Six Mile Bottom Land Off Wilbraham Road Public Consultation Welcome
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planning authorities should positively seek opportunities to meet the development needs of their area. This means Welcome that planning permission for sustainable developments should be granted unless any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. Welcome to this public consultation for the proposed development of 53 new homes at Six Mile Bottom. The most recent local housing needs survey conducted identified a trend of less school children and younger The following series of exhibition boards provides information on the design and planning process for the scheme; it people with more older people living within the parish together with a number of households looking to move describes the thought process behind the emerging plans and outlines what the proposed next steps are. into properties within the area but unable to do so. Correspondence with the parish council identified a desire to increase the number of houses available to buy outright and available through affordable means to ensure there was Consultation and feedback are integral to this process, whilst consultation has begun with, and will continue to sufficient housing available within the local area, particularly for those aged 20 to 39 who currently only represent be held with, South Cambridgeshire’s planning team, this event is designed to provide the opportunity for local 18% of the electorate. residents to contribute and become involved with shaping proposals in your local area. The owners of the land, the Six Mile Bottom Estates, made available the land around the cricket pitch that is now We hope you will share with us your thoughts, ideas and comments in relation to what is being proposed. being promoted by Hill in pursuit of submitting a planning application. The project is being led by Hill, an award winning top 20 housebuilder who has delivered numerous successful Sustainable Development schemes within the Cambridgeshire area. Paramount to the success of any development is its sustainability; whilst Six Mile Bottom is classified as an infill Our homes are distinguished by their high quality design, functionality and sustainability and as a result, they are village, it possesses some unique attributes that make it a more sustainable location for new development. attracting significant endorsements in both consumer and industry awards. In November 2015 we received the highest accolade of all – the WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year – along with 7 other awards in various individual Locating development around the former cricket pitch will help to create a community focus for new and existing categories. residents and encourage a walkable local neighbourhood. Nearby establishments including The Hall and Swynford Paddocks Hotel together with the nearby Dick White Veterinary Referrals and local Studs all provide a variety of Site Location & Existing Use existing employment opportunities. Enhanced connections will encourage improved networks with nearby places such as Newmarket and Cambridge. With an increased number of households the existing services and facilities are The proposed site comprises of an area of 2.6 hectares and is currently being used as arable farmland. It is located likely to see improved use and benefit from additional local trade, ensuring that those services currently offered do to the rear of the existing cricket pitch and will wrap around the outside of the existing belt of trees towards Barton’s not reduce or get lost over time. Belt and meet with Wilbraham Road at the north east extremity. Development has the opportunity to deliver both new improvements and enhance the existing open space and The proposal has been designed to integrate with the existing established area, both functionally and physically, amenities, such as the disused cricket pitch and pavilion. As part of the proposals a large number of affordable whilst the location of the site benefits from excellent access to transport links such as the A11, A14 and M11, the houses would be created that would be available to local residents. The open market houses would also provide scheme will be designed to address the local context, needs and environment. opportunity for existing residents to up or downsize, as well as allowing for new residents to relocate to the area. Planning Context The proposed development site is on land which has limited biodiversity value, and contains few trees with Site Location Plan exception of those immediately on its boundary. The proposed development would include for new tree planting, It is well recognised that there is a need for new houses in landscaping and public open space, thereby contributing to and enhancing the natural and built environment. and around Cambridge; both the City and County’s local plans for how to deliver new homes and infrastructure Planning application within the region are currently being reviewed by the planning inspectorate. Feedback from the inspectorate The final proposals will seek full planning permission for: concluded that both authorities needed to identify increased housing numbers as part of their plans for the • 53 residential units (of which 40% will be affordable) future, and has suspended further examinations until the • A local play area summer. • A new entrance off Wilbraham Road • New pedestrian connections from the development to London Road Therefore, at present, less weight is placed on current local policies, and the National Planning Policy Framework • Associated landscaping and infrastructure (NPPF) guidelines take precedent. At the heart of • A SUD’s drainage system the NPPF is a presumption in favour of sustainable • Local infrastructure improvements secured through planning contributions. development, for plan-making this means that local Six Mile Bottom Land off Wilbraham Road Public Consultation Site Context & Analysis Most recently the site has been used as arable farmland and is generally unconstrained however there are certain aspects which do present issues that will need to be addressed in the development proposals. The diagrams below illustrate the various issues on and around the site and the opportunities presented for the development to both address and respond to in order to create a high quality addition to the village. Existing Site Images Development Constraints Development Opportunities • Access There are existing mature trees at the point of access which should be preserved • Centre To reinforce a central ‘village green’ for Six Mile Bottom • Existing Properties There are 2 existing houses to the eastern boundary that need to be handled sensitively • Access To provide increased and improved access routes to the village centre to limit any impact and minimise any risk of overlooking • Landscape To enhance the existing landscape links and supplement with additional planting • Drainage Ditch There is evidence of an existing field drain through the site which needs to be maintained or • Public Realm To create a new safe and appealing public realm around the existing cricket pitch managed • Services To provide increased support to local services, i.e. the local shop, pub, social club, bus services etc • Visual Impact The western boundary is visible from the road way and passing trains and will need to be • Play Creation of an new play space for young children where there is none at present designed accordingly • Village Boundary – Enhance the existing village boundary by creating a landscaped buffer on the western • Existing Power Line These cross the site and will need to be diverted boundary • Existing Trees The trees to Barton’s Belt and surrounding the cricket pitch should be protected as part of • Ecology By introducing additional bat boxes to support local ecology within the preserved tree belts any proposals • Outlook Development can be situated to minimise visual impact on existing properties • Connection to the Village Footpaths do not currently reach the centre of the village and will need to be • Design The design of the new homes will respect the neighbouring style and incorporate local vernacular developed • Railway Line Close proximity to the railway level crossing at the southern end of the site Six Mile Bottom Land off Wilbraham Road Public Consultation Vision Previous Hill Developments Previous Hill developments within the local area include: The main vision behind the proposed scheme has been to provide an enhanced focal point to Six Mile Bottom by wrapping development around the existing cricket pitch, and creating a central green space to the village. The Avenue, Saffron Walden This will help to create an immersive and attractive backdrop to this central green space, allowing the existing The development has provided 76 new homes, features to be enhanced and sit comfortably within the wider landscape whilst the same time feeling interconnected ranging from one to five bedrooms, including 18 with the proposed built form. flats and cottages for the over-55s. The vision was to create a place which is both distinctive The philosophy behind any Hill scheme is to create homes for all that respect and enhance the local vernacular and and integrated; a place of quality that is attractive, scale of the existing and surrounding area, using high quality building materials from sustainable sources. where people will choose to live. Architecturally, the proposals set out to maximise the intrinsic Importantly the main vehicular access will be slightly separate on Wilbraham road but by encouraging pedestrian qualities of