Albanwise Ltd Land at Downham Market
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Albanwise Ltd Land at Downham Market Site Analysis and Supporting Technical Reports A Submission to King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited January 2012 Copyright and Non-Disclosure Notice The contents and layout of this report are subject to copyright owned by AMEC (©AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited 2011). save to the extent that copyright has been legally assigned by us to another party or is used by AMEC under licence. To the extent that we own the copyright in this report, it may not be copied or used without our prior written agreement for any purpose other than the purpose indicated in this report. The methodology (if any) contained in this report is provided to you in confidence and must not be disclosed or copied to third parties without the prior written agreement of AMEC. Disclosure of that information may constitute an actionable breach of confidence or may otherwise prejudice our commercial interests. 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Document Revisions No. Details Date 1 Draft July 2011 2 Revised Draft Sept 2011 3 2nd Revision Draft Oct 2011 4 Final Jan 2012 © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited January 2012 L30445rr008i4 iv © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited January 2012 L30445rr008i4 v Contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Background and Context 1 1.2 Purpose 1 1.3 Vision for Downham market 2 1.4 Consultation 3 1.5 Structure 3 2. The Site Options 5 2.1.1 Site A: Land south of Low Road 5 2.1.2 Site B: Land east of Lynn Road 5 3. Planning Context and Technical Assessments 7 3.1 Introduction 7 3.2 The Adopted King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Core Strategy 7 3.3 Draft National Planning Policy Framework 8 3.4 Land Supply in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk 8 3.5 Technical Assessment of Site Options 9 3.5.1 Landscape Assessment 9 3.5.2 Transport 10 3.5.3 Ecology Assessment 10 3.5.4 Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage 11 3.5.5 Archaeology 11 3.5.6 Land Quality 11 3.6 Summary 11 4. Land at Downham Market 13 4.1 The Potential of Land at Downham Market 13 © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited January 2012 L30445rr008i4 vi 4.2 Site Opportunities and Constraints 13 4.2.1 Site A: Land south of Low Road 14 4.2.2 Site B: Land east of Lynn Road 15 4.3 Illustrative Development Concepts 16 4.3.1 Site A: Land south of Low Road 16 4.3.2 Site B: Land east of Lynn Road 17 4.4 Sustainable Design Principles 18 5. Comparative Site Appraisal 23 5.1 Introduction 23 5.2 Comparative Appraisal of Sites 23 5.3 Analysis of Site Performance 26 5.3.1 Site Differentiators 26 5.3.2 Delivering Integrated Development 26 5.3.3 Overall Conclusions on Relative Merits of the Sites 27 6. Conclusions and Summary 29 6.1 Site A: Land south of Low Road 29 Built Form and Development Opportunities 29 Landscape 29 Transport and Improved Connectivity 30 6.2 Site B: Land east of Lynn Road 30 Built Form and Development Opportunities 30 Landscape 31 Transport and Connectivity 31 Table 4.1 The Contribution of Sites A and B to Sustainable Development at Downham Market 19 Table 5.1 Summary of the Performance of Sites against Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal objectives 25 Appendix A Land Ownership Plan Appendix B Housing Supply Assessment Appendix C Masterplan Options Appendix D Character Assessment © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited January 2012 L30445rr008i4 vii Appendix E Site Context Plan - Site A, B, C and D Appendix F Sustainability Appraisal of Site A, B, C and D © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited January 2012 L30445rr008i4 viii © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited January 2012 L30445rr008i4 1 1. Introduction 1.1 Background and Context Albanwise Ltd owns a significant landholding at Downham Market covering approximately 478 hectares (ha). The Estate is located on the northern boundary of Downham Market and to the south of the village of Wimbotsham. It extends from the King’s Lynn/Cambridge rail line in the west and to the east of the Bexwell Business Park (refer to plan in Appendix A). It is in primarily agricultural use but includes a number of assets including farmhouses, plantations and commercial buildings at Bexwell Business Park located east of the A10. The landholding also includes an area to the north of Bexwell Business Park with an extant permission for around 23ha of employment land, hotel and a golf course. The landholding includes two sites at Downham Market considered in the SHLAA report (2011) as being potentially suitable sites to accommodate housing growth: • Site A: land south of Low Road (SHLAA ref: 11/289/1076); and • Site B: land east of Lynn Road (SHLAA ref: 1075). 1.2 Purpose The Core Strategy was adopted by the Council in July 2011 and makes provision for at least 390 new homes in Downham Market up to 2026 generally within a broad area of search identified along the eastern edge of the Town, as indicated on the Key Diagram for Downham Market. Work on the Site Allocations DPD has now commenced with an Issues and Options consultation in Autumn 2011. Ahead of the Site Allocations DPD, AMEC has undertaken a number of technical assessments on behalf of Albanwise Ltd to highlight the potential of these sites and the benefits these could provide to the Town. This report and accompanying technical reports present two possible options for the Council’s consideration. These options, Site A south of Low Road and Site B east of Lynn Road, can each assist the Council in meeting its immediate development needs in a highly sustainable manner. In addition, given the extent of Albanwise’s land holding and the proximity of the two land options, they also provide a unique opportunity to plan for the longer term strategic growth of the Town beyond the plan period in a co-ordinated and integrated manner. The purpose of this submission is to outline the potential of these two sites. The accompanying technical assessments demonstrate how the sites could be developed in a way that responds to, and enhances, landscape, heritage and ecological issues. The sites can deliver a number of positive outcomes, including improvements to the harsh urban north-eastern edge of the Town, providing a new football ground for Downham Town FC and enhanced employment opportunities. These assessments are also attached to this report. © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited January 2012 L30445rr008i4 2 In addition, this report provides a comparative analysis of options being promoted by Albanwise Ltd and those elsewhere in the Town. 1.3 Vision for Downham market Albanwise has prepared a vision, which outlines their aspirations for their sites and how they relate to the Town. The potential development options for land being promoted by Albanwise, have been prepared with a consideration of this vision: “New development at north-east Downham Market should create a sustainable neighbourhood that will make a positive contribution to the Town. Development should achieve a high quality residential led scheme which responds positively to the quality and character of the local area. Any scheme should aim to deliver: • around 390 new homes offering a mix of designs and sizes for a variety of incomes; • a co-ordinated and sustainable approach to the growth of Downham Market up to 2026 and beyond through the provision of new homes and jobs; • improvements to the landscape framework around the north-east of the Town including new Green Infrastructure and softening of the harsh urban edge to enhance the Market Town character; • integrated and well connected development which is cohesive with existing communities and avoids a piecemeal approach to development in the Town; • improved road and sustainable transport links including strategic improvements to the public transport network; • community benefits including affordable housing, improved pedestrian and cycle links, financial contributions towards local community facilities (e.g. schools and, improved facilities/new ground for Downham Town Football Club); and • new and improved habitats for local wildlife through new open space, boundary features, drainage features, restored parkland and new Green Infrastructure. Overall, Albanwise’s vision for the site includes the enhancement of the local landscape. Albanwise would be able to reconsider the layout and footprint of the employment land permission in its entirety, as indicated on the master plan, to provide a much softer edge to the north of Bexwell industrial estate. In addition, Albanwise will consider rescinding the permitted golf course and maintain this as agricultural land. This would respond much more sensitively to the rising ground in the area, reduce views and impacts from Stow Bardolph and crucially help maintain the current agricultural landscape and food production capacity.