DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT

11 No. PROPOSED APARTMENTS LAND ADJACENT TO FLAXMOSS HOUSE, HELMSHORE ROAD, HASLINGDEN, ROSSENDALE, BB4 4JA

ON BEHALF OF HIGHFIELD DEVELOPMENTS (NW) LTD FEBRUARY 2011

IOM Design LTD Chartered Architects

‘Heathwaite’ 4 Castle Bank, Silverdale, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA5 0RY Tel: 01524 701641, Email [email protected]

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1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This statement has been prepared on behalf of Highfield Developments (NW) Ltd in support of a full application for planning permission for the erection of 11No. 2 and 3 bedroom apartments within three and a half storey building, with basement parking and associated landscaping, on land adjacent to Flaxmoss House, Helmshore Road, Haslingden.

1.2 This statement is supported by the following drawings in PDF format:

• PLANNING-01 SITE LOCATION PLAN (A4)

• PLANNING-02A PROPOSED SITE PLAN (A0)

• PLANNING-03A PROPOSED FLOOR PLANS (A1)

• PLANNING-04A PROPOSED ELEVATIONS (A1)

• M1389 EXISTING TOPOGRAPHICAL SITE SURVEY (A1)

• 3958.01 TREE SURVEY & ROOT PROTECTION (A1)

• TREE REPORT TBA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS (A4)

1.3 The purpose of this statement is to provide a brief description of the site and its context and to introduce the principles of the design. 1.4 The statement will display full recognition of designing for disabled access and the requirement to satisfy relevant mandatory legislation and guidelines, and improvement thereof.

2. SITE OVERVIEW Site Context and Characteristics 2.1 The site is an area of land that forms part of the extensive gardens to Flaxmoss House and it currently contains the main entrance & drive to the house, along with a tennis court and lawn. The site is roughly rectilinear in shape, is approximately 3699.5 Sq meters in area and slopes approximately 1.3m from east to west. The entrance gates are located on Helmshore Road (B6214), on the right hand side when travelling south from Haslingden or on the left hand side travelling north on Helmshore Road from the centre of Helmshore. As can be seen on the aerial photo of the site below, this private garden is surrounded on all sides by residential development and is extremely well screened by mature trees. All of the trees to the perimeter of the site are to be retained and enhanced where necessary.

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We have included a copy of the Deed Plans for Flaxmoss House (Appendix One and Two), to show that since 1920 this area of land has only been used as farm land and later as a private residential garden and so the possibility of contaminated land is not probable.

Neighbouring Properties 2.2 To the North of the proposed site is the substantial detached dwelling, Flaxmoss House, which is set within extensive grounds, even after the section of lawn that we propose to locate the new building on, is removed. There is an existing entrance to the house from Campion Drive and this will become the main entrance to Flaxmoss House once the development gets under way. Two properties, built in the mid 1980’s on Flaxmoss Close have side gables to the northern boundary, which has some mature trees and bushes along its length. This foliage forms an effective screen to parts of site and TBA Landscape Architects have also proposed new trees along this boundary to complete the effect.

To the Eastern Boundary beyond an extensive mature screen of trees, is Helmshore Road. On the opposite side of this road are is mixture of styles of residential dwellings that include one, two and three storey buildings, faced in brickwork, render and tile

3 hanging, generally under tiled pitched roofs. The all have off road parking and boundaries marked with soft landscaping to the frontage, stone walls and timber fencing.

To the southern boundary, again beyond a dense screen of mature trees, is a large three storey detached building known as Westbourne, which is finished in white render under concrete tiled roofs. Westbourne is a private sheltered residential establishment.
View from Helmshore Road

To the West of the Site, the dwellings of Moss Close and Gorse Grove principally consist of bungalows and some two story properties, constructed of facing brickwork under concrete tiled roofs. Beyond, are far reaching views to Winter Hill and Holcombe Moor.

View from the South Western corner of the site

Site Characteristics 2.3 The site is a slightly sloping parcel of hitherto, undeveloped land within the private domestic curtilage of Flaxmoss House. The area is laid to lawn with a tennis court in one corner along the southern/western boundaries and from the entrance gateway on Helmshore Road, a drive sweeps round to the front of Flaxmoss House. 2.4 The majority of the existing trees are located close to the boundaries of the site and some of these have TPO protection attached to them. Appendix Three shows the Tree Preservation Plan that was kindly forwarded to us by the planning department, whilst Appendix Four (a-d) show the tree preservation order from 1977 and subsequent correspondence between the previous owner of Flaxmoss House and the Planning Department regarding the removal of some of the trees due to Dutch Elm Disease. We

4 believe that the TPO plan shown on Appendix Three pre dates the correspondence and Plans shown in Appendix Four. 2.5 We would also draw your attention to the Tree Survey Report and the Tree Survey and Root Protection Plan (Dwg. No. 3958.01) which have been produced by TBA Landscape Architects. 2.6 Appendix Five shows the completed Accessibility Questionnaire for Residential Developments, which shows that in terms of accessibility the site score is 37 (deemed a High Level of Accessibility). The site is extremely well placed for convenient access to the public transport network, to nursery, primary and secondary schools as well as the shops banks etc. of Helmshore and Haslingden.

3. DESIGN PROPOSALS 3.1 Our proposal seeks permission for 11 apartments, 7 of which will have three bedroom and 4 will have two bedrooms, all contained within a 3.5 storey building. The apartments are generously sized to offer fabulous family sized accommodation. We propose that the majority of the residents parking will be located in a basement parking area which will provide secure parking for the residents whilst also reducing the amount of space that would be lost to hard landscaping at ground floor level. The parking provision provides a ratio of 200% as discussed with the Highways department (2 spaces for each apartment) and there are also two dedicated visitor’s spaces near to the entrance of the site. 3.2 By grouping the apartments together, we have been able to maximise the grounds around the building for the private use of the residents. The majority of the rear gardens will be laid to lawn (as existing) whilst the new entrance footpaths and small surface parking area will be professionally landscaped with planting beds. We do not wish to carve up the rear gardens and propose that communal gardens will provide a large open amenity space for the residents. 3.3 All of the windows and doors to the apartment’s, are located in the eastern and western elevations to maximise the distances between the new homes and existing neighbouring properties. 3.4 The site is surrounded by fabulous mature trees to all of its boundaries. As previously described, many of these trees are rightly protected by Tree Preservation Orders, as they form an integral part of the character of the local area and we fully appreciate that their retention is of high importance. For this reason, our proposal does not require the removal of any of the trees along the boundaries of the site. There is however a small group of trees located within the body of the site, which we propose to remove. This group is noted as T17 –T21 on TBA Landscape Architects Tree Report and plan, which

5 is attached to this application. There is some confusion whether these trees are in fact covered by the TPO’s but assuming that they are, we refer to the following extract from an email from TBA Landscape Architects regarding the effect the possible removal of this group would have:

Further to our recent conversation I would make the following observations regarding the trees at Flaxmoss House. The proposal makes it impossible to retain the group of trees comprising T17, 18, 19, 20 and 21. T17 - T20 are B category Sycamores and T21 is a C category Cherry.

I think the LPA would find it hard to object to the loss of the C category Cherry, as it is heavily suppressed due to the adjacent Sycamore anyway. The Tree Preservation Order (TPO) drawing is not particularly clear as to whether these trees are protected, however one of the main criteria for making a TPO is the visual amenity value of the trees. In this particular case I would suggest that because the tree group is within the body of the site and there are other significant trees between them and the boundary, that their loss would not be as important as the loss of trees on the road frontage.

I would suggest that trees 17 - 20 are shown as removed in the planning layout and that replacement trees are proposed on a ratio of at least two for one. I attach a marked up drawing which gives suggested locations for new tree planting. The species need to be of a reasonable ultimate size so I would suggest Lime, Ash and Beech where space allows and Holly, Birch and Cherry nearer the building. ------David Griffin Chartered Landscape Architect Director tba landscape architects

3.5 We truly believe that the loss of these trees will not affect the visual character of the area and Appendix Six: shows the suggested proposed location of new trees that would be planted to enhance the existing trees and these would create additional screening to the site.

3.6 Our design evolved from the desire to create a large detached property with a single entrance, rather than a terrace of individual properties or the approved scheme for single detached dwellings that encompass the whole of the site. Our proposal centrally locates the building within the site, with a scale and presence that we believe the site should command along Helmshore Road, whilst also maintaining appropriate distances between it and neighbouring properties. We feel that this approach is preferable to filling the whole site with smaller detached units as it respects the scale and massing of Flaxmoss House and Westbourne to the south and would complement the street scene of Helmshore Road.

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3.7 There is an eclectic mix of styles of properties in the area local to the site, with no particular style being dominant and Flaxmoss House stands alone as a fine example of traditional, elegant stone detailing. We considered trying to replicate the stone facades of Flaxmoss house, however it terms of the street scene, we felt that we should instead draw reference from the traditional detailing of the facing brick dwellings, under traditional pitched tiled roofs along Helmshore Road. We have enlivened the elevations by incorporating some rendered panels in sympathy of the rendered facades of Westbourne, but have introduced a higher level of detailing with Tudor boarding and stone band courses. The projecting gables seek to further enhance the visual interest of the elevations, which we believe will compliment the street scene when glimpsed through the screen of trees.

4. ACCESS 4.1 The Apartments will have sole use of the existing entrance gateway and drive to the site from Helmshore Road and it is proposed that Flaxmoss House will use the entrance that exists on Campion Drive. Following discussions with the Highways Agency, we have also introduced a pedestrian access gate and footpath, either side of the entrance drive. These will be carefully constructed to avoid any adverse effects on the protected trees along this boundary. The proposal will be to construct the pathways with minimum dig construction, with porous block paving over a geo web cellular system. Edging will be formed with timber driven stakes rather than concrete haunching.

4.2 With respect to access for disabled people, the proposed dwellings and access, have been designed to comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Building Regulations Approved Document M.

4.3 In accordance with the Building Regulations Approved Document M, suitable access is included in the design to enable people, including disabled people, to reach the entrance hall from the point of access.

4.4 The parking arrangements will have sufficient space for disabled access and car turning facilities to allow future occupiers to leave the property in a forward gear.

4.5 In accordance with the Building Regulations Approved Document M, suitable access to all of the dwelling is included in the design to enable people, including disabled people, to gain access to all levels of the apartments.

7 4.6 In accordance with the Building Regulations Approved Document M, suitable provision has been included in the design of all of the dwellings for a WC at the apartment entry level, which will be readily accessible to all future occupiers.

5. AFFORDABLE UNITS 5.1 We have discussed the proposal with Ms. Rebecca Lawlor, of Rossendale Borough Council’s Regeneration Department, regarding the number of ‘Affordable Units’ that our client should make available within the development. Ms. Lawlor confirmed that for a small development of 11 apartments, we should allow for two affordable units (20%) and that the best way of dealing with this is to introduce a ‘Re-Sale Covenant’ to two of our proposed apartments. This Covenant would be permanently attached to the dwellings and means that the property would be nominated to be sold at 25% below the market rate, and would need to be sold to a local person with connections to the local area (which would include Rossendale). Our Client is happy to proceed along that route and would welcome receipt of the appropriate paperwork regarding this matter

6. CONCLUSION 6.1 The proposed application seeks full planning approval for the development of eleven, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments within a three and a half storey building, with basement parking and associated landscaping, on land adjacent to Flaxmoss House, Helmshore Road, Haslingden.

6.2 We believe the submitted plans will demonstrate it is possible to create a high quality development which is both well considered and viable, and one that will make a positive contribution to Helmshore.

IOM Design Ltd March 2011

Appendix

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