Former Haulage Yard, Sewardstone, Essex
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Former Haulage Yard, Sewardstone, Essex Design Report incorporating Design & Access Statement Sewardstone Road, Essex E4 7RH July 2018 Site Area: 3.58 hectares Client: E W Davies Farms Ltd. content 01 introduction - overview - team 02 site location - wider site ananlysis - sewardstone road - countryside edge - housing density - routes through sewardstone - key nodal points 03 site appraisal - existing site structures - site topography - sight lines - countryside boundary 04 the proposed scheme - density and land use - design philospohy - access - landscaping strategy - secure design - sustainable design 05 summary Sewardstone Hall 3 01 introduction This document outlines the proposed redevelopment of the former haulage yard in Sewardstone. These proposals include the construction of forty private market and affordable dwellings on the existing industrial brownfield portion of the site. Additional elements of the proposed scheme include: • Improvements to the junction with Sewardstone Road and Mott Street. • The management and improvement of the exisiting landscaping and tree stock. • Improved pedestrian and cycle connections to the neighbouring Enfield Island developments. • The provision of a new playing field and children’s playground. Design Team: + Strutt & Parker Planning Consultant + MSMR Architect + iTransport Transport / Access Consultant + URS Environmental Consultant former haulage yard, sewardstone 5 02 site location Sewardstone is located in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is approximately 11 miles north of central London and sits just within the M25. It is bound to the East by Great Monk Wood and Loughton, and to the West by King George’s Reservoir with Enfield beyond. Sewardstone is situated on the fringe of the Lea Valley Regional Park. The surrounding area contains a large number of open fields and wooded areas, some of which are designated nature reserves or sites of specific scientific interest. former haulage yard, sewardstone 7 8 wider site analysis Sewardstone is characterised by scattered and varied developments along the main North-South road, typical of a linear settlement; it has grown along a pre-existing route and it has no obvious centre other than the junction between the two primary roads, Sewardstone Road and Mott Street, and has no village green or square. Sewardstone’s wider context varies from relatively high density residential to large scale industrial land uses (built or ‘occupied’ areas are shown shaded darker on the diagram). Large sections of open land are juxtaposed with these built areas, and a large portion of the land is agricultural or equestrian. There are significant wooded areas which are shaded green whilst the King George’s Reservoir and flood relief channels that run past Sewardstone are shaded blue. Sewardstone road, the A112, joins suburban areas of North London to the M25, whilst the A10 to the West and the M11 to the East alleviate the traffic flow through the town. former haulage yard, sewardstone 9 d a o r e n o t s d r a w e s knights pits 4 m o tt s tre et 2 Image 1 view of grain silos from sewardstone road 1 3 site boundary pedestrian route residential commercial public amenity king george’s reservoir wooded area Image 2 view of nursery entrance from sewardstone road 10 sewardstone road The character of Sewardstone Road is varied as it is faced by either commercial land uses such as the numerous industrial scale nurseries (images 1 and 2), or by residential uses of varying scale and quality. Developments such as the Premier Inn (image 4) are set back from the road and address the street scene with large car parks and hard landscaping, whilst others such as the Ashbrook Court care home (image 3) present a larger building mass closer to the street which is at odds with the overall character of Sewardstone Road, and is more Image 3 view of ashbrook court care home suburban than rural in its presentation to the street. Image 4 view of premier inn hotel from sewardstone road former haulage yard, sewardstone 11 d a o r e n o t s d r a w e s knights pits m o tt s tre et Image 1 view of commercial greenhouses from mott street site boundary countryside edge pedestrian route residential commercial king george’s reservoir greenhouses public amenity wooded area Image 2 view of commercial greenhouses from countryside edge 12 countryside edge Sewardstone has numerous nurseries and commercial greenhouses (images 1 & 2) which in-part dominate the character of the settlement, and largely define the countryside edge, blurring the boundary between ‘built’ land and arable or recreational greenbelt (image 3). The sprawling nature of these developments and the huge scale of the greenhouses make other residential areas of Sewardstone disconnected from each other, Image 3 view of commercial nursery at countryside edge heightening the problems associated with linear settlements; namely that they have no natural or distinct centre or focal point (image 4). Image 4 aerial view of sewardstone countryside edge former haulage yard, sewardstone 13 d a o r e n o t s d r a w e s knights pits m o tt s tre et site boundary 20 - 29 d.p.h. 30 - 39 d.p.h. 40 + d.p.h. 3 king george’s reservoir Image 1 aerial view of bungalows on sewardstone road 14 housing density The residential land use in and around Sewardstone is varied. Sewardstone Road has the oldest properties (due to the fact that Sewardstone is a linear development and has initially grown along Sewardstone Road), predominantly detached or semi-detached bungalows which are set back from the road, separated by a grass verge. The plots are relatively narrow, meaning that these houses are at a relatively high density for a linear settlement at typically between 20-29 dwellings per hectare. Image 2 view of bungalows on sewardstone road The houses and bungalows along Sewardstone Road are largely semi-detached in brick construction with tiled, hipped pitched roofs. Image 3 view of bungalows on sewardstone road former haulage yard, sewardstone 15 d a o r e n o t s d r a w e s knights pits m o tt s tre 1 et site boundary 20 - 29 d.p.h. 30 - 39 d.p.h. 40 + d.p.h. king george’s reservoir Image 1 aerial view of butlers road estate 16 housing density Also symptomatic of linear developments are the introverted cul-de-sacs that branch from Sewardstone Road such as Butler’s Drive and Godwin Close. Butler’s Drive has housing that achieves a similar d.p.h. figure to Sewardstone Road by virtue of its relatively generous gardens and relaxed layout. However the houses are also placed quite close to each other, the majority being semi-detached or terraces. These houses are constructed of brick with tiled pitched roofs. Image 2 view of housing on butlers drive estate Image 3 view of housing on butlers drive estate former haulage yard, sewardstone 17 d a o r e n o t s d r a w e s knights pits m o tt s tre et 2 site boundary 20 - 29 d.p.h. 30 - 39 d.p.h. 40 + d.p.h. king george’s reservoir Image 1 aerial view of godwin close estate 18 housing density Godwin Close is similar to the Butler’s Drive development but also includes some flats. As this development is later and the layout more urban in nature, the density is higher at over 40 d.p.h. The houses are tightly arranged with minimal gardens and green spaces; the provision of parking for the number of flats within the development has resulted in a large majority of the site being covered in hard standing. The buildings on the estate are constructed Image 2 view of houses on godwin close estate of brick with pitched tiled roofs and due to their cramped layout, private gardens are frequently overlooked by neighbours. The development is introverted and does not address the countryside edge. Image 3 view of housing on godwin close estate former haulage yard, sewardstone 19 d a o r e n o t s d r a w e s 4 knights pits m o tt s tre et site boundary 20 - 29 d.p.h. 30 - 39 d.p.h. 40 + d.p.h. king george’s reservoir Image 1 aerial view of manton road estate 20 housing density A larger, more recent development to the West of Sewardstone is the Manton road Estate, part of the Enfield Island Village. Like Godwin Close, this also combines flats and houses of varying size but has an overall density lower than Godwin Close at between 30-39 d.p.h. However, owing to the development’s expanse, the impact on the countryside edge is arguably more extensive. The properties range from detached houses set within small gardens to a number of Image 2 view of housing on manton road estate low-rise apartment complexes. There is an apparent hierarchy of housing quality and value between the properties that face the countryside edge and the Knights Pits gravel pits to the East, and the properties that face West towards Enfield. These properties are constructed in brick with tiled roofs with a mixture of hipped and gabled constructions, and are all of a material quality higher than that of the Godwin Close and Butlers Drive estates. Image 4 view of housing on manton road estate former haulage yard, sewardstone 21 c y c l e y / e p b e d b a e s t r m i a a n h t l r o a u w t e & t 6 o 2 J w 5 a 2 l t h M a o m t a b b e y knights pits ld to ene an route cycle / pedestri Image 1 approaching sewardstone along sewardstone road from the north lo oop wa ute nd on l lking ro primary road lond secondary road on lo op walking pedestrian & cycle route d ro r ute o f g n i h king george’s c d reservoir n a n o d n o l l a r t n e c o t Image 2 passing along sewardstone road from the south 22 routes through sewardstone As Sewardstone is a linear settlement, it is dominated by Sewardstone Road which creates the main axis through the settlement.