE PLACES 46
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Merge previous studies to begin conceptual design. Parcels begin to emerge, character clues develop. PLACES EMERGE PLACES 47
Overall Masterplan Concept Potential Bus Only Link
Access from motorway junction via bridge 2. RESIDENTIAL 1. Access from North Dane Way New access road Employment
Potential RESIDENTIAL placemaking clues Local connectivity
Potential heart of village Managed local
connectivity Gleamingwood Drive Development Widening zone/ Green buffer
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Managed local connectivity
11 PLACES EMERGE PLACES 48
Gleamingwood Drive Development
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Locate community facilities create a vibrant mixed use community which support a range of local employment types including retail, recreation and community facilities. PEOPLE 51
Employment
Gleamingwood Drive Development PEOPLE 52
Gleamingwood Drive Development PEOPLE 53
‘ Aspirational’
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A wide range of contemporary distinctive homes with a range of tenures and typologies to build a diverse sustainable community.
55 HOMES 56 HOMES 57 HOMES 58 HOMES HOMES
• The planned residential parcels will always be surrounded by woodland and / or greenspace, so places to live have their own character and residents will enjoy an exceptional quality of life. Homes are accessed through tree lined avenues, ensuring better air quality than neighbouring areas. The inclusion of so many new trees means the character of the Garden Community will improve with time as the new woodland becomes more established. A 19ha area of woodland, that would be publicly accessible, will form an important part of the strategic green infrastructure network (as well as the access connection to Junction 4 of the M2)
• Homes vary in terms of size, tenure and value. Design will not be based on “house types” but on character that will create communities – this is about placemaking for the future.
• Homes will be distinctive and contemporary; this will become an aspirational place to live that will improve with time. Design in Lidsing will stand out in the future as being the very best example of sustainable housing design – learning from the successes of the historic garden communities, achieving character and quality that will stand the test of time.
• The homes will incorporate the highest standards of technological innovation and energy use reduction
59 HOMES QUALITY OF LIFE QUALITY 60
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Gleamingwood Drive Development QUALITY OF LIFE QUALITY 62
The visioning options for the garden community presented in this document have taken account of:
Landscape – the developable area of land is not within the AONB nor subject to any regional or local landscape designa- tions. The site is considered to be visually contained by the existing woodland buffers and landscaping to the urban edge and the M2 motorway, which is recognised as forming a strong visual boundary to the south.
Heritage – the land is not located within a Conservation Area and there are only a limited number of individual listed buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments which are located beyond the site and whose setting can be safeguarded by the proposals. There is also no known archaeological potential.
Agricultural land quality – the developable area of land is predominantly (75%) Grade 3b and this is not considered a constraint to development.
Ecology – cultivated agricultural land which limits ecological potential. The improved woodland management and inclusion of landscaping and green infrastructure as a “driver” of the masterplanning process, creates significant opportunities for significant biodiversity gain, in additional to the inclusion of up to 19ha of woodland south of the motorway.
Trees and Hedgerows – the existing tree and hedgerow framework will be safeguarded and reinforced.
Flood Risk – the land is located in Flood Risk Zone 1. The land generally grades from its southern edge to the north of Maidstone. There are some limited areas of the site where surface water flow mapping will affect design choices and this will influence the progression of the masterplan concept
Minerals – if identified mineral extraction can occur in advance of development if this is considered to be viable to do so.
Open space – links with country park and existing green spaces will be encouraged during the design process, and linkag- es with this existing green infrastructure will influence the development of the masterplan principles of the planned Lidsing Garden Community. ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE CONDITIONS ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OF LIFE QUALITY 63
Key
Key
= Site Boundary
= Listed Building HERITAGE 64 The Lidsing Garden Community
development area is one of the few sites north of the Maidstone urban area that is not the subject of environmental designations, as is illustrated from the plans overleaf, taken from the evidence base to the emerging Maidstone Local
Plan
65 Housing Led Green Infrastructure Employment • Up to 2,400 houses with a • Provision of a planted 19ha • A landscaped business park range of sizes and designs woodland in place of positioned in a gateway cultivated arable fields that • 40% affordable, with a mix of location in close proximity to tenures will be publicly accessible M2 Junction 4; • The masterplan in • Inclusion of self build housing • Including 20ha of consultation with the employment space • Age adaptive housing community and local • Live-work units (lifetime homes) and stakeholders, will create a specialist housing for the strong character to the • A proportion to be elderly garden community which will affordable employment • Extra care provision collectively design together: starter units a. Ecology • All designed to BREEAM “very good” standard b. Recreation, walking/ cycleways and trim trails and sports playing fields c. SUDS QUANTUM OF DEVELOPMENT QUANTUM
66 Social Infrastructure Road • Formal sports field provision • Improved public transport linkages with the Park and Ride • Provision of a new bridged roadway link to Junction 4 of the M2 that will be • A local centre that will include a small funded by the development number of retail units, close to the • Potential for an east-west road link between Hempstead nd Lordswood. existing pub, with doctors’ surgery Whilst this achieves the original planned route of the Medway Southern Relief • A Primary school and nursery Road, this option would require a small area of land belonging to Medway Council in order to secure delivery. The Lidsing Garden Community is not • Meeting places and seating areas dependent upon this east-west link, which will be accessed close to Junction 4 alongside planned open space and green of the M2 i.e. from it’s eastern side. and blue infrastructure provision. • Cycleway and footpath linkages via green infrastructure to local destinations, especially the higher order services and facilities at the edge of the Medway urban area • Providing for on demand public transport • Electric charging points and electric bikes.
Environmental Communications • Energy efficient buildings, reduced Co2 • Superfast broadband emissions and climate change mitigation • Communication and utility provider collaborations
• Energy supply solutions – local • Proposals based upon smart-city principles generation of renewable energy
67 Garden Community Shortlisted - (Pre-Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan) Late 2020
Design Work Shop One with Key Stakeholders (Local Community, Land Owner, Team of Consultants and LPA to establish the mix of uses using a questionnaire) including phasing. January 2021
Design Workshop Two - with Statutory Consultees and Utility Providers, KCC Highways and Local Authority, KCC Drainage etc. Spring 2021
Audit of Emerging Development Masterplan - including a Viability Assessment by the technical team. Summer 2021
Exhibition and Consultation on Preferred Design Concept - Summer 2021
On-Going Promotion of the Lidsing Garden Community - throughout the Local Plan process. Late 2020 until Local Plan adop- tion, anticipated 2023
Submission of Planning Application - following Local Plan adoption in Early 2023, although submission date could be brought forward following the “Submission” Local Plan stage
Determination of Application and Completion of S106 Agreement - Summer/Autumn 2023
Marketing and Sale of Land - Summer/Autumn 2023
Construction Commences - Autumn 2023
Road Connection Complete - Summer 2024
Build Completion Rate - averaging 200 dwellings per annum
Development for the 2,400 homes will be Fully Completed by Summer 2035
2020 2023 2028 2033 2035 Commence 1000th Dwelling 2000th Dwelling 2400th Dwelling Construction Complete Complete Complete DESIGN & DELIVERY TIME FRAME DESIGN & DELIVERY 68 The Lidsing Garden Community can create a forward-thinking self-contained new community with its own identity which is:
• Well designed and will create a high-quality attractive place to live, work and enjoy which will create a strong sense of community.
• Will incorporate a mix of employment, recreation, housing and community uses that will help promote the self-reliance of the community within a wider sustainable framework provided by e.g. the nearby Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, Gillingham Business Park, Capstone Country Park and Lordswood Leisure Centre.
• Lidsing Garden Community aims to provide a new living experience, in terms of community cohesion, energy awareness, waste and recycling, public transport and non-car use and healthy living.
• Whilst close to the urban edge of Medway and encouraging permeability in these directions toward higher order services and facilities, the gar- den community will be separated by woodland and will have its own individual identity.
In conclusion this document seeks to justify why the Lidsing Garden Community should underpin the spatial approach of the Maidstone Local Plan review and because the development land is within the control of a single family who is willing to work in a collaborative way with the LPA and other local stakeholders this site truly represents an opportunity for quality place making
Finally the development of the site with the preferred means of road connection to Junction 4 of the motorway will be enabled through developer funding and is not reliant on public funding. The access link from the east to Junction 4 of the M2 will also facilitate the provision of an east-west road link that could extend North Dane Way as it was originally envisaged when the Medway Southern Relief Road was planned.
The LPA can therefore be assured that the submission is developable and deliverable.
The direct involvement of the landowner in the masterplanning process with other stakeholders alongside the LPA when setting the masterplan parameters will increase the speed of site delivery as the site will be marketed with planning permission and housebuilders will purchase the land taking into account the known development costs. This differs from other development models used by developers and housebuilders.
The landowner and the development team can demonstrate past examples of collaborative planning and their individual design approach, with the emphasis on place-making. Such examples include proposals at nearby Gibraltar Farm and East Hill in Medway’s administrative area, and these de- tails will be made available if requested CONCLUSIONS 69 G GAR IN D S EN ID L
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