Land North of Ringwood Road, Alderholt INTRODUCTION
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01 Land North of Ringwood Road, Alderholt INTRODUCTION Introduction Fordingbridge Gladman Developments Ltd has successfully invested in communities throughout the UK for over 20 years, developing high quality and sustainable residential, commercial and industrial schemes. A process B3078 of public consultation is being undertaken by Gladman Developments A338 Ltd in order to present the emerging development proposal for land to B3078 Alderholt the north of Ringwood Road, Alderholt to the local community. We are Cripplestyle proposing a new residential development of up to 60 homes, including Ringwood the provision of up to 50% affordable housing, on this site. Road Cranbourne Common The purpose of this consultation process is to outline the details of the draft scheme and seek comments from the local community which will be considered before the outline planning application is lodged with East Site Location Dorset District Council. Site Description The site is located to the south of Alderholt. It comprises 3.2 ha of land currently used as a horse paddock with Hawthorns Nursery and associated garden in the southern corner. The site adjoins existing housing to the north and west and a recreation ground to the east. To the south west is Ringwood Road from which the site access is proposed. Housing Need Every Council is required by the Government to boost significantly the supply of housing and to make planning decisions in the light of a presumption in favour of sustainable development. East Dorset District Council is required to provide enough housing land to meet its full future housing needs. Approval of this development will help towards meeting the housing need within the local authority area. Why is the site suitable for development? The proposed development site would represent a logical extension to the settlement, located in close proximity to the village’s good range of N local services and facilities. The proposal would provide new homes, to maintain and enhance the vitality of the community, in a sustainable Development Proposals location to provide further residential development. • A residential development of up to 60 new homes, including the provision of up to 50% affordable housing / 30 affordable homes; The Application • Green Infrastructure, comprising: new publicly accessible open space and Gladman Developments Ltd intends to submit an outline planning natural greenspace, tree planting and recreational paths; application to East Dorset District Council in Summer 2016. This would • SUDS features including a detention basin establish the principle of development. Detailed matters, including the provision of site access, will be reserved for future consideration. 02 Land North of Ringwood Road, Alderholt HISTORIC CONTEXT Historic Maps The historic Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping shows the growth of Alderholt over more than 130 years. In 1886 Alderholt consisted of very few dwellings, focused around the north of Alderholt along Station Road and Daggons Road. The majority of the area consisted of agricultural land and plantation woodlands. Between 1886 and 1957 Alderholt begins to show growth, with the introduction of large detached properties between Station Road and Hilbury Road and the introduction of a Chapel in the centre of the village. By 1972 more scattered farmsteads and properties appear and the development within Alderholt begins to increase. The most notable growth appears in the 16 years between 1972 and 1988; Alderholt extended substantially, with numerous housing estates infilling the existing street network and a school in the centre of the village. The first buildings appear on the site itself in 1988 with development growth along Ringwood Road. Development begins to slow between 1988 and the present day with further infill development gradually appearing. 1886 1988 1957 2002 1972 2016 03 Land North of Ringwood Road, Alderholt LANDSCAPE AND SETTLEMENT CHARACTER Landscape Character The site comprises predominantly land currently in use as a horse paddock within the north and east. The southern corner of the site contains a bungalow with associated garden, outbuildings and greenhouses. The garden is well vegetated and there is a large hedgerow along the southern boundary containing views south. The site adjoins the settlement edge of Alderholt to the north and is bound by groups of trees, overgrown scrub and brambles and by a low post and rail fence which forms the boundary with the properties off Broomfield Drive. A recreation ground is located immediately to the east, separated from the site by mature trees and groups of trees and overgrown shrubs. The landform across the site slopes gently down from north to south, although a small pond is located in the northern corner. There are no landscape designations within the local context of the site, however Canbourne Common, within the locally designated Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) is visible in the distance from the eastern edge of the site. East Dorset District Council published the East Dorset Landscape Character Assessment in 2008. This document outlines the Landscape Character Areas and Types within the district; the site and Alderholt lie within the Ringwood-Hurn Landscape Character Area and Forest/Heath Mosaic Landscape Character Type. The following extracts are of relevance for describing the general character of this Landscape Character Area/Type: “Extensive planting of conifers on much of this land, particularly non-native species, has had a significant impact on the character of these former areas of open heath distinguishing them from the elevated open heaths and the areas of farmed heath to the west. The large swathes of woodland help to unify the land and although much of the woodland is comparatively recent, as a result of afforestation of open heathland, the area has an empty, wild character. The areas of woodland also make a significant contribution to the area’s character and identity... These dense plantings have also served to screen and contain much of the extensive post-war urban developments that have taken place along many of the principal routes that cross the heaths.” East Dorset Landscape Character Assessment (2008) Landscape Character Areas/Types Natural England have also published landscape character guidance. The site and Alderholt are located within Natural England’s National Character Area (NCA) 135 ‘Dorset Heaths’. Natural Ringwood-Hurn / Forest/Heath Mosaic Woodlands-Colehill / Farmland/Woodland Mosaic England outline a number of Landscape Opportunities for the area. In summary recommendations include; provision of new green infrastructure in areas of new development and plan new pedestrian Hampshire County Integrated Character Assessment (2006) Landscape Character Types access links between the countryside and urban areas. Woodland and Plantation on Heath Settlement Character Lowland Mosaic Heath Associated Lowland Mosaic Small Scale The site is located adjacent to 20th Century housing off Ringwood Road. To the north of the site is Alderholt village which comprises a number of 20th Century housing estates, including a high proportion of 1970’s - 1980’s bungalows and 2 storey houses. More traditional detached properties are present within Alderholt along Station Road including a number of properties that date back to pre 1890’s. Properties within Alderholt have a mix of styles, traditional properties tend to be two storey, brick or rendered with sash windows and chimneys. Front garden boundaries include: low brick walls, hedgerows, low fencing and open lawned gardens with shrubs. Parking tends to be on private drives with a high number of properties with private garages. Traditional housing within Alderholt Modern housing within Alderholt 04 Land North of Ringwood Road, Alderholt VISUAL ANALYSIS Views of the site in general are limited and filtered due to a relatively flat landscape combined with a high amount of vegetation cover creating a visually well enclosed site. Excluding one long range view from Cranbourne Common the only views are from those receptors immediately adjacent to the site’s 3 boundaries; including Ringwood Road to the west and the recreation area to the east. 1 The site is well contained by boundary hedgerows and trees with limited views in 2 from the settlement edge. Views are only likely from those properties immediately adjacent to the site to the north and west. Approximate Site Extents South western boundary hedgerow Properties off Ringwood Road Eastern site boundary vegetation Ringwood Road 1 VP1: View from Ringwood Road on the western corner of the site Ringwood Road Existing Hawthorns Nursery Approximate Site Extents South western boundary hedgerow 1 VP2: View from Ringwood Road facing north towards the site and the entrance of the Hawthorns Nursery Approximate Site Extents Multi-Use Games Eastern boundary hedgerow Open recreation area Area 1 VP3: View from within the Recreation Area facing west towards the site 05 Land North of Ringwood Road, Alderholt FACILITIES What are the local facilities? The site is sustainably located with good access to the village’s services and amenities. The plan and key below show the range of facilities located within 400m, 800m and 1200m of the proposed development site, which include a village hall, 3 places of worship, a primary school, a nursery, a number of shops, a pub and a sport and social club. Within the wider area there are additional facilities available in the nearby towns of Verwood and Fordingbridge. The nearest bus stops to the site