Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy: Examination (Resumed Hearings)
Supplementary Statement submitted on behalf of BDW Trading Limited (Representor Number: 750734) in relation to Matter 5: Urban Potential and Site- Selection Methodology
St James Park, Wilmslow (formerly known as Land at Little Stanneylands)
September 2015
Does the assessment of Urban Potential and Site Selection Methodology fully consider the potential for development within and around the existing towns and settlements in Cheshire East, including development of smaller sites within the built-up area or on the fringes of settlements in the north of the area and the balance between brownfield and greenfield sites, and provide an appropriate, consistent, objective, justified and effective approach to the selection of sites, in line with national guidance and fully addressing the Inspector’s concerns in his Interim Views, particularly in terms of:
a) Urban Potential Study
1. BDW Trading Limited (BDW) would raise the following general points in relation to the robustness of the Urban Potential Study:
• The study has applied a density of 30dph across all sites, ‘unless [there is] a clear reason to deviate from this’. It is not clear whether this is a gross or net density. It would appear somewhat overly simplistic to apply a 30dph density across all sites without considering the gross to net ratio, even on a standardised basis. • This study is entirely separate from the SHLAA and does not follow accepted SHLAA methodology. Crucially it does not include any specific consideration of deliverability, and particularly viability.
2. BDW would note that even with these concerns, the potential for new housing sites within the built-up area of Wilmslow is very low. This position is consistent with BDW previously representations, insofar that Wilmslow’s housing needs can only be met through suitable and appropriate Green Belt release around their periphery.
3. With regard to the assessment of edge of settlement potential, BDW has no particular concern with the overall approach and method. However they do wish to make the following comments in relation to the assumptions and conclusions made in relation to the development potential of specific sites around Wilmslow:
4. BDW welcomes the conclusion that the St James Park site (formally known as Land at Little Stanneylands) (Sub: 2846) is suitable for further consideration in the LPS as a potential strategic housing site. However, the UPS has not considered the most up to date Vision document for the St James Park site (attached at Appendix 1 for completeness). This was submitted to Adrian Fisher at Cheshire East Council on the 10th July 2015 and BDW would be grateful if this evidence could be taken into account as it provides the most up-to-date position.
5. This vision document provides further evidence to demonstrate that the St James Park site is available, suitable, and achievable; and merits further consideration for allocation in the LPS as a strategic housing site. BDW requests that the Inspector notes the vision document and the following key points.
• Vehicular access to the site will be achieved from Stanneylands Road. The new road alignment will deliver notable highway safety enhancements by providing a safe pedestrian footpath and removing a dangerous pinch point. • The scheme can deliver up to 250 new homes, whilst protecting important landscape and topographical features. • The site can be developed without building on areas that are at risk of flooding. • The site can facilitate the delivery of new areas of public open space, as well as opening up new pedestrian linkages between the site and Handforth. • The site is under sole ownership and the viability of the development has been tested by David Wilson Homes. If the site is allocated, a housing development will be pursued in a timely manner
1.1 BDW is concerned about the robustness of the assessment of the following sites; that were identified in the UPS as being suitable for further consideration in the LPS as a potential strategic housing sites:
• Land at Prestbury Road (Sub: 1066) - No technical studies have been undertaken to assess the suitability of this site for residential development. Further, a landscape assessment of the sites around Wilmslow (commissioned by BDW) has indicated that there are potential adverse landscape effects on this site as a result of the loss of woodland and the allotment, as well as the effect on the distinctive rolling landform to the south of the site. The absence of any technical work means that the suitability of the site is unknown and further work is required.
• Land at Upcast Land (Sub: 2595)- While some masterplanning and technical work has undertaken in relation to development on this site, the UPS fails to identify that development on this site would extend the built form into the Lindow Moss character area - a rare landscape type within Cheshire. The loss of a rare landscape character type is an important consideration and one that must be considered when assessing whether a site is suitable for development. The silence of the UPS in respect to this constraint is a shortcoming of the evidence and is an influence on whether the site is suitable for development.
b) Site Selection Methodology
6. BDW has no concerns in principle with the Site Selection Methodology. It is how this applied that will require scrutiny. BDW reserves its position in this regard.
7. BDW notes the importance of thorough public consultation with Parish Councils and local residents. The location of additional strategic and non-strategic housing allocations should be informed by this consultation.
Turley Office 1 New York Street Manchester M1 4HD
T 0161 233 7676
Site Advocacy Summary Document July 2015 St James Park, Wilmslow
V al prepared on behalf of David Wilson Homes ley Dr ive
R iv e r D e a n
S ta nn ey la nd s Ro ad
d a e o v i R r r D e t n s o e lt h r c a n C a M
CONTENTS 1. Introduction 04 2. The need 06 3. The opportunity 08 4. The proposition 10 5. Conclusion 19
Contact: Sam Ryan Director Disclaimer [email protected] This drawing/document is for illustrative Office Address: purposes only and should not be used for 1 New York Street any construction or estimation purposes. Do not scale drawings. No liability or Manchester M1 4HD responsibility is accepted arising from Telephone: reliance upon the information contained in 0161 233 7676 this drawing/document. Copyright Date of issue: All drawings are Crown Copyright 2012. All July 2015 rights reserved. Licence number 100020449. 2 3 Introduction 01
1.1 This document presents the opportunity to allocate land off Manchester
M62 M60 1 M60 5 Manchester Road in Wilmslow k m (the Site) for residential A56 10 k m development to meet the needWarrington Stockport A6
5 Altrincham k for housing identified by the M6 M56 m council as part of the emerging A556 A34 Cheshire East Local Plan. Wilmslow
1.2 The site, St James Park, lies on the north western edge of Wilmslow, abutting existing development on two sides and is enclosed by trees and Knutsford Peak hedges on its other boundaries. A537 District 1.3 The St James Park development proposal envisages the provision of Northwich Macclesfield up to 250 dwellings as a modest expansion of the town. The development would provide public access on to Manchester Road and to the River Dean, which would be retained and enhanced in the long-term as a green corridor separating Wilmslow and Handforth. M6 A34
1.4 The land is under option to David Wilson Homes (DWH), part of Barratt Developments PLC, the UK’s largest house builder. In 2014 DWH delivered A54 over 540 new homes in the North West creating 1900 jobs and injecting Winsford £7.7m additional expenditure in local shops and services. Congleton Strategic context plan 4 Sandbach Scope 1.5 This document articulates:
• The need – a broad summary of the strategic drivers for new housing in Cheshire East and Wilmslow
• The opportunity - an appreciation of the potential to grow Wilmslow through expansion of the town in sustainable locations
• The proposition – the place-making opportunities presented by the St James development, taking account of site-specific opportunities and constraints.
Stanneylands Hotel
Wilmslow Garden Centre
Little Stanneylands
Aerial photograph of site 5 The need 02
2.1 There is a national shortage of new homes in England. National planning policy seeks to readdress this by significantly boosting the supply of housing.
2.2 The Examination of the submitted Cheshire East Core Strategy was suspended in November 2014 when the Inspector wrote to the council expressing concerns regarding the (low) housing requirement and distribution of sites across the borough.
2.3 Subsequent research1 carried out on behalf of the Council now acknowledges a need for the emerging local plan to address a higher housing need and allocate more sites for housing, with a particular focus on sites in the northern towns and villages. This will inevitably require some release of land from the Green Belt.
“We’ve always tried not to develop on the Green Belt and when you have towns that are surrounded by nothing but the greenbelt you have to look at Brownfield sites first and we’ve done that. If we are going to build on the Green Belt we will do it in a sustainable way. I think we can say that there will not be a massive incursion on the Green Belt. But we will have to build on the Green Belt because there is only Green Belt in the north of the borough”2
1 Cheshire East Housing Development Strategy 2015 2 Cllr Mike Jones speaking at the Full Council meeting of Cheshire East Council, 27 May 2015 6 2.4 The council’s evidence indicates a requirement of 36,000 new dwellings • There will be reduced demand for schools and services for children over the 20-year plan period; that is an increase of 9,000 houses from the and families, potentially resulting in their closure, while at the same time submitted plan. All settlements in Cheshire East will need to accommodate an aging population will place an increased burden on health-related a share of the increased requirement. services
2.5 Wilmslow is the 4th largest settlement in Cheshire East and a highly • The growth potential of public revenue in Council Tax and New Homes sustainable location for development given its proximity to the Greater Bonus will be reduced, restricting the finance available for CEC to Manchester conurbation and access to major road, rail and airport deliver vital front line public services and for investment in maintaining infrastructure. and enhancing local infrastructure in Wilmslow and across the wider borough.
2.6 The submitted draft of the Local Plan allocated just 400 dwellings to 2.8 A higher level of housing development in Wilmslow, commensurate Wilmslow over a 20-year plan period. While this was supported by the Town with its status, would result in a far improved set of housing market, socio- Council and local community groups it is clear that accommodating a little economic, economic and public revenue outputs for the town. The draft over 1% of the housing needs of the borough is disproportionate to the size Wilmslow Vision3 document proposed c.1,500 new dwellings; this would and importance of the town. provide for a more sustainable future for Wilmslow and its residents.
2.7 Further, without an appropriate level of housing growth the future, sustainability of Wilmslow as a settlement will be severely constrained. In particular:
• The availability of affordable housing will be significantly curtailed exacerbating the already acute affordable housing needs provision within the town
• Population growth will be restricted and it is likely that there will be a further skewing of the demographic and socio-economic profile towards an ageing population and reduction in the labour force
• Growth in local expenditure is likely to reduce, limiting the potential for local shops, businesses and services in Wilmslow to directly financially benefit from an expansion of the community as well as restricting related employment growth
3 Wilmslow Vision, 2013 7 The opportunity 03
KEY
3.1 The draft Local Plan currently identifies two housing sites lying to the Green Belt / settlement boundary
s te south and east of the town, with a combined capacity of approximately 340 u River / flood plain in m 5 dwellings, and indicates that balance of the housing requirement is to be 1 / Railway / station m s 0 e t 0 2 u accommodated on small sites within the town. n 1 i
m
0 Town centre 1
/ s te u m in 0
0 m
8 5
Proposed Housing Allocations /
3.2 Given the requirement to increase the overall quantum of housing in
m
0 in Local Plan Strategy
0
4
Cheshire East and direct more development to the northern settlements,
Proposed Safeguarded Land
additional land will now need to be identified for housing growth in
in Local Plan Strategy
Wilmslow. The opportunities for development to take place on brownfield
Sites within Non-Preferred Sites
sites within the town are limited and Green Belt release will be required. Document (Nov 2013)
Handforth
Other Sites promoted through
St James Park
Local Plan Strategy
3.3 In identifying potential sites, the council will need to have regard to
policy and technical opportunities and constraints, as well as other material
considerations including the views of the local community.
3.4 The achievability and deliverability of these sites is summarised in Table Land at Dean Row 1 (opposite). The table demonstrates that St James Park is one of the best (western parcel)
s te locations for new housing in Wilmslow. u in m 5 1 / A34 m s 0 e t 0 2 u n 1 i
m
0
1
/ s te Policy u m in 0 Land at Dean Row 0 m
8 5
/ (eastern parcel)
m
0 3.5 St James Park is one of a number of sites being promoted through the
0
Adlington Road
4
development plan process and has been assessed as part of the council’s
4
Green Belt Review which indicates that most are on an equal footing and
Wilmslow
make a ‘significant contribution’ to the purposes of Green Belt. The St
James Park site is suitable for development and Table 1 shows that it is
Land North of
ranked above the majority of alternative sites around Wilmslow.
Harefield
Beech Road
Farm
Prestbury Road
Technical constraints
Alderley Road
3.6 A number of potential sites in and on the edge of Wilmslow have Upcast Lane Royal London technical constraints, particularly landscape and access issues, making them less favourable locations for housing development than the St James Park site.
4 Cheshire East Green Belt Sites Review, Arup (2015) Alternative sites plan 8 Site Potential Suitable Achievable Deliverable Overall yield CEC Green Belt Relative Landscape and Visual Impact summary Assessment (May 2015) St James Park 250 Significant Relatively visually contained due to Technical evidence Promoted by national house contribution its tree and woodland cover demonstrates no impediment builder *** to development on this site Site masterplanning will respect the rural, wooded landscape character Land at Dean Row 360 Significant Partially visually contained, but Technical evidence Promoted by national house (western parcel) contribution would extend the built form of demonstrates no impediment builder *** Wilmslow into a rural area to the to development on this site east Land at Alderley Road 80 Contribution Located within the existing built Technical evidence Promoted by site owner / no form of Wilmslow demonstrates no impediment evidence of interest from a ** to development on this site house builder Local landscape effects Land at Upcast Lane 180 Contribution Conflict with a rare landscape Limited technical evidence Promoted by site owner / no character area (Lindow Moss) submitted to date – in evidence of interest from a ** particular no evidence in house builder relation to the landscape character issue Land north of Beech 174 Significant Conflict with a rare landscape No technical evidence Promoted by site owner / no Road (land bounded contribution character area (Lindow Moss) submitted evidence of interest from a * by Rotherwood Road) house builder Land at Prestbury 700 Significant Loss of woodland and effects on No technical evidence No evidence of promotion or Road contribution the distinctive rolling landform submitted interest from a house builder * adjacent to the site Land at Dean Row 380 Major contribution Conflict with landscape character No technical evidence No evidence of promotion or (eastern parcel) due to its isolated position submitted interest from a house builder
Table 1: Summary of alternative sites 9 KEY
Site
Key road
Railway / station
Bus routes / stop
KEY Public right of way
Sustainable location Site Retail
3.7 New development should be directed to locations that are easily Key road Key local facility
1 accessible by public transport and within a reasonable walking or cycling 20 0m Railway / station Employment / 1 distance to jobs, shops and services. Those, like St James Park, lying 5 m in u within a 10-15 minute walk of a railway station and a town or district Bus routes / stop School te w a centre are generally considered to be particularly sustainable. Handforth lk Public right of way Recreation space town centre / POS 80 0m Retail / 10 John Lewis / m in Sainsburys Local opinion u te Key local facility w a 3.8 While consultation on the earlier stages of the Local Plan indicated lk strong support to strictly limit new housing development in the town, that Employment
is clearly not an option in light of current housing need. Views expressed at School 4 00 Handforth m / that time were for a relatively dispersed pattern of development to limit its 5 railway station m Recreation space in u impact. / POS te w a lk “We also believe that areas for future development should be small pockets of land evenly distributed around Wilmslow. No single area in our town should be expected to accept more than its fair share of development.”5
The opportunity for growth 3.9 On the basis of the above, the opportunity for housing growth in Wilmslow is for a portfolio of sites to be identified in sustainable locations around the edge of the town. Cumulatively, those sites could provide over 2,000 dwellings to meet an appropriate share of the increased housing requirement for the borough.
3.10 St James Park is the only identified site on the north-western edge Summerfields village centre of Wilmslow. It has no insurmountable technical constraints (see following section) and is sustainably located for ease of access to local facilities and public transport routes. It is one of the most favourable sites on the edge of the town and a first choice for allocation (Table 1).
5 Wilmslow Town Council, 2013 Site context plan 10 The proposition 04
Site setting 4.1 Extending to around 14.85 hectares, the site sits within Green Belt land at the edge of the built up area boundary of Wilmslow. It comprises a number of heavily grazed horse paddocks with a cluster of stable buildings towards the southern boundary, and is bounded by Stanneylands Road to the south and west, garden fences to the rear of residential properties and Wilmslow Garden Centre to the east and the River Dean to the north.
4.2 The site is currently accessed via Stanneylands Road which runs along the southern boundary of the site. The Stanneylands Hotel and large detached two-storey dwellings lie on the opposite side of Stanneylands Road. The immediate south of the site is a predominantly residential area, comprising cul-de-sacs of detached dwellings which back on to the site and are screened in part by mature trees.
4.3 There are two grade II listed buildings – Little Stanneylands and Rose Cottage - to the southern edge of the site. The site does not lie within a conservation area.
4.4 Detailed technical reviews of the site have enabled the following development principles to be established:
11 Topography and flood risk Access and movement • Utilise the site’s existing topography and river valley setting as a starting • Create a new access into the site from Stanneylands Road, while also point for the development framework improving the access to the Stanneylands Hotel. Technical advice shows that a roundabout in this location will support the proposed • Exclude areas of land towards the River Dean which lie within flood zone capacity of the site 3 • Include green corridors through the site and continuation/linking of • Use the site’s steep embankments to contain development, screen existing public access routes views and create a natural setting. • Create pedestrian/cycle links from the site to Cheshire East Council (CEC) land to the north east for access to additional open space and Ecology and trees onwards to Manchester Road and Handforth Station
• The existing trees, large areas of woodland and water features of the • Create a legible network of pedestrian and cycle routes through the site, site to be retained where possible as part of the green infrastructure for with strong connectivity to local services and the surrounding residential the development area, improving accessibility to new areas of public open space. • The existing wildlife corridor within the site to be retained and enhanced
• Identify new opportunities for habitat and biodiversity enhancement. Opportunities and constraints 4.6 The key opportunities and constraints for bringing the site forward for development are: Views and amenity • Respond to the transition of scale and character between existing urban • Use existing woodland and new planting to create a defensible Green area to the north and south, and the river valley Buffer between Wilmslow and Handforth, with the Cheshire East Council land to the north • Focus built development within the southern extents of the site, where the site is relatively flat and less constrained by existing trees and • To bring forward high quality residential development in an attractive woodland landscape and river setting
• Include green corridors through the site and continuation/linking of • To create new public open space on land that was previously existing public access routes. inaccessible, for the benefits of new and existing residents of the area
• To work with the site’s existing topographical and landscape features to create a development which sits within its natural surroundings
• Improve highways safety on Stanneylands Road
• Improve pedestrian connections to the north east.
12 KEY WILLOW DRIVE
Site boundary HOPE AVENUE
60m Val Watercourses / ponds le STANNEYLANDS ROAD y Dr iv VALLEY DRIVE e Flood zone 3
AVENUE
62m KENILWORTH 2m contours 64m
Embankments /
steep level change Dean
62m River 64m
66m Existing trees and woodland 60m
62m
River Dean Site of Nature R iv Conservation Importance e r 62m D e 68m 64m a n Existing residential edges 66m 64m 70m with aspect towards the site 68m 60m 66m 70m River Dean 72m 68m 62m Proposed new site 72m 70m 74m 64m access / road alignment S ta n 66m ne y 74m l 68m an 72m Land within Cheshire East ds R 72m Council ownership o ad 74m
74m 76m
Stanneylands Hotel
76m Wilmslow Garden 78m Centre 78m
ROAD
STANNEYLANDS
d a o e R r iv r te D s e
CARLTONn AVENUE h o c lt r n a a E C DRIV M STANNEYLANDS DRIVE SEFTON DRIVE CARLTON AVENUE
SEFTON
GREEN DRIVE EVESHAM DRIVE
Opportunities and constraints plan
VE
RI
DEAN D
FINNEY DRIVE DRIVE 13
STANNEYLANDS
MANCHESTER ROAD
SEFTON DRIVE
KINGSLEY
AVENUE
STANNEYLANDS ROAD
FINNEY DRIVE Creating a development framework 4.6 The following series of diagrams – or ‘mastersteps’ – demonstrate how the development potential of the site has been informed by the opportunities and constraints 60m
62m identified in this report. 64m 66m
68m
72m
74m
76m
78m
1. Retention of site assets 2. Landscape framework • Retain key tree groups and mature woodland as a starting point for development • Utilising the site’s landscape assets as a starting point, a framework of key spaces begin to emerge • Respect and enhance the setting of the River Dean • Create areas of additional planting to screen the development from • Retain and enhance the site’s topography by avoiding development on surrounding views steeper slopes. • Retain and enhance the wildlife corridor
• The focal point of the development will be a large public open space towards the River Dean.
14 3. Movement network 4. Development parcels • A clear movement strategy has been developed to create a permeable • By combining the previous mastersteps, development parcels naturally network of streets and spaces, with priority for pedestrians and cyclists emerge
• Access into the site is to be taken from Stanneylands Road • New development parcels to the south and south east create enclosure to rear gardens of existing properties, increasing their security • Pedestrian / cycle link across River Dean to council owned land to the north of the site • Frontages are created to all streets and spaces, including the open space towards the River Dean and the west, creating a soft edge to the • A clear network of streets and spaces create views through the development. development to the surrounding trees and woodland.
15 Development framework 4.7 The resulting development framework plan demonstrates how the site can be structured to form a well-connected, accessible development which responds to the site’s existing landscape assets.
4.8 The indicative masterplan opposite demonstrates how the site can accommodate around 250 dwellings.
1 New roundabout access from Stanneylands Road
2 Public open space to north and west, towards the River Dean
3 Retained woodland / tree groups
4 Footpath and cycle links, particularly towards the north-east
5 Soft, informal development frontage fronting public open space and woodland
6 Green buffer to the north of the site (Cheshire East Council land).
16 V al ley Dr ive
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d a e o v i R r r D e t n s o e lt h r c a n 17 C a M
18 Conclusion 5
5.1 The emerging local plan process has identified a clear need to increase the overall housing requirement in the borough and provide additional sites in the northern settlements; including identifying land currently within Green Belt.
5.2 Wilmslow is one of the largest settlements in Cheshire East and an appropriate and sustainable location for new housing development of a scale commensurate with the status of the town.
5.3 The St James Park site is identified as an opportunity to accommodate c. 250 dwellings on the north-western side of Wilmslow as part of a dispersed pattern of new development around the town. The development would also provide open space along the northern edge (River Dean corridor) acting as a long-term separation between Wilmslow and Handforth. The achievability and deliverability of the St James Park site demonstrates that it is one of the best locations for new housing in Wilmslow.
5.4 An illustrative masterplan has been prepared based on detailed technical analysis of the site. The scheme has the backing of the nation’s largest house-builder and is deliverable in the short term, offering social, environmental and economic benefits to the town.
19 For further information contact Sam Ryan [email protected]
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